What project 297 buys
This Project supports the future force by evaluating the ability of emerging technology to make Army units more survivable and lethal by enabling improvements in tactical distribution/handling and active supply chain management to enhance ammunition availability. This will be accomplished through the investigation, testing, and evaluation of ammunition logistics system improvements that prevent or minimize catastrophic explosive events and accelerate ammunition resupply. Key thrusts are munitions storage area survivability, Insensitive Munitions (IM) technology integration and compliance, ammunition management and asset visibility, weapon system rearm, munitions configured load enablers and advanced packaging and distribution system enhancements. Within each thrust, a broad array of solutions will be identified, tested, and evaluated against developed system measures of effectiveness. Cost effective and efficient solutions that enable the rapid projection of lethal and survivable forces will be demonstrated focused on optimizing tactical ammunition supply chain visibility and management. Technologies that enable the rapid planning of ammunition storage sites to protect the critical munition stored at these sites, and sites considered lucrative targets to the enemy, will be demonstrated and refined. Additionally, packaging of the munitions themselves will be improved to maintain survivability while reducing weight and increasing ability to utilize automation. Loss of these critical munition stocks or ineffective management of the supply chain to move the munitions could cripple the force, jeopardize the mission, and result in high loss of life. This Project mitigates vulnerabilities and ensures a survivable fighting force.
Project 297 funding, FY2025–FY2031
Prior years are actuals, the budget year is the request, and the outyears are the FYDP plan. Estimate types are colored and never summed into one figure. Projects carry the full five-year plan; the activities inside them stop at the budget year.
| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 16.3 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 14.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 18.2 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 18.3 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 18.4 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 18.4 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 18.6 |
5 accomplishments / planned programs
The R-2A exhibit — the only level of the budget that describes work that has not happened yet. Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only, no five-year plan. Coverage is partial across the corpus, so count activities, never total them.
FY2027 planned work Continue sequential rough handling and accelerated aging testing of down-selected alternate vent window material. Complete IM demonstration of container lid venting in selected packing container. Characterize and down select alternate TNT formulation for demonstration in 120mm/155mm warhead. Scale-up PAX-2A Type III technology for transition. Scale-up PAX-42 formulation for demonstration and transition to multiple PMs. Complete IM explosive lot-to-lot variability evaluation in support of NGCV priorities to address performance issues. Complete final system IM demonstrations of medium caliber ammunition for reduced vulnerability to battlefield hazards. Conduct impact testing of optimized…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Increase to support performance and IM testing as well as complete final demonstration of medium caliber ammunition in support of NGCVs.
FY2026 plans — current year Initiate sequential rough handling and accelerated aging testing of down-selected alternate vent window material. Continue IM demonstration of container lid venting in selected packing container. Complete engineering IM testing of down-selected DNP formulation in end item to support Soldier Lethality modernization priority. Complete fabrication of test assets with Titan II (CL-20 based) formulation and initiate performance and IM testing. Evaluate alternate processing fluids without PFAS, as PFAS usage is no longer permitted due to biotoxicity and has limited fabrication of certain explosives, such as PAX-64. Continue demonstration of PAX-2A as a replacement for PBXN-12 in mortar auxiliary…
FY2025 accomplishments Complete hot and cold Highly Accelerated Life (HAL) testing/initial sequential rough handling and initiate IM testing of Sealed Seam packaging venting technology to improve artillery and tank containers' response to thermal events in support of LRPF modernization priority. Continue demonstration of container lid venting in selected packing container. Continue engineering IM testing of down-selected Dinitrophenol (DNP) formulation in end item to support SL modernization priority. Continue engineering IM and performance tests of Titan II (CL-20 based) formulation in end item to support LRPF, and Air and Missile Defense (AMD) priorities. Continue demonstration of PAX-64 as a replacement for…
FY2027 planned work Supports the technical assessment, system engineering analysis and the project management of the tactical ammunition micro-services that provide the sustained combat lethality across echelons. Continues the maturation of FY2026 prototyping efforts enhancing the digital ammunition management capabilities within the modernized Next Generation C2 framework. Technology development will support proof of concept development and evaluation of operational benefits of embedding AI based sustainment decision reasoners to reduce the cognitive workload during mission planning coupled with a sustainment response. Extend the TAMMS to mobile formations. Develop interfaces between the weapons systems and…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease due to economic assumptions.
FY2026 plans — current year The project provides the project management, engineering support, and technical assessment of concepts that extend the TAMMS capabilities to other platforms and formations beyond the 155mm Self Propelled Howitzer. Conducts system analysis on the next generation Mobile Tactical cannon aligned with the findings in the Tactical Fires Study and Cannon Transformation Strategy. Investigate and evaluate the operational benefits of adding automation, digitization, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled optimization to optimize the resupply response to the consumption demand signal. Assess the feasibility of human machine integrated formations in tactical and sustainment formations to improve…
FY2025 accomplishments Conduct extensive system engineering analysis to determine expected life cycle cost and performance of a suite of ammunition logistics enabler prototypes under development to meet the MDO modernization objectives for LRPF, NGCV, Contested Logistics, and Network CFTs. These logistics enablers will be assessed through lethality, mobility, and readiness benefits as measured across multiple maneuver formations covering field artillery, large/medium caliber direct fire, dismounted units, and line of sight area weapons. Results will be used to refine user requirements and inform associated Programs of Record (PoR) to provide for the automation and optimization of requisitions, spatial and…
FY2027 planned work Conduct technology exploration that defines the interfaces and data architectures to acquire, process and transmit munitions demand signal and inventory information from firing platforms and soldier weapons aided by the on-weapon sensors and data sharing standards and protocols. Establishes the framework for common data centric solutions for armaments system and ammunition that aggregates data across lower echelons within the formations. Evaluate data driven predictive logistics concepts enabled by artificial intelligence to manage lethality in multi-domain operations. Supports the evaluation of these technologies into concept focused warfighter experiments and insertion into Transformation…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Increase due to extension of ammunition micro-services capabilities to other formations.
FY2026 plans — current year Develop and demonstrate technologies that analyze and facilitate the movement of ammunition inventory data within the tactical formation on both firing platforms and sustainment vehicles. The emerging technologies will be used to inform the trade space against the requirements for the Tactical Ammunition Management Micro Services (TAMMS) Information Systems-Initial Capabilities Document and the Predictive Logistics Abbreviated Capabilities Development Document and future Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System documents in the contested logistics domain, through soldier touchpoints. Deliverables from soldier touchpoints will be used to inform the data architecture, measures of…
FY2027 planned work Supports the prototyping of munitions packaging solutions in support of the ammunition industrial base. Development of novel container packing and palletization concepts that can facilitate rapid access and reconfiguration of ammunition packaging driven by the need for sustainment to meet the lethality overmatch in contested environments. Efforts will be focused on COCOM emerging requirements with special focused on the INDOPACOM theater and operational use in extreme cold environments. Prototyping will incorporate alternative and lightweight designs to improve transportation efficiencies, design for expeditionary additive and advanced manufacturing and packaging for armaments Unmanned…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Increase due to additional evaluation of packaging concepts for UAS based weapons system efforts.
FY2026 plans — current year Supports the development of packaging and automation-enabling munition marking concepts that align with Portfolio Acquisition Executive Agile Sustainment and Ammunition (PAE AS&A) and Sustainment Future Capabilities Directorate (S-FCD) priorities in support of autonomy and supply chain resilience. Concepts will facilitate the demonstration of packaging and unitization configurations through soldier touchpoints in coordination with the relevant Program Manager (PM) offices. Conduct stowage impact analyses is for the firing and resupply platforms aligned with modernization initiatives in the Fires, Maneuver, and Sustainment FCDs portfolio. Conduct evaluation of packaging concepts for inner…
FY2025 accomplishments Develop tactical vehicle specific ammunition storage applique concepts/prototypes suitable for consolidation of complete rounds (Field Artillery) supporting Indirect Fire, Direct Fire, and Dismounted Infantry formations. Evaluate new storage concepts for associated ammunition support vehicles that maximizes inventory/complete round quantities, optimizes storage and retrieval of ammunition, and maintain legacy vehicle safety and functionality while minimizing physical demands of the crew when conducting rearm and resupply operations. Conduct case study on methods to protect emerging ammunition items and components after their removal from depot packaging to ensure expected performance will…
FY2025 accomplishments Develop techniques to improve operational lethality and readiness by instrumenting emerging and legacy and future tactical vehicles with available environmental monitoring technologies/sensors to record temperature, humidity, shock, and vibration exposure to ensure ammunition is viable for use once it is issued from the Army accountable system. This development effort will investigate various methods of ammunition health monitoring techniques and predicted remaining useful life algorithms of past investments coupled with industry best practices of supply chain management. As these solutions are evaluated, the most suitable candidates will be integrated with emerging maneuver formations for…