# F/A-18 Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS) Comms

**R-2A activity** of project 1662 — F/A-18 Improvement  
**Program element:** 0204136N — F/A-18 Squadrons  
**Component:** U.S. Navy · **Budget Activity:** 7  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204136N/1662/a2  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204136N/1662

## Summary

This activity requests $33.4M in FY2027, 13% of project 1662, down 50% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2026–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** Continue the development and hardware integration of GL on the F/A-18E/F and software integration on the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G. Provide aircraft integration to support two-way data and voice BLOS capability. Continue integration of two-way data and voice communication and an aperture for use over satellite constellations. Development of a ground test infrastructure to enable complete end-to-end test. This will include system development and on aircraft integration to support testing. Continue Depot Level stand up of the F/A-18 E/F GL capability.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY2026 to FY2027 decrease of $33.386M for Global Lightning (GL) is due to JTT-X development and testing ramping down.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Continue the development and hardware integration of GL on the F/A-18E/F and software integration on the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G. Provide aircraft integration to support two-way data and voice BLOS capability. Continue integration of two-way data and voice communication and an aperture for use over satellite constellations. Development of a ground test infrastructure to enable complete end-to-end test. This will include system development and on aircraft integration to support testing. Continue Depot Level stand up of the F/A-18 E/F GL capability.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 68.6 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 66.8 |
| FY2027 | Request | 33.4 |

> Prior, current and budget year only — an R-2A activity carries no five-year plan. It sums exactly into its project in the request year and not necessarily in any other.

## Other activities in project 1662

- [Advanced Electronic Warfare (ADVEW)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204136N/1662/a0) — FY2027 63.3
- [Multi-System Integration (MSI)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204136N/1662/a7) — FY2027 59.2
- [Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS) E/F/G](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204136N/1662/a1) — FY2027 36.1
- [Digital Video Map Computer-Upgrade (DVMC-U)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204136N/1662/a4) — FY2027 14.7
- [Next Generation Naval Mission Planning System (NGNMPS)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204136N/1662/a9) — FY2027 11.8
- Brizo Beacon — FY2027 10.2
- F/A-18 Obsolescence Redesign — FY2027 9.5
- Flight Plan Engineering / System Configuration Set Development and Integration — FY2027 9.1
- USMC Capability Upgrades — FY2027 6.1
- F/A-18 E/F/G Network Cyber Defense — FY2027 5.0
- Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) Aircraft Integration — FY2027 0.0

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0204136N project 1662 (PB PB2027). Narrative is the government's own text.
- **No marks, no contractors at this grain** — congressional marks land on the program element and R-3 performers on the project.
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_activity`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*