ELECTRONIC WARFARE AGILE

The Electronic Warfare (EW) Agile program is a Department of Defense (DoD) Capability Based (Agile) Funding Pilot initiative managed by the Army under the Other Procurement, Army appropriation. The primary objective of this program is to provide enhanced tactical and strategic Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) and Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities to Army warfighters. By leveraging agile portfolio management, the program aims to accelerate the deployment of innovative technologies, ensuring that Army units can detect, identify, locate, collect, process, report, and engage hostile forces using the electromagnetic spectrum. This approach is intended to counter the rapid pace and proliferation of technological advancements by adversaries and to maintain the Army's tactical advantage in large-scale combat operations.

The largest component of the EW Agile line item is focused on procuring, delivering, and training Army units on portable EW/SIGINT platforms designed for brigade combat teams. These systems enable warfighters to disrupt, degrade, or deny enemy use of communications and non-communications networks, counter-mortar/counter-battery radars, surveillance radars, and electronically fused munitions. The procurement includes initial sparing and fielding support, with multiple units scheduled for delivery. The contract for production is awarded to Mastodon Design in Rochester, NY, and the effort is a realignment from previous budget activities to support agile management.

Another component of the EW Agile portfolio continues support for the Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) Operational Needs Statement (ONS). This line item focuses on providing EW and SIGINT capabilities to Army units operating at echelons above brigade, addressing unique operational requirements at higher command levels. The funding supports hardware and recurring costs necessary to meet MDTF needs, ensuring that these units have the tools required to operate effectively in contested electromagnetic environments. Like other efforts in the portfolio, this is a realignment from previous budget activities and is not a new program start.

Additional funding is allocated for productization, procurement, installation, and training related to capability improvements for legacy SIGINT/EW platforms. The objective is to upgrade these systems to address evolving threat signals and maintain relevance against modern signals of interest. This includes technical insertions to enhance open architecture, improve component capabilities, and ensure effective operations in a contested spectrum environment. The upgrades are necessary to counter advanced signal types and maintain operational effectiveness as adversary technologies evolve.

The EW Agile portfolio is justified by the need to rapidly adapt to the changing electromagnetic spectrum threat landscape. The program supports the Army's modernization priorities by ensuring that both new and legacy EW/SIGINT systems remain capable of countering emerging threats. The agile funding approach allows for quicker realignment of resources and faster fielding of critical capabilities, reducing the time from development to operational deployment. This is particularly important given the increasing sophistication and frequency of electronic threats faced by U.S. forces.

A key objective of the EW Agile program is to integrate procurement, training, and sustainment activities to maximize operational readiness. The funding covers not only the acquisition of new systems but also the associated logistics, fielding, depot support, and contractor management necessary to ensure effective use and maintenance of these systems in the field. By investing in both new production and upgrades to existing platforms, the Army aims to provide a comprehensive and flexible EW/SIGINT capability across multiple echelons and operational contexts.