Hard and Deeply Buried Target Defeat System (HDBTDS) Program

The Hard and Deeply Buried Target Defeat System (HDBTDS) program, falls under the Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) Budget Activity 3600 for the Air Force. The specific goal of this program is to develop and modify a family of advanced precision-guided penetrator munitions to enhance the Air Force's capability to attack Hard and Deeply Buried Targets (HDBT), such as bunker and tunnel facilities, using air-to-surface conventional munitions. This includes evaluating integrated technologies for the development and integration of advanced position, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities, smart fuze systems, and all penetrator components. The program aims to reduce the number of weapons required to hold HDBTs at risk and increase the number of targets engaged per mission flown. Additionally, it seeks to provide critical global strike capability not met by inventory conventional weapons and hold at risk high-value assets essential to an enemy's warfighting ability.

The Direct Strike Penetrator Systems program leverages digital acquisition tenets of open, agile, and digital. It focuses on common component development in collaboration with other weapon systems to reduce redundant costs between systems with similar subsystem requirements. The program also invests in analytical, information management, data management, digital environments, networks, facilities, and security infrastructure upgrades directly supporting the development and sustainment of its capabilities while leveraging DoD and DAF enterprise IT solutions. Furthermore, it may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in other related program elements. The program uses sole source cost type contracts for development, test, and evaluation activities.

Overall, the specific objectives of this budget line item are focused on advancing the Air Force's capabilities in targeting Hard and Deeply Buried Targets through the development and modification of advanced precision-guided penetrator munitions. This includes enhancing position, navigation, and timing capabilities as well as smart fuze systems to improve accuracy and effectiveness against hardened targets. Additionally, the program aims to streamline development processes through digital acquisition tenets while ensuring efficient use of resources through collaboration with other weapon systems.