# Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) — Program Element 0204460M

**Program element:** 0204460M  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0204460M

## Summary

U.S. Navy funding ramps 107% to a $66.3M request in FY2027 — the program's peak, before stepping down 72% across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators cut 12% (to $58.2M). Northrop Grumman leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 39.8 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 32.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 66.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 30.6 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 20.3 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 18.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 18.7 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 66.3 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 66.3 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 66.3 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 58.2 | −8.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9C89 | Marine Ground-Air Radar | 39.8 | 32.0 | 66.3 | +107% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 9C89 — Marine Ground-Air Radar

The Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) is a critical CMC Force Design program. G/ATOR is a multi-role, ground-based, expeditionary 3D radar system employed by both the Air Combat Element (ACE) and Ground Combat Element (GCE) within the Marine Air Ground Task Force. It satisfies the Marine Air Command and Control System and the Ground Counter Fire/Counter Battery capabilities. G/ATOR provides mobile, multi-functional, three-dimensional surveillance of air breathing targets, detection of cruise missiles, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), rockets, artillery and mortars, and the cueing of air defense weapons. G/ATOR contributes to Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment (LOCE) and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) by surveillance and detection of enemy air threats not seen by Navy sensors in the littorals and participating in a cooperative engagement network of sensors and shooters. G/ATOR enables Integrated Fire Control (IFC) and provides engage/fire on remote capability. G/ATOR surveillance coverage with IFC will provide unprecedented reach, volume, and precision in the execution of Operational Maneuver from The Sea allowing Naval forces to project and sustain power deep inland. G/ATOR is the primary Ground-Based sensor for the United States Marine Corps and is the only Air Defense/Air Surveillance radar currently in the Marine Corps inventory. The increase from FY 2026 to FY 2027, driven primarily by the initiation of the Digital Receiver/Exciter (DREX) concept development effort. The DREX design, development, and test efforts will span multiple years to upgrade components from analog to digital, which will improve radar performance, enhance spectrum management, and enable future capability insertions. Remaining funds will support software and hardware capability enhancements based on emerging warfighter needs, such as the development and integration of software for Naval Integrated Fire Control (NIFC), Mode S, the Multi-Domain Radar in a Contested environment (MuDRaCE) Family of Systems (FOS), and Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR). This funding also covers all associated support, systems engineering, and testing required for the successful execution and implementation of these critical improvements.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Northrop Grumman (46.1, 70%), MCSC (2.3, 3.4%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Receiver/Exciter (DREX) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.6 |
| G/ATOR Contractor Technical, Development Engineering | 23.0 | 11.6 | 11.7 |
| Government Technical Support | 8.4 | 7.0 | 9.1 |
| G/ATOR: Test and Evaluation | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| G/ATOR: Management Services & Travel | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Multi-Domain Radar in a Contested Environment (MuDRaCE) | 3.8 | 8.9 | 7.2 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 73% | 48.3 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 2.0% | 1.3 |
| Other / unspecified | 25% | 16.6 |

**Top named industry performers:** Northrop Grumman ($46.1M, 70%), MCSC ($2.3M, 3.4%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) is a critical CMC Force Design program. G/ATOR is a multi-role, ground-based, expeditionary 3D radar system employed by both the Air Combat Element (ACE) and Ground Combat Element (GCE) within the Marine Air Ground Task Force. It satisfies the Marine Air Command and Control System and the Ground Counter Fire/Counter Battery capabilities. G/ATOR provides mobile, multi-functional, three-dimensional surveillance of air breathing targets, detection of cruise missiles, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), rockets, artillery and mortars, and the cueing of air defense weapons.

The Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) is a multi-role, ground-based, expeditionary radar that replaces five legacy radar systems and provides the USMC Air Defense and Air Surveillance (AD/AS), Counterfire/Targeting (Ground Weapon-Locating Radar (GWLR)), and Expeditionary Airfield Surveillance Radar (EASR) capability. The AD/AS development effort was competitively awarded in 2007 and completed Milestone C in FY 2014. AD/AS achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in March 2018. Development of the GWLR capability was initiated in FY 2010 with a RFI to industry, followed by a Business Case Analysis (BCA) to select the most cost-effective procurement strategy.

## Related program elements

- [0207522F — Tech Maturation & Risk Reduct](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207522F) (Air Force)
- [0607148A — AN/TPQ-53 Counterfire Target Acquisition Radar System](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0607148A) (Army)
- [0604183F — Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604183F) (Air Force)
- [0604117A — Maneuver - Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604117A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0204460M (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0204460M")`.

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