# Directed Energy Foundational Research

**R-2A activity** of project 108 — High Energy Laser Research Initiatives  
**Program element:** 0601108D8Z — High Energy Laser Research Initiatives  
**Component:** Defense-Wide · **Budget Activity:** 1  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601108D8Z/108/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601108D8Z

## Summary

This activity requests $17.7M in FY2027, 100% of project 108, up 5.7% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2025–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** Directed Energy Foundational Research: Leverage the academia and industry gap assessment to implement the long-term needs with respect to the directed energy foundational research. Award new university efforts with an emphasis on state-of-the-art research initiatives through the Joint Directed Energy Consortium. Investigate innovative high energy laser and high power microwave technologies that show potential in scalability for military applications. Monitor national and international efforts to leverage technology advancements. Conduct research on these technologies to gain more understanding on scalability. International collaboration: Team with external organizations like the European Office of Aerospace R&D or Asia Office of Aerospace R&D of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to fund university grants. These grants will emphasize collaboration between national and international universities to obtain synergy in basic/foundational research between partner nations.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The increase of $0.349 million is due to an Economic Adjustment from FY 2026 to FY 2027.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Directed Energy Foundational Research: Investigate innovative high energy laser and high power microwave technologies that show potential to scale directed energy technologies for military applications. Monitor national and international efforts to leverage technology advancements. Conduct research on these technologies to gain a deeper perspective on scalability. Continue to determine long-term directed energy innovation gaps and identify state-of-the-art future initiatives. Leverage a new Joint Directed Energy Consortium and award new university efforts with an emphasis on innovative and enabling science and technology. International collaboration: Team with external organizations like the European Office of Aerospace R&D or Asia Office of Aerospace R&D of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to fund university grants. These grants will emphasize collaboration between national and international universities to obtain synergy in basic/foundational research between partner nations.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** - Investigate innovative laser technologies that show potential in power scalability for high energy laser applications. Monitor national and international efforts to leverage technology advancements. Conduct foundational research on laser technologies to gain more understanding on scalability and utility. - Investigate innovative microwave technologies that show potential in power scalability for high power microwave applications. Monitor national and international efforts to leverage technology advancements. Conduct foundational research on microwave technologies to gain more understanding on scalability and utility. - Investigate innovative beam control phenomenology and methods of measuring, modeling, and manipulating laser and microwave beam propagation. Investigate high energy laser and high power microwave architectures with the potential to revolutionize performance. Leverage international research developments and technology advancements where possible.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 16.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 16.7 |
| FY2027 | Request | 17.7 |

> 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.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0601108D8Z project 108 (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.*