# Project 0223 — Sub Combat System Improvement (ADV)

**Program element:** 0603561N — Advanced Submarine System Development  
**Project:** 0223  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603561N/0223  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603561N

## Summary

Project 0223 — Sub Combat System Improvement (ADV) requests $52.5M in FY2027, 39% of the $132.9M requested for program element 0603561N, down 9.8% on FY2026. 4 R-2A activities decompose the request. Lockheed Martin is the largest named R-3 performer at $12.1M, 23% of the project's FY2027 R-3 total.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 58.7 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 58.2 |
| FY2027 | Request | 52.5 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 56.0 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 56.9 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 57.1 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 57.9 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 0603561N; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project 0223 buys

The Submarine Combat System Improvement (Advanced) (Non-ACAT) project addresses technology challenges to improve tactical control in littoral and open ocean environments for a variety of operational missions including peacetime engagement, surveillance, battle space preparation, deterrence, regional sea denial, precision strike, task group support, and ground warfare support. These technologies, developed by Navy technology bases, the private sector, ONR, Future Naval Capabilities (FNC), and DARPA are then transitioned. Prototype hardware/software systems are developed to demonstrate technologically promising system concepts in laboratory and at-sea submarine environments. The Advanced Sensor effort develops and tests new sensors and demonstrates large array configurations. Current efforts are directed at towed array sensor technologies, telemetry, and architecture to improve reliability and performance while decreasing program life-cycle costs. For large array configurations, Conformal Acoustic Velocity Sonar (CAVES), Wide Aperture Array (WAA), LVA, and Bow Conformal Array (BCA) technologies are also being pursued. The focus of sensor processing technology efforts through the APB program will address improvements in imaging, tactical control, EW and acoustics, including detection, localization, classification, ranging, tracking, situational awareness, tactical decision aids, command decision support tools and displays and other functions essential to mission success. APB will also develop capabilities related to off-hull cueing and coordination with other platforms. Technologies and/or capabilities developed under this Project will be shared, as applicable to reduce costs and optimize reuse, with development programs for surface ship sonar, Advanced Capability Build (ACB) and surveillance platforms, Advanced Surveillance Build (ASB). ACB and APB are managed under a common development process titled AxB. While each platform retains its uniqueness and focus in functional domains essential to mission success, a premium is placed on development of common capabilities and modular architecture technologies to maximize commonality and cost effectiveness.

**R-3 lines of work:** Product Development; Management Services.

## Named R-3 performers

| Performer | $M | Share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total |
|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin | 12.1 | 23% |
| VAR | 4.2 | 8.0% |
| KMS Solutions* | 1.6 | 3.0% |
| Sedna Digital | 1.5 | 2.9% |

> Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations. Shares need not reach 100% — unnamed and government work is in the denominator.

## Activities (R-2A) — 4

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Processing Build (APB) | 43.9 | 42.8 | 43.4 | +1% | [a0](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603561N/0223/a0) |
| Advanced Sensors | 7.4 | 7.4 | 4.5 | −39% | — |
| Large Vertical Array (LVA) | 5.0 | 5.1 | 3.1 | −39% | — |
| Project Rebound | 2.4 | 2.9 | 1.5 | −49% | — |

> 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.

### Advanced Processing Build (APB)

- Continue to rapidly develop new or improved software optimized for the latest sensors, threats, scenarios, and tactics for Sonar (ARCI) (BQQ-10), Combat Control (BYG-1), Imaging (BVY-1), and EW (BLQ-10). - Continue Step 1 and Step 2 testing of capabilities as they are ready in response to Fleet requirements consistent with the…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603561N/0223/a0

### Advanced Sensors

**FY2027 planned work.** - Assist PEO UWS production program integration of OAT into planned production Next Generation Surveillance Array. - Continue towed array technology development efforts to incorporate new sensors, electronics, and materials into submarine towed arrays for current and future platforms. - Continue supporting PEO UWS production programs in BCA and SSN(X) development. - Develop and test candidate technologies to support technology demonstration of improved Wide Aperture Array (WAA) and potential Low Frequency Hull Array for future Virginia Class submarines and SSN(X). - Develop and execute preliminary testing of concepts for removable flank array design solutions. - Conduct further development of new sensor technologies and improved hull array concepts to enhance sonar employment.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The FY 2026 ($7.400M) to FY 2027 ($4.500M) net budget decrease ($-2.900M) is the result of multiple program and rate adjustments for contractor support services and issues to balance RDT&EN across the DoN and DoW which necessitated a reprioritization of Project 0223 efforts.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Conduct at-sea testing of Engineering Development Model (EDM) Open Architecture Telemetry (OAT) array to support transition to PEO UWS production programs. - Analyze at-sea test results and develop test report. - Transition OAT EDM and Technical Data Package (TDP) to PEO UWS production programs. - Initiate OAT development improvements to incorporate new sensors, electronics, and materials. - Identify differences in requirements and design needed for OAT to support other Submarine and Surface Towed Array efforts. - Pursue development of innovative active projector designs to support potential Bow Conformal Array (BCA)-embedded active capability for Virginia Class BLK VII and SSN(X). - Conduct at-sea test of improved TR-232 acoustic communication transducer and amplifier to confirm performance improvements and support fielding. - Continue supporting PEO UWS production programs in BCA and SSN(X) development. - Continue passive sensor acoustic and shock testing and develop test report. - Continue next generation transducer performance testing and develop test report. - Assess new sensor technologies, improved hull array concepts, and environmental sensing technologies to enhance sonar employment for further development.

### Large Vertical Array (LVA)

**FY2027 planned work.** - Conduct additional LVA testing to assess improvements in LVA processing capability and provide input to future signal processing development, SLC, and tactical employment recommendations to UWDC. - Continue to monitor LVA flow, paint, and cleaning methods. - Develop and integrate advanced signal processing capability for the AN/BQQ-10 to enhance and capitalize on LVA performance improvements in detection, classification and localization. - Monitor decommissioned LVA2 patch to assess long-term anti-fouling performance.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The FY 2026 ($5.050M) to FY 2027 ($3.100M) net budget decrease ($-1.950M) is the result of multiple program and rate adjustments for contractor support services and issues to balance RDT&EN across the DoN and DoW which necessitated a reprioritization of Project 0223 efforts.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue to analyze LVA at-sea test results and provide input to signal processing development, SLC, and tactical employment recommendations to UWDC. - Continue development and integration of through-the-sensor capabilities and other Sonar Tactical Decision Aid (STDA) capabilities to enhance in-situ situational awareness and ability of LVA platforms to exploit the ocean environment. - Institutionalize enhanced LVA paints and enhanced cleaning procedures to maintain and improve LVA flow noise. - Conduct evaluation/testing of potential advanced LVA materials to reduce self-noise and improve LVA and BCA performance. Provide findings/recommendations to the production programs for Virginia, Ohio, and Columbia Class Submarines. - Develop training materials for Fleet training commands. - Develop and integrate signal processing improvements for the AN/BQQ-10 capitalizing on LVA performance improvements in detection, classification, and localization. - Develop improved LVA sensors, electronics, and materials. - Support decommissioning of LVA2 array.

### Project Rebound

**FY2027 planned work.** - Continue development and integration of new capability for APB-27.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The FY 2026 ($2.925M) to FY 2027 ($1.500M) net budget decrease ($-1.425M) is the result of multiple program and rate adjustments for contractor support services and issues to balance RDT&EN across the DoN and DoW which necessitated a reprioritization of Project 0223 efforts.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Conduct Step 3 Project Rebound functionality checks. - Initiate development of new functionality for APB-27.

## 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/0603561N.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 0603561N project 0223 (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0603561N")`.

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