"The government is engaging with industry as part of market research and seeks to maximize competition for this requirement."
Kessel Run and the Next-Generation AOC Weapon System
The Air Force has opened an early-stage effort to upgrade the Air Operations Center (AOC) Weapon System with what it calls the Next-Generation Air Operations Center Weapon System. Kessel Run’s Air Operations Center Program Office is managing the nascent program; Kessel Run is described in the record as the Air Force software factory now housed under the service’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive for command, control, communications and battle management. The stated aim is to bring AI-powered tools to planners and operators at combatant commands (COCOMs).
Acquisition approach: fast, flexible options on the table
Since February the Air Force has publicly issued a request for information and two sets of questions-and-answers as it conducts market research for the program. Postings on Sam.gov indicate the service is looking for a fast, flexible acquisition plan and is explicitly considering other transaction agreements (OTAs) as one path. The Q&A documents released Tuesday reiterate that the Air Force is considering all acquisition strategies, and note an OTA with follow-on production as one approach that could deliver the speed and flexibility the service wants.
At the same time, the Q&A says a traditional procurement will likely be used for sustainment, indicating a hybrid approach: use faster authorities for initial development and production agility, then move to standard contracting for long-term sustainment.
Prime integrator role, bidder materials, and undisclosed documents
The RFI calls for a prime contractor to act as systems integrator. The Air Force expects to release a bidder’s library along with a draft solicitation, but several program documents — including the statement of need — have not been made public. The solicitation will include a requirement for a top-secret facility clearance, underscoring the sensitivity of the planned work.
Security and operational technical requirements
Technical requirements described in the public postings set a high bar for data handling and operational resilience. Cloud environments will need to meet IL6 or higher; edge computing will require Secret or higher; and the program will include a continuity-of-operations / disconnected-state requirement. Those constraints point toward systems that must operate in high-assurance environments and function when connectivity is degraded or interrupted.
What this means for combatant commands, systems integrators, and acquisition teams
- Combatant commands (COCOMs): Planners and operators at COCOMs are the stated users for AI-powered tools; the program’s security and disconnected-state requirements suggest the tools are intended to operate in contested or degraded conditions.
- Systems integrators / Prime contractors: The RFI frames the prime as a systems integrator and the Air Force is asking industry to propose acquisition structures, including OTAs, so integrators will be asked to design both technical solutions and contracting approaches.
- Acquisition and sustainment teams: The Q&A signals a likely split between rapid initial development under flexible authorities and later sustainment under traditional procurement, which will require planning for a transition between contracting regimes.
Industry questions and the government’s answer
Industry participation has already pushed the program office on competition. One prospective offeror asked how the government would ensure a level playing field and avoid "carve outs and pay-to-play relationships with a small group of vendors." The Air Force response was the quote that opens this report: "The government is engaging with industry as part of market research and seeks to maximize competition for this requirement." No procurement timeline has been provided in the public materials to date.
The program’s next concrete steps in the public record are the release of a bidder’s library and a draft solicitation. Absent a timeline, the Air Force continues to solicit industry input on both technical approaches and agreement structures, while signaling a desire for both speed in initial development and traditional sustainment practices thereafter.
