# Advanced Payloads & Automated Targeting for UAS and Launched Effects (LE)

**R-2A activity** of project A45 — Air Launched Effects Advanced Technology  
**Program element:** 0603345A — Unmanned Aerial Systems Launched Effects Advanced Technology Development  
**Component:** U.S. Army · **Budget Activity:** 3  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603345A/A45/a3  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603345A

> **NEW START.** $13.4M requested in FY2027 with no prior-year and no current-year funding.

## Summary

This activity requests $13.4M in FY2027, 40% of project A45 — a new start with no prior-year and no current-year money. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** Will validate performance of novel optical components for increased EO/IR target detection, recognition, and identification performance and validate requirements; mature UAS/LE payload featuring novel optics to extend range performance of EO/IR sensing for military applications; complete baseline EO/IR prototype payload designs addressing requirements for Small UAS / LE cost-optimized performance; optimize integration of AiTR algorithms with UAS / LE autonomy software and Uncrewed Vehicle Controller (UVC) architecture; exploit multi-platform, multi-sensor UAS / LE advanced teaming use cases to improve AiTR performance; conduct in-flight EO/IR data collections and create surrogate imagery databases of relevant military targets to mature AiTR algorithms optimized for UAS / LE concepts of employment and image resolution at standoff; exploit Government developed automated EO/IR targeting payload scanning to apply to UAS and LE class payloads; demonstrate initial automated EO/IR targeting multi-modal processing algorithms on laboratory hardware.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase represents the initiation of developing advanced multi-band electro-optic / infrared (EO/IR) technologies for targeting payloads used for detection, tracking, precision targeting, navigation and fire control.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2027 | Request | 13.4 |

> 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 A45

- Versatile Launched Effects (VLE) Demonstration — FY2027 8.7
- Complex Advanced Teaming Operations — FY2027 7.2
- Advanced RF Multi-Function ALE Payloads — FY2027 3.9

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0603345A project A45 (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.*