# Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) — Program Element 0604790D8Z

**Program element:** 0604790D8Z  
**Component:** Defense-Wide  
**Appropriation:** 0400 — RDT&E, Defense-Wide  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604790D8Z

## Summary

Defense-Wide requests $0.0M in FY2027.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 23.1 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 0.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 0.0 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 0.0 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 0.0 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 0.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 0.0 |

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

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 790 | Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) | 23.1 | 0.0 | — | — |

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

### Project 790 — Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER)

The RDER program focuses on a campaign of joint experimentation on rapid capabilities that address our most complex military challenges. The Secretary of War established RDER in the Defense Planning Guidance to enable multi-component joint experimentation through a campaign of learning and to establish a body of evidence to support rapid adoption by the Services. RDER enables the Services, agencies, industry, and other organizations to identify “best of breed” capabilities to be prototyped in large-scale joint experiments and validate and/or refine the Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC). OUSW(R&E)’s process for incubating promising prototypes starts with a novel experimental design based on a web of interconnected systems addressing specific Defense Planning Scenarios. This approach is unique from other experimentation that focuses on determining individual system efficacy. Additionally, the experimental design is unique in using the web of systems to explore new warfighting concepts that capitalize on contributions of multiple Services as a true joint force. The experimentation yields live data that the OUSW(R&E) analyzes against the performance predicted in modelling and simulation. OUSW(R&E) manages the Department’s multiple RDER experimentation events and conducts integration activities with the Joint Force. OUSW(R&E) oversees an integrated selection process with the Joint Staff, Services, and Combatant Commands that incorporates the most promising innovative prototypes into existing exercise venues such as: Project Capstone, Northern Edge, Valiant Shield, Talisman Sabre, Grey Flag, Joint Battle Problem, and TREX. RDER utilizes funding to plan, integrate, and oversee joint experiments; provide assessments on project viability; and deliver the results to the Deputy Secretary of War management action group to facilitate decisions on transitioning promising capabilities with the Services.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) Program Management | 2.5 | 0.0 | — |
| Experiments Integration | 2.4 | 0.0 | — |
| Experiment Design | 3.1 | 0.0 | — |
| Experimentation Execution | 4.1 | 0.0 | — |
| Opposing Force (OPFOR) Threat Emulation | 8.4 | 0.0 | — |
| Data Collection and Assessment | 2.5 | 0.0 | — |

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) program supports core program management and integration activities necessary to plan and execute a multi-year campaign of experimentation. The RDER initiative is a whole of DoW effort focused on joint experimentation to provide rapid capabilities that address our most difficult military challenges. The Secretary of War established the RDER initiative in the Defense Planning Guidance for Fiscal Years 2024-2028, to enable multi-component experimentation through a campaign of learning that accelerates technology transition and scale-up with the Services through the Deputy’s Management Action Group.

As the Department of War (DoW) Service assumes responsibility for experimentation and program oversight to employ Other Transaction Authorities and existing contract vehicles to streamline technology integration, ensuring agility and effectiveness in advancing defense capabilities.

## Related program elements

- [1203873SF — Sensor Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1203873SF) (Space Force)
- [0603595N — SSBN New Design](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603595N) (Navy)
- [0603270F — Electronic Combat Technology](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603270F) (Air Force)
- [0604030N — Rapid Prototyping, Experimentation & Dem](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604030N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0604790D8Z (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0604790D8Z")`.

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