Nominal Selected as Data Backbone for DARPA’s CyPhER Forge Program to Revolutionize Defense Test and Evaluation

Why It Matters

By providing the core data infrastructure for CyPhER Forge, Nominal enables the Pentagon to replace costly live flight tests with high‑confidence simulations, accelerating the fielding of advanced combat systems. This shift could dramatically shorten acquisition cycles and improve the warfighter’s technological edge.

Key Takeaways

• Nominal chosen as data backbone for DARPA's CyPhER Forge program.
• Program aims to cut flight test points by tenfold using digital twins.
• Real-time AI agents will replace much live testing, slashing timelines and costs.
• Nominal's recent $53 million Air Force IDIQ underscores its data tooling leadership.
• Initiative could accelerate deployment of next‑gen combat systems to warfighters.

Pulse Analysis

DARPA’s CyPhER Forge program reflects a broader defense push to modernize test and evaluation through digital twins and autonomous agents. Traditional flight testing is time‑intensive and expensive, often requiring multiple live sorties to validate complex physics. By creating a real‑time, high‑fidelity virtual environment, the program aims to compress the test matrix, allowing engineers to iterate rapidly and capture data that would otherwise demand costly hardware flights. This paradigm shift aligns with the Department of Defense’s emphasis on rapid prototyping and agile acquisition.

At the heart of this transformation is Nominal’s data backbone, a managed layer that aggregates, curates, and serves both simulated and empirical data to a diverse ecosystem of system integrators and research institutes. The platform’s tooling supports the training of AI test agents that can autonomously explore edge cases, identify failure modes, and suggest design refinements. By centralizing data provenance, Nominal ensures that digital twins become a trusted source of truth, reducing the need for redundant live tests and delivering confidence‑level metrics that satisfy stringent safety standards. The recent $53 million IDIQ award underscores the Air Force’s confidence in Nominal’s ability to standardize data workflows across complex programs.

The implications extend beyond a single program. If successful, the CyPhER Forge approach could become a template for future acquisition cycles, enabling faster fielding of next‑generation combat platforms while curbing budgets. Industry partners stand to benefit from a clearer data pipeline, fostering innovation in AI‑driven testing tools and simulation fidelity. Ultimately, the initiative promises to sharpen the United States’ technological advantage by ensuring that new capabilities reach the warfighter at the speed of relevance.