# Next Generation Load Device - Medium — Program Element 0605144A

**Program element:** 0605144A  
**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/0605144A

## Summary

U.S. Army funding falls 90% to a $2.4M request in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak), 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.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 2.9 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 24.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 2.4 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 2.4 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 2.4 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 2.4 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 2.5 |

> 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 | 2.4 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 2.4 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 2.4 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 2.4 | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BY6 | Key Management Infrastructure Development | 2.9 | 24.5 | 2.4 | −90% |

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

### Project BY6 — Key Management Infrastructure Development

This funding enables the Army's Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) initiative to modernize Command and Control (C2) systems. This Program Element (PE) is a critical enabler of the Army Modernization Priorities including Cryptographic Modernization 2 (CM2) addressing current and emerging cyber security threats. This PE funds the development and test of the Next Generation Load Device - Medium (NGLD-M). This product issues, fills, and manages cryptographic key and mission planning products from the National Security Agency (NSA) Key Management Infrastructure (KMI) and End-Cryptographic Units (ECUs). The NGLD-M enhances the capabilities of the legacy product, the Simple Key Loader (SKL), by providing secure, Over-the-Network Keying (OTNK), reducing the logistics burden of touching all ECUs across the force and addresses advanced cryptographic cyber security threats. This effort is an Acquisition Category III (ACAT III) Program of Record (POR) and has multi-service and multi-national stakeholder interest. The acquisition strategy leverages multiple product development vendors with a Government developed User Application Software (UAS) providing a common user experience across individual vendor hardware solutions. The program is progressing towards Milestone C and will fully replace the SKL following an Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) and Full-Rate Production (FRP) decision. FY2027 funding supports meeting the NSA Security Evaluation Requirements Document (SERD) 2.0 requirements in a follow-on development and fielding post Full Rate Production (FRP).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGLD-M Development and NSA Certification | 2.4 | 19.7 | 2.0 |
| Program Management Support | 0.2 | 2.1 | 0.0 |
| Developmental Test & Evaluation Support | 0.4 | 2.7 | 0.3 |

> 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Government labs & warfare centers | 100% | 2.4 |

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

This funding enables the Army's Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) initiative to modernize Command and Control (C2) systems. This Program Element (PE) is a critical enabler of the Army Modernization Priorities including Cryptographic Modernization 2 (CM2) addressing current and emerging cyber security threats. This funds the development and test of the Next Generation Load Device - Medium (NGLD-M). This product issues, fills, and manages cryptographic key and mission planning products from the National Security Agency (NSA) Key Management Infrastructure (KMI) and End-Cryptographic Units (ECUs).

Aspects of the Next Generation Load Device - Medium (NGLD-M) may include commercially availability solutions and/or interfaces, but development is required to integrate these solutions into a device that meets the rigors of NSA high-assurance certification and the user developed Capability Production Document (CPD) requirements. There is no commercially driven market for NSA certified load devices that meet the requirements identified in the NGLD Family CPD. The NGLD-M Acquisition Strategy will award contracts for development, production, and sustainment.

## Related program elements

- [1203269SF — GPS III Follow-On (GPS IIIF)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1203269SF) (Space Force)
- [0303140F — Information Systems Security Program](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0303140F) (Air Force)
- [0303140A — Information Systems Security Program](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0303140A) (Army)
- [0604706F — Life Support Systems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604706F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0605144A (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0605144A")`.

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