NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- The Air Force experimented with the Tactical Operations Center-Light to improve multi-service command and control during Project Convergence Capstone 5, held here, the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and other locations from February through April.
TOC-L, managed by the Department of the Air Force’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management’s Advanced Battle Management System Division, integrates data from multiple sources to create a synchronized air picture, improving the speed and accuracy of C2 or battle management. This system provides a lightweight footprint and enables the Control & Reporting Center to project a forward deployed team, enabling quicker responses to evolving threats.
“Project Convergence Capstone 5 is one of the few instances where the joint force gets to see how our tech will work together in a purely experimental environment,” said Lt. Col. Karl Hurdle, an air battle manager with the 752nd Operations Support Squadron, Air Combat Command’s TOC-L Pathfinder unit. “We get to implement different types of mission threads and experiment with new emerging tech, all adding to the ability to extend the kill chain.”
The TOC-L system contributes to the long-range kill chain, the sequence of actions from target identification to battle damage assessment required to neutralize a target at stand-off distances.
“The TOC-L being disaggregated means we can essentially be a relay to any air operation center,” said 1st Lt. Kaitlin Volk, an air battle manager for the 752 OSS weapon and tactics. “This allows us to act as a range extension of C2.”
PC-C5 provided a controlled environment for rapid experimentation and data collection on the TOC-L’s performance under pressure. The exercise integrated the TOC-L with other systems, including Palantir's Maven Smart System and the System-of-Systems Technology Integration Tool Chain, a program designed to bridge communication gaps between disparate systems.
By fusing data from multiple experiment locations, such as the NTC, the ShOC-N, and San Clemente Island, the TOC-L enabled a more holistic understanding of the battlespace. The TOC-L technology allows commanders to make better-informed decisions and coordinate actions across domains more effectively. Ultimately, it achieves a synergistic effect that amplifies the combat power of the joint forces.
“Unlike older command and control systems, the TOC-L is easier to move around the battlefield, making it a harder target for the enemy,” Hurdle said. “The increased agility allows us to operate effectively by leveraging additional C2 capabilities, even in contested environments.”
The Air Force has 16 TOC-L major release 1 prototypes in field testing today. Ongoing experimentation and upgrades, including a planned major release 2, ensure the TOC-L MR1 remains at the forefront of technological advancement while meeting the evolving needs of the warfighter. Volk stated a goal for PC-C5 is to have our joint forces trained on this technology so much so that they can adjust in real-time and adapt in the field.
Cross-domain integration and interoperability is crucial for modernization, where operations increasingly involve seamless coordination between land, air, space and sea components. Data collected during PC-C5, including insights from the Joint Air Component Coordination Element embedded with the Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps, is informing the development of major release 2.
“Our team facilitated communication between the Combined Joint Task Force and the TOC-L team by resolving communication and technical challenges,” said Col. Freddie Robinson, JACCE team director and commander of the 186th Air Operations Group. “This streamline of information flow directly contributed to enhancing target detection and engagement.”
Data collected by members of the 46th Test Squadron and the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center is rigorously analyzed to understand how the TOC-L performs when integrated with technologies across the joint force. Ensuring that future upgrades are data-driven and focused on maximizing real-world effectiveness.
“PC-C5 is directly informing TOC-L MR 2 requirements,” Volk said. “In previous experiments, the focus was on making the system light and now that we’re seeing improvements in that area, we’re able to fully focus on integration.”
The TOC-L’s real-world impact was recently demonstrated during a deployment of the MR 1 prototype to the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The system is part of the DAF BATTLE NETWORK, a system-of-systems connecting sensors, effectors, and logistics systems to provide enhanced situational awareness and decision-making.
By integrating advanced technologies, fostering human-machine collaboration, and using operationally relevant venues to assess technologies for the DAF BATTLE NETWORK, TOC-L is bringing critical capabilities to future conflicts, ensuring the U.S. maintains decisive advantage in a complex global landscape.