US Army conducts largest Project Convergence exercise to advance next-generation battlefield command network

News, US July 26, 2026 , by IRIA Comments Off

7 minute read

The U.S. Army has launched its largest Project Convergence experiment to date, bringing together nearly 10,000 personnel to test its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) system during a large-scale combat exercise at Fort Irwin, California.

The event is designed to validate the Army’s future battlefield network, evaluate more than 90 emerging technologies, and shape future procurement and modernization decisions.

Running from July 20 to July 29, Project Convergence-Capstone 6 (PC-C6) represents the culmination of more than a year of experimentation led by the 4th Infantry Division, which has been rebuilding its command-and-control network from the ground up using the NGC2 architecture.

The exercise aims to determine how advanced communications, artificial intelligence, data-sharing tools, and commercial technologies perform under realistic combat conditions before the Army makes additional acquisition decisions.

Testing Battlefield Network Under Extreme Conditions

The exercise places soldiers in one of the harshest training environments in the United States. Fort Irwin’s rugged mountains, rocky terrain, and intense summer temperatures, reaching over 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius), are expected to place significant stress on communications equipment and electronic systems.

Army officials say these environmental conditions are a critical part of the evaluation. Lt. Gen. Michael McCurry, commanding general of the U.S. Army Futures and Concepts Command and director of Project Convergence-Capstone 6, said the terrain and climate provide a much tougher operational challenge than previous tests.

We are live at Fort Irwin for PC-C6, running from July 20 to 29, 2026. High impact technologies that are actively empowering our Soldiers and driving modernization at the tactical edge. #FromVisionToVictory pic.twitter.com/aSrZ2fHx6F
— U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command (@T2COM_HQ) July 23, 2026

The Army noted that mountains surrounding the National Training Center create difficult communications conditions, allowing engineers and soldiers to evaluate how resilient the new network remains when operating in demanding environments.

Officials also expect the extreme heat to reveal potential improvements needed in equipment cooling, housing, and system durability as part of the Army’s commercial-first acquisition approach.

NGC2 Designed to Transform Battlefield Decision-Making

The Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) architecture is one of the Army’s highest modernization priorities. The system is intended to replace legacy command-and-control networks with an integrated digital architecture that combines:

Commercial software
Artificial intelligence-enabled decision tools
Advanced data management systems
Software-defined networking
Edge computing capabilities
Resilient communications networks

Together, these technologies are designed to move information rapidly across all warfighting functions, allowing commanders to make faster and better-informed decisions during high-intensity combat.

Army officials say the open, modular architecture also enables rapid integration of new commercial technologies as they become available, reducing the time required to modernize battlefield capabilities.

^{U.S. Army Soldier, assigned to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, utilizes the L-Band Tactical Satellite during Project Convergence Capstone 6 (PC-C6), at Fort Irwin, California, U.S., on July 21, 2026. (Image Credit: U.S. Army/Pfc. Antony Hernandez Diaz)}

Largest Project Convergence Exercise Ever Conducted

Project Convergence-Capstone 6 is the largest event in the program’s history. Approximately 9,700 to 10,000 participants are taking part in the exercise, more than double the size of a typical Combat Training Center rotation, which normally involves around 4,000 soldiers.

Participants are testing over 90 technologies, operational concepts, and force structures while conducting live and simulated combat operations.

Unlike standard training rotations, PC-C6 functions primarily as a large-scale experimentation event, allowing the Army to collect data across multiple domains simultaneously before future fielding decisions.

4th Infantry Division Leads Division-Scale Evaluation

The 4th Infantry Division is operating the NGC2 architecture across an entire division for the first time during force-on-force operations.

Earlier this year, the division completed Ivy Mass, the first full-division test of the architecture at Colorado’s Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site. That exercise also represented the Army’s first electromagnetic and cyber-contested evaluation of the system.

Project Convergence expands those experiments by exposing the network to a more complex operational environment with greater terrain challenges, harsher weather, and a significantly larger force.

U.S. soldiers with Ghost Robotic Dog and the U.S. Army Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) — ^{U.S. soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment take part in a human-machine integration demonstration using the Ghost Robotic Dog and the U.S. Army Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) of new U.S. Army capabilities at Project Convergence – Capstone 4. (Image Credit: U.S. Army/Spc. Samarion Hicks)}

At the same time, the 25th Infantry Division has been testing separate NGC2 components using a modernized network baseline known as C2 Fix. Results from both efforts will help determine the optimal combination of technologies for Army formations operating with both legacy and modernized equipment.

The exercise is taking place against the Army’s highly regarded 11th Cavalry Regiment, commonly known as the Blackhorse Regiment, which serves as the National Training Center’s permanent opposing force.

Unlike previous experiments, where another Army battalion acted as the opposing force, the Blackhorse Regiment regularly trains against Army brigades throughout the year and is considered one of the military’s most experienced adversary forces.

Army officials believe the professional opposing force will provide a more realistic assessment of how the NGC2 architecture performs during complex combat operations.

Artificial Intelligence and Data Integration

A major focus of the exercise is assessing how artificial intelligence and integrated data systems support operational planning.

Officials are evaluating AI-enabled decision aids that combine information from multiple battlefield sources to improve planning and operational decision-making.

The Army believes these tools could fundamentally reshape how commanders conduct operations by providing faster access to critical battlefield information while reducing cognitive workload.

*^{U.S., Australian and British Army soldiers during Project Convergence exercise. (Image Credit: X/@BritishArmy)}*

Software-defined networking, automated communications management (known as Auto-PACE for Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency communications), and edge computing technologies are also undergoing extensive evaluation.

Army acquisition officials said the exercise will help determine which software capabilities are mature enough for future fielding and which require additional refinement before entering service.

Multinational Forces Expand Interoperability Testing

For the first time, Project Convergence includes live multinational maneuver operations involving allied forces. Military personnel from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are participating alongside U.S. Army units as part of a multinational brigade integrated with the 4th Infantry Division.

Army leaders say the exercise is designed to strengthen interoperability among allied forces by ensuring future command-and-control systems can share information effectively across coalition operations.

The expanded multinational participation also supports broader efforts to improve joint operations in future high-threat environments.

Experiment Builds on Years of Army Modernization

According to the U.S. Army Futures and Concepts Command, Project Convergence is the culmination of more than 200 smaller experiments conducted annually across multiple capability areas.

Technologies selected for PC-C6 are based on previously identified capability gaps and validated operational requirements. Army officials say compatibility with the NGC2 architecture has now become a fundamental requirement for many new technologies entering the modernization process.

U.S. Army soldier operating Ghost-X Unmanned Aircraft System — ^{U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Stetson Manuel, a Robotics and Autonomous Systems platoon sergeant and infantryman, assembles the Ghost-X Unmanned Aircraft System during the human machine integration experiment for Project Convergence Capstone 4 at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 11, 2024. (Image Credit: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. LaShic Patterson)}

The exercise evaluates hardware, software, autonomous systems, cyber capabilities, unmanned aerial systems, and artificial intelligence in a single integrated operational environment.

Data collected during Project Convergence-Capstone 6 will play a major role in future Army modernization and acquisition decisions.

Officials plan to use lessons learned from the exercise to finalize the NGC2 prototype phase before awarding additional contracts and beginning fielding activities with I Corps next year.

The Army says the experiment will help determine the final mix of communications equipment, software applications, networking technologies, and AI capabilities needed for future combat formations.

Project Convergence remains the Army’s primary experimentation campaign for validating emerging technologies before wider operational deployment, with PC-C6 representing its most ambitious effort yet to develop an integrated, data-driven battlefield command network capable of supporting future joint and multinational operations.