Lockheed Martin's Next Gen Command and Control Prototype Enables Live Fires at Army Exercise

Lockheed Martin team demonstrates AI-powered data and mission application capabilities integrated with Army's C2 systems during Lightning Surge 2 exercise.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division and Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network, successfully demonstrated their Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) prototype during the Lightning Surge 2 live-fire exercise. The prototype enabled soldiers to sense, see and strike at distance across echelons, showcasing seamless sensor-to-shooter capabilities by integrating electronic warfare targeting, drone video feeds, and battle damage assessment into digital fires systems.

Why it matters

Lockheed Martin is teaming with Raft, Accelint and Rune to provide a full-stack NGC2 prototype, demonstrating AI-powered data and mission application layer capabilities integrated with the Army's C2 systems. This showcases how industry partnerships can deliver advanced warfighting capabilities to soldiers faster than ever before.

The details

During Lightning Surge 2, 25th Infantry Division soldiers used the Lockheed Martin team's NGC2 prototype to assess sensor-to-shooter connections and fire HIMARS rockets and M777 howitzers in real time. Raft's Data Platform provided the foundational data layer, allowing the team to combine electronic warfare targeting, drone video, and battle damage reports into digital fires systems. Accelint's Neo mission-command interface gave commanders a unified, real-time operational picture. As systems fired, Rune's TyrOS Platform automatically tracked ammunition levels to improve logistics forecasting.

  • The Lightning Surge 2 exercise took place in February 2026.
  • Lightning Surge 3 is scheduled for April 2026 and will focus on an airspace mission thread.

The players

Lockheed Martin

A global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery.

U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division (25ID)

The Army unit that participated in the Lightning Surge 2 exercise and used the Lockheed Martin team's NGC2 prototype.

Capability Program Executive Command and Control Information Network (CPE C2IN)

The Army organization that worked closely with Lockheed Martin and the 25th Infantry Division on the NGC2 prototype demonstration.

Raft

The company that provided the foundational data platform for the NGC2 prototype.

Accelint

The company that provided the Neo mission-command interface for the NGC2 prototype.

Rune

The company that provided the TyrOS Platform for automated ammunition tracking and logistics forecasting.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Our team's participation in the U.S. Army's NGC2 initiative and Lightning Surge events shows what we can achieve when the Army, 25th Infantry Division, Lockheed Martin, and best-of-breed industry partners work together.”

— Chandra Marshall, Vice President of Multi-Domain Combat Systems, Lockheed Martin (Lockheed Martin)

What’s next

New functionality will be added onto the NGC2 prototype architecture, which is designed to scale and adapt within Raft's data layer and surface new capabilities to soldiers through the Neo mission command interface as the mission changes. Lightning Surge 3 is scheduled for April 2026 and will focus on an airspace mission thread in support of the 25ID.

The takeaway

This demonstration showcases how industry partnerships can rapidly deliver advanced, AI-powered warfighting capabilities to the Army, integrating sensor-to-shooter systems and improving logistics forecasting to support mission success.