Press Releases
Core Systems Awarded Contract to Deliver ATMOS2 Tactical Edge Computers for the U.S. Army C2NOW Program
ATMOS2 win positions Core Systems as a critical infrastructure provider for the Army’s NGC2 modernization initiative.
POWAY, CA — May 12, 2026 — Core Systems, a leading provider of ruggedized computing solutions for defense and national security missions, today announced it has been awarded a contract to supply the ATMOS2 Tactical Edge Computer in support of the U.S. Army Command and Control – Now (C2NOW) program. The award reinforces Core Systems’ role in equipping warfighters with the processing power needed to dominate complex operational environments.
C2NOW is a priority Army initiative that accelerates the fielding of integrated command and control to Brigade Combat Teams and below. It serves as an on-ramp to Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) — the Army’s clean-sheet effort to build an open, modular, data-centric C2 architecture engineered for division-level scale and resilience under contested conditions. As the program’s tactical edge computing platform, ATMOS2 provides the ruggedized hardware foundation on which NGC2’s integrated data layer, AI-enabled decision tools, and common operational picture will depend at the lowest echelons of command.
ATMOS2 represents a paradigm shift in tactical edge SWaP. A single ATMOS2 server now does the work of an entire stack — consolidating high-core-count CPUs, onboard SSD storage, current-generation GPUs for on-device AI, and an integrated UPS battery into one ruggedized chassis. Where the Army once deployed server stacks exceeding 250 pounds, ATMOS2 delivers greater compute, storage, and AI capability in a 15-to-35-pound footprint — with built-in power resilience that previously required separate equipment. The result is faster setup, dramatically greater mobility and survivability, and a capability density that is reshaping what commanders and their staffs can do at the edge.
“ATMOS2 isn’t an incremental improvement to tactical edge computing — it’s a redefinition of what that category means,” said Chris Schaffner, President of Core Systems. “We’ve collapsed an entire server stack into a single chassis: higher core counts, onboard SSD storage, the latest GPUs for AI workloads, and an integrated UPS battery, all in a fraction of the SWaP. That combination didn’t exist before ATMOS2. It’s setting the new standard for what soldiers should expect at the edge — and what the rest of the industry will be measured against.”
Chris Schaffner, President of Core Systems
One ATMOS2 server replaces a full rack — high-core-count CPU, onboard SSD storage, latest-generation GPU for AI, and integrated UPS battery in a single MIL-STD-810 certified chassis. ATMOS2 is setting the industry standard for tactical edge computing, engineered to keep NGC2’s integrated data layer, AI-enabled decision tools, and common operational picture running in austere, contested, and communications-degraded environments.
The ATMOS2 Tactical Edge Computer is engineered for the rigorous demands of Army C2 operations across every domain. Core attributes include:
NGC2 is one of the U.S. Army’s top modernization priorities and represents a fundamental shift in how the service delivers command and control. The initiative moves away from fragmented, stovepiped systems toward an open, modular architecture built on a common integrated data layer — giving every warfighting function access to the same real-time data and enabling faster, better-informed decisions across echelons.
C2NOW is the near-term fielding vehicle bridging the current force to the NGC2 end state. ATMOS2’s role in C2NOW directly advances those goals by placing proven, secure, high-performance compute at the tactical edge — where soldiers and commanders need it most. Its MOSA-compliant open architecture ensures that as NGC2 software, AI decision tools, and data services mature, ATMOS2 can absorb and run them without a hardware refresh.
Core Systems designed ATMOS2 with the NGC2 technology stack in mind: supporting the communications transport layer, enabling the integrated data layer, and providing the processing substrate for C2 applications — from operational modeling and course-of-action analysis to the common operational picture accessible across every warfighting function.
The contract continues Core Systems’ decades-long partnership with the U.S. Army and the broader DoD, delivering mission-critical computing solutions that are fielded, proven, and trusted by warfighters worldwide. As the Army accelerates toward its NGC2 end state, Core Systems is committed to evolving ATMOS2 in step with the program — ensuring soldiers at every echelon have the edge compute required to operate with decision advantage.
For more on ATMOS2 and Core Systems’ full portfolio of tactical computing solutions, visit www.core-systems.com or contact your regional defense representative.
Core Systems is a premier provider of ruggedized computing and electronic systems for defense, intelligence, and government customers. With a proven track record spanning nearly two decades, the company delivers purpose-built hardware that enables mission success in the world’s most demanding operational environments. Headquartered in Poway, California, Core Systems supports programs across every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and allied partner nations.
Media Contact:
Peter Rosenthal
Peter.rosenthal@core-systems.com
