# Directed Energy Technology Development

**R-2A activity** of project 890 — High Energy Laser Development  
**Program element:** 0602890D8Z — High Energy Laser Research  
**Component:** Defense-Wide · **Budget Activity:** 2  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602890D8Z/890/a1  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602890D8Z

## Summary

This activity requests $50.4M in FY2027, 100% of project 890, up 7.0% 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.** High Energy Laser Technology: Efforts will continue the development of technologies that improve component-level performance and enable fieldable directed energy systems. Some of these include: cameras, illuminators, fast-steering mirrors, deformable mirrors, and high-power coatings necessary for advanced prototypes. Continue leveraging government and industry labs to perform proof of concept technology demonstrations. High Power Microwave Technology: Efforts will continue to study high power microwave effects and techniques for improved lethality and, in turn, develop high power microwave sources with agile waveforms. Efforts will utilize government and industry labs to perform proof of concept technology demonstrations. The effort will investigate next-generation, high-power, multi-frequency antenna and propagation approaches for agile waveforms, as well as next-generation pulsed power concepts that lead to improved size, weight, power, and scalability. This includes the development of high power microwave radiation sources to achieve higher power levels, increase manufacturing producibility, and improve military readiness. Modeling and Simulation: Efforts will continue to advance models for technology trade studies to guide research and development, enable systems engineering, and support mission-level modeling.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The increase of $3.298 million between FY 2026 and FY 2027 is due to budget fluctuations.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** High Energy Laser Technology: Develop technologies that improve component-level performance and enable fieldable directed energy systems. Some of these include: cameras, illuminators, fast-steering mirrors, deformable mirrors, and high-power coatings needed for advanced prototypes such as the Joint Laser Weapon System. Utilize government and industry labs to perform proof of concept tech demonstrations. High Power Microwave Technology: Study high power microwave effects and techniques for improved lethality and, in turn, develop high power microwave sources with agile waveforms. Effort will utilize government and industry labs to perform proof of concept technology demonstrations. The effort will investigate next-generation, high-power, multi-frequency antenna and propagation approaches for agile waveforms, as well as next-generation pulsed power concepts that lead to improved size, weight, power, and scalability. This includes the development of high power microwave radiation sources to achieve higher power levels, increase manufacturing producibility, and improve military readiness. Modeling and Simulation: Effort will advance models for technology trade studies to guide research and development, enable systems engineering, and support mission-level modeling.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | Enacted | 47.1 |
| FY2027 | Request | 50.4 |

> 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.

## Other activities in project 890

- Directed Energy Applied Research — FY2027 —

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0602890D8Z project 890 (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.*