# Tact Air Dir Infrared CM (TADIRCM) — Program Element 0604272N

**Program element:** 0604272N  
**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/0604272N

## Summary

U.S. Navy requests $15.0M in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. NAWCAD leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 41.4 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 14.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 15.0 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 18.3 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 17.5 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 17.7 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 18.0 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 15.0 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 15.0 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 15.0 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 15.0 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3348 | DAIRCM Development | 41.4 | 14.4 | 15.0 | +4% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 3348 — DAIRCM Development

The projects in this element advance the processor, laser, and sensor development of the AN/AAQ-45 DAIRCM system in order to outpace current/future threats in addition to adding growth for future capabilities. These modifications significantly increase aircraft survivability of Department of Navy (DoN) assault aircraft in complex terrain for worldwide deployment. The DAIRCM system consists of three major components: missile warning sensors, processor, and inexhaustible laser countermeasures. DAIRCM interfaces with the platform aircraft and provides signals to onboard Aircraft Survival Equipment. Within the DoN, UH-1Y is the lead platform for the DAIRCM Program. The DAIRCM program advances lessons learned from the Joint Urgent Operational Needs Statement (JUONs) to incorporate the system under glass in the H-1; improves laser power; increases processing to allow for additional sensors to meet platform/mission needs; improves sensor countermeasure features; improves effectiveness for flare deployment; and further develops cyber security. The DAIRCM design is scalable to expedite expansion to other platforms and improve crew threat situational awareness. The program also advances modeling and simulation for new countermeasures and develops necessary test equipment for program success. FY2027 RDT&E funding is required to continue development and test of the DAIRCM system. The program will continue development of Government tracking software, testing of under glass solutions and complete Operational Testing (OT) on the lead platform (UH-1Y). The program will also record, prioritize and correct deficiencies found during test. DAIRCM will continue studies and evaluations of current and future aircraft threats, modeling and simulation for improved countermeasure capabilities, development, testing, and test equipment to address new and emerging threats.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** NAWCAD (5.8, 39%), DRS Sysco (4.7, 32%), NAWCWD (1.8, 12%), NRL (0.9, 6.2%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAIRCM Development | 41.4 | 14.4 | 15.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 94% | 14.1 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 3.4% | 0.5 |
| Other / unspecified | 2.4% | 0.4 |

**Top named industry performers:** NAWCAD ($5.8M, 39%), DRS Sysco ($4.7M, 32%), NAWCWD ($1.8M, 12%), NRL ($0.9M, 6.2%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The projects in this element advance the processor, laser, and sensor development of the AN/AAQ-45 DAIRCM system in order to outpace current/future threats in addition to adding growth for future capabilities. These modifications significantly increase aircraft survivability of Department of Navy (DoN) assault aircraft in complex terrain for worldwide deployment. The DAIRCM system consists of three major components: missile warning sensors, processor, and inexhaustible laser countermeasures. DAIRCM interfaces with the platform aircraft and provides signals to onboard Aircraft Survival Equipment. Within the DoN, UH-1Y is the lead platform for the DAIRCM Program.

The DAIRCM ACAT II Program is a scalable acquisition approach that provides the architecture for an integrated aircraft survivability system with preplanned product improvements (P3I) to outpace the threats into the future. It replaces the existing AN/AAR-47 UV Threat Warning System (TWS) providing an inexhaustible countermeasure with improved 2-color IR TWS and growth capability to meet future design improvements and combat advanced threats. It leverages JUONs capability, cooperation between Government laboratories and industry partners to grow into an integrated capability that meets the key performance parameters. The DAIRCM program awarded a development cost contract in FY2020.

## Related program elements

- [0207325F — JASSM Extended Range (JASSM-ER)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207325F) (Air Force)
- [0401218F — KC-135 Upgrades](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401218F) (Air Force)
- [0303140A — Information Systems Security Program](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0303140A) (Army)
- [0605332A — C2 Data](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605332A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0604272N (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0604272N")`.

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