# Lincoln Laboratory Research Program — Program Element 0602234D8Z

**Program element:** 0602234D8Z  
**Component:** Defense-Wide  
**Appropriation:** 0400 — RDT&E, Defense-Wide  
**Budget Activity:** 2 — Applied Research  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602234D8Z

## Summary

Defense-Wide funding falls 79% to a $10.0M request in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak), sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House added 80% (to $18.0M); the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators added 373% (to $47.5M).

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 45.8 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 46.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 10.0 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 10.5 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 10.6 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 10.3 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 10.1 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 10.0 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 18.0 | +8.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 10.0 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 47.5 | +37.5 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 534 | Lincoln Laboratory | 42.2 | 45.4 | 10.0 | −78% |
| 815 | Cyber Security, Science and Engineering | 3.6 | 1.5 | 0.0 | −100% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 534 — Lincoln Laboratory

This project supports and focuses on high risk, high-payoff research that addresses critical national security problems, leading to innovative new system concepts, technologies, components and materials in support of current and emerging Department of War (DoW) missions. Each year, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Lab (MIT LL) in coordination with the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)) reviews and selects projects focusing on addressing technology gaps in critical problems facing national security, oriented not toward incremental improvements in current technology but transformative capabilities to provide asymmetric advantage. Factors considered in the selection include mission impact, capability and development acceleration, and ability to provide innovation in the DoW critical technology areas. Selection of projects derives from an annual, highly competitive proposal process in which demand for funding exceeds supply by nearly a factor of three. Successful projects often result in advanced capabilities that lead to further sponsored-program development, operational prototypes, technology insertion into existing programs and/or technology licensing to commercial companies. As of FY 2026 the program element has been adjusted to focus on consolidated, core technologies in Microelectronics; Sensing and Communication; Intelligent Systems; and Quantum Computing and Interconnects. The program element continues to include a system level technology area of Integrated Systems aimed at mission-oriented advanced prototype development. The Lincoln Laboratory (LL) research areas that comprise this overall research and development portfolio are described below. Core-technology areas: • The Microelectronics Line focuses on turning bold, early-stage concepts in materials and processes into component prototypes to enable new system-level solutions to national security problems. Leveraging a wide range of fabrication capabilities, the portfolio aims to create foundational mission-focused technologies spanning applications in imaging; analog, mixed-signal, and digital electronics; and photonics, opto-electronics, and laser technologies. It also seeks to take advantage of unexpected and unusual properties of materials engineered at scales from nanometers to millimeters.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microelectronics | 5.7 | 2.8 | 3.7 |
| Sensing and Communications | 5.2 | 1.8 | 0.2 |
| Radio Frequency (RF) Systems and Technologies | 5.2 | — | — |
| Intelligent Systems | 7.0 | 1.8 | 4.0 |
| Autonomous Systems | 4.5 | — | — |
| Quantum Computing & Interconnects | 5.6 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| Advanced Materials and Processes | 4.4 | — | — |
| Integrated Systems | 4.6 | 1.8 | 0.7 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 815 — Cyber Security, Science and Engineering

The Cyber Security, Science and Engineering research project focuses on the development of technologies and new techniques for the protection of systems against cyber- attack and exploitation. Efforts include research into technologies for cyber situational awareness, command and control; technology to improve resilience of systems to cyber-attack; and technologies for system exploitation research. The Cyber Security, Science and Engineering research project supports innovative research that addresses critical national security problems in cyber. The project funds innovations that directly lead to the development of new system concepts, technologies, and algorithms in support of DoW missions. Funding supports high-risk, high-payoff research, which provides unique and specialized capabilities for the current and emerging needs of the Department.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Security, Science and Engineering | 3.6 | 0.9 | — |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

This program supports the Department's initiative to Build Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage. The MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL) research program element is focused on advanced technology research and development effort conducted through a cost reimbursable contract with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The MIT LL project supports innovative, multi-disciplined research that addresses critical national security problems. The project funds innovations that directly lead to the development of new system concepts, technologies, components, and materials in support of Department of War (DoW) missions. As of FY 2023, the program element funds nine technology areas.

## Related program elements

- [0305146F — TECH Surveil Counter MEAS EQPT](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0305146F) (Air Force)
- [0603914C — Ballistic Missile Defense Test](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603914C) (Defense-Wide)
- [1203906SF — Space Superiority - Advanced Intelligence Systems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1203906SF) (Space Force)
- [0604414F — Cyber Resiliency of Weapon Systems-ACS](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604414F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0602234D8Z (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0602234D8Z")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*