U.S. Army Awards Anduril $1.8 Billion NGC2 Expansion Contract

The U.S. Army awarded Anduril Industries a contract on September 30 worth up to $1.8 billion over five years to expand its Next Generation Command and Control system. The initial $162.8 million base period focuses on expanding NGC2’s common data layer to the service’s I Corps, which commands forces across the Indo-Pacific theater. This contract supports the transition of the Army's battlefield software from experimentation to corps-scale fielding.

Technical foundation and capabilities

NGC2 relies on Anduril's proprietary Lattice AI-powered operating system to create a common data layer. This foundational layer allows the Army to integrate new weapons, sensors, and applications without rebuilding the underlying architecture for each addition. The goal is to unify diverse technologies under a single operational framework to significantly increase decision-making speed in combat. NGC2 is envisioned as an ecosystem of interconnected hardware and software designed to give commanders the ability to quickly exchange data through an evolving suite of sensors and AI programs.

Operational testing and validation

The system underwent rigorous testing over the past year. In May, Anduril deployed NGC2 at Fort Carson and Pinon Canyon using over 160 tactical edge computers, more than 2,500 devices, and 40 applications while handling simulated cyber and electromagnetic attacks. A major test followed in July 2026. The Army conducted Project Convergence-Capstone 6 at Fort Irwin, California, involving around 10,000 participants from U.S. and allied forces and industry partners who tested 90 distinct technologies for NGC2.

Upon completion, senior leaders declared the event a success, though they conceded hardware performed poorly in the desert heat. Soldiers reportedly used t-shirts soaked in ice water to cool overheating systems. Also, some drones used at Fort Irwin were not connected to the NGC2 system during the exercise. Two months after this test, the Army determined the command system was ready to be scaled.

Strategic importance and challenges

Expanding NGC2 to I Corps addresses the Army's critical need to connect dispersed units across the Indo-Pacific despite disrupted communications. Units in this theater must coordinate with joint and allied forces while operating through intermittent connectivity over thousands of miles. The five-year award supports NGC2’s progress from division-scale prototyping to corps-scale fielding, replacing the Army’s first-generation command-and-control system for fire, logistics, and airspace management.

NGC2 is a top priority due to the Army's long-decried inability to connect disparate systems on a unified network. Both Anduril and top officials frame the system, specifically Lattice, as a way to rapidly onboard new technology from different companies as conflicts evolve. Former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll emphasized the urgency, stating, "We know the biggest risk to our national security and our national defense is not moving too fast. It’s not moving fast enough." He added, "The side that can sense a target, process the data, and deliver a kinetic effect the fastest, wins."

Industry collaboration and principles

Anduril emphasizes that no single company should control every element of the Army’s command-and-control stack. The NGC2 baseline was developed in collaboration with other firms including Palantir, Raft, and Striveworks. This approach is intended to ensure the architecture remains open and adaptable. The expansion to I Corps provides a critical opportunity to test information flow between these integrated systems in myriad degraded environments. The NGC2 system is set to replace the Army’s first-gen command-and-control system as the service accelerates fielding to meet Indo-Pacific operational demands.