# Intelligence Systems Development — Program Element 1160405BB

**Program element:** 1160405BB  
**Component:** Defense-Wide  
**Appropriation:** 0400 — RDT&E, Defense-Wide  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1160405BB

## Summary

Defense-Wide requests $109.2M in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak). In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate added 9.2% (to $119.2M); House appropriators added 45% (to $158.5M). DEFENSEWERX leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 82.6 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 112.7 |
| FY2027 | Request | 109.2 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 109.2 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 110.2 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 101.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 97.7 |

> 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 | 109.2 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 109.2 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 119.2 | +10.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 158.5 | +49.3 |

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

## Projects (3)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S400 | SO Intelligence Systems | 82.6 | 112.7 | 97.9 | −13% |
| S400A | Distributed Common Ground/Surface Systems | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.5 | new start |
| S855 | Unmanned ISR | — | — | 2.9 | new start |

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

### Project S400 — SO Intelligence Systems

This project is part of the Military Intelligence Program (MIP). Provides for the identification, development, testing, and rapid prototyping of Special Operations Forces (SOF) intelligence equipment to identify and eliminate deficiencies in providing timely intelligence to deployed forces. Programs address the primary areas of intelligence dissemination, sensor systems, tagging, tracking, and locating devices, integrated threat warning to SOF mission platforms, SO-peculiar (SO-p) support from space systems including Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) system under National Systems Support to SOF (NSSS), space-based payload development, and tactical uncrewed systems. The systems developed and tested in this project are NSSS; Special Operations Tactical Video System/Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (TVS/RSTA); Integrated Survey Program (ISP); Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE); SOF Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Processing, Exploitation, Dissemination (PED) Silent Dagger (SD); small Uncrewed Multidomain Systems (sUMS) and Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (MTUAS). The intelligence programs funded in this project will meet annual emergent requirements. The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has developed an overall strategy to ensure that Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) systems and tactical uncrewed systems continue to provide SOF with the required capabilities throughout the 21st century. The USSOCOM's tactical uncrewed and C4I systems comprise an integrated network of systems providing positive command and control and timely exchange of intelligence and threat warning to all organizational echelons. The C4I systems that support this new architecture employ the latest standards and technology by transitioning from separate systems to full integration with the Global Information Grid (GIG). The GIG allows SOF elements to operate with any force combination in multiple environments.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** DEFENSEWERX (1.4, 1.4%), Joint Interoperability Test Command (0.7, 0.7%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Systems Support to SOF (NSSS) | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.6 |
| Special Operations Tactical Video System/Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (TVS/RSTA), Program Number 833 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 8.1 |
| Integrated Survey Program (ISP), Program Number 842 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) Program Number 834 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| SOF Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Processing, Exploitation, Dissemination (PED) Silent Dagger (SD), Program Number 835 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Small Uncrewed Multidomain Systems (sUMS), Program Number 847 | 12.9 | 13.3 | 34.3 |
| Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (MTUAS), Program Number 836 | 12.5 | 16.3 | — |
| Classified Program(s) | 33.0 | 48.4 | 41.5 |

> 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 S400A — Distributed Common Ground/Surface Systems

This Program Element is part of the Military Intelligence Program (MIP). The Distributed Common Ground/Surface System Special Operations Forces (DCGS-SOF) is part of a family of systems providing rapid fielding of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Processing, Exploitation, Dissemination (PED), and analytical capabilities at the Combatant Command (COCOM), Component/Theater Special Operations Command (TSOC) level and below through a combination of reach back, forward support, and collaboration. The mission tailored infrastructure interconnects the warfighters, analysts, and sensors to find and fix high value targets and provides a network-enabled, interoperable construct allowing continual, unimpeded sharing of intelligence data, information and services with SOF and between the services, national intelligence agencies, COCOMs, and multi-national partners. It connects SOF warfighters and analysts with essential intelligence information and provides situational awareness information to SOF leadership at all echelons. The DCGS-SOF includes two components: Enterprise/All Source Information Fusion (ENT/ASIF) and SOF Geospatial Intelligence Imagery Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (SGIP). The ENT/ASIF provides infrastructure, processing, and intelligence analytical tools for worldwide SOF intelligence information sharing via a globally connected cloud-based architecture as well as a forward disconnected capability. The SGIP provides capabilities in garrison and deployed environments for the PED of crewed and uncrewed sensors.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCGS-SOF, Program Number 837 | — | — | 8.5 |

> 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 S855 — Unmanned ISR

This project is part of the Military Intelligence Program (MIP). Unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) rapidly develops and deploys special capabilities to perform ISR for deployed Special Operations Forces (SOF) using non-traditional means. Group 1, 2, 3 and 4, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) developmental efforts are to identify, develop, integrate, and test Special Operations-peculiar (SO-p) mission kits, mission payloads, air vehicle enhancements, and modifications to ground control stations. Based on stakeholder input and requirements, United States Special Operations Command develops and integrates UAS payloads to advance ISR capabilities that address dynamic and emergent operational needs of the SOF user. Efforts include improving imagery intelligence and electronic warfare payloads, capitalizing on developing technologies to reduce size, weight and power while addressing processing and data management challenges. This program also provides a mechanism for SOF user combat evaluation of emerging sensor technologies. FY 2027 Budget Line Items (BLI) consolidation: R-1 Program Element PE 1160434BB/Unmanned ISR realigned into PE 1160405BB/Intelligence Systems Development.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 4 UAS: MQ-1C, Program Number 781 | — | — | 2.9 |

> 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 1.9% | 2.1 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 3.6% | 3.9 |
| Other / unspecified | 95% | 103.3 |

**Top named industry performers:** .

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

FY 2027, Budget Line Items (BLI) consolidation: R-1 Program Elements (PE) 0305208BB/Distributed Common Ground/Surface Systems and 1160434BB/Unmanned ISR are now in PE 1160403BB/Aviation Systems. This Program Element (PE) is part of the Military Intelligence Program (MIP) that provides for identification, development, rapid prototyping and testing of Special Operations Forces (SOF) intelligence equipment to identify and eliminate deficiencies in providing timely intelligence to deployed forces.

• NSSS leverages internal/external contracts, Other Transaction Authorities (OTA) to introduce and integrate national, DoW and commercial capabilities into the SOF force structure and operations. This approach rapidly develops Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3/4 to TRL 6/7 capabilities for SOF operational deficiencies identified by the National intelligence and SOF communities. By partnering with DoW the Intelligence Community and USSOCOM entities, NSSS incorporates SOF mission requirements into current and developing technologies and assets.

## Related program elements

- [1160403BB — Aviation Systems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1160403BB) (Defense-Wide)
- [0604317F — Technology Transfer](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604317F) (Air Force)
- [0203752A — Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0203752A) (Army)
- [1206760SF — Protected Tactical Enterprise Service (PTES)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206760SF) (Space Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 1160405BB (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="1160405BB")`.

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