# C4I and Software Intensive Systems Test

**R-2A activity** of project 096 — C4I & Software Intensive Systems Test  
**Program element:** 0603941D8Z — Test and Evaluation Science and Technology  
**Component:** Defense-Wide · **Budget Activity:** 3  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603941D8Z/096/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603941D8Z/096

## Summary

This activity requests $754.6M in FY2027, 100% of project 096, up 5458% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2025–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** In FY 2027, C4T will continue to mature technologies for testing next generation resilient, survivable, federated networks and information systems (information superiority). Highlights include: - Establish and standardize new test locations for drone dominance, directed energy, and EW/spectrum testing, leveraging existing DoW and non-DoW ranges - Improve the network defense capabilities at non-traditional test locations, university test sites, and industry test sites - Establish long-range fires experimentation capability by deploying data collection nodes to support kill-chain assessments during live experiments - Develop low cost, attritable threats to exercise long-range fires kill chain demonstrations - Continue technology development in Big Data Analytics to gain knowledge from massive amounts of structured and unstructured data collected over a single test - Expand capability to assess system performance over the acquisition lifecycle

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The $740.98 million increase from FY 2026 to FY 2027 will support establishing new test locations for drone dominance, directed energy, and EW/spectrum testing; improving cyber defense capabilities at non-traditional test, university, and industry test sites; and establishing long-range fires experimentation capability by deploying data collection nodes to support kill-chain assessments during live experiments.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** In FY 2026, C4T continues to mature technologies for testing next generation resilient, survivable, federated networks and information systems (information superiority). Highlights include: - Continue supporting C2 analysis in multi-domain environments and investigate the increased use of test automation utilizing virtualization and cloud environments - Continue developing technologies to support a test, training, and experimentation continuum for all aspects of multi-domain operations

**FY2025 accomplishments.** In FY25, C4T will initiate transition of advanced big data analytics technologies to support rapid data-to-decisions across complex and distributed warfighter systems environments and in support of each warfighter platform’s acquisition lifecycle. C4T will also continue investments in technologies for testing next generation resilient, survivable, federated networks and information systems (information superiority). Highlights include: - Support C2 Analysis in Multi-Domain Environments and investigate the increased use of test automation utilizing virtualization and cloud environments - Develop technologies to support a test, training, and experimentation continuum for all aspects of multi-domain operations - Investigate increased use of live and simulated test participants using test environment driven M&S validation techniques

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 42.9 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 13.6 |
| FY2027 | Request | 754.6 |

> 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 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0603941D8Z project 096 (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.*