The U.S. Army has awarded a new $26 million Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement to Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems and its consortium of non-traditional technology partners to accelerate development of its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) initiative.
The project will deliver a data integration prototype for the 25th Infantry Division, currently operating in the Indo-Pacific.
The OTA agreement, announced in coordination with Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications, and Network (PEO C3N), follows a competitive Commercial Solutions Offering (CSO) process. Lockheed Martin’s prototype effort will focus on the integrated data layer of the NGC2 “technology stack,” which aims to streamline battlefield decision-making at the division level by delivering actionable, real-time data to commanders.
“This isn’t the end of competition, this is the beginning,” said Joseph Welch, deputy to the commanding general of Army Futures Command. “We don’t want to have great capabilities simply at the start — we want a durable partnership model that keeps pace with an ever-evolving American tech sector and creates continual opportunity to find and insert the best technology solutions.”
The NGC2 project represents the Army’s broader transformation strategy, integrating commercial innovation into tactical infrastructure to enable faster decision cycles across multi-domain operations. The initiative aligns with lessons from the Army’s Project Convergence and will test prototype components in live operational environments.
As noted by the Army, the NGC2 concept is already being evaluated by the 4th Infantry Division, with a focus on software architecture and cross-platform data integration. The new Lockheed-led OTA complements an earlier agreement awarded to Team Anduril in July, with both efforts aimed at rapidly delivering modular, scalable systems tailored to the specific needs of light and heavy formations.
Jesse Tolleson, acting assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, emphasized the urgency of innovation. “Next Generation Command and Control is about accelerating transformation and optimizing the innovation of both industry and our warfighters to deliver critical Warfighting capabilities at speed.”
Lockheed Martin’s team will leverage existing infrastructure—namely the C2 Fix system—already fielded to the 25th Infantry Division. That setup combines military and commercial off-the-shelf components to create a deployable, adaptable communications framework. According to the Army, the C2 Fix hardware provides a “fight tonight” capability, while the new NGC2 software will enhance data-sharing, visualization, and mission planning.
Lt. Col. Eugene Miranda of the 25th Infantry Division highlighted the operational importance of the new systems. “This effort is about giving our leaders and formations the ability to sense, decide, and act faster together than any adversary,” he said. “We are learning in real time how human skill, disciplined processes, and emerging technologies can come together to strengthen deterrence and win in the Indo-Pacific.”
The Army says it will continue evaluating vendor-led prototypes under the CSO framework. The CSO process includes recurring “decision windows” where companies can propose technologies or integration services. According to Army officials, over 80 proposals were submitted during the latest solicitation.
“Contracting for NGC2 is not just about buying a product; it’s about investing in strategic partnerships with vendors,” said Danielle Moyer, executive director of Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground. “By continuing to embrace open dialogue and collaboration with industry, we can better equip our Soldiers with the most agile and innovative technology available.”
Brig. Gen. Shane Taylor, who leads PEO C3N, said the pace of the program reflects its priority status. “The pace at which we are moving with NGC2, both in terms of contracting and getting the equipment into the hands of Soldiers, is exceptional and laser focused on making our formations faster and more lethal.”
As the Army continues to develop and refine NGC2, commanders say the lessons learned from both the 25th and 4th Infantry Divisions will help guide future fielding decisions and accelerate transformation across the entire force.