# Project A41 — Adv Teaming for Tactical Aviation Operations Tech

**Program element:** 0602345A — Unmanned Aerial Systems Launched Effects Applied Research  
**Project:** A41  
**Component:** U.S. Army  
**Appropriation:** 2040 — RDT&E, Army  
**Budget Activity:** 2 — Applied Research  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602345A/A41  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602345A

## Summary

Project A41 — Adv Teaming for Tactical Aviation Operations Tech requests $11.0M in FY2027, 48% of the $22.9M requested for program element 0602345A, down 8.4% on FY2026. 3 R-2A activities decompose the request, 1 new this cycle.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | Enacted | 12.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 11.0 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 10.3 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 10.4 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 10.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 10.3 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 0602345A; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project A41 buys

This project investigates and develops subsystem and component level technologies that enable advanced teaming behaviors for mixed platform formations in combined arms operations. Primary component technologies to develop are in the areas of resilient autonomy algorithms, team-based communications and situational awareness management, decision aiding for weapons systems engagement, autonomous terrain and collision avoidance, and human autonomy interface design. Work in this project is performed by the Aviation & Missile Center (AvMC), and the Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center.

## Activities (R-2A) — 3

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhanced Optics for Long Range Targeting | — | 5.9 | 5.7 | −3% | — |
| Tactical Aviation Operations Learning (TAO-L) Concepts | — | — | 5.3 | new | — |
| Advanced Teaming Concepts | — | 6.1 | — | −100% | — |

> Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. In the request year they partition this project exactly; in earlier years they can under-cover it.

### Enhanced Optics for Long Range Targeting

**FY2027 planned work.** Will conduct experiments with injection moldable EOIR designs and low-cost novel polymer materials to reduce component costs and leverage novel optical materials for attritable solutions on low SWaP UAS platforms; begin validating enhanced manned-unmanned team execution through application of novel sensing techniques; determine payload components suitable for UAS and rapid technology transition.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease represents leveraging existing optical materials for UAS platforms.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will experiment with infrared optics designs and materials to increase range performance and overcome packaging limitations for low SWaP UAS platforms; demonstrate enhanced manned unmanned team mission execution through application of novel sensors; deliver payload components for gimbal integration and technology transition.

### Tactical Aviation Operations Learning (TAO-L) Concepts — NEW START

**FY2027 planned work.** Will explore the development of AI/ML technologies that enable Unmanned Aerial Systems/Launched Effects (UAS/LE) team-of-teams ecosystem operations in contested environments, provide real-time changes in tactics to adapt to dynamic operating environments, and enable rapid fleet-wide upgrades post-flight for continued?operational dominance against a rapidly evolving threat?.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase reflects restructure from Program Element (PE) 0602148A (Future Verticle Lift Technology) / Project AK9 (Tactical Aviation Operations Learning (TAO-L) Concepts).

### Advanced Teaming Concepts

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects completion of this effort.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will further develop and enhance technologies that enable UAS team-of-teams ecosystem operations in contested, complex urban / fringe and littoral environments with degraded networks, including intra and extra team communications management, tactical navigation, and comprehensive learning-based mission planning with dynamic risk-informed adaptability for prolonged teamed operations in contested environments.

## What is NOT on this page

Congressional marks, the R-2 mission description and acquisition strategy, the industry vs government split of the whole request, and related program elements are recorded at **program-element** grain — an NDAA mark lands on a PE, never on a project. They are at https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602345A.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 0602345A project A41 (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0602345A")`.

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