C3I Applied Research

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to Program Element (PE) 0602146A (Network C3I Technology) / Project AN9 (UNT - Every Receiver is a Sensor Technology).

FY2026 plans — current year Will research fusion of operationally relevant data within single-domain WoO and approaches to cross-domain fusion for detection and tracking events; investigate methods for extending reinforcement learning models to detect and characterize combinations of WoO across multiple domains.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects the strategic reallocation of resources to support evolving priorities and objectives.

FY2026 plans — current year Will research AI that learns from limited operational training data and expert knowledge from the Army War College and Combat Training Centers; research computationally efficient AI algorithms for experimentation on autonomous systems at the Combat Training Centers; characterize machine learning models and strategies for performance-resource tradeoffs in adaptive, distributed reasoning networks; create techniques to generate AI models optimized for increased performance and robustness by jointly adapting computational and communication resources.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding realigned to PE 0602146A (Network C3I Technology) / Project AV9 (Advanced PNT for GPS Independent Environments Tech) to support the consolidation of all PNT work under one Project in FY 2027.

FY2026 plans — current year Will analyze and refine Rydberg electric field sensors for comparison with conventional receiver antennas; will conduct laboratory simulation and bench-top experiments on fiber-coupled Rydberg receiver technologies; will assess total complete system size, weight, and power (SWaP) of Rydberg sensor and analyze options for further SWaP reduction in transportable Rydberg electric field sensor with out-of-lab performance capabilities; will develop clock operating methodologies using nitrogen vacancies (NV) in diamond; will develop ruggedized magnetometry components and high-precision PNT sensors for future laboratory validation.

FY2025 accomplishments Will develop and mature sensor architectures based on solid-state defects; investigate trade-offs between nitrogen vacancies (NV) in diamond and silicon vacancies, within silicon carbide (SiC), for sensing characteristics; model and design ruggedized magnetometry and high-precision PNT sensors; develop fiber-coupled Rydberg electric field sensor head for future assessment; build portable Rydberg electronics capability for future assessment.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease represents realignment of effort to Program Element 0602144A (Ground Technology) / Project CV3 (Engineer Enablers Maneuver, LOG, & Sustainment Apl) to consolidate engineering functions into a project. The consolidation will generate efficiencies within the portfolio and enable flexibility as mission needs change.

FY2026 plans — current year Will develop expanded processing algorithms for critical assets of interest to enable tactical array implementation and edge processing hardware and methods.

FY2025 accomplishments Investigated edge computing methods and hardware applicability to tactical deployments while maintaining ability to detect, classify, and localize sources of interest such as explosive and fires events and various air platforms. Designed fielding support tools for the geophysical tactical array to enable optimized employment.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease is due to consolidation to PE 602146A (Network/C3I Technology) / Project AN9 (Every Receiver is a Sensor Technology) to combine mission related intelligence research into a project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will investigate model parameters necessary for global vegetation predictions and validate outputs in selected areas within the northern hemisphere.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease is due to consolidation to PE 602146A (Network/C3I Technology) / Project AN9 (Every Receiver is a Sensor Technology) to combine mission related intelligence research into a project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will validate algorithms for extreme event post disturbance detection through test cases and reduce model uncertainty.

FY2025 accomplishments Developed and deployed training data sets for machine learning algorithms for extreme event post disturbance detection.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease is due to consolidation to PE 602146A (Network/C3I Technology) / Project AN9 (Every Receiver is a Sensor Technology) to combine mission related intelligence research into a project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will investigate ability of existing algorithms to predict lake ice load bearing capacity and identify environmental factors that cause anomalies in model accuracy. Downselect of applicable stand-off technologies comparable with desktop ice systems and their characterization accuracy.

FY2025 accomplishments Investigated primary variables needed for the determination of ice thickness, continuity, and strength. Investigated applicable stand-off technologies to assist with desktop ice characterization, and the ice properties that control quality of the stand-off acquisitions.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects the strategic reallocation of resources to support evolving priorities and objectives.

FY2026 plans — current year Will fund research from the academic innovation ecosystem to capture and mature intelligent communication systems and associated technologies through their existing body of research that has the potential for dual-use capability to advance military applications; continue to investigate artificial intelligence/machine learning (ML) emerging technologies for network solutions, and distributed hybrid ML at various scales; investigate disruptive network architectures for validation in an Army setting.

FY2025 accomplishments Will fund research to investigate the next generation artificial intelligence(AI)-trained predictive intelligent network Agent, incorporating continually enhanced field training of Adversarial/Network Traffic agents; fund research to investigate artificial intelligence/machine learning (ML) emerging technologies for Network solutions, distributed hybrid ML at various scales, adaptable network systems, unified framework for joint sensing, Radio Frequency (RF)-based deceptive tactical networks, and to improve cyber defense systems through secure and reliable ML and network localization to enable a more intelligent and robust communications network.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects the strategic reallocation of resources to support evolving priorities and objectives.

FY2026 plans — current year Will fund research from the academic innovation ecosystem to capture and mature resilient information systems and associated technologies through their existing body of research that has the potential for dual-use capability to advance military applications; further investigate and develop systems that can support pathways to generate information products, as well as further integration of a variety of compute capabilities for situational awareness and resource optimization.

FY2025 accomplishments Will investigate and develop a resilient information system that can support pathways to generate information products, including sensor fusion applications, for situational awareness, command and control, communication, and computation degradation, as well as an integration of a variety of sensors and compute capabilities for situational awareness and resource optimization. Research emerging intelligent tactical networks to enable a resilient tactical network with reduced bandwidth requirements.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects the strategic reallocation of resources to support evolving priorities and objectives.

FY2026 plans — current year Will fund research from the academic innovation ecosystem to capture and mature alternatives to GPS and associated technologies through their existing body of research that has the potential for dual-use capability to advance military applications; continue to research novel techniques and technologies for position, navigation, and timing (PNT) and alternatives to GPS, including performance and assurance improvements that can provide PNT technology to users in disrupted, degraded, or denied GPS environments.

FY2025 accomplishments Will research novel techniques and technologies for position, navigation, and timing (PNT) and alternatives to GPS, including performance and assurance improvements that can provide PNT technology to users in disrupted, degraded or denied GPS environments.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment consolidation to Program Element (PE) 0602275A (Electronic Warfare Applied Research) / Project A67 (Electronic Warfare Technology) as part of the Department of the Defense Capability Based (Agile) funding, which provides enhanced capabilities by fostering innovation and accelerated deployment of promising technology.

FY2026 plans — current year Begin to investigate innovative techniques for advanced Army space control applications. Continue to investigate innovative techniques to utilize space-based data for Army Applications.

FY2025 accomplishments Matured initial Global Positioning System (GPS) Interference database efforts that will support actionable PNT situational awareness information. Investigated innovative techniques to utilize space-based data for Army Applications.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease is due to consolidation of effort to Program Element 0602144A (Ground Technology) / Project BL5 (Expedient Passive Protection Technology) to combine passive protection capabilities into a project. This will generate efficiencies and enable flexibility as mission needs change.

FY2026 plans — current year Will validate hardware components and detection algorithms utilizing novel processing methods and field experiments for hard rock environments.

FY2025 accomplishments Matured selected hardware components and detection algorithms of subsystem components for subterranean detection in hard rock.