Northrop Grumman developing expeditionary IBCS variants

The new IBCS variant features sled-mounted servers and a distributed set-up, for integration into the Infantry Squad Vehicle and other tactical vehicles. (Northrop Grumman )

Northrop Grumman is developing more expeditionary variants of its Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), beginning with an IBCS variant designed for the US Army's Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV).

Development on an ISV IBCS variant was an internal investment by Northrop Grumman, who purchased three ISVs from GM Defense at the end of 2025 with plans to “incorporate IBCS on them”, said Jon Ferko, senior director for mission solutions and strategy at Northrop Grumman.

The notion of an ISV IBCS variant initially began after programme officials saw lightweight combat vehicles beginning to proliferate across army formations. As more and more ISVs entered the army's ranks, “we said ‘how do we make IBCS that mobile'”, Ferko said during a February briefing.

The development of an ISV variant of IBCS is “really turning the current, static air-[defence] model on its head”, according to Kenn Todorov, Northrop Grumman vice-president and general manager of command-and-control (C2) and weapons integration.

“We hear our customers talk all the time talk about the need to get [lighter], the need to get off the ground and ... get mobile”, Todorov said during the same briefing.

As designed, the IBCS is an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) C2 system that will integrate current and future IAMD systems via open-architecture applications, enabling users to employ a range of sensors and weapons during combat operations.

Aside from open-architecture applications, IBCS leverages common software and standard interfaces to expand potential sensor and shooter combinations via its integrated fire-control network.