Joint Innovation Outpost Deploys Picogrid Technology in Support of Contingency Operations

FORT BRAGG, NC – April 30, 2026 – Picogrid today announced that its technology, procured through the Army's Joint Innovation Outpost (JIOP), has been deployed to support contingency operations. Following Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's mandate to adopt and deploy technology at speed, JIOP moved from initial procurement of Picogrid's technology to validation in military exercises and into forward deployment in under 90 days.

Modern Army formations operate a growing mix of sensors, unmanned systems, and software tools, most of which were never designed to share data. Within weeks of being established, JIOP identified this gap, procured Picogrid's Legion platform and multiple Expeditionary Command and Control Nodes (ECNs), and validated the technology during the Scarlet Dragon exercises at Fort Bragg. That validation confirmed the system could rapidly integrate multiple sensor architectures and coordinate data across disparate networks under real-world operational conditions.

Deploying this technology into contingency operations is a concrete example of the shift Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called for in his "Arsenal of Freedom" address at the National War College, where he declared that "speed to delivery is now our organizing principle" and is "the decisive factor in maintaining deterrence and warfighting advantage." Rather than wait years for a traditional program of record, JIOP used a commercial off-the-shelf solution to put functional capability in operators' hands in under three months.

"What JIOP has accomplished here sets a new standard," said Zane Mountcastle, co-founder and CEO of Picogrid. "They identified a real operational need, moved fast to get technology into soldiers' hands, proved it worked, and pushed it forward to where it matters in a matter of months. That’s how defense acquisition should work."

"The battlefield doesn't wait for traditional acquisition timelines," said COL. Thomas Monaghan, Director of JIOP. "The JIOP exists to identify immediate operational gaps and rapidly field commercial solutions to get our systems integrated before the window of opportunity closes."

This deployment marks another forward operational use of Picogrid's infrastructure with a U.S. military unit, and a proof point that integration, when delivered fast, is itself a combat capability. As the number of sensors, autonomous systems, and mission applications in the force continues to grow, Picogrid is extending the same model to additional units and systems, with further operational deployments already in development.

Disclaimer: The appearance of the U.S. Department of War visual information does not imply or constitute DOW endorsement.

About Picogrid

Picogrid is a technology company that builds products to integrate mission-critical systems. Its hardware and software products connect sensors, unmanned platforms, and digital systems, enabling unified control and data flow in defense and industrial environments. Deployed globally and supported by leading Silicon Valley investors, Picogrid delivers infrastructure for mission execution across land, sea, air, and space. Learn more at picogrid.com.