The US Army’s 1st Corps is beginning a more deliberate rollout of Next Generation Command and Control military equipment across its headquarters and enabling brigades. Commander Matt McFarlane described the Pacific’s distances and disrupted communications as key demands. The move follows tactical trials, while the scale and full fielding timetable remain dependent on resources.
The US Army’s 1st Corps, an operational formation in the Pacific, is expanding its Next Generation Command and Control equipment, known as NGC2. Commander Lieutenant General Matt McFarlane described a deliberate rollout across the corps headquarters and enabling brigades. Its full fielding timetable remains uncertain and dependent on resources. Some elements have already been used for nine months.[1], [2]
Two divisions prototyped the system last year. I Corps now faces operational demands spanning Pacific maritime space, with command posts on Honshu in Japan and in Brisbane, Australia. Its military responsibilities include theatre campaigns, joint fires, sustaining operations and synchronising forces. McFarlane described global communications, faster sensor-to-weapon links, applications displaying friendly and enemy forces, predictive analysis and modelling. Operational headquarters might need additional applications or equipment.[1]
Some equipment failed in summer heat during the Project Convergence Capstone 6 exercise in the Mojave Desert. McFarlane said only validated systems were being fielded but did not identify them. He emphasised rugged equipment and small, mobile nodes. The next six months focus on interoperability with joint forces and allies. He also sought automatic switching among fibre, radio and satellite links when communications are disrupted.[1]
