# Laser Technology

**R-2A activity** of project 625173 — Laser Technology  
**Program element:** 0602605F — Directed Energy Technology  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 2  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602605F/625173/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602605F/625173

## Summary

This activity requests $50.8M in FY2027, 100% of project 625173, up 4.1% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2026–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** -Continue in-house development, validation, and transition of predictive, high-fidelity multi-physics modeling tools required to optimize laser weapon system design concepts. Activities include: validating and deploying models, developing the modeling tools needed to support future laser weapon system capability demonstrations, and transitioning those tools to industry to help optimize system performance before the hardware build phase(s). - Continue development of laser subsystem technologies to advance the state of the art of continuous wave and pulsed laser sources, optical beam combination techniques, optical beam control technologies, and laser beam propagation/compensation techniques. Activities include: finalizing technologies for each subsystem to be transitioned into the laser weapon system capability demonstrator (PE 0603605F/Project 633151), as well as developing new and advancing existing subsystem technologies needed for future laser weapon system demonstrations. - Continue in-house development of laser vulnerability models and laser effects assessments for high-priority emerging threat systems. Activities include: finalizing critical threat-vulnerability and laser effects data packages to support the development of the laser weapon system capability demonstrator (PE 0603605F/Project 633151), as well as developing additional data packages needed for future airborne laser weapon system demonstrations. - Continue participation in Department of War-wide tabletop exercises and wargames via development and implementation of laser weapon system engagement concepts against targets of interest. Activities include development of laser weapon system engagement models, wargame participation, and generating the critical laser weapon system employment data required to design, develop, and demonstrate effective laser weapon system capabilities. - Continue development and implementation of in-house model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering constructs. Activities include: developing and deploying systems engineering models and workflows to guide the airborne laser weapon system capability demonstrator development (PE 0603605F/Project 633151), as well as to direct in-house technology development needed for future laser weapon system demonstrations.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** In FY 2027 funding increased by 2.004 million compared to FY 2026 due to continuation of development of laser subsystem technologies to advance the state of the art of continuous wave and pulsed laser technologies.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue in-house development, validation, and transition of predictive, multi-physics modeling tools required to optimize laser weapon system concept designs. Activities include: preparing validated models to enable technology demonstration which is expected to kick off in FY 2027 (PE 0603605F/Project 633151). - Continue development of laser subsystem technologies to advance the state of the art of continuous wave and pulsed laser sources, optical beam combination techniques, optical beam control technologies, and laser beam propagation/compensation techniques. Activities include: preparing technologies for transition into planned laser technology demonstrator system development expected to kick off in FY 2027 (PE 0603605F/Project 633151). - Continue in-house development of laser vulnerability models and laser effects assessments for high-priority emerging threat systems. Activities include preparing critical threat-vulnerability data packages and laser effects data packages to inform laser system technology demonstrator development expected to kick off in FY 2027 (PE 0603605F/Project 633151). - Continue efforts to transition high-fidelity, multi-physics, laser and beam-propagation modeling and simulation capabilities that accurately predicts complex system performance, enabling partners to effectively design and validate laser system performance before hardware build phase(s). Activities include: finalizing current model versions and transitioning them to the Department of War and industrial partners. - Continue participation in Department of War-wide tabletop exercises and wargames via development and implementation of laser weapon system engagement concepts. activities include: wargame participation and generating critical laser weapon system employment data (from wargame results) required to design, develop, and demonstrate effective laser weapon system capabilities. - Commence development and implementation of in-house model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering constructs. Activities include: developing systems engineering models and workflows to inform planned laser weapon system demonstrator development expected to kick off in FY 2027 (PE 0603605F/Project 633151) and to direct in-house technology development that will feed these demonstrations.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 46.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 48.8 |
| FY2027 | Request | 50.8 |

> 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 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0602605F project 625173 (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.*