The Pentagon has recently awarded a contract to Picogrid, a company specializing in open systems design and software development, to revolutionize Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) capabilities. The contract, known as the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract, aims to enhance the maturation, demonstration, and proliferation of capabilities across various platforms and domains. It will leverage modern software, algorithm development, and open systems design to enable JADC2.
The multiple award contract allows different awardees to compete for efforts within seven competitive pools that support the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains, including air, land, sea, space, cyber, and the electromagnetic spectrum. These efforts will be conducted in an open architecture family of systems that enable capabilities through multiple integrated platforms. Future work under this contract will be competed via a Fair Opportunity process.
The Head of Government Solutions at Picogrid, a retired Army Colonel with 28 years of service, expressed the importance of JADC2 in the current geopolitical landscape. He highlighted the fact that many troops still rely on outdated equipment that cannot communicate with each other. The advancements in JADC2 are expected to provide better situational awareness and accelerate decision-making on the ground, but they are still years away from full implementation. The team at Picogrid aims to accelerate the adoption of these advancements and transition the military to a fully connected ecosystem of capabilities.
Picogrid believes that the fragmented nature of the defense industrial base is hindering the Pentagon’s modernization efforts. Traditional defense hardware and software systems are the products of individual programs and contractors, resulting in disconnected systems and unused data. This poses operational risks and puts service members at a disadvantage against highly-capable near-peer threats. To address this, Picogrid offers a unique solution that provides a common platform for defense systems to work together. Their platform is already operational in numerous global locations, integrating military cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence to protect critical infrastructure and assist in various applications.
The recent IDIQ contract awarded to Picogrid is a significant step forward and demonstrates the Pentagon’s trust in the company’s products, team, and approach to building an open defense ecosystem.
Overall, the contract awarded to Picogrid signifies a commitment to enhancing JADC2 capabilities and fostering a more connected, secure, and open defense ecosystem. It acknowledges the need for modernization and improved communication within the defense industry. With Picogrid’s expertise in open systems design and software development, the future of Joint All Domain Command and Control looks promising.
