- The Army is forecasting big investments in essential emerging technologies in its FY 2027 budget request
- The service wants to significantly boost spending in Next-Gen C2, C-sUAS, and electronic warfare and signals intelligence capabilities
- Get actionable business intelligence directly from Marc Andersen, Army assistant secretary for financial management and comptroller, during his illuminating keynote at the 2026 Army Summit on June 18!
The Army is planning big investments in critical emerging technologies in FY 2027 as part of what the service calls its most significant transformation in 40 years. If approved by Congress, the Army’s $253 billion request would be a 23 percent increase from the $205 billion enacted in FY 2026.
This would enable the service to grow investment in essential capabilities including Next-Generation Command and Control, or NGC2, and counter-small unmanned aircraft systems, aka C-sUAS. It would also begin funding a foundational radar for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, aka THAAD, missile defense system and significantly increase spending on the mobile Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, or M-SHORAD, capability.
Lastly, the Army wants to accelerate development and fielding of nascent electronic warfare and signals intelligence capabilities. Dive into these spending priorities and more with top-ranking Army officials at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Army Summit on June 18!
Hear directly from Lt. Gen. Jeth Rey, Army deputy chief of staff, DCS, G-6; and Katie Thompson, deputy executive director for Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground, during their illuminating keynote addresses. Tailor your bids with exclusive insights not available anywhere else from the Reconfigurable Air Defense and Cost-Effective Fires panel discussion. Secure your seat today for this highly anticipated GovCon conference!
Table of Contents
What Are Key Technology Investments in the Army’s FY 2027 Budget Request?
1. Big Boost for Next-Generation Command and Control
The Army seeks a whopping $3.8 billion across procurement and research, development, test and evaluation, or RDT&E, for Next-Generation Command and Control, aka NGC2. This would be a 28 percent increase from the $3 billion provided in FY 2026, according to Breaking Defense.
The R&D portion of this $3.8 billion would be put toward regular integration and delivery, deployment and systems engineering of the C2 applications, data, infrastructure and transport layers. The procurement funds would be applied to delivery, integration and fielding of capabilities and critical infrastructure.
The $3.8 billion covers what the service is currently calling C2 Now, which has a goal of replacing the legacy Warfighter Information Network-Tactical, or WIN-T, equipment still in use. The budget request would allow the Army to field two divisions with NCG2 full-stack technology in FY 2027.
2. More Funds for Counter-Small UAS
The Army is betting big that counter-small UAS, aka C-sUAS, will be key to success in future combat. The service requested $994 million for procurement of C-sUAS in FY 2027, which would be a 195 percent boost from the $336 million enacted in FY 2026.
The potential ramp-up would continue in FY 2028 when Army anticipates requesting $1.4 billion for the effort.
The C-sUAS system-of-systems provides a modular infrastructure of expeditionary and mobile platforms, sensors, effectors and electronic warfare technologies, among others. Funds support the procurement, training and equipping of fixed, semi-fixed, mounted and handheld counter-UAS capabilities for U.S. forces and critically important Pentagon facilities worldwide.
3. AN/TPY-2 Sensor New Start
The Army, for the first time in FY 2027, plans to fund development of Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control-2, or AN/TPY-2, radar surveillance sensors. The service requested $132 million for AN/TPY-2 in FY 2027.
This represents the transfer of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, aka THAAD, missile defense system and AN-TPY2 terminal mode radars from the Missile Defense Agency to the Army. The AN-TPY2 system detects, tracks and discriminates ballistic missiles. By operating in the X-band of the electromagnetic spectrum, it identifies targets more clearly and can distinguish between actual threats and non-threats, such as launch debris.
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- Brig. Gen. Shane Taylor, Army program executive officer for command, control, communications and networks, or PEO C3N
- Col. Alan Stephens, Army program manager for integrated enterprise network
- Dr. Tucker Swindell, Army chief for terrestrial communications division at Combat Capabilities Development Command, aka DEVCOM, C5ISR Center
- Josh Weaver, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering director for spectrum initiatives and analysis (pending confirmation)
4. Big Investment in M-SHORAD
The Army wants to increase its effectiveness in mobile air defense. The service requested $461 million in FY 2027 for Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, or M-SHORAD. This would be an almost two-fold increase from the $236 million provided in FY 2026.
M-SHORAD integrates existing guns, missiles, rockets and sensors onto Striker A1 vehicles. It is designed to protect maneuvering forces from UAS, and rotary- and-fixed wing aircraft threats. As part of M-SHORAD, the Army, in FY 2027, wants to integrate a 50 kW high-energy laser capability onto a Stryker combat vehicle to inform future directed energy air defense efforts.
The Army also wants to spend more money on a next-generation short range interceptor to replace the existing Stinger missile in M-SHORAD. The $215 million budgeted for this effort in FY 2027 would be a 44 percent increase from the $149 million enacted in FY 2026. This new interceptor would improve targeting capabilities with increased lethality and range and provide better protection to maneuver formations at a reduced cost.
5. Accelerated Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence Capabilities
The Army wants to speed up development and boost production of electronic warfare and signals intelligence capabilities in FY 2027, Breaking Defense also reported. The service specifically is requesting $76 million in procurement and $48 million in RDT&E for the Terrestrial Layer System, or TLS, Manpack capability in FY 2027.
TLS Manpack is a dismounted electronic attack capability that operators can use for mobile direction finding and limited jamming. The budget request will allow the service to field as many as 24 units and an additional 159 TLS Manpack systems.
The Army also requested $34 million in FY 2027 to procure as many as 60 Spectrum Situational Awareness Systems. These enable sensing and visualisation of units in the electromagnetic spectrum. They also allow commanders to sense and report their command post signatures in real-time.
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