Deb Henley, 505th Command and Control Wing Public Affairs
The Shadow Operations Center-Nellis, or ShOC-N, concluded its 2025 Experimentation Series with Capstone 2025, a pivotal event designed to enhance joint and coalition interoperability and accelerate progress in command-and-control modernization. As the culminating event of a series of rigorous experiments, Capstone 2025 focused on artificial intelligence applications for C2, human-machine teaming, kill chain automation, and multi-domain operations, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
Capt. Stephanie Albanese, 805th Combat Training Squadron/ShOC-N Capstone 2025 experiment director, provided detailed insights into the experiment’s objectives, technological advancements, and key lessons learned, highlighting how the ShOC-N as the U.S. Air Force’s Battle Lab is advancing innovation in military operations.
A Global Experiment: Integrating Joint and Coalition Forces
Capstone 2025 featured unprecedented joint and coalition participation, including the U.S. Navy (the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center and the Naval War College), Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, U.S. Army Pacific warfighters, and Five Eye partners, the United Kingdom and Canada. According to Capt. Albanese, the event marked a significant departure from earlier ShOC experiments, by testing coalition and joint forces, enabling the ShOC-N to refine Maven Smart Systems tools while advancing Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control objectives.
“Having coalition and joint partners collocated with U.S. Air Force and Alaska Air National warfighters as well as digitally connected via battle lab environments and communication pathways means we can holistically assess the interoperability of our tactics, techniques, procedures, and technology,” said Lt. Col. Wesley Schultz, 805th CTS/ShOC-N director of operations. “Coalition and joint partner participation enhances our experiments and accelerates technical solutions to warfighter challenges.”
U.S. Navy support in the Dynamic Targeting Cell, along with remote U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps participation, ensured the data accuracy in a realistic combat environment. “This integration revealed new insights on how AI and machine learning can support diverse tactics and align exercises with CJADC2 goals,” said Lt. Col. Shawn Finney, 805th CTS/ShOC-N commander.
A key milestone was the integration of the Combined Federated Battle Laboratories Network with the U.K., enabling parallel testing of their Air Power 4.0 AI/ML tool. The U.K. generated courses of action and provided feedback by sharing Air Tasking Orders, advancing cross-national technological collaboration.
“The real-time integration with the U.K. and direct comparison of their AI capabilities against U.S. systems achieved here is unparalleled,” said Finney. “It lays the foundation for more effective simulations, strengthens data sharing between our nations, enhances collective operational capabilities.”
The U.S. Air Force’s tactical air control party, or TACP, Agile Control Integration Team, or ACIT, demonstrates its capability as a mobile command and control platform, during the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Flag event to at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Dec. 8, 2022. The 805th Combat Training Squadron’s ShOC-N Flag Event instrumented battle management functions and processes, and operators interacting with software and data. (This image was cropped to focus on main subject) (U.S. Air Force photo by Keith Keel) 
U.S. Air Force Airmen participate in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Capstone (ShOC-N) experiment event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 17-21, 2025. The ShOC-N executed the capstone event to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated, two-way kill-chain automation across operational and tactical command and control. The capstone strengthens competitive advantages for the United States, its Allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt) (Computer screen blurred for security purposes. Photo cropped to focus on subject.) 
Members of the Royal Air Force participate in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Capstone (ShOC-N) experiment event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 17-21, 2025. The ShOC-N executed the capstone event to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated, two-way kill-chain automation across operational and tactical command and control. The capstone strengthens competitive advantages for the United States, its Allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt) 
Members of the Royal Canadian Air Force and U.S. Air Force Airmen participate in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Capstone(ShOC-N) experiment event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 17-21, 2025. The ShOC-N executed the capstone event to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated, two-way kill-chain automation across operational and tactical command and control. The capstone strengthens competitive advantages for the United States, its Allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt) (Computer screen blurred for security purposes.) 
U.S. Air Force Airmen and members of the Royal Air Force participate in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Capstone (ShOC-N) experiment event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 17-21, 2025. The ShOC-N executed the capstone event to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated, two-way kill-chain automation across operational and tactical command and control. The capstone strengthens competitive advantages for the United States, its Allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt) (Documents blurred for security purposes.) U.S. Air Force Airmen participate in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Capstone (ShOC-N) experiment event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 17-21, 2025. The ShOC-N executed the capstone event to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated, two-way kill-chain automation across operational and tactical command and control. The capstone strengthens competitive advantages for the United States, its Allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt) (Computer screen blurred for security purposes. Photo cropped to focus on subject.) 
Members of the Royal Air Force participate in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Capstone(ShOC-N) experiment event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 17-21, 2025. The ShOC-N executed the capstone event to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated, two-way kill-chain automation across operational and tactical command and control. The capstone strengthens competitive advantages for the United States, its Allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt) Members of the Royal Air Force participate in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Capstone (ShOC-N) experiment event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 17-21, 2025. The ShOC-N executed the capstone event to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated, two-way kill-chain automation across operational and tactical command and control. The capstone strengthens competitive advantages for the United States, its Allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)