Air Force Launches Modernization of Air Operations Centers
The U.S. Air Force has launched a major program to modernize its Air Operations Centers (AOCs). The Kessel Run software factory is managing the effort and targets awarding a contract for the next-generation system by June 2027. The modernization will likely integrate LLMs and AI for mission planning, coordination, and real-time analytics.
- The Air Force's 21 Air Operations Centers (AOCs) are designated as the AN/USQ-163 Falconer weapon system and serve as the senior command and control element for planning and executing air and space operations. - The current system, AOC 10.1, is a complex "system of systems" that includes numerous third-party and legacy software applications, such as the Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS), which has been in use for decades. - This modernization effort is driven by the need to replace the current brick-and-mortar, localized systems which are considered vulnerable to attack and less agile for future conflicts against peer adversaries. - Kessel Run has already been developing and incrementally fielding software-based upgrades for the current AOCs under an effort known as Block 20, which includes the Kessel Run All-Domain Operations Suite (KRADOS). - The existing sustainment and modernization contract for the AOCs is a $374 million deal awarded to SAIC in 2022, which is set to conclude in the summer of 2027, aligning with the target for the new contract award. - A formal Request for Information (RFI) is expected in February 2026, with a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) in August 2026 and a final RFP in November 2026, indicating a rapid acquisition timeline by Pentagon standards. - The FY25 budget request for the Air & Space Operations Center is $71 million, part of a broader investment in command and control modernization closely aligned with the Pentagon's Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) initiative.
