Electronic Warfare Technology

FY2027 planned work Will design and develop INDOPACOM surrogate live / virtual hybrid simulation environment and scenarios for distributed EM Spectrum attack and protect; combine prior ARL and industry work in Live Virtual Constructive Environment with OSW Test Resource Management Center and industry developed physics-based scattering models for a simulated experimentation environment; prototype edge EM spectrum sensing and analysis capabilities using proven ARL and industry low-SWaP edge platforms from the OSW(R&E)-sponsored Spectrum Management with Adaptive and Reconfigurable Technology (SMART) program; prototype EM common operational picture of contested spectra and intent space for EM operations; conduct…

FY2026 to FY2027 change This is a new start effort. Funding increase reflects the creation of this initiative and the strategic reallocation of resources to support evolving priorities and objectives.

FY2027 planned work Will investigate advanced distributed electronic attack techniques in controlled outdoor scenarios; define application requirement specification including platform size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C) constraints; investigate objective EW functionalities, signals of interest, and algorithm implications; assess initial design concepts to drive additive and convergent packaging solutions; design, fabricate and investigate novel engineered surfaces to conceal blue force radio frequency (RF) emissions and enhance the performance of low probability of detection (LPD) antenna architectures; assess RF effects with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in controlled outdoor…

FY2026 to FY2027 change This is not a new start effort. FY 2027 funding increase reflects the consolidation of other ongoing efforts within this project from Combined and Distributed Electromagnetic Warfare (CDEW) Tech, Combined and Distributed Electromagnetic Warfare for Precise Complex Effects, Common Compact Electronic Warfare, and RF-Enabled CEMA Sensing and Effects to support the creation of Compact Electronic Warfare Sensing and Effects.

FY2027 planned work Will mature the hardware components developed for RF Photonics components as well as leverage previously developed modeling and simulations to support hardware maturation. Early experimentation will take place to validate performance metrics. MFRF technologies will be developed to extend frequency performances, and multi-mission capabilities.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding increase reflects the realignment and consolidation from Program Element 0602146A (Network C3I Technology) / Project CG3 (Assured PNT Communications Applied Research, Tasks Quantum Sensing and Multi-function RF Applications Research) and Program Element 0602182A (C3I Applied Research) / Project CZ6 (Assured PNT Enabling Applied Technology).

FY2027 planned work Will investigate microsensor components; develop initial microsensor designs focused on identifying and geo-locating tactical communications RF emissions; investigate long-range data exfil alternatives.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding increase reflects the movement from modeling and simulation to designing and developing components of the expendable RF stand-in sensors.

FY2026 plans — current year Will develop modeling and simulation environment to investigate the trade space between size, cost, and capability for identifying specific emitters, performing geolocation, and comparing data backhaul architectures; develop orchestration software to dynamically manage RF emissions with emphasis on proof of concept of command and control and incorporating feedback from vendor commercial off the shelf hardware; demonstrate minimum viable product over the air.

FY2027 planned work Will investigate novel, rapid approximation and surrogate approaches to physics-based modeling and simulation of complex military systems, effects, and data.

FY2026 to FY2027 change This is a new start FY2027 funding increase reflects investigating known computationally efficient techniques for transforming massive amount Electronic Warfare data to decrease processing challenges.

FY2027 planned work Will mature analytic techniques for the development of emerging cognitive radars and jammers complex threats; establish a lab-based assessment framework for EW threats and AI/ML based systems; conduct hardware in the loop waveform vulnerability analysis for cognitive radio software and systems.

FY2026 plans — current year Will design and develop emulations of emerging complex threats related to cognitive radars; mature EW threat emulation capabilities and determine the effects of emerging threats on radar systems including cognitive and artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) threats; develop innovative threat tools that can transition from laboratory to field experiments; provide initial performance assessment framework for cognitive systems.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to Compact Electronic Warfare Sensing and Effects within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will mature existing electronic attack transceiver hardware by adding a distributed, emitter direction-finding mode; utilize machine-learning/neural network techniques to enhance direction-finding accuracy; conduct research into new countermeasure modalities to increase survivability for aerial autonomous platforms

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to Compact Electronic Warfare Sensing and Effects within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will investigate different artificial intelligence hardware schemes for suitability for integration with current EW methodologies; design and develop a new scalable compact RF EW baseline breadboard concept for future incorporation with Army platforms.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to Compact Electronic Warfare Sensing and Effects within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will mature antenna architecture to optimize performance in field and integrate reconfigurable wideband power dividers; develop the capability to double the number of switchable states supported by the reconfigurable antennas; validate antenna architecture operation in field relevant conditions and on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and ground platforms.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects planned conclusion of this effort and transition to Program Element (PE) 0602275 (Electronic Warfare Applied Research) / Project A77 (Electronic Warfare Technology).

FY2026 plans — current year Will develop orchestration software to dynamically manage RF emissions with emphasis on proof of concept of command and control and incorporating feedback from vendor commercial off the shelf hardware; demonstrate minimum viable product over the air.