# Automatic Test Equipment Development — Program Element 0604746A

**Program element:** 0604746A  
**Component:** U.S. Army  
**Appropriation:** 2040 — RDT&E, Army  
**Budget Activity:** 5 — System Development & Demonstration  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604746A

## Summary

U.S. Army requests $9.6M in FY2027, before stepping down 51% 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.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 12.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 9.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 9.6 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 4.7 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 4.7 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 4.7 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 4.7 |

> 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 | 9.6 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 9.6 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 9.6 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 9.6 | +0.0 |

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

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L59 | Diagnost/Expert Sys | 5.8 | 6.2 | 6.2 | +1% |
| L65 | Test Equipment Development | 6.6 | 3.3 | 3.4 | +2% |

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

### Project L59 — Diagnost/Expert Sys

The Integrated Family of Test Equipment (IFTE) program funds the development and testing of capability-based system enhancements to troubleshoot and diagnose current and future weapons and combat support systems (i.e. Common Tactical Truck) across the Multi-Functional Brigades and Mobile Brigade Combat Teams (MBCT) in line with the transformation initiative. These projects include the modernization of the at and off-platform automatic test systems to meet current and future Army weapon systems maintenance requirements, and provide enhanced diagnostic software and interfaces to support emerging maintenance concepts for Long Range Precision Fires, Next Generation Combat Vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, and Air and Missile Defense including the Golden Dome for America, Cyber, Electronic Warfare, and Counterspace capabilities. This project funds development of capability-based system enhancements for the Maintenance Support Device (MSD). The MSD is a general-purpose automatic test system (ATS) that provides test and diagnostic capabilities required to support current and future weapons and combat support systems (i.e. Common Tactical Truck) across the Multi-Functional Brigades, Mobile Brigade Combat Teams (MBCT) in support of the transformation initiative and will facilitate retirement of aging, obsolete and non-cyber secure test equipment that imposes increasing logistics and operations and support cost burdens. The MSD is the Army's standard at-system tester and requires continuing technology insertions to support modernization and emergence of the supported weapon systems. This project funds development efforts to insert the most current relevant technology into the next generation MSD, supports capability enhancement of at-platform test adapters, develops and standardizes capabilities to minimize or eliminate Army dependence on expensive proprietary software to support tactical vehicles, and maintains compatibility with emerging platform hardware bus technology and software interface requirements.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance Support Device (MSD) Technology Enhancements | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Software Performance Enhancements | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 |
| NGATS Interconnect Hardware Performance Enhancements | 1.9 | — | — |
| NGATS System Enhancements | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.7 |
| NGATS Developmental Logistics Products | — | — | 1.0 |

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

### Project L65 — Test Equipment Development

This project supports fielding test sets designed to maintain advanced surface-to-air missile systems such as found in the Golden Dome program and Handheld Manpack Small Form Fit (HMS) systems. The Communication Test Equipment (CTE) supports maintenance of the Army's emerging Combat Communication systems, specifically HMS and Link 16 systems. CALSETs support the NDAA by ensuring the accuracy and readiness of TEMOD systems, Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing, and other Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) found at every echelon in the Army. TEMOD supports the ATI by procuring Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions. This project directly supports the Army's modernization priorities by enhancing the reliability and responsiveness of Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) across the lifecycle of critical weapon systems and combat support platforms. Focused on alignment with the Capability Portfolio Executive (CPE) and U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command initiatives, this effort accelerates the integration of advanced technologies including automation and reconfigurable open architectures, leveraging emerging capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency into Army calibration systems. This will improve the speed and fidelity of system validation, contributing to enhanced warfighter lethality and readiness in increasingly contested environments. Specifically, the project develops and prototypes advanced calibration software and capabilities spanning signal measurement domains (DC to microwave), electro-optical, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN), as well as physical and mechanical parameters such as torque, pressure, and temperature. These advancements address critical capability gaps, ensuring the operational readiness and safety of Army systems while simultaneously reducing logistical burdens through minimized equipment footprints and improved deployability. By fostering early user feedback and iterative prototype development, this project informs future TMDE acquisitions, ensuring alignment with evolving operational needs in multi-domain operations and contributing to a data-centric approach to sustainment.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calibration Sets (CALSETS) Software Environment and Calibration Procedures | 3.1 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| CALSETS Physical Instruments | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.0 |
| CALSETS Electrical Instruments | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.8 |
| Test Equipment Modernization (TEMOD) | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 |

> 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other / unspecified | 100% | 9.6 |

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

This PE supports the development and testing of automatic test equipment, precision calibration instruments, general-purpose test equipment, state of-the-art diagnostics and prognostics technologies, and software and systems to support the increasingly complex electronic components of the Army's new and upgraded weapon systems focused on joint operations in a sophisticated multi-domain area of operation. It focuses on standardization and implementation of commercial test and diagnostic technologies across multiple weapon platforms to minimize the cost of troubleshooting and maintenance of Army equipment in the field.

Projects focus on commercial and nondevelopmental item technologies. Department of War services provide programmatic, engineering expertise and capability for individual development projects; otherwise, commercial service contracts are used to obtain required capabilities. Equipment required for development projects is obtained from commercial suppliers. Candidate commercial equipment and nondevelopmental items are identified and evaluated through market research and government test and evaluation.

## Related program elements

- [0603542N — Radiological Control](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603542N) (Navy)
- [0605830A — Aviation Ground Support Equipment](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605830A) (Army)
- [0305128F — TECH Surveil Counter MEAS EQPT](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0305128F) (Air Force)
- [0603884BP — Chemical and Biological Defense Program - Dem/Val](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603884BP) (Defense-Wide)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0604746A (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0604746A")`.

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