The U.S. Air Force’s Shadow Operations Center–Nellis (ShOC-N) has concluded its 2025 Experimentation Series with Capstone 2025, underscoring the growing centrality of artificial intelligence in modern command-and-control (C2) and multi-domain operations. Conducted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, the capstone event demonstrated how AI-enabled tools can accelerate decision-making, enhance situational awareness, and improve interoperability across joint and coalition forces.

As the U.S. Air Force’s designated Battle Lab, ShOC-N used Capstone 2025 to evaluate advanced AI and machine learning (AI/ML) applications for dynamic mission re-planning, kill chain automation, and human–machine teaming. The experiment brought together U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps warfighters alongside Five Eyes partners from the United Kingdom and Canada, marking one of the most comprehensive coalition-focused AI trials to date.

A central focus was leveraging AI to deliver decision advantage. Tools such as automated course-of-action (COA) generation, match-effector systems, and the Maven Smart System Joint Blue Asset Tool enabled near–real-time updates on friendly forces and targets. These capabilities significantly reduced cognitive load on operators while improving the speed and accuracy of targeting and operational adjustments.

Capstone 2025 also achieved a major milestone in coalition AI integration by linking the Combined Federated Battle Laboratories Network with the United Kingdom. This allowed parallel testing of the UK’s Air Power 4.0 AI/ML tool alongside U.S. systems, enabling direct comparison, shared Air Tasking Orders, and rapid feedback across national boundaries.

Importantly, ShOC-N emphasized responsible AI development. Real warfighters were embedded throughout the experiments to rigorously assess AI accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness—critical factors when AI systems directly influence operational decisions.

Insights from Capstone 2025 will inform future C2 and intelligence modernization efforts across Air Combat Command and the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, supporting upcoming large-scale exercises. The event reinforced AI’s role not as a replacement for human judgment, but as a force multiplier—enhancing speed, precision, and coordination in increasingly complex battlespaces.