Maneuver - Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD)

The FY 2026 spend plan amount for M-SHORAD Inc 3 includes $236.149 million of discretionary and $60.150 million of mandatory (reconciliation) for a total of $209.406 million. This funding line is directly aligned to the Army Air and Missile Defense Modernization Priority. Increment 3 will provide a Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI) to replace the existing Stinger missile. The new interceptor will improve targeting capabilities to acquire targets with increased lethality and range, providing increased protection to the maneuver formations at a reduced cost. Additionally, the NGSRI will be compatible with the existing SGT STOUT platform, formerly known as M-SHORAD Increment 1, and will provide a Soldier Portable Capability to meet the need for dismounted Air Defense. Increment 3 will integrate the SGT STOUT platform with the NGSRI and the new 30mm Multi-Mode Proximity Airburst (MMPA) ammunition. FY 2027 supports continued system development, integration and developmental testing. The total cost of the M-SHORAD Inc 3 MTA effort is $816.100 million RDT&E from FY 2023 to FY 2028. M-SHORAD Inc. 3 is fully funded across the Future Years Defense Program.

The Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense Increment 4 (M-SHORAD Inc 4) provides Air Defense capability for Joint Forcible Entry (JFE) and Mobile Brigade Combat Team (MBCT) forces. The USG is currently in the Material Solution Analysis phase. A Request for Information (RFI) was issued on 4 March 2026 to evaluate industry's ability and willingness to support the prototype development of a new SHORAD capability. This capability will align with the desired characteristics outlined in the M-SHORAD Inc 4 Abbreviated Capability Development Document (A-CDD).

Directed Energy Enhancements will increase DE system performance and further subsystem upgrades to address counter-rockets, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) and counter rotary wing (RW) threats. Additionally, enhancements will assess size, weight and power (SWaP) to allow integration onto smaller and lighter tactical platforms. The Army is pursuing a Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) instance architecture through the current prototyping effort for Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) via multiple prototype Other Transaction Authorities (OTA) enabling Government defined capability improvements within the MOSA architecture.

This funding line is directly aligned to the Army Air and Missile Defense Modernization Priority. The Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) SGT STOUT systems add commensurate mobility and survivability to the maneuvering forces through protection against enemy air threats. The system consists of existing capabilities integrated onto a Stryker A1 Double-V Hull (DVH) Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV). The Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP) and Mission Equipment Package (MEP) house multiple missile and gun effectors integrated onto the Stryker A1 DVH vehicle. For FY 2027 funding enables the development and implementation of performance upgrades, product improvements, obsolescence mitigation, TADSS development, software upgrades, and requisite testing for SGT STOUT systems. Additionally, funding allows for the initiation of Increment 4 to include: capability demonstrations, hardware/software risk reduction activities, and support for market research. The total cost of the SGT STOUT Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) Rapid Fielding (RF) effort is $1,732.5 million from FY24 to FY26, including RDT&E ($41.9M) and procurement ($1,690.6M) of prototype units. The remainder of the SGT STOUT MTA RF is fully funded across the Future Years Defense Program.

This funding line is directly aligned to Army Signature Modernization efforts and the Army Air and Missile Defense Modernization Priority. M-SHORAD Inc 2/DE M-SHORAD Prototypes 1-4 are a 50kW class laser weapon system integrated onto a Stryker combat vehicle in support of air defense units of action. These systems provide air defense capability to defeat Rotary Wing (RW), Groups 1-3 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Rocket Artillery Mortar (RAM) and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) threats to a unit of action. The Army developed the prototype system known as DE M-SHORAD. An Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract was awarded to complete the development of additional prototypes that support the enduring Directed Energy (DE) campaign resulting in lessons learned from the prototyping effort to inform the DE enhancements effort which will maximize a MOSA approach to pursue hardware and software open interface standards to achieve lethality, interoperability, sustainability and affordability across DE platforms for future acquisition activities. In addition, Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL) will begin development, test and evaluation, systems engineering and program management as well as the continuation of DE enhancements (i.e. subsystem development) to support modular, palletized and maneuverable capabilities.