The U.S. Army has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the CYBERTRON program—short for Cyber Tactical Resource Optimization Node—a next-generation command-and-control (C2) platform aimed at unifying cyber and electronic warfare operations across tactical echelons. Managed by Program Executive Office Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (PEO IEW&S), the initiative reflects growing urgency to operationalize Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) in multi-domain operations.
CYBERTRON Program Overview
CYBERTRON is designed to serve as the core software capability enabling commanders to plan, synchronize, and execute cyber and electromagnetic activities within the broader mission command framework. The program seeks to provide a modular, scalable architecture that integrates with existing Army networks and C2 systems while allowing rapid adaptation to evolving threats in cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum.
The RFP was posted on May 9, 2024 under solicitation number W56KGY-24-R-0003. The effort is led by Project Manager Electronic Warfare & Cyber (PM EW&C), part of PEO IEW&S. The government intends to award a single Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a base ordering period of five years and an option for an additional five years.
The scope encompasses development of software tools that support:
- Real-time visualization of friendly and adversary CEMA assets
- Mission planning and deconfliction across cyberspace operations and EW
- Integration with tactical mission command systems such as CPCE (Command Post Computing Environment)
- Interoperability with Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiatives
Operational Context: Bridging Cyber and EW on the Battlefield
The CYBERTRON initiative emerges from a decade-long evolution in how the U.S. military conceptualizes convergence between cyber operations and electronic warfare. Since establishing CEMA cells at brigade level during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the Army has recognized that effective use of non-kinetic effects requires tighter integration with maneuver forces.
In recent years, peer adversaries such as Russia have demonstrated sophisticated use of integrated EW/cyber capabilities in Ukraine—disrupting communications, spoofing GPS signals via GNSS jamming/spoofing techniques, and conducting information operations synchronized with kinetic strikes. These developments have accelerated U.S. efforts to modernize its own CEMA toolkit.
CYBERTRON aims to serve as both a planning tool at higher echelons (division/corps) and an execution interface at brigade/battalion levels. It will feed into larger mission command ecosystems such as CPCE while also drawing data from sensors like Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team (TLS-BCT), Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN), or future SIGINT/EW platforms.
Technical Requirements and Architecture Goals
The RFP outlines several key technical objectives:
- Open Modular Architecture: The system must be built using open standards compliant with Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles.
- Cybersecurity: Compliance with Risk Management Framework (RMF) standards is mandatory; zero trust principles are encouraged.
- User-Centric Design: Interfaces must be intuitive enough for use by staff officers under operational stress conditions; training time should be minimized.
- Data Fusion & Visualization: Real-time fusion of cyber ISR feeds, EW detections, blue force tracking data into geospatially referenced displays.
- Cross-Domain Interoperability: Must support data exchange across classification boundaries when authorized via Cross Domain Solutions (CDS).
The system must also integrate with existing Army Data Fabric initiatives such as Project Linchpin AI/ML pipelines or Unified Data Reference Architecture (UDRA). This ensures that insights from machine learning models can inform CEMA decision-making in real time.
Aquisition Strategy and Industry Engagement
The CYBERTRON acquisition strategy emphasizes rapid prototyping followed by iterative development using agile methodologies. The selected contractor will be expected to deliver Minimum Viable Products within months—not years—of contract award. Continuous user feedback loops will guide feature prioritization through soldier touchpoints at test ranges like Fort Huachuca or Fort Gordon’s Cyber Center of Excellence.
This approach mirrors other recent PEO IEW&S programs such as TITAN or TLS-BCT where industry partners co-develop solutions alongside soldiers under DevSecOps frameworks. The government anticipates issuing multiple task orders over the life of the IDIQ contract covering software development, integration testing, fielding support, cybersecurity accreditation packages, training materials development, etc.
A pre-proposal conference was held virtually on May 16th where over two dozen defense contractors participated—including traditional primes like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman as well as non-traditional players specializing in AI/ML-enabled cyber tools or open-source intelligence platforms.
Tactical Impact Across Echelons
If successful, CYBERTRON could become a linchpin capability enabling commanders from battalion through corps level to visualize their “cyber terrain” much like they currently do for kinetic fires or logistics flows. This would allow more precise employment of offensive cyber tools under Title 10 authorities—or coordination with Title 50 actions led by interagency partners like NSA or CYBERCOM—while minimizing fratricide risks from overlapping spectrum effects or unintended collateral damage in cyberspace.
The system could also help automate portions of Electronic Attack/Electronic Support planning cycles—shortening sensor-to-shooter timelines when jamming enemy radars or intercepting RF emitters linked to UAVs or artillery targeting systems. In contested environments where SATCOM may be degraded or denied outright via anti-access/area denial tactics (A2/AD), having resilient local CEMA coordination platforms becomes even more critical.
Conclusion: Building Toward Multi-Domain Dominance
The launch of the CYBERTRON RFP marks another step in institutionalizing cyber-electromagnetic convergence within U.S. Army doctrine and force structure. As near-peer competitors continue investing heavily in non-kinetic capabilities intended to paralyze Western C4ISR networks during early phases of conflict, programs like CYBERTRON offer a path toward regaining initiative through better situational awareness—and faster decision cycles—in contested information environments.
Bids are due by July 8th per SAM.gov listing; award decisions are expected before end-of-Fiscal Year 2024 pending appropriations alignment under FY25 budgets.
