Lightning Surge
April 6, 2026
ICE and the 25th Infantry’s Lightning Surge
“This is how we forge a smarter, faster, and more lethal force — together.”
– Sgt. Duke Edwards, 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army
Lightning Surge exercise illuminates how military-industry partnerships are accelerating NGC2
Soldiers and engineers are refining, together, next-gen C2 capabilities during live exercises
The Lightning Surge military exercises in Hawaii are putting the U.S. Army’s Next-Generation Command and Control (NGC2) concept to the test in real operational conditions. During the January 2026 iteration, the “Tropic Lightning” 25th Infantry Division worked directly with industry partners – including Instant Connect Enterprise™ (ICE) engineers – to evaluate and refine the Army’s emerging C2 ecosystem.
By testing prototypes side-by-side in the exercise, soldiers and technical experts were able to identify gaps, validate performance, and improve capabilities in real time. This direct, hands-on partnership approach is allowing new features and integrations to be delivered through rapid software updates, giving the Army more flexible, upgradeable command-and-control tools and a faster path from concept to tactical use.
ICE technicians were on hand to work directly with warfighters in the field to help maximize the efficacy of the ICE interoperable tactical communications platform as a mission-critical frontline asset. The overall military exercise was a success, another moment of tactical validation in the U.S. Army’s strategic NGC2 journey.
Note: Any depiction of U.S. Army Soldiers or units does not constitute endorsement by the Army or the Department of War.