Army's NGC2 System Aims to Revolutionize Command and Control
The U.S. Army has taken a significant step in modernizing its command and control systems. In July 2022, it awarded a $96 million contract to Lockheed Martin to develop, test, and deliver the Next Generation Crewed Cyber/Electronic Warfare (NGC2) prototype system. This system is set to be provided to the 4th Infantry Division as a prototype by the summer of 2023.
NGC2 is a vehicle-based system for electronic warfare and cyber defense, designed to greatly enhance the Army's capabilities in jamming, surveillance, and cyber defense. It is part of the Army's modernization efforts and, following a successful prototyping phase, is expected to be rolled out further.
The Army's Next Generation Command and Control initiative aims to use advanced technology to modernize battlefield management. The first use of the new Artillery Execution Suite (AXS) tool, part of the NGC2 initiative, was recently tested during Ivy Sting exercises. AXS proved faster than the legacy system, AFATDS, taking minutes instead of hours to troubleshoot and load up. It was used to speed up the process of gathering target information, passing it through the necessary chain, and hitting the target. The Army plans to scale the NGC2 capability to the division level through a series of Ivy Sting exercises, with future exercises planned to stress the system and expand its capabilities. Contracts for NGC2 systems have been awarded to Anduril and Lockheed Martin for the 4th and 25th Infantry Divisions.
The Army's NGC2 initiative, including the use of the AXS tool, marks a significant step in modernizing its command and control regime. This effort aims to enhance the Army's capabilities in electronic warfare and cyber defense, ultimately improving its effectiveness on the battlefield.
