Airmen hack for efficiency during C3BM, Total Force Hackathon

  • Published
  • By Richard Blumenstein
  • DAF PEO C3BM Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --  Total Force Airmen, government civilians, and industry partners gathered in June to develop the next generation of airborne applications capitalizing on “internet in the cockpit” during the third C3BM and Total Force Hackathon.
 
The three-day event brought together Air Force units and industry experts to accelerate the development and fielding of effective, user-centered technological solutions that enhance warfighters’ capabilities and situational awareness at the tactical edge.
 
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Daniel Gonzales, left, Staff Sgt. Desmond Wynter, center, and Staff Sgt. Charli Fiveash, all 805th Combat Training Squadron software developers, participate in an Operational Response Team Hackathon at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 5, 2025. The team developed an Android Tactical Assault Kit plugin to enhance pilot operations by streamlining the Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage and Assess targeting process, improving coordination and decision-making across the force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha Krolikowski)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Daniel Gonzales, left, Staff Sgt. Desmond Wynter, center, and Staff Sgt. Charli Fiveash, all 805th Combat Training Squadron software developers, participate in an Operational Response Team Hackathon at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 5, 2025. The team developed an Android Tactical Assault Kit plugin to enhance pilot operations by streamlining the Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage and Assess targeting process, improving coordination and decision-making across the force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha Krolikowski)
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“Hackathons bring people together in the same room - when we're normally spread across different bases - and let us make rapid decisions together,” said Maj. Ryan McLean, a flight test engineer from the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, Morris Air National Guard Base, Arizona. “These events give us early user touchpoints, which significantly reduce development risk.” 
 
The event was led by the Department of the Air Force’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management’s Operational Response Team. The ORT is comprised of operational and technical experts tasked with rapid prototyping and experimentation to ease transitions from acquisitions to operations. The ORT simultaneously falls under C3BM, and the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

“This hackathon focused on developing airborne applications that help pilots and mission crews get a clearer, real-time picture of the battlespace,” said Lt. Col. Frank Panebianco, C3BM’s ORT operations officer. “With high-bandwidth connectivity in the cockpit, we’re building tools that enable faster decisions and more effective coordination in flight.”
 
During the event, Airmen iterated on technology to contribute to Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control. Participants focused on prototyping delivery architecture and aircraft user interface software that is distributed and displayed to operators at the tactical edge.
 
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Daniel Gonzales, 805th Combat Training Squadron software developer, works on an Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) plugin for pilots during an Operational Response Team Hackathon at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 5, 2025. The plugin is designed to enhance coordination and decision-making by streamlining the Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage and Assess targeting process across the force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha Krolikowski)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Daniel Gonzales, 805th Combat Training Squadron software developer, works on an Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) plugin for pilots during an Operational Response Team Hackathon at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 5, 2025. The plugin is designed to enhance coordination and decision-making by streamlining the Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage and Assess targeting process across the force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samantha Krolikowski)
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“These events also help focus reserve component test efforts to accelerate Total Force and joint C2 capability prototyping to create better products before fielding,” said Col. Daniel Wittmer, ANG AFRC Test Center commander. “They also ensure National Guard and Reserve Equipment Appropriations investments in open systems enclave are synchronized with regular Air Force CJADC2 investments and emerging capabilities.”
 
Hosting the event at Nellis allowed developers to put real hardware in the hands of operators, creating a direct feedback loop that accelerated iteration and improved field relevance, according to Panebianco.
 
“It’s about interoperability,” McLean said. “Our goal is to ensure when those deployed squadrons plug into a theater somewhere, they have pretty high confidence that their systems are going to connect with the operational construct that's in place.”