The Pentagon’s commercial technology innovation unit, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), is seeking advanced solutions to significantly enhance connectivity and situational awareness aboard U.S. Air Force tanker and mobility aircraft. This initiative aims to integrate modern applications, such as dynamic moving map displays, to provide aircrews with a comprehensive understanding of evolving battlespace conditions in real-time.
Currently, older mobility aircraft, including KC-135 Stratotankers, lack an “in-flight common operating picture.” This deficiency prevents aircrews from dynamically observing critical battlespace information, such as the positions of friendly forces or the presence of incoming threats. According to a recent DIU project announcement, crews are forced to rely on pre-mission planning materials, voice communications, and outdated platform-specific displays that cannot integrate with broader enterprise battlefield intelligence, communications, or logistics networks, nor can they ingest timely mission updates.
This technological gap, the DIU states, “degrades aircraft survivability, limits dynamic retasking, and constrains the ability of commanders to project and sustain force.” In response, the DIU has issued a call to technology firms for prototypes of a “modular, open mission engine,” dubbed OMEN. This system is designed to power a suite of new mission applications and plugins specifically for aircrew operating in contested environments.
The inaugural application intended for the OMEN platform will be an aviation tactical moving map tool. This tool aims to improve in-flight situational awareness, enhance threat understanding, and support mission decision-making, particularly in environments where communications may be degraded, disrupted, intermittent, or limited (DDIL). The DIU emphasized that this moving map tool will serve as a foundational element for future mission capabilities.
The necessity for these upgrades has been a long-standing concern among Air Mobility Command (AMC) leaders, who have frequently criticized the Air Force’s slow pace in addressing the connectivity challenges of its mobility fleet. Retired Gen. Mike Minihan, former head of AMC, highlighted this critical issue in a LinkedIn post in late March, noting that mobility crews currently often rely on unsecure, publicly available methods to ensure their visibility, which can inadvertently expose them to enemy detection.
“We should never put mobility crews, especially tanker crews, in a position during combat operations where they have to choose between being seen by everyone, including the enemy, or being seen by no one, including the joint force and civil aviation,” General Minihan wrote, underscoring the urgency with his declaration, “Enough. Mobility force connectivity now. Write the damn check.”
The DIU initiative seeks to award initial prototype “other transaction agreements” to selected firms. These agreements hold the potential for a “significantly larger” follow-on production contract without requiring further competitive procedures. Tech firms interested in participating have until April 15 to submit their proposals.
Key requirements for the OMEN system include its design as a government-owned platform, equipped with an open software development kit (SDK) for broad developer access, secure software delivery mechanisms, robust observability features, and the ability to operate effectively in connected, disconnected, and degraded environments. The proposed solutions for the tactical moving map application must integrate relevant operational data into a single, intuitive aircrew display. This display should encompass friendly-force awareness, threat and airspace overlays, real-time mission updates, and comprehensive route decision support. Companies are also encouraged to prioritize user experience and ensure that their moving map applications are “future-proofed” with an open software architecture, facilitating easy integration and adoption across various developer communities.
Proposals will be evaluated based on several differentiators, including the speed with which prototypes can be developed, interoperability with existing Department of Defense systems, compatibility with government security protocols, and the ability of firms to collaborate effectively with government developers and other industry partners. OMEN prototypes are expected to be designed for rapid development, deployment, and sustainment of platform-agnostic networking and interoperability systems. This includes on-board computing and data storage with aircraft data bus interfaces, software-defined radios, and commercially available display systems.
Despite the recognized urgency, efforts to modernize the mobility fleet’s connectivity have faced funding hurdles. General Minihan had previously set an ambitious goal of equipping a quarter of the mobility fleet with modern connectivity and situational awareness gear by fiscal year 2025. However, he acknowledged to lawmakers in 2024 that this goal would likely not be met. The estimated $500 million required for these upgrades failed to make that year’s unfunded priorities list for the Air Force, as then-Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin prioritized spare parts to boost readiness, according to Lt. Gen. David H. Tabor, who was director of programs at the time.
Echoing these sentiments, Lt. Gen. Rebecca J. Sonkiss, AMC’s interim leader, stated in February that the Air Force has been “woefully negligent” for too long in its failure to invest in connectivity for the air mobility fleet. “We have to do better for our crews, it’s linked to survivability,” she asserted. “Our C-5s can be more effective if they know what’s going on, and they can remission in real time.”
Why This Matters
This Pentagon initiative is critical for several reasons, fundamentally impacting national security, military effectiveness, and the safety of U.S. Air Force personnel. In an era of increasing great power competition and the emergence of highly contested operational environments, the ability of military aircraft to communicate securely and maintain real-time situational awareness is no longer merely an advantage but a necessity for survival and mission success.
First, improving connectivity directly enhances aircraft survivability. In modern warfare, adversaries possess sophisticated capabilities to detect, track, and target aircraft. Without a dynamic common operating picture, aircrews lack crucial information about threats and friendly positions, forcing them into potentially perilous situations. The current reliance on outdated systems and public networks exposes these vital assets and their crews to unnecessary risks. A robust, secure, and integrated system, as envisioned by the DIU, will provide crews with the intelligence needed to avoid threats, adapt to changing conditions, and operate more safely.
Second, it significantly boosts mission effectiveness and agility. Tanker and mobility aircraft are the backbone of global power projection, enabling fighter jets to refuel mid-air and rapidly transporting troops and equipment across vast distances. The ability to receive and integrate real-time updates allows for dynamic retasking of missions, optimizing routes, and responding instantaneously to battlefield changes. This agility is crucial for commanders to effectively project and sustain force, ensuring that military operations can adapt to fluid circumstances rather than being constrained by pre-planned, static information.
Third, the focus on an “open mission engine” (OMEN) with an open software development kit represents a strategic shift towards more agile and adaptable defense technology procurement. By moving away from proprietary, siloed systems, the Air Force aims to foster innovation, accelerate development cycles, and reduce long-term costs. This open architecture allows for easier integration of new technologies and applications from various developers, ensuring that the fleet can rapidly incorporate future advancements without costly, extensive overhauls. This approach is vital for staying ahead of rapidly evolving technological threats.
Finally, the strong and repeated calls from senior Air Mobility Command leaders highlight the urgency and the tangible impact these technological deficiencies have on those on the front lines. Their statements underscore that this is not merely a technical upgrade but a fundamental requirement for the well-being of airmen and the continued operational viability of a critical component of the U.S. military. Investing in these capabilities is an investment in the lives of service members and the strategic capabilities of the nation.