Precision Strike Weapons Development Program

Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) will provide launch platforms extended standoff capability, maximize weapon load-out, and control unit costs to rapidly scale production quantities and achieve necessary inventory levels. To control costs, maximize affordability, and extend capability relevance, MACE will leverage government directed interface standards and best commercial practices to enable the insertion of upgraded components or design changes to address obsolescence, producibility requirements, and enable rapid affordable future upgrades to pace the threat and meet key operational problems. In response to MACE requirements, the NAVAIR Rapid Capability Cell (NRCC) is utilizing Rapid Capability Office (RCO) authorities to accelerate the integration, test, and certification of the Hypersonic Weapon solution via Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) competition for a low-cost air-launched hypersonic missile onto F/A-18E/F carrier-based aircraft. NRCC will broaden the competitive munitions industrial base to increase munitions production capacity, deliver relevant capability to the fleet ahead of adversary reaction times, demonstrate integration flexibility with rapidly iterating missile design through an Early Operational Capability (EOC) and provide the program structure necessary to enable transition into a Program of Record (POR) in accordance with acquisition transformation strategy. POR will continue testing thru Initial Operational Capability (IOC), a Full Rate Production (FRP) Decision, and continued Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3I) to enable rapid affordable future upgrades to pace the threat and meet key operational problems. FY 2026 request for High-Speed Long Range Maritime Strike Weapon (Proj: 1600) includes $101.790 million of discretionary funding and $89.333 million of reconciliation funding for a total of $191.123 million. FY 2026 to funding supports the acceleration of the Blackbeard Hypersonic Weapon fleet & carrier integration / certification onto the F/A-18 E/F through KP2 (Live Fire Shot in Combat Environment) and achievement of Early Operation Capability (EOC) in Q4 FY 2027. Funds also support acceleration of Reactive Material Warhead and Advanced Lethality Enhancements for payload integration & test.

This is a FY2027 new start. Coalition Heterogenous Affordable Offensive Strike (CHAOS) will introduce a new modular, affordable weapon system to fulfill U.S. Security Objectives in the 2025 US Interim National Defense Strategy. The CHAOS mission expands industry participation, increases vendor options, and addresses global demand. The Navy program will leverage from the initial CHAOS ground launch development completed by other Foreign Military Sales partners to rapidly develop an air launched weapon system with the flexibility to pivot to surface and air-launched variants, fostering innovation and transitioning to the next generation of weapons. CHAOS will provide an alternative munition from industry that will allow for new vendors to enter into the market space. With today's industrial capacity investments into the same existing weapons, CHAOS would grow the list of potential options. CHAOS is intended to bring the mass into the "Affordable for the Masses" arena via a worldwide need for a 500-lb class warhead weapon system with future growth options.

Funding is provided for the Next Generation Strike Weapon (NGSW) Family of Systems (FoS) based on the NGLAW Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) completed with results briefed out to OSD. NGSW FoS more accurately reflects the surface/submarine capabilities for land-attack and maritime strike that the AoA results identified for the most capable and economic solutions fielding incrementally between 2020 and 2032. NGSW FoS Increments I and II will leverage mature as well as emerging technologies vice developing a single weapon. NGSW funding will maintain the security environment (enclave), facility, and study team to enable continuing analysis efforts across the FoS. The NGSW enclave ensures the Navy is able to maintain the most up to date modeled threats and validate the effectiveness of current US weapons, offensive and defensive, as well as future systems and concepts developed by industry and other DoD organizations. Maintaining this capability allows expedited analysis of systems and fully informed investment decisions. Further funding supports investment for technologies which enable Increment II capabilities (additional details are held at a higher classification).

The Advanced Aerial Refueling Store (AARS) is a collection of modifications to individual Aerial Refueling Store (ARS) components that will improve performance and readiness. The ARS updates will package new technologies into the existing store that will support both manned and unmanned (automated) aerial refueling from platforms such as the F/A-18 and MQ-25. These technologies include drogue stabilization, drogue positioning sensors, advanced health and diagnostic capability and real time receiver situational awareness for the unmanned mission operator. These updates will increase safety of flight, facilitate unmanned tanking operations to both manned and unmanned receivers and improve overall ARS reliability. The Digital Controller Upgrade (DCU) with Optical Reference System (ORS) is a hardware and software update to existing components which will provide increased flight safety through monitoring/diagnostic capabilities and enhanced situational awareness to reduce mission aborts. Drogue Stabilization incorporates hardware and software updates to improve the Aerial Refueling Stores ability to hold the drogue in position for refueling actions, and also improve the ability for the receiving platform to maneuver into position for refueling which decreases the risk of refueling mishaps, reduces mission aborts which improves operational efficiency and safety. Hydraulic System Improvements will update hardware to increase hydraulic efficiency by eliminating high failure rate components, improving fuel offload and reducing power demands on the Ram Air Turbine (RAT).

Cartridge Actuated Devices/ Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD) Digital Twin Modeling will develop and validate models and algorithms for the Department of the Navy (DoN). Digital Twin is a software model that predicts service life of a components' energetic material. This will be used to move towards a Condition Based Maintenance Model vice restrictive service life. The development will be phased over three efforts, specific to Navy AirCrew Common Ejection Seats (NACES). These models will be used as a starting point for a condition-based service life for CAD/PAD. A condition-based service life will result in long term cost savings for the DoN by enabling CAD/PAD to be installed for full useful service life. These models will also be used to support initial service life decisions, service life extension decisions and address obsolescence.

1)C880: Beginning in FY2026 all funding for SLCM-N will be budgeted in new PE0105519N/PU3449. 2)CA41: The NAVAIR Rapid Capability Cell (NRCC) is accelerating Advanced Lethality Enhancement Developments for payload integration & test. 3)CA42: The NRCC will accelerate the purchase of the initial 50 All Up Rounds (AUR) for Early Operation Capability (EOC). 4)CA43: The Advance Energetic Inspection methodology will incorporate modern technologies to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and safety of CAD PAD. 5)CA44: The NRCC efforts to integrate, test, evaluate and certify the Blackbeard Hypersonic Weapon (BHW) onto the F/A-18 E/F through KP2 (Live Fire Shot in Combat Environment) in Q4 FY27. The NRCC is accelerating the Advanced Lethality Enhancement Developments for payload integration & test. 5)CA45: The Advanced Air-to-Air Refueling Systems Development will support Tanker Independent Aerial Refueling Autonomy (TIARA) Modular Open System Architecture (MOSA) collaboration efforts to develop a TIARA MOSA.