# Project S725 — Tactical Radio Systems

**Program element:** 1160431BB — Warrior Systems  
**Project:** S725  
**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/1160431BB/S725  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1160431BB

## Summary

Project S725 — Tactical Radio Systems requests $27.8M in FY2027, 6.4% of the $435.1M requested for program element 1160431BB, down 41% on FY2026. 3 R-2A activities decompose the request.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 25.4 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 47.1 |
| FY2027 | Request | 27.8 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 26.3 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 25.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 26.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 26.7 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 1160431BB; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project S725 buys

This project is for the development of all Special Operations Forces (SOF) tactical radio programs. Tactical Radios provide the critical command, control, and communications (C3) link between SOF Commanders and SOF Teams conducting operational missions and training exercises. They also provide interoperability with all Services, various agencies of the U.S. Government, Air Traffic Control, commercial agencies, and allied foreign forces. Tactical Radios rapidly and seamlessly establish and maintain mobile and fixed command and control (C2) communications between operational elements and higher echelon headquarters, allowing SOF to operate with any force combination in multiple environments.

**R-3 lines of work:** Product Development; Test and Evaluation.

## Activities (R-2A) — 3

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next Generation Tactical Communications (NGTC), Program Number 798 | 19.6 | 24.1 | 20.6 | −15% | [a0](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1160431BB/S725/a0) |
| Blue Force Tracking (BFT), Program Number 742 | 5.7 | 13.7 | 5.9 | −57% | — |
| Remote Advise and Assist /Virtual Accompany Kit (RAA/VAK), Program Number 697 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | +3% | — |

> Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. In the request year they partition this project exactly; in earlier years they can under-cover it.

### Next Generation Tactical Communications (NGTC), Program Number 798

Continues ECPs for the NGHH, NGMP, and HF platform modernization systems into an overarching, predominately government-owned, high frequency capability that provides LPI/D capabilities. Continue Resilient Waveform development. Continue United States Naval Special Warfare Command Unmanned Systems/Autonomous and Remotely Controlled System…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/1160431BB/S725/a0

### Blue Force Tracking (BFT), Program Number 742

**FY2027 planned work.** Complete and test deep dive variant design, plus start Mobility Adaptor mount design.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Decrease of $7.783 million accounts for major design completion.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Finalize development of the Next Generation BFT device and testing and start the deep dive variant design.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Finalize development and begin development and operational testing of initial handheld Next Generation BFT device. Initiate design efforts related to custom variants to address air, maritime, ground, and unique low visibility form factor requirements.

### Remote Advise and Assist /Virtual Accompany Kit (RAA/VAK), Program Number 697

**FY2027 planned work.** Continues operational testing, integration, and interoperability efforts related to HF communication technology.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Increase of $0.032 million supports increased assessments and testing requirements.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Continue assessment and integration efforts related to HF communication technology developed in FY 2025. Continue ECPs for the NGHH and NGMP, to include development of MUOS to transition from legacy UHF tactical satellite waveforms. Continues High Frequency (HF) platform modernization of two complementary systems into an overarching, predominately government-owned, high frequency capability that provides LPI/D capabilities. Continues Resilient Waveform development. Continues development of High Throughput Data Device, and United States Naval Special Warfare Command Unmanned Systems/Autonomous and Remotely Controlled System (NSWUxS/ ARCS).

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Develop and assess High Frequency (HF) communications technologies to improve Partner Force communications in near-peer contested environments.

## What is NOT on this page

Congressional marks, the R-2 mission description and acquisition strategy, the industry vs government split of the whole request, and related program elements are recorded at **program-element** grain — an NDAA mark lands on a PE, never on a project. They are at https://hitchintel.com/programs/1160431BB.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 1160431BB project S725 (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="1160431BB")`.

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