# Common Data Link (CDL) Technology Advancement

**R-2A activity** of project 641334 — Common Data Link (CDL)  
**Program element:** 0305236F — Common Data Link (CDL)  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 4  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0305236F/641334/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0305236F

## Summary

This activity requests $10.2M in FY2027, 39% of project 641334, down 28% 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.** - Will continue to research and evaluate technology developments for enhancing the CDL enterprise networking architecture, to include network management devices, applications and advanced algorithms. - Will continue to research, evaluate and develop more spectrally efficient waveforms to support Combatant Command demand for higher bandwidth transmission and improved jam resistant capabilities. - Will continue to assess the application of CDL waveforms in proliferated Low Earth Orbit (pLEO) implementations with different pLEO vendors - Will continue to research, evaluate and develop improvements to CDL waveforms to lower probability of detection and interception to support Combatant Command demand for improved covertness of ground and airborne forces. - Will continue development of enhanced, CDL-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) communication capabilities across multiple platforms and echelons among U.S and allied partners. - Will continue development of a collaborative CDL modeling and simulation environment using Navy Research Lab's Extendable Mobile Ad-Hoc Network Emulator (EMANE) framework for CDL performance analysis and waveform advancements. The CDL EMANE environment will be the baseline for joint Service and vendor collaboration as the community modernizes CDL for the future fight. - Will continue waveform performance analysis of current CDL capabilities and future enhancements on their ability to achieve mission success in National Defense Strategy (NDS) derived scenarios to focus future CDL modernization efforts to update the CDL specifications. - Will continue analysis and study of CDL networking and Low Probability of Interception / Low Probability of Detection / Anti-Jam (LPI/LPD/AJ) capabilities in future contested battlespace. - Will continue to research, evaluate and develop an Open Systems Architecture to improve CDL enterprise interoperability and terminal design flexibility. - Will continue evaluation, analysis, and study of multi-beam antenna technology to further improve CDL networking and low probability of intercept/low probability of detection/anti-jam (LPI/LPD/AJ) capabilities. - Will continue prototyping and advanced technology demonstrations in support of emerging communication backbone architecture, including high capacity backbone (HCB) development, across multi-domains. - Will continue requirements and design improvements for more robust BE-CDL support to smaller Group 1 UAS. - Will continue exploratory prototyping efforts and advanced technology demonstrations in support of emerging communication backbone architecture, including HCB development, across air, space and terrestrial layers, to include agile high capacity data transport, assured communications and multi-mode access network. - Will continue to research and evaluate developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to support faster correlation and fusion of ISR and CDL network management processes. - Will continue to research and evaluate developing technologies to minimize the National Security Agency (NSA) required certification requirements for terminals while standardizing Communications Security (COMSEC) and Transmission Security (TRANSEC) implementation.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The reduced budgetary allocations for Accomplishments/Planned Programs come from a department of War program funding cut of 20% across the FYDP. The Common Data Link (CDL) program focused on core competencies of waveform specification maintenance and updates, as well as cryptographic core modernization and SERD 2.0 compliance.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue to research and evaluate technology developments for enhancing the CDL enterprise networking architecture, to include network management devices, applications and advanced algorithms. - Continue to research, evaluate and develop more spectrally efficient waveforms to support Combatant Command demand for higher bandwidth transmission and improved jam resistant capabilities. - Continue to assess the application of CDL waveforms in proliferated Low Earth Orbit (pLEO) implementations with different pLEO vendors - Continue to research, evaluate and develop improvements to CDL waveforms to lower probability of detection and interception to support Combatant Command demand for improved covertness of ground and airborne forces. - Continue development of enhanced, CDL-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) communication capabilities across multiple platforms and echelons among U.S and allied partners. - Continue development of a collaborative CDL modeling and simulation environment using Navy Research Lab's Extendable Mobile Ad-Hoc Network Emulator (EMANE) framework for CDL performance analysis and waveform advancements. The CDL EMANE environment will be the baseline for joint Service and vendor collaboration as the community modernizes CDL for the future fight. - Continue waveform performance analysis of current CDL capabilities and future enhancements on their ability to achieve mission success in National Defense Strategy (NDS) derived scenarios to focus future CDL modernization efforts to update the CDL specifications. - Continue analysis and study of CDL networking and Low Probability of Interception / Low Probability of Detection / Anti-Jam (LPI/LPD/AJ) capabilities in future contested battlespace. - Continue to research, evaluate and develop an Open Systems Architecture to improve CDL enterprise interoperability and terminal design flexibility. - Continue evaluation, analysis, and study of multi-beam antenna technology to further improve CDL networking and low probability of intercept/low probability of detection/anti-jam (LPI/LPD/AJ) capabilities. - Continue prototyping and advanced technology demonstrations in support of emerging communication backbone architecture, including high capacity backbone (HCB) development, across multi-domains. - Continue requirements and design improvements for more robust BE-CDL support to smaller Group 1 UAS. - Continue exploratory prototyping efforts and advanced technology demonstrations in support of emerging communication backbone architecture, including HCB development, across air, space and terrestrial layers, to include agile high capacity data transport, assured communications and multi-mode access network. - Continue to research and evaluate developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to support faster correlation and fusion of ISR and CDL network management processes. - Continue to research and evaluate developing technologies to minimize the National Security Agency (NSA) required certification requirements for terminals while standardizing Communications Security (COMSEC) and Transmission Security (TRANSEC) implementation.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 15.6 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 14.2 |
| FY2027 | Request | 10.2 |

> 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 641334

- [Common Data Link (CDL) Specification Development, Validation, Test and Maintenance](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0305236F/641334/a1) — FY2027 11.7
- Common Data Link (CDL) Cryptographic Modernization — FY2027 4.5

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0305236F project 641334 (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.*