Army asking industry for range of mature systems for 4ID experimentation

Army Futures Command's innovation lab is casting a wide net to industry to find ready-made systems that can integrate with the service's next-generation network for experiments with the 4th Infantry Division next year.

The Army Applications Laboratory put out a call for solutions this morning that focuses on the area from the ground to a few thousand feet up, or the “Air-Ground Littoral,” which is fit for small unmanned aerial systems and unmanned ground vehicles, according to the notice.

“This emergent domain presents both offensive and defensive challenges,” the Army notice says.

Selected submissions from industry will integrate with the 4ID at Fort Carson, CO, in early 2026, according to the Army. The systems should be compatible with the service’s Next Generation Command and Control program, which is being rapidly prototyped by the Command, Control, Communications and Network program office over the next year and a half.

The experiments are estimated to last about one year with the potential for follow-on experimentation, testing or deployment, according to the Army. It lists eight “capability focus areas” in its call for solutions, and companies must submit mature technologies that match at least one of them.

“Potential solutions for experimentation with 4ID should address challenges related to movement and maneuver, mission command, intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and target acquisition, fires, sustainment, protection, or information within this space,” the call for solutions says.

The Army asks companies to submit “Innovative Capability Solutions,” which should summarize their concept, relate it to at least one of the Army’s capability focus areas, detail its network compatibility and explain how it can give the service the sufficient number of systems that allow for “a meaningful experiment in early 2026 to be ready for insertion into 4ID formations.”

Submissions will be judged based on how well they fit the government’s technical requirements, feasibility of integrating the system into 4ID for experimentation and, if a company requires funding, the Army will assess its rough order of magnitude submission to decide whether it’s a worthwhile purchase.

Responses from industry are due Sept. 5, according to the Army.