# USMC Future Naval Capabilities

**R-2A activity** of project 2223 — Marine Corps ATD  
**Program element:** 0603640M — MC Advanced Technology Demo  
**Component:** U.S. Navy · **Budget Activity:** 3  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223/a5  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223

## Summary

This activity requests $31.0M in FY2027, 27% of project 2223, up 4.9% 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.** Visual Integrated Tactical Logistics Battle Management Aid (VITL-BMA) (formerly named Dreamcatcher) - Complete transition and deployment of tactical logistics planner in USMC Marine Air Ground Task Forces Command and Control Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) for Regiment and below users. - Complete the merge and enhancement of Transportation Capacity Planning Tool in VITL-BMA to allow USMC to plan and execute all ground movement missions. - Complete logistics support request capability to send logistics request from handheld unit device to VITL-BMA TAK to Mavan Smart System via unclassified and secret networks. - Complete transition of tactical logistics data and information with TAK plugins to integrate with the MAGTF Command and Control (C2) COP environment that optimizes supply chain actions coupled with fires and maneuvers to generate sustained effects. Advanced Targeting of Hostile Entities via Networked AI (ATHENA) -Complete development and implementation of new functionality for USMC Command and Control systems. -Complete Concept of Operation and implementation studies for new mission profiles. -Complete Integration into a Modelling and Simulation environment to explore new functionality. -Complete final demonstration in LVC environment. -Initiate/Complete FNC transition to PEO-LS, Marine Air Ground Task Force Command & Control (MATF C2) Common Aviation Command & Control System (CAC2S). Intra-Theater Distribution (ITD) - Continue the Marine Corps portion of the ITD FNC, in coordination with a more robust Navy effort for this same FNC, by adding unique Marine Corps tactical and operational logistics data requirements to support distribution and sourcing supply chain analyses. - Continue to develop and Intra-Theater Distribution and sourcing planning and execution within MAGTF Command & Control (C2) and Maven Smart System environment. - Initiate to develop force flow analysis with sustainment distribution modeling to enhance the feasibility of Flexible Deterrent Options (FDOs). - Initiate to modify data model to ingest joint forces and Allied force logistics data to be data-driven feasibility assessments to support operational decision-making. Jackhammer - Continue the Jackhammer FNC by completing the affordable UAS interceptor subsystem and system-level integration design. - Continue the first-article fabrication of risk-reduction interceptor prototypes with emphasis on TRL/MRL maturation of components. - Continue the planning and coordination of live-fire interceptor test and safety qualification efforts IAW service / platform specific rapid fielding requirements. - Initiate the low-SWaP reduction design of the existing state-of-the-art Radio Frequency (RF) seeker Azurite - Continue development of the Azurite FNC by completing hardware designs for electromagnetic sensor suite with command and control functions. Build prototype designs and begin characterization. - Continue engagement with USMC field exercises and data collection, now with prototype sensor suite. Defiant Bat - Initiate the multi-band Assured Position, Navigation, & Timing (APNT) resilience as an extension of baseline single-band capability - Initiate the system-level low-SWaP reduction design, of both the front-end array module and back-end processor server hardware. - Initiate the external interface integration design to an existing USMC high value asset.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The increase from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is primarily due to the in initiation of the Defiant Bat FNC in FY27.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Dreamcatcher - Continue this FNC by integrating the Dreamcatcher tactical LOG planner in USMC Marine Air Ground Task Forces Command and Control Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK) for Regiment and below users. - Continue to develop analytics to accurately predict tactical and operational demand signals for different classes of supplies while operating in a contested maritime environment. - Continue to Conduct asset-target assignment, contested logistics, and maneuver experimentation at Regiment and below. - Initiate the development of modeling adversary behavior attacking blue forces supply network. Advanced Targeting of Hostile Entities via Networked AI (ATHENA) - Continue development and implementation of new functionality for USMC Command and Control systems. - Continue Concept of Operation and implementation studies for new mission profiles. - Continue Integration into a Modelling and Simulation environment to explore new functionality. - Continue to Perform experimentation in LVC environment to assess algorithms with operational data. Simulation Enhancement And Modernization Suite (SEAMS) - Complete the SEAMS FNC by completing stakeholder engagements with Marine Corps Training organizations on transition plans and exit criteria testing. - Complete advanced prototype development to better integrate operational systems with training systems to support more realistic training with the Marine Corps Project Tripoli / Live Virtual Constructive-Training Environment. - Complete recommendations for solutions to potential issues associated with legacy and Joint Live Virtual Constructive (JLVC) Federation simulators. Stand-off Radar Imaging Detection System (SoRIDS) - Complete integration of electro-optical based wide area detection and automatic target detection algorithm for the UGVs and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems under various operational speed and height to confirm performance. - Complete development and design of a baseline SoRIDS unit for the UAV and the UGV coordinated data collection and demonstration in relevant environment and deliver to MCSC for initial operational testing. - Complete the development of hardware support equipment and conducting subcomponent testing and integration of multi-static Ground Penetrating Synthetic Aperture Radar (GP-SAR) systems for Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs). - Complete the development of integrated software and communication system to verify reliability and accuracy of detection/marking/report information federation. - Complete performance testing and validation of the integrated baseline SoRIDS unit with the UAV and UGV with the software and communication systems. Intra-Theater Distribution (ITD) - Initiate the Marine Corps portion of the ITD FNC, in coordination with a more robust Navy effort for this same FNC, by adding unique Marine Corps tactical and operational logistics data requirements to support distribution and sourcing supply chain analyses. - Add unique Marine Corps user interface requirements to support Intra-Theater Distribution. Jackhammer - Initiate affordable UAS interceptor subsystem and system-level preliminary design. - Initiate iterative fabrication of risk reduction prototypes with emphasis on TRL / MRL maturation of key subsystems. - Initiate system / warfighter integration, test, and safety qualification efforts IAW service / platform specific rapid fielding requirements. Azurite - Initiate and complete development of CONOPS for optimal deployment of sensors that support expeditionary operations. - Initiate design of hardware and standards to support command and control of an electromagnetic sensor suite. - Initiate data collection events at USMC field exercises.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 28.1 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 29.6 |
| FY2027 | Request | 31.0 |

> 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 2223

- [Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223/a4) — FY2027 16.4
- [Force Protection](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223/a2) — FY2027 15.2
- [Firepower](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223/a1) — FY2027 13.6
- [Maneuver](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223/a7) — FY2027 11.7
- [Logistics](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223/a6) — FY2027 10.3
- [Human Performance, Training and Education](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603640M/2223/a3) — FY2027 10.2
- Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4) — FY2027 7.9

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0603640M project 2223 (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.*