Warrior Systems

Abstract

This Program Element (PE) provides for the development, rapid prototyping, testing, and integration of specialized equipment in the areas of military information support operations (MISO), weapons, soldier protection and survival, body armor and associated equipment, visual augmentation, lasers, sensors and simulators, communication equipment and electronics, tactical systems development, tactical radio systems, and munitions advanced development. Warrior Systems specialized equipment will permit small, highly trained forces to conduct required operations across the entire spectrum of conflict. Special Operation Forces (SOF) must infiltrate by land, sea, and air to conduct unconventional warfare, direct action, or deep reconnaissance operations in denied areas against insurgent units, terrorists, or highly sophisticated threat forces. The requirement to operate in denied areas controlled by a sophisticated threat mandates that SOF systems remain technologically superior to threat forces to ensure mission success. The efforts within this PE improve SOF warfighting capabilities by continuing efforts to develop smaller, lighter, more efficient and more robust capabilities and build an enduring advantage in support of the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS). The SOF mission mandates that SOF systems remain technologically superior to any threat to provide a maximum degree of survivability while, generally, being conducted in harsh environments for unspecified periods and in locations requiring small unit autonomy. FY 2023 includes $4.128 million in Overseas Operations Costs (OOC) Actuals. FY 2024 includes $12.897 million in the OOC Budget Request. FY 2025 includes $13.097 million for the OOC Budget Estimate. OOC were financed previously with former Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. D476 MISO: This project funds the development, test, and integration of systems to conduct the seven phase MISO process (planning, targeting audience analysis, series development, product development and design, approval, production/distribution/dissemination, and measures of effectiveness) in support of combatant commanders. MISO efforts convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals. The Fly Away Broadcast System (FABS) program has been re-designated as a Major Capability Acquisition Program (ACAT III) in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5135.02 and the guidance in DoD Instruction 5000.85. The purpose of the Fly Away Broadcast System (FABS) is a third-generation radio, television, and cellular broadcast Family of Systems (FoS) that that uses Government and industry standard technology to disseminate influence products to foreign target audiences using a wide range of frequencies and spectrums: AM, FM, SW, TV VHF, TV, UHF (in digital/analog formats), and cellular MMS/SMS broadcasts. This capability serves to deter adversarial aggression and counters social/political propaganda that threaten U.S vital interests in support of the National Defense Strategy. The Next Generation FABS is the Broadcast Dissemination Platform (BDP) which integrates additional capabilities to enhance MISO broadcast, reduces Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP), and consists of three variants (Light/Medium/Heavy). The Next Generation Loud Speaker (NGLS) program has been re-designated as a Major Capability Acquisition Program (ACAT III) in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5135.02 and the guidance in DoD Instruction 5000.85 along with the Acquisition Executive Memorandum for PEO TIS, dated 08 December 2023. The purpose of the NGLS program to develop systems demonstrating NGLS Dismounted (D), Mounted (M), Scatterable Media (SM), Sonic Projection (SP), Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capabilities. The program has an evolutionary acquisition strategy for thee legacy NGLS-D and an incremental acquisition strategy for developmental variants NGLS-M and NGLS-SP, government agencies and commercial sources are leveraged for required certifications, functional and operational tests, and sustainment. The total cost of the Media Production Center (MPC) MTA effort is $8.299 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The MPC program is fully funded across the FYDP. S375 Weapons Systems: This project provides for next generation system development and Pre-Planned Product Improvements (P3I), testing, and integration of specialized weapon systems and weapon accessories to meet the unique requirements of SOF. Efforts include muzzle brakes and suppressors, and P3I for assault, sniper, and crew served weapons leveraging the latest technological advances to achieve overmatch capability against emerging threats. The total cost of the Weapons/Target Engagement MTA effort is $78.490 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The Weapons/Target Engagement effort is fully funded across the FYDP. S385 Soldier Protection and Survival Systems: This project funds the development, testing, integration, rapid prototyping and evaluation of specialized equipment to meet the unique soldier protection and survival requirements of SOF, including: individual survival equipment; hearing protection; clothing systems; load bearing equipment; Multi-Mission Electronic Countermeasures (MM-ECM) systems; Counter Uncrewed Systems (CUxS) (aerial, ground and maritime); and personal safety equipment to improve the mobility of SOF, while conducting varied missions. These missions are generally conducted in harsh and hostile environments, for unspecified periods and in locations requiring small unit autonomy. Efforts relating to soldier protection and survival requirements will improve survivability and mobility of SOF while conducting varied missions. The CUxS efforts rely on cutting edge detection sensors, both passive and active, paired with kinetic and non-kinetic defeat systems to allow SOF operators to conduct SOF missions in denied and hostile environments worldwide. This project received Congressional Adds in FY 2023 for Per- and Polyflouroakyll Substances (PFAS)/ Perflourooctanic Acid (PFOA) free durable water repellent treatment ($4.000 million), CUxS procurement acceleration ($5.400 million) and mobile CUxS solutions ($3.000 million). The total cost of the Special Operations Forces Personal Equipment Advanced Requirements (SPEAR) MTA effort is $6.835 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The SPEAR effort is fully funded across the FYDP. Note: In the FY 2024 President's Budget's request, the SPEAR program included funding for efforts now justified under Power and Data Accessory Suite. The total cost of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) effort is $14.343 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The TCCCE effort is fully funded across the FYDP. The total cost of the MM-ECM MTA effort is $95.325 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026) as a rapid prototype transition to rapid fielding MTA, including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The MM-ECM effort is fully funded across the FYDP. The total cost of the Personal Signature Management (PSM) MTA effort is $8.941 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The PSM effort is fully funded across the FYDP. S385A Body Armor and Associated Equipment: This project provides specialized equipment with ballistic protection to meet the unique soldier protection and survival requirements of SOF. Specialized ballistic equipment improves survivability and load bearing equipment impacting the mobility of SOF while conducting varied missions. This project enhances the SPEAR program by providing for the research, development, and testing of body armor plates, soft armor, helmets, eye protection, and other personal protective equipment to meet current ballistic threats that exist on the battlefield. The total cost of the SPEAR Body Armor and Associated Equipment MTA effort is $8.441 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The SPEAR Body Armor and Associated Equipment effort is fully funded across the FYDP. S395 Visual Augmentation, Lasers and Sensor Systems: This project provides for the development, testing, and integration of specialized visual augmentation, laser and sensor systems equipment to meet the unique requirements of SOF and facilitate future Hyper-Enabled Operator (HEO) capabilities. Efforts in this area include binocular/monocular devices; next generation laser designation and geo-location systems; weapon aiming lasers, scopes and accessories; and training and simulation systems. Specialized visual augmentation, lasers and sensors will permit small, highly trained forces to conduct required operations across the entire spectrum of conflict. The total cost of the Visual Augmentation System (VAS) MTA effort is $170.859 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The VAS effort is fully funded across the FYDP. S700 Communications Equipment and Electronics Systems: This project provides for communication systems to meet emergent requirements to support SOF. SOF units require communications equipment that improves their warfighting capability without degrading their mobility. SOF Communications Equipment and Electronics is a continuing effort to develop smaller, lighter, more efficient and more robust SOF command, control, communication, and computers (C4) capabilities. Communication efforts will maintain a command, control, and communications (C3) link between SOF Commanders and SOF Teams, and provide interoperability with all services, various agencies of the United States Government, Air Traffic Control, commercial agencies and allied foreign forces. The SDN program has been designated a Major Capability Acquisition Program (ACAT III) at Milestone C in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5135.02 and the guidance in DoD Instruction 5000.85. The TACLAN program is fully funded across the FYDP. S710 Tactical Systems Development: This project provides for the development, testing, and integration of specialized automation equipment to meet the unique requirements of SOF. Tactical systems provide forward deployed forces with advanced networking, automated data processing, storage, and display capabilities to support situational awareness, mission planning and execution, and command and control (C2) of forces. This project received Congressional Adds in FY 2023 ($17.000 million), details will be provided under separate cover. The TACLAN program has been designated a Major Capability Acquisition Program (ACAT III) at Milestone C in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5135.02 and the guidance in DoD Instruction 5000.85. The TACLAN program is fully funded across the FYDP. The TACLAN program has been designated a Major Capability Acquisition Program (ACAT III) at Milestone C in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5135.02 and the guidance in DoD Instruction 5000.85 along with the Acquisition Executive Memorandum for PEO TIS, dated 08 December 2023. The program will use an Evolutionary Technology Insertion (ETI) strategy to rapidly field production quantities of systems with proven technologies to provide tactical SOF elements from the individual operator to a larger Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF) / Special Operations Joint Task Force (SOJTF) Headquarters (HQ), support for a wide range of tactical edge computing functions that support Command and Control (C2), Situational Awareness (SA), intelligence analysis and reporting, office automation, decision-making, mission analysis, planning, rehearsal, and execution support. Commercial and government sources are leveraged for required certifications, system level integration, functional, and operational testing, and evaluations. S725 Tactical Radio Systems: This project provides for the development of all SOF tactical radio programs. SOF units require radio communication equipment that improves their warfighting capability without degrading their mobility. The USSOCOM has developed an overall strategy to ensure that Tactical Radio Systems continue to provide SOF with the required capabilities throughout the 21st century. SOF tactical radios provide the critical C3 link between SOF Commanders and SOF teams involved in operational missions and training exercises. In addition, they provide interoperability amongst the services, various agencies of the United States Government, air traffic control, commercial agencies, and allied/coalition forces. Tactical Radios rapidly and seamlessly establish and maintain mobile and fixed C2 communications between infiltrated/operational elements and higher echelon headquarters, allowing SOF to operate with any force combination in multiple environments. The total cost of the Remote, Advise and Assist Virtual Accompany Kit (RAA/VAK) MTA effort is $201.767 million (FY 2025-FY 2029), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The RAA/VAK effort is fully funded across the FYDP. The Next Generation Tactical Communications (NGTC) is a COTS/Non-Development Item with ETIs. Commercial and government agency sources will be leveraged for required certifications, functional and operational tests, and acceptance support. The NGTC program has been re-designated as a Major Capability Acquisition Program (ACAT III) at Milestone C in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5135.02 and the guidance in DoD Instruction 5000.85 along with the Acquisition Executive Memorandum for PEO TIS, dated 08 December 2023. The purpose of the NGTC program to develop and demonstrate Next Generation High Frequency Radios and to field Next Generation Tactical Handheld and Manpack Radios systems with proven technologies. S800 Munitions Advanced Development: This project provides for the advanced engineering, operational system development, and qualification efforts related to SO-peculiar and Foreign/Non-standard munitions and equipment. Funding supports development of Insensitive Munitions (IM) technology and evaluation, in accordance with the statutory requirement set forth in U.S. Code, Title 10, Chapter 141, Section 2389 (December 2001). Testing is in accordance with the USSOCOM IM Strategic Plan. Funding also supports efforts to develop and improve Maritime Precision Engagement Munition (MPE-M), Ground Organic Precision Strike System (GOPSS), and Stand-Off Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM), including the development and integration of various technologies to enhance/modernize the SOPGMs delivered onto SOF and non-SOF platforms. MPE-M and GOPSS develop a SOF organic strike mission package to surgically strike an agile and mobile enemy, protect our forces, and minimize collateral damage. MPE-M develops a SOF specific, maritime, precision strike package for Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Combatant Craft to defend forces and strike an evolving enemy while minimizing collateral damage. This project also received Congressional Adds in FY 2023 for Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems ($9.567 million), MPE-M ($3.600 million), and details provided under separate cover ($2.397 million). The total cost of the SOPGM MTA effort is $349.761 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The SOPGM effort is fully funded across the FYDP. The total cost of the GOPSS MTA effort is $77.299 million (FY 2022 to FY 2026), including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The GOPSS effort is fully funded across the FYDP.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
• Source ID: 1160431BB_7_0400_PB_2025
• Change Summary Explanation: Funding: FY 2023: Net decrease of -$14.544 million is due a reprogramming of Congressional Add funding for SOF Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Next Generation development to PE 11604032BB due to the effort's technology maturity level (-$6.332 million); a reprogramming of $2.000 million to PE 1160403BB from SOF Digital Ecosystem (-$1.000 million) and Mission Command System/Common Operational Picture (-$1.000 million), a reprogramming of (-$0.137 million) to support critical emergent Command requirements; and a decrease of (-$6.075 million) was due to the reprogramming of funds to the congressionally mandated Small Business Innovative Research/Small Business Technology (SBIR/STTR) programs. FY 2024: None. FY 2025: Net increase of $39.154 million supports accelerated development and testing of the Sonic Projection Short Range Capability, MOBY Mission Module, and Holographic Projection, enabling earlier production for the Next Generation Loud Speaker ($0.800 million); over the air assessment of High Throughput Satellite (HTS) for next-generation satellite terminals in the Satellite Deployable Node (SDN) effort ($0.750 million); development of the Next Generation Blue Force Tracking (BFT) devices ($7.065 million); and development of payload modular and resilient waveforms for Next Generation Tactical Communication (NGTC) radios ($24.714 million); a decrease due to weapons systems within fielding phases no longer requiring RDT&E support (-$0.113 million); a decrease in SPEAR due to reduction of test article, development, and testing of communication headsets, environmental protection, body armor vest, and load carriage systems (-$0.194 million); an increase to support modular development and testing required to expand the Next Generation MM-ECM man-portable configuration for mounted and fixed-site applications as a result of insight gained from the rapid-competition phase ($3.085 million); a decrease in SPEAR Body Armor due to the reduction of test article development and testing of body armor, helmet, and eye protection systems (-$0.126 million); a decrease is due to a reduction in VAS optics and lasers development efforts (-$0.364 million); an increase Mission Command System/Common Operational Picture (MCS/COP) supports development/deployment of baseline capability across SOF Enterprise on multiple networks including UNCLASSIFIED, SECRET and TOP SECRET ($8.000 million); a decrease in Munitions Advanced Development due to reduction in prototyping/testing of munitions improvements (-$0.040 million), a decrease in Maritime Precision Engagement-Munitions (MPE-M) due to the transition of funding from RDT&E, Defense-wide (DW), Program Element 1160431BB, Warrior Systems, Project Code S800 / Munitions Advanced Development to RDT&E, DW, Program Element 1160483BB, Maritime Systems, Project Code S1684 / Surface Craft to Support Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) MK2 program (-$14.477 million); and details for an increase will be provided under separate cover ($8.402 million). PDAS $0.122 million decrease due to streamlined efficiencies in power and data management system solutions.
• Service Agency Name: United States Special Operations Command

Entities

Organizations

• United States Special Operations Command

Tags

Readers

• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Directed Energy
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics