What project 67A038 buys
The Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system is an evolutionary acquisition program that provides significantly improved defensive systems capability for DoD aircraft to counter the man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) missile threat. The system is currently installed on 54 aircraft types and over 1,200 aircraft. The current LAIRCM system configuration consists of missile warning sensors (MWS), a laser transmitter assembly, control interface unit and processors to detect, track, jam and counter incoming missiles. The number of sensors and transmitter assemblies per aircraft is determined by the size and signature of the aircraft. The system is fully autonomous following system power-up. LAIRCM requirements are documented in the multi-command LAIRCM Operational Requirements Document (ORD) 314-92, validated on 03 Aug 1998. The Active Defense Sensor (ADS) will provide sensing and cueing of threats, which is anticipated to employ a version of a long-range Radio Frequency (RF) defense sensor to provide long range sensing and cueing of threats. ADS will enhance existing High Value Airborne Asset survivability to detect and employ new tactics against an expanded category of threats. Anticipated efforts include, but are not limited to hardware and software upgrade, development, and integration; prototyping; testing of the sensor as it integrates into a modular system of systems approach to maintain defensive capability against new and emerging threats. In FY 2027, the Hostile Fire Indication/Laser Warning (HFI/LW) efforts were transferred from Project 674942, LAIRCM to Project 67A038, Active Defense Sensor to continue the development of capabilities for the LAIRCM system. ADS continues development of the Multi Threat Mid-Wave (MW) Infrared (IR) Sensor, a new MWS for the LAIRCM system. The Multi-Threat MW IR sensor will increase the effectiveness of the LAIRCM system by providing aircrews with enhanced detection capabilities against small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft fire, and laser-guided munitions. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F.
- Product Development
Project 67A038 funding, FY2025–FY2031
Prior years are actuals, the budget year is the request, and the outyears are the FYDP plan. Estimate types are colored and never summed into one figure. Projects carry the full five-year plan; the activities inside them stop at the budget year.
| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 7.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 12.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 20.0 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 15.0 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 0.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 0.0 |
2 accomplishments / planned programs
The R-2A exhibit — the only level of the budget that describes work that has not happened yet. Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only, no five-year plan. Coverage is partial across the corpus, so count activities, never total them.
FY2027 planned work Capability upgrade effort with Northrop Grumman to develop improved sensor to enable Hostile Fire Indication/Laser Warning capabilities including analysis, specification development, planning of all sensor/system development activities, and material procurement to support test article fabrication.
FY2026 to FY2027 change funding increase due to transfer of Hostile Fire Indication/Laser Warning (HFI/LW) capability development efforts from Project 674942, LAIRCM, to Project 67A038, Active Defense Sensor.
FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decreased due to transfer of Active Defense Sensor development activities from PE 0401134F, LAIRCM, Project 67A038, Active Defense Sensor, to PE 0401334F, LASS, Project 67A038, Active Defense Sensor.
FY2026 plans — current year Award multiple Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) prototype development agreements and begin sensor development, maturing the system for physical demonstration. This involves hardware/software design studies, requirements refinement, sensor development, implementing modular scalable architecture, and conceptual modeling.
Named performers on project 67A038
Performers named in the R-3 exhibit under this project. Share is of the project's whole FY2027 R-3 total — the same denominator the program-element split uses, so the two read on one scale and will not sum to 100% when unnamed or government work is in the mix. Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations.