U.S. Army Expands $1.8 Billion AI Battle Network to Connect Forces and Weapons Across the Pacific.

The U.S. Army is expanding its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) network to I Corps in the Indo-Pacific, supported by new contracts worth up to $1.8 billion. The move marks a new stage in the Army's effort to connect battlefield intelligence, weapons, and military formations through a shared command system designed for operations in contested environments.

A U.S. Army Stryker armored vehicle equipped with the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) system during Project Convergence Capstone 6 at Fort Irwin, California, in July 2026. (Picture source: U.S. Army)

The expansion is intended to give commanders faster access to battlefield information, improve coordination between formations, and maintain operational control when communications are disrupted. It also represents a broader change in how the Army intends to manage combat operations, replacing separate command systems with a shared architecture capable of integrating software from multiple defense companies.

According to an announcement published by the U.S. Army on October 7, 2026, the initial software awards cover nine vendors, including General Dynamics Mission Systems, Air Space Intelligence Federal, Immersive Wisdom, LMI, Mente Systems, Stilman Advanced Strategies, Onebrief, Rune Technologies, and AIR. The contracts, collectively valued at approximately $93.6 million for one year, will provide applications supporting command and control, intelligence, fires, maneuver, sustainment, and force protection. They complement an Anduril agreement announced on October 5, which includes an initial $162.8 million period and options extending its potential value to $1.8 billion over five years.

Related News: U.S. Army to Test 100 Future Technologies in Division-Scale Combat During Project Convergence

At the center of NGC2 is a distributed data architecture built around Anduril's Lattice software, supported by technologies developed by Palantir, Raft, and other partners. Rather than requiring information to pass through separate systems, the architecture allows applications, sensors, vehicles, and command posts to exchange data through a common software foundation. The Army selected Anduril in June 2026 to lead development of this baseline, with Palantir contributing its Foundry environment and Raft providing data management and federation capabilities.

This approach is designed to address a persistent limitation of conventional command networks. Intelligence collected by reconnaissance assets, targeting information from surveillance systems, and reports from maneuver units have traditionally been processed through different applications, sometimes requiring manual transfer between operators. NGC2 seeks to reduce these delays by making information accessible across authorized systems and allowing additional software to be integrated without rebuilding the underlying architecture.

The technology has already undergone testing with the 4th Infantry Division and 25th Infantry Division. During the Ivy Mass exercise, more than 2,500 user devices operated through the shared architecture. Anduril reported that the system reduced artillery fire mission timelines by 90 percent compared with legacy processes, while also improving airspace coordination. These results remain specific to the demonstrated conditions and do not establish equivalent performance across an entire corps.

Further evaluations took place during Project Convergence Capstone 6 in July 2026, when soldiers employed NGC2 applications across a division-sized formation. Testing also examined degraded communications, including situations in which units lost connectivity with higher headquarters. Maintaining access to distributed information under such conditions is an essential requirement for an Army increasingly dependent on networked sensors, precision weapons, and autonomous systems.

The next stage introduces a more demanding operational environment. I Corps, headquartered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, commands formations operating across the Pacific, where distances between headquarters, combat units, and supporting assets can extend thousands of kilometers. Unlike operations conducted within a relatively concentrated land theater, Pacific deployments require coordination between separated forces, often relying on satellite communications and other long-range transmission systems that may face interference or disruption.

NGC2 could allow commanders to combine reconnaissance information, identify targets, coordinate artillery and other fires, and redistribute resources without depending on several disconnected command networks. A reconnaissance element detecting an enemy position could transmit relevant information into the shared environment, enabling other units to assess the threat and prepare a response. The same architecture can support logistics movements and airspace deconfliction, although its effectiveness will depend on network resilience, data quality, and integration with existing military equipment.

The latest contracts do not represent the completion of NGC2 deployment. I Corps is expected to receive the applications for training and upcoming exercises, allowing the Army to assess whether capabilities demonstrated at division level can function across a larger formation. The modular acquisition approach also leaves room for additional contractors and technologies as operational requirements evolve.

For Washington, extending NGC2 into the Pacific carries implications beyond military digitalization. U.S. forces must prepare for potential confrontation with China across an environment characterized by dispersed bases, contested communications, and long-range precision weapons. A command architecture capable of coordinating American formations and eventually supporting greater interoperability with allied forces could improve the speed and continuity of combined operations. Its success, however, will depend on whether the Army can maintain reliable information exchange under electronic warfare and cyber threats, conditions likely to shape any future conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests include security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.

Explore More Defense News

• Land Defense News
• Naval Defense News
• Defense Aerospace News