The Department of the Air Force has issued a broad agency announcement seeking to apply artificial intelligence to next-generation command and control, according to ExecutiveGov.
A broad agency announcement, or BAA, is a standing invitation the U.S. government uses to solicit research proposals from companies, universities and other organizations. Rather than asking bidders to build one narrowly defined product, a BAA signals that an agency wants fresh ideas in a broad area — here, how AI can support military command and control, often shortened to C2.
Command and control refers to the systems and processes military leaders use to direct forces: gathering information, making decisions and issuing orders. "Next-generation" C2 points to modernizing that decision-making chain, and the Air Force is signaling interest in AI as part of that effort, per ExecutiveGov's report.
The available reporting confirms the Department of the Air Force issued the announcement and named AI in next-generation C2 as its focus. Further specifics — such as funding amounts, timelines or named participants — are not detailed in the source at hand.
Why it matters: the announcement is an early, formal signal that the U.S. military intends to fold AI into some of its most sensitive decision-making systems, a move that could shape both national defense priorities and the contractors who compete to build those tools.