Guardian Angel RDT&E

Beginning in FY26 this funding is reported in BA 07 Project 0207457F. GA is a Family of Systems (FoS) based in both human and equipment capabilities formulated to execute Air Force Personnel Recovery (PR) across the full spectrum of military operations. Established by the Air Force Chief of Staff in 2003 and officially captured in AFPD 10-9, the GA FoS is employed by three distinct Air Force specialties: Pararescuemen (PJ), Combat Rescue Officer (CRO), and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE). The GA FoS is comprised of nine critical mission areas: Precision Aerial Insertion, Information Management, Force Application, Visual Augmentation, Maritime Recovery, Ground Mobility, Technical Rescue, Medical, and SERE. GA focus is on maintaining legacy weapon system capability while modernizing/improving subsystems for better mission effectiveness. Mission Description and Budget Item Justification: To stay aligned with SECAF Operational Imperatives, with OSD Focus Area C2, logistics mobility (land/water), funds will be used to obtain significant improvements in operational capability and develop items within the GA FoS to include but not limited to: Maritime Recovery (open ocean boat ), Ground Mobility, Technical Recovery, Precision Aerial Insertion (cargo & personnel parachutes), Medical (Simulators), Information Management, SERE, Visual Augmentation (night vision, augmented reality) and Force Protection. This may be conducted through industry technology demonstrations, prototypes, and associated engineering support to posture the GA program for technology insertion. The Guardian Angel weapon system development/Innovation activities also include studies, analysis, requirements development and developmental testing to support both current and future program planning and execution, quick-reaction capability prototypes/demonstrations to accelerate planning for technology transition, technology insertion and future acquisition programs. Funding will deliver enhanced capability for the dismounted Guardian Angel Operators in terms of dramatic weight reduction, standardization of items across units, and increased mission effectiveness across the conflict spectrum. This funding request will support potential DMS and obsolescence solutions, to include if optimal, life of type buys or bridge buys limited to the program of record quantity.