NGC2: Lockheed demos first iteration of US Army common data layer

Lockheed Martin and its partners are developing a Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) system with the US Army. It has been successfully delivered and demonstrated during an exercise, and will soon be used to coordinate fire missions. 

BLUF: 

• The new system was delivered during Lightning Surge 1, a US Army exercise.
• The NGC2 has been designed to integrate multiple sensor feeds into a single command and control system. 
• The next phase will involve joint fires and multi-domain missions. 

Lockheed Martin, working with partners Raft and Accelint, has delivered and successfully demonstrated its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) system to the US Army’s 25 Infantry Division during the Lightning Surge 1 exercise, according to a January 23 press release. 

The prototype NGC2 capability has been installed onto the 25 Infantry Division’s existing command and control architecture, and is expected to span all echelons – division to platoon. The new system is designed to connect all of the data (intelligence, reconnaissance, friendly positions etc) needed by the US Army into a single common data layer. In simple terms, a Common Data Layer (CDL)—sometimes referred to as a “Data Fabric” or “Universal Data Layer”—is a centralized architectural layer that sits between your various data sources and the applications that need to use them.

Instead of every application connecting individually to multiple databases, they all talk to one unified “translator” that provides a consistent view of the information. This is designed to eliminate what is often called “swivel chairing.” In a nutshell, a modern command post would have multiple different databases; one for the air tasking order, one for artillery fire missions, one for friendly position reporting, and so on. For information to pass from one of those programmes to another, soldiers will typically turn around and ask their colleagues what is going on. 

Under NGC2, the US Army is hoping to integrate all of that into a single layer of data fabric that everybody then can access. This, they hope, will give the commander “decision dominance.” The system also includes artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which were supplied by Raft, to improve short turn around reporting. 

Whether decision dominance really matters or not is unclear. Arguably making the right decision rather than the fastest would be more important. NGC2 should help make the right decision in theory, as it combines multiple sensor feeds into its data fabric. 

This is ostensibly similar, albeit for different purposes, to the US Army’s Tactical Intelligence and Targeting Node (TITAN), which is a vehicle designed to integrate different real time sensor feeds such as satellites, high altitude balloons, and electronic warfare into a common data layer. The idea behind TITAN is to support long-range (up to 2,000 km) strikes from Multi-Domain Task Forces. 

• Palantir announces first two TITAN deliveries – Calibre Defence
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What is apparent from US Army reporting, is that units were using the NGC2 to navigate and conduct patrols, and that information from the common data layer was fed to Android Team Awareness Kits (ATAK) used by frontline troops. It was also able to integrate data from a dismounted electromagnetic spectrum awareness system, which indicates that NGC2 is able to process live signals intelligence data.

Similarly, the next iteration of Lightning Surge “will add new functionality onto the existing data foundation, demonstrating iterative continuous growth…within the modular architecture that scales from joint fires to multi-domain lethality,” the press release states.

Lockheed was awarded the $26 million (£20 million/€23.92 million) prototype contract in September 2025, and this is one of two efforts underway. Anduril was awarded the second contract, which is valued at $99.6 million (£76.62 million / €91.63 million) and includes Palantir, Microsoft, Govini and Striveworks. It is using Anduril’s Lattice to develop a complete command and control ecosystem for the US 4th Infantry Division. 

It is understood that Lockheed is focused on the common data layer, whilst Anduril’s effort is for the full NGC2 stack. 

Calibre comment: A thought on sensors and data sharing

Multiple NATO programmes focus on the command and control of existing assets as a means to increasing combat power. One example that we have covered here is the UK’s Project ASGARD, linked above, but there are many others like the French SCORPION programme, and Italy’s plans for a digital force. The end goal, put as simply as possible, is for NATO forces to win by making better-informed decisions at a faster pace than an adversary. The logical outcome is that commanders will be able to hit more targets in a shorter space of time, which logically should mean victory. 

There are two things to consider with this paradigm, one is human, the other technological. Firstly, these concepts are largely unproven. There is very little evidence to suggest that making decisions quickly and striking a lot of critical nodes will lead to a swift victory. Ukraine has hit many of Russia’s critical nodes, including command posts, ammunition dumps, and airfields. But the Russians fight on. This is one area where it feels as though multi-domain concepts could adjust their language. If an enemy does not want to be defeated, it may mean that each element of an adversary’s force has to be destroyed in detail. Few concepts seem to account for this in their planning.

• Project ASGARD; the British Army’s path to doubling lethality – Calibre Defence 
• No comms, no bombs: Nokia and LMT partner for 5G in Latvia – Calibre Defence
• DSEI UK 2025: Motorola Solutions and Nokia collaborate on comms for UK MoD – Calibre Defence

Technologically, it often transpires that these vast quantities of data are passed via satellite networks. Terrestrial radios simply cannot handle the volume of traffic moving back and forth from the edge to rear echelons all of the time. It is possible to use mobile phone networks and some high volume radio networks are being offered that use similar communication protocols to pass information. However, if satellites become the lynchpin for passing data back and forth, then it stands to reason that the reasons for an adversary to target satellite infrastructure – be that the satellites themselves or the ground infrastructure – will increase. This is what happened with the US Network Centric Warfare concepts and Russian electronic warfare, so it would not be unreasonable to expect a similar response to multi-domain operations. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on January 27, 2026. The lead image shows an electronic warfare specialist with the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, operating a dismounted spectrum awareness system during Exercise Lightning Surge 1. Credit: US Army photo by Sgt. Duke Edwards.