- The Department of the Air Force has completed the first prototype phase of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft Portable Command and Control Enclave
- The demonstrations were done at the Springfield Air National Guard Base in Ohio
- Industry vendors showed their prototype’s capability in simulated austere environments as well as their software flexibility
The Department of the Air Force has finished the first round of prototype evaluations for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Portable Command and Control Enclave, or C2E, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center announced Thursday.
The AFLCMC said the breakthrough is central to advancing how the service manages semi-autonomous aircraft in the field.
What Happened in the Prototype Evaluation?
The demonstrations took place at Springfield Air National Guard Base, hosted by the Ohio Air National Guard’s 178th Wing. The unit supplied the facilities, manpower and logistical backing needed to run the evaluations under realistic ground conditions.
Industry vendors took part in ground operations demonstrations designed to evaluate two dimensions of their systems. Evaluators first assessed how well each command-and-control platform could be transported and set up in simulated austere conditions, checking physical footprint and mobility under field-like constraints. Vendors then moved into demonstrations centered on software flexibility and network connectivity, giving evaluators a look at how each system performs once operational.
The results from this phase will feed directly into the broader C2E acquisition strategy and shape the criteria used in later stages of vendor selection.
What’s Next for the C2E Program?
The Air Force characterized the prototype evaluation as the opening phase in a longer process to choose the eventual C2E integrator. The system ultimately selected will support Agile Combat Employment operations at the Experimental Operations Unit, and will later be integrated with production aircraft to give warfighters an edge in contested environments.
Col. Eric Reagan, director of the Agile Development Office, said putting prototypes directly in front of operational and acquisition personnel for combined evaluation reflects the department’s broader acquisition reform goals. “This partnership allows us to accelerate the fielding of the best-value capabilities to the Department of War,” he said.
Building on the data collected in this round, the Air Force plans to launch a second prototype phase in the near term. That stage will ask vendors to further develop and demonstrate cloud capabilities for the C2E, moving the service closer to fielding its next-generation tactical network.
