Android Team Awareness Kit

The Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) is a geospatial infrastructure and situational awareness software application developed for Android mobile devices, enabling users to generate, visualize, and share tactical data in real-time for enhanced communication, navigation, and coordination during operations.^[1][2] Originally created by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at government expense, ATAK serves as a cost-effective, off-the-shelf solution primarily for military applications, with a civilian variant known as CivTAK that supports interoperability across sectors.^[2][3] Now maintained by a Department of Defense Joint Product Center, it operates without licensing fees and incorporates open-source elements to facilitate community-driven customization.^[2][3] ATAK's core functionalities include high-resolution online and offline mapping supporting sub-1 cm resolution imagery, collaborative tools for team positioning and resource tracking, and integrated communication features such as chat, file/photo/video sharing, and emergency beacons.^[2] It supports advanced geospatial analysis through plugins and an API with software development kit (SDK), allowing extensions for tasks like drone control, sensor data integration, elevation profiling, heat mapping, viewshed analysis, and geofencing.^[2][3] These capabilities reduce the operational footprint by replacing bulky tactical laptops with compact smartphones or tablets, while enabling precision targeting, land formation intelligence, and full-motion video feeds.^[1][2] Widely adopted by the U.S. military and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for incident response, ATAK also extends to civilian and professional users in emergency management, search and rescue, first responder operations, environmental monitoring, logistics, and even recreational activities like hunting and wildlife surveys.^[1][3][2] Its multi-jurisdictional compatibility has proven vital in complex scenarios requiring seamless data exchange across diverse teams and platforms.^[1] The application's evolution from a military tool to a versatile platform underscores its role in modernizing situational awareness across government, public safety, and commercial domains.^[3]

Overview

Purpose and Capabilities

The Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) is an Android-based mobile application designed to provide geospatial infrastructure for situational awareness, precision targeting, navigation, and real-time data sharing among team members in operational environments.^[4] It leverages commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Android devices to deliver these functions, enabling users to visualize and annotate geospatial data using standardized military symbology such as MIL-STD-2525B icons for points of interest, friendly forces, and threats.^[4] This core functionality supports both military and civilian applications by facilitating collaborative decision-making without requiring dedicated hardware beyond a smartphone.^[2] Key capabilities of ATAK include interactive map overlays for terrain, weather, and real-time feeds; integration of full motion video (FMV) from sources like unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for live streaming and analysis; mission planning tools for route creation, elevation profiling, and 3D modeling; and secure collaboration features such as chat, file sharing, and Cursor-on-Target (CoT) data exchange over ad-hoc networks like mobile ad-hoc networks (MANET).^[2][5] These features allow users to layer multiple data sources—ranging from GPS positions to sensor inputs—onto a common operational picture, enhancing coordination in dynamic scenarios.^[4] ATAK's extensible plugin architecture further enables customization, such as integrating non-native communications for extended range.^[5] ATAK operates on ruggedized Android devices meeting minimum OS requirements (Android 5.0 or later), with compatibility for integrated GPS receivers, inertial sensors, and tactical radios via Bluetooth or IP-based interfaces to ensure reliable performance in austere conditions.^[4] It supports peripherals like laser rangefinders for precise geolocation and offline caching for areas with limited connectivity.^[4] A primary operational benefit is its ability to reduce reliance on bulky laptops for command and control, empowering smartphone-based situational awareness that streamlines workflows and minimizes logistical footprints for field teams.^[5] This portability has proven effective in multi-jurisdictional responses, such as disaster relief operations, by enabling rapid data dissemination and reducing response times.^[5]

Development History

The development of the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) originated in the mid-2000s under the influence of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), particularly through programs like the Tactical Ground Reporting (TIGR) system for shared situational awareness and the Rapid Adaptation Application (RAA) for integrating mobile tools with partner coordination, which laid foundational concepts for mobile tactical tools.^[6] Formal development began in 2010 by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Rome, New York, with early DARPA funding.^[7] The initial version was based on NASA's WorldWind Mobile codebase to enable geospatial visualization on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Android devices, marking an early milestone in integrating open-source mapping with military needs. In 2020, the source code for the civilian version (ATAK-CIV) was released, promoting open development.^[6] By 2010, ATAK achieved its first deployment for U.S. Special Forces, providing real-time situational awareness during operations.^[8] Extensive testing followed through the Department of Defense (DoD), including combat evaluations by over 10,000 warfighters, which validated its reliability and led to iterative improvements for broader applicability.^[8] A key advancement in the 2010s was the introduction of a plug-in architecture by AFRL, allowing modular extensions for custom functionalities without core modifications, which significantly enhanced adaptability for diverse operational scenarios.^[4] This period also emphasized seamless integration with COTS hardware, as detailed in a 2015 AFRL assessment, enabling distributed team awareness on affordable, ruggedized mobile platforms.^[4] In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) expanded ATAK's reach to multi-jurisdictional responders, deploying it during Hurricane Harvey for coordinated disaster response and subsequently for Hurricanes Irma and Maria, marking its transition from military-exclusive use.^[8] Maintenance responsibilities later shifted to the TAK Product Center (TPC), a Department of Defense Joint Product Center currently managed by the U.S. Army DEVCOM C5ISR Center, ensuring sustained evolution through community-driven input and regular enhancements.^[5] Ongoing development includes annual updates, exemplified by the 2025 TAK Offsite—a hybrid event hosted by the U.S. Army DEVCOM C5ISR Center and TPC—to foster collaboration among developers, users, and stakeholders on future capabilities.^[9]

Versions

Military Versions

The Android Team Awareness Kit - Military (ATAK-MIL) represents the secure, defense-oriented variant of the TAK product suite, tailored for U.S. Department of Defense operations and capable of handling classified data through integration with secure networks such as SIPRNet. This version incorporates encrypted communications protocols to facilitate protected data exchange, including text, files, photos, and video, ensuring compliance with military security standards in tactical environments.^[8] ATAK-MIL operates on Android devices certified for classified use, reducing the operational footprint while enabling real-time collaboration among warfighters.^[10] Version progression in ATAK-MIL has advanced from ATAK 4.0, which refactored the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) tool plugin for improved stability and interface management, to subsequent releases up to 4.7.^[11] The 4.7 update, released in July 2022, introduced enhancements such as support for Cyrillic languages, including Ukrainian, to broaden operational utility in diverse geopolitical contexts.^[12] As of October 2025, ATAK has reached version 5.5, with ongoing developments for government use, though specific public details on ATAK-MIL iterations remain limited. Advanced voice applications for push-to-talk functionality and interoperability with tactical radios are available via plugins, such as the VX plugin updated in May 2025, supporting seamless audio integration in the field.^[13][14] Key military features of ATAK-MIL include blue force tracking, which displays real-time positions of friendly units on geospatial maps using MIL-STD-2525B symbology, and hostile entity marking for identifying adversarial threats via red force indicators.^[15] Compatibility with UAS plugins enables integration of drone telemetry and video feeds, enhancing situational awareness through Cursor on Target data formats for low-latency sharing of aerial intelligence.^[16] These capabilities support tactical operations by allowing users to overlay network coverage, measure distances, and coordinate movements without reliance on larger command systems.^[17] In combat deployments, ATAK-MIL has been utilized by special operations forces for low-latency data sharing during exercises and real-world missions, providing geospatial mapping, navigation, and video feeds to enable rapid decision-making at the tactical edge.^[18] For instance, integration with next-generation command and control systems has demonstrated its role in live-fire scenarios, where it facilitates secure, real-time intelligence dissemination among distributed teams.^[19] This deployment emphasis underscores ATAK-MIL's evolution from a situational awareness tool to a core enabler of networked warfare.^[20]

Civilian Versions

The Android Team Awareness Kit for Civil Use (ATAK-CIV), commonly referred to as CivTAK, serves as the unclassified edition tailored for non-military applications, emphasizing situational awareness and collaboration in scenarios like emergency response, search and rescue, and wildland firefighting. Developed by the TAK Product Center under the U.S. Department of Defense, it provides geospatial tools for mission planning, full-motion video integration, and data sharing on Android devices, while excluding classified or restricted defense capabilities.^[2][21] CivTAK integrates with open map data sources, such as OpenStreetMap and USGS-provided layers, enabling users to overlay terrain and vector information without proprietary restrictions. It supports Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) Level 2 models, derived from sources like the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), for enhanced 3D visualization and elevation-based planning in civilian operations. Key releases include version 4.0.7 in June 2020, which introduced official plugin capabilities, and more recent updates like 5.4.0.16 in July 2025, incorporating improvements in stability and Android compatibility. The official CivTAK GitHub repository was archived on May 2, 2025.^{[22][23][24][25]} In contrast to military variants, CivTAK omits advanced encryption protocols for secure military networks, instead prioritizing open-standard communication and collaborative features suited for first responders, such as real-time team tracking and event coordination. The Software Development Kit (SDK), released in July 2020 and updated to version 5.5 in August 2025, facilitates plugin development for custom extensions, including integrations with commercial satellite imagery providers like SkyFi for high-resolution overlays.^[26][27][28] CivTAK is accessible for download via the Google Play Store, the official tak.gov portal, and the CivTAK community file repository at files.civtak.org, with the source code hosted on GitHub under the GNU General Public License version 3. Community-maintained resources, such as the ATAK-Maps repository, provide additional XML-formatted map sources in Mobile Atlas Creator (MOBAC) format for easy import and offline use. Installation typically involves sideloading APK files for advanced configurations or using the Play Store for standard deployment on Android 5.0 or later devices.^[29][25][30]

Licensing and Distribution

Government Licensing

The Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK), particularly its military variant ATAK-MIL, is exclusively licensed and distributed to U.S. federal agencies through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which originally developed the software. Access to ATAK-MIL requires stringent legal agreements and security clearances, ensuring that only authorized personnel within entities like the Department of Defense (DoD) can utilize its advanced features, including classified geospatial and situational awareness capabilities. This restricted access is managed by the TAK Product Center, a joint DoD entity that maintains the software, providing source code with unlimited rights for modification and use exclusively within approved government channels.^[2][31] Federal government release mechanisms facilitate tech transfer of ATAK-MIL to DoD branches, such as the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as select interagency partners, under controlled distribution protocols that prioritize national security. For international sharing with partner nations, releases occur via export-controlled pathways, where U.S. government entities or licensed contractors handle compliance with regulations like the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), often through Foreign Military Sales or cooperative agreements. Military-specific components in ATAK-MIL, such as secure communication plugins, are excluded from non-government versions to prevent unauthorized proliferation.^[31][32] Historical expansions of ATAK licensing to non-DoD federal entities began notably in 2017, when the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) deployed ATAK for homeland security operations during Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, enhancing multi-jurisdictional responder coordination. This deployment marked a key step in broadening access for tactical units beyond the military, supported by ongoing federal grants and technology transfer initiatives from AFRL to agencies like DHS for disaster response and public safety. These expansions maintain strict oversight to ensure interoperability with DoD systems while adhering to security standards.^[5] Compliance with government licensing mandates rigorous adherence to ITAR for ATAK-MIL, which classifies it as a defense article subject to export controls administered by the U.S. Department of State, prohibiting unlicensed transfer to foreign persons or entities. Federal users must implement ITAR-compliant programs, including regular audits of classified usage, data handling, and system modifications to mitigate risks of unauthorized disclosure. Violations can result in severe penalties, reinforcing the software's role in secure, controlled environments.^[32][33]

Open Source and Commercial Licensing

The civilian version of the Android Team Awareness Kit, known as CivTAK, was released as open source software in 2020, with its full source code available on GitHub under the GNU General Public License version 3.0 (GPL-3.0), placing U.S. federal government contributions in the public domain while applying GPL-3.0 to other contributions where copyright applies. Dependencies in CivTAK, such as various libraries, are licensed under permissive terms including Apache 2.0, enabling broad reuse and modification for non-military applications.^[25][26] This open source approach built on plans from 2014, with the official release in 2020 allowing community contributions while ensuring the codebase excludes proprietary military-specific features to maintain accessibility for civilian developers. As of May 2025, the official GitHub repository has been archived and is now read-only.^[34][25] For commercial use by U.S. companies, licensing is facilitated through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) via an express technology transfer agreement, which streamlines access to enhanced capabilities for plugin development and enterprise integrations without granting full open access to all underlying military variants.^[35] This pathway, first implemented in 2018, permits monetization of custom plugins and commercial extensions, subject to end-user license agreements that govern distribution and usage restrictions for add-ons.^[35] Open source releases explicitly avoid inclusion of proprietary military code, focusing instead on core situational awareness functionalities suitable for public safety and civilian sectors, with plugin terms requiring adherence to TAK Product Center guidelines to prevent reverse-engineering of restricted elements.^[25] In 2020, the TAK Product Center released the CivTAK SDK, providing developers with tools for creating compatible plugins and fostering community-driven enhancements such as improved UI integrations and compatibility fixes.^[26][27]

Users and Adoption

Military and Defense Applications

The Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) has been widely adopted across U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) branches, including U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a core tool for situational awareness in tactical environments.^{[36][37][38][39]} Developed initially by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in 2010, ATAK enables real-time geospatial mapping, position sharing, and data exchange among warfighters, with the TAK Product Center reporting over 500,000 total users across U.S. military and partner entities as of 2025.^[40] By 2017, it had already been battle-tested by more than 10,000 active-duty personnel in combat scenarios, demonstrating its reliability for DoD-wide integration.^[8] In military applications, ATAK supports combat operations through features like blue force tracking, which allows units to self-identify positions and share enemy locations for enhanced coordination, as utilized by U.S. forces in field exercises and deployments.^[41][8] It facilitates training via live-fire simulations, where prototypes were tested with F-16 and A-10 aircraft to validate precision targeting and navigation in dynamic scenarios during the early 2010s.^[42] For joint operations, ATAK integrates unmanned aerial systems (UAS) coordination, enabling the U.S. Marine Corps to control drones and the U.S. Army to manage counter-drone efforts, thereby improving distributed command and control in multi-echelon environments.^[43][44] ATAK's adoption extends to partner nations through U.S. DoD collaborations, promoting interoperability with NATO allies such as the British Army, which deployed it during NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence missions for shared mapping and communication.^[37][45] The TAK Product Center's efforts have supported its use in multinational exercises, allowing seamless data exchange among U.S. partners and fostering standardized tactical awareness across allied forces.^[46] Key case studies from AFRL's 2010s testing highlight ATAK's evolution, including early prototypes evaluated for distributed situational awareness on commercial off-the-shelf devices, which proved effective in denied environments through integration with secure radios and offline plugins.^[4][47] These tests, conducted in GPS-challenged settings, confirmed ATAK's ability to maintain connectivity via mesh networks and encrypted channels, ensuring operational continuity without reliance on cellular infrastructure.^[8][48] By the mid-2010s, such integrations had transitioned to SOCOM as the program of record, underscoring ATAK's role in enhancing resilience for special operations in contested areas.^[49]

Civilian and Public Safety Applications

The Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK), in its civilian variant known as CivTAK, has been widely adopted by key public safety organizations in the United States, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency medical services (EMS), and other public safety entities. These users leverage CivTAK for enhanced situational awareness and coordination during high-stakes operations. As of 2021, ATAK and CivTAK supported over 250,000 military and civilian government users globally, with non-federal civilian adoption exceeding 32,000 users at that time; total adoption has since grown to over 500,000 users as of 2025.^[50][51][40] CivTAK plays a critical role in disaster response, particularly through DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) deployments, where it facilitates real-time data sharing among multi-jurisdictional teams. For instance, during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, DHS S&T utilized ATAK to coordinate federal, state, and local responders in Texas, enabling rapid visualization of flood zones, resource allocation, and rescue operations that contributed to saving over 2,000 lives across seven major hurricanes including Irma and Maria. The platform also supports search-and-rescue missions by integrating GPS tracking, drone feeds, and terrain mapping to locate individuals in challenging environments. Additionally, CivTAK aids event coordination for large-scale public gatherings, such as national security events, by providing a shared operational picture that reduces response times and improves inter-agency communication.^[8][5][52] Global adoption of CivTAK extends to emergency services beyond the U.S., with European agencies incorporating it for multi-agency collaboration in public safety operations. For example, UK-based organizations like Riskaware highlight CivTAK's optimization for civilian use cases, including disaster response and emergency coordination, aligning with NATO partner needs for enhanced situational awareness. These implementations emphasize CivTAK's interoperability with international standards.^[37] A key benefit of CivTAK in civilian applications is its ability to enable real-time data sharing with legacy systems, as demonstrated by 2021 integrations with Samsung's TeamConnect platform for first responders. This setup overlays data from computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems, weather feeds, and sensors onto a unified map, allowing seamless updates and markups across devices without disrupting existing infrastructure. Such capabilities have proven essential for law enforcement and fire/EMS in reducing communication silos and accelerating decision-making during incidents.^[50]

Ecosystem and Extensions

Plugins and Integrations

The Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) features an extensible architecture that supports custom plugins developed using the ATAK-CIV Software Development Kit (SDK), enabling users to add specialized functionalities tailored to operational needs.^[27] This plugin system allows for modular enhancements without altering the core application, fostering innovation among developers in military, public safety, and civilian sectors. By 2025, over 30 official and community-developed plugins have been published and made available through platforms like Google Play and tak.gov, with additional development versions hosted on GitHub repositories.^[27][53] Plugin development follows a structured process using the CivTAK SDK for Android, which provides APIs for integrating geospatial data, user interfaces, and communication protocols. Developers can access the SDK from tak.gov, where source code, documentation, and release notes for version 5.5 (released in 2025) are available.^[27] In November 2025, ATAK-CIV version 5.5 was open-sourced, providing broader access to the core source code for community enhancements.^[54] Open-source contributions are encouraged through community-maintained repositories on GitHub, adhering to guidelines that emphasize compatibility with ATAK's Cursor-on-Target (CoT) messaging standard and security best practices for tactical environments.^[55] Prominent examples of plugins include the UAS Tool, which integrates Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for real-time drone control, telemetry display, and video streaming directly within ATAK's map interface, supporting enhanced situational awareness in reconnaissance operations.^[16] Another key plugin is Ditto's Edge Sync, released in version 1.0 on May 16, 2025, which facilitates peer-to-peer data synchronization in offline or disconnected environments, ensuring seamless sharing of mission-critical updates among team members.^[56] Additionally, voice communication plugins were highlighted at the 2025 TAK Offsite conference, enabling integration of push-to-talk (PTT) and audio features for coordinated team messaging over various networks.^[57] ATAK plugins also support integrations with external hardware and services, such as tactical radios for voice and data relay; for instance, the HAMMER plugin connects legacy radios to ATAK for basic communications, while GoTenna Pro enables off-grid mesh networking.^[58] Sensor compatibility is exemplified by the UAS Tool's support for environmental and payload sensors on drones.^[59] For commercial APIs, the SkyFi ATAK Plugin, updated in October 2025, allows on-demand access to high-resolution satellite imagery, tasking new acquisitions and overlaying them on ATAK maps to improve geospatial intelligence.^[60][61] These extensions complement the broader TAK family of software, such as WinTAK and iTAK, by focusing on Android-specific enhancements.^[61]

Related TAK Software

The Team Awareness Kit (TAK) ecosystem extends beyond the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) to include a suite of cross-platform tools designed for comprehensive situational awareness and collaboration. WinTAK serves as the Windows-based client, optimized for desktop environments with advanced features like high-resolution imagery management and geospatial analysis, enabling operators in fixed locations to process large datasets. iTAK provides iOS compatibility, allowing Apple device users to access TAK functionalities such as real-time mapping and team tracking in mobile scenarios. WebTAK offers a browser-based interface for rapid data visualization without dedicated app installation, facilitating quick integration into web-enabled workflows. At the core, the TAK Server acts as a centralized backend platform running on Linux, handling data synchronization, encryption, and distribution across all clients to support scalable, networked operations.^[62][5][63] Interoperability across the TAK family is achieved through standardized protocols that ensure seamless data sharing among diverse devices and platforms. The Cursor-on-Target (CoT) protocol, an XML-based messaging format, enables the exchange of critical information such as unit positions, events, routes, and sensor feeds, promoting a unified common operating picture (COP) for team awareness. This is augmented by the TAK Protocol, which uses efficient Protocol Buffers for encoding CoT messages, reducing bandwidth usage while maintaining compatibility with legacy systems. These features allow heterogeneous teams—spanning mobile, desktop, and web clients—to synchronize updates in real time, even over constrained networks.^[64][65][66] Recent developments have enhanced the TAK ecosystem's robustness and accessibility. The TAK Server was open-sourced to the public in 2022, enabling broader adoption and customization for both government and civilian use. By 2025, updates presented at the annual TAK Offsite emphasized enterprise-quality geospatial tools, including improved server scalability, enhanced security for multi-domain operations, and integrations for advanced analytics, positioning TAK as a mature platform for large-scale deployments.^[67][68] In hybrid environments, these tools support integrated operations where ATAK on Android devices in the field feeds live data to WinTAK in command centers via the TAK Server, enabling commanders to overlay tactical feeds with strategic overlays for decision-making. For instance, during joint exercises, mobile teams using iTAK or ATAK share CoT updates that populate WebTAK dashboards for remote stakeholders, streamlining coordination without platform silos.^[69][5][70]