Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG)

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The <b>Gun Mount Mods</b> program, as detailed in the Navy's FY 2026 budget submission (Line Item 4217), is a comprehensive procurement and modification effort aimed at maintaining and enhancing the operational effectiveness, safety, and survivability of naval gun weapon systems across the fleet. Managed under the Weapons Procurement, Navy appropriation, the program focuses on the modification and upgrade of guns and gun mounts, ensuring these systems remain capable of meeting evolving threats and operational requirements. The primary objectives are to address obsolescence, improve reliability and maintainability, integrate new technologies such as Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) capabilities, and provide ballistic protection for crew-served weapon systems.
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Medium Caliber Gun Mods target the MK110 57mm gun mounts installed on United States Coast Guard Maritime Security Cutters and land-based training units. The specific goals for FY 2026 include procuring Ordnance Alterations (ORDALT) kits, providing Integrated Logistics Support (ILS), and funding production engineering for system improvements. These efforts are justified by the need to enhance safety, reliability, and maintainability of in-service guns, ensuring that these platforms retain their anti-surface and anti-air warfare capabilities.
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Minor Caliber Gun Mods focus on the MK38 and MK46 gun systems deployed on a wide variety of Navy ships, including destroyers, cruisers, amphibious ships, patrol craft, and training units. FY 2026 objectives include the procurement and installation of MK38 MOD 3 conversion kits to upgrade existing MOD 2 mounts with enhanced C-UAS and cybersecurity features. The program also supports the procurement and fielding of the new MK38 MOD 4 Gun Weapon System (GWS) for DDG 51 Flight IIA and III destroyers. The MOD 4 variant is integrated with the AEGIS combat system and provides improved lethality and accuracy against both unmanned aerial and surface threats. Additional efforts include technical refreshes to address obsolescence, logistics support for multiple system configurations, and the procurement and installation of MK46 GWS kits to address fleet-wide obsolescence and software issues.
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Within Minor Caliber Gun Mods, cost elements are allocated for the procurement and installation of 7.62mm Coaxial Automatic Gun Ordnance Alteration Kits (COAX ORDALT), which are critical for full C-UAS capability as identified by Joint Urgent Operational Need Statement CC-0558. The program also funds the development of updated technical manuals, provisioning support, and engineering change proposals to keep pace with emerging threats and technology changes. Procurement and installation schedules are carefully aligned with ship availability and production lead times to minimize operational disruptions.
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Major Caliber Gun Mods address the 5-inch MK45 MOD gun mounts found on CG47 and DDG51 class ships. FY 2026 goals include procuring additional major caliber kits and associated installation, ILS, and production support to address obsolescence and reliability issues in aging gun mounts. A significant new objective is the integration and fielding of Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP) capability into the MK160/MK34 systems, enhancing the fleet's ability to counter unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) and provide naval surface fire support. This effort is partially funded through supplemental appropriations in response to emergent operational requirements, such as those identified in support of CENTCOM operations and the Israel Security Supplemental.
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The Ballistic Shielding component of the program funds the procurement and installation of Advanced Ballistic Shielding (ABS) for crew-served weapon systems on aircraft carriers. The objective is to provide enhanced ballistic protection for personnel operating these weapons, with funds allocated for ship checks, installation drawings, procurement of shielding kits, and production engineering to ensure system safety and reliability.
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