# Electronic Warfare (EW) / Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS)

**R-2A activity** of project AX3 — Technology Maturation Initiatives  
**Program element:** 0604115A — Technology Maturation Initiatives  
**Component:** U.S. Army · **Budget Activity:** 4  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a20  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A

## Summary

This activity requests $61.1M in FY2027, 19% of project AX3, up 178% 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.** This effort will support four critical initiatives in EW and C-UAS: 1. Multi-Mode Direct Fire Systems to Counter sUAS Threats: Will focus on the continued maturation, integration, and operational testing of a prototype system that integrates the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) with a MK19 grenade launcher and a '3-in-1' 40mm airburst munition. These activities will advance the development of scalable, affordable targeting capabilities to address the growing threat of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). By closing this critical capability gap, the Army will enhance its ability to protect maneuver forces and ensure mission success in contested environments. 2. Integrated Counter-sUAS Systems for Maneuver and Soldier Echelons: Will focus on the integration, maturation, and operational demonstration of advanced counter-sUAS systems designed to enhance capabilities for maneuver formations and dismounted forces. These systems will incorporate innovative component technologies and lessons learned from previous exercises to ensure adaptability and effectiveness in addressing emerging threats. By advancing these integrated solutions, the Army will reduce risk and strengthen operational capabilities in contested environments, supporting key priorities in critical areas of responsibility. 3. Low-Cost Electronic Warfare Systems for Attritable and Expendable Payloads: Will prototype the integration of a family of low-cost EW systems leveraging commercial hardware, algorithms, and techniques. Further, the funding supports relevant testing and range time to demonstrate operational utility of the family of prototype solutions. These systems will reduce payload costs while ensuring adaptability to rapidly evolving operational environments. This capability is critical for enabling multiple combatant command operations. 4. C-C5ISRT prototypes for Evolving Threats: Will accelerate the prototype integration and maturation of advanced c-C5ISRT capabilities supporting multiple combatant commands. These systems will pace the evolving threats across strategic to tactical echelons and is critical for enabling operations.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY 2027 funding increase to enable the integration and maturation of prototypes, experimentation, and operational demonstration of cutting-edge capabilities that directly enhance the Army's ability to operate effectively in high-threat environments. The requested funding will support the four critical initiatives described in the FY27 base plans.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Evaluated key components, architectures and systems for EW scaling from small form factor applications for platform based applications. Commonality (such as hardware, algorithms, and techniques) across the family of systems were analyzed and developed that provides the ability to adapt to rapidly evolving operational environments. Conducted a preliminary design review, integrated a proximity sensor and power into a munition fuze. Performed software and hardware updates to fire control devices, conducted fuze and fire control benchtop and ballistic engineering tests.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | Enacted | 22.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 61.1 |

> 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 AX3

- [Weapons and Fires](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a24) — FY2027 46.7
- [Intelligence and Sensing](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a25) — FY2027 32.1
- [Iron Sense](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a18) — FY2027 31.7
- [Soldier System and Expeditionary Support](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a23) — FY2027 28.7
- [Corps and Division Prototyping](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a26) — FY2027 28.1
- [Army Service Component Command (ASCC) Prototyping](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a27) — FY2027 25.1
- [Air and Ground Platforms](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a22) — FY2027 20.0
- [Networks, Command, Control, Communications, and Position Navigation and Timing](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a21) — FY2027 15.2
- [Critical Common Electronics for Scalable Unmanned Aircraft Systems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a19) — FY2027 12.0
- [Electro-Magnetic Battlespace Shaping and Protection (EM-BSP)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604115A/AX3/a14) — FY2027 10.8
- Expeditionary Field Artillery Sensor (ExFAS) — FY2027 3.1
- Autonomous Operations for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) — FY2027 —
- Air Launched Effects (ALE) Off-board Survivability — FY2027 —
- Tactical Analytics Architecture (TA2) — FY2027 —
- Tactical Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) Plexus — FY2027 —
- Assured Navigation for Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (FTUAS) — FY2027 —
- Reconfigurable Aperture Precision Targeting Radar (RAPTR) for Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) (RADER) — FY2027 —
- Lightweight Polymers for Modern Small Caliber Apps - Ammo Casing Only — FY2027 —
- Optical Threat Detection — FY2027 —
- Solid State High Power Microwave System (SS-HPM) — FY2027 —
- Collaborative Links for Integrated Fires (CLIF) — FY2027 —
- Multi-Network, Multi-Waveform Software Defined Radio — FY2027 —
- Consolidated prototype platform for Joint Common Artificial Intelligence / Autonomous Operations, Data architectures, and Power systems — FY2027 —
- Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) Prototyping — FY2027 —
- Aviation Lightweight Armor — FY2027 —
- Combination Soldier and Logistics Aerial Insertion (Combodrop) — FY2027 —
- Containerized Weapon System - Counter UAS — FY2027 —

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0604115A project AX3 (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.*