LAUNCHED EFFECTS FAMILY

The Launched Effects Family is a key program within the Army's Missile Procurement appropriation, specifically under the Agile Portfolio Management activity. This line item supports the Army's transformation initiative by procuring and fielding a family of semi-autonomous, human-in-the-loop unmanned aerial systems (UAS) designed to enhance the lethality and operational flexibility of Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs). The overarching goal is to provide advanced capabilities that address the rapid pace of technological change and evolving battlefield threats, particularly by increasing stand-off and precision against dismounted formations, armored vehicles, and tanks.

The Long Range Precision Munition (LRPM) - Enduring is a lethal variant within the Launched Effects Family. Its objective is to deliver a precise, long-range munition system capable of targeting Integrated Air Defense Systems and providing Army Aviation and Ground Forces with improved stand-off and response capabilities in Anti-Access Area Denial (A2AD) and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) denied environments. LRPM leverages a collaborative approach, allowing heterogeneous groups of launched effects to operate across multiple domains and coordinate with manned platforms, command and control systems, and sensors. This interoperability is central to the Army's validated capability development document for Launched Effects, finalized in June 2024.

The Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) effort addresses critical capability gaps for IBCTs, specifically the lack of proportional, organic systems to deliver immediate, point, long-range, and direct fire effects against tanks, light armored vehicles, hardened targets, and personnel with minimal collateral damage. LASSO is a lightweight, man-portable unmanned aerial anti-tank system consisting of an All-Up Round (AUR) and a Fire Control System (FCS), which includes the Fire Control Unit (FCU) and ground data link/terminal. The system is designed to operate day or night, with a range and endurance sufficient for multiple target acquisitions and attacks within typical IBCT battlespace.

LASSO's unique capability allows soldiers to abort missions in dynamic situations, such as when human shields are present, or to engage targets that previously would have been non-viable due to collateral damage concerns. The base capability is optimized for rapid and precise defeat of tanks, with future increments planned to expand range, lethality, and payload options. LASSO is aligned with the Army Transformation Initiative and the Secretary of Defense's directive to field long-range missiles capable of striking moving targets by 2027.

The program utilizes Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for contracting to accelerate the fielding of critical technologies and is awarding up to four hardware contracts to modernize the industrial base and increase domestic ammunition stockpiles. For FY 2026, the Launched Effects Family line item reflects a realignment of funding from previous budget activities, notably from Long Range Precision Munition and Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance lines. The FY 2026 request includes procurement of LASSO production systems, which supports both the Lethal Unmanned System Directed Requirement (LUS DR) and the Chief of Staff of the Army's Transformation in Contact (TiC) initiative. This includes systems to complete the directed requirement and replace expended systems, as well as systems under the Base Pacific Deterrence Initiative, aimed at strengthening the Army's presence and prepositioned stocks in the Indo-Pacific region. Additional funding is included for mandatory reconciliation to procure more systems.

Production for the All-Up Rounds is scheduled with AeroVironment in Simi Valley, CA, under a firm-fixed-price contract, with deliveries beginning in October 2026. The procurement plan includes manufacturing, program management, support equipment, and fielding costs. The program is designed to support both active and reserve components for homeland defense, domestic emergency response, and military support to civil authorities, in accordance with section 1815 of the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act.