What is the integrated data layer?
Lockheed Martin has received an order to create a prototype of the so—called "integrated data layer" - in fact, a single digital network for army units. The work is carried out within the framework of the OTA (Other Transaction Authority), a mechanism that allows the army to cooperate more quickly with innovative companies, including those who have not worked with the Ministry of Defense before.
The goal is simple but ambitious: to erase the barriers between different systems. So that data from drones, radars, sensors on armor, and even soldiers' tablets can be collected in one place, in the same format, and in real time.
Why does the 25th Infantry Division need a new system
The pilot unit will be the 25th Infantry Division, one of the most mobile and ready for rapid deployment. It is she who will test the new system in real conditions. Currently, commanders receive information from various sources, often with a delay and in incompatible formats. It's like putting together a puzzle when some of the pieces are in another room.
The new level of data should give them a unified picture: where their friends are, where the enemy is, where the threat is, where it's better to move — all on one screen, without unnecessary requests and expectations.
How commercial technology gets into the military
The special feature of the project is the team. Lockheed Martin has attracted not only its in—house contractors, but also "unconventional innovators" - startups, IT companies, and developers from the civilian sector. Their technologies — in the field of data processing, cloud platforms, interfaces — are already working in business, and they are being adapted to the needs of the army.
This approach speeds up development and reduces cost. Instead of inventing everything from scratch, they take the finished product and refine it to the front.
NGC2 is not just an update, but a leap into the future
NGC2 (Next Generation Command and Control) is not another version of the old system. This is an attempt to rebuild the very principle of management. Instead of a hierarchy with a bunch of intermediate links, it's a network where information flows freely and decisions are made faster.
If it works, it will change not only tactics, but also the very logic of combat. The army will become faster, more flexible, more resistant to losses. And the commanders will not just get more data, but will begin to understand the battlefield on a different level.
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