Lethality Advanced Technology

The Lethality Advanced Technology program (PE 0603116A) is a U.S. Army Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) initiative focused on maturing technologies and methodologies required to enable next-generation lethality for Army weapon systems. The objective is to develop and validate lethal mechanism technologies for projectiles and warheads that can defeat advanced vehicle and body armors, optimize energetic materials for controllable energy release, and experiment with scalable effects for mixed target defeat while decreasing warhead mass. This program supports the Army Modernization Strategy and aligns with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering's priority focus areas. Research is conducted by agencies including the University Technologies Development Division (UTDD), GeoTechnical Instructors Laboratory, Armaments Center, Space and Missile Defense Technical Center, and the C5ISR Center.

BO7: Weapons & Munitions Advanced Lethality Technology (CA) receives congressional interest funding for initiatives such as hypersonic test range infrastructure, robotic electric submersible vehicles, and autonomous long-range resupply. The hypersonic test range infrastructure aims to provide facilities for testing and validating hypersonic weapon systems, which are critical for maintaining technological superiority. The robotic submersible vehicles support research into unmanned systems for underwater operations, while the autonomous resupply initiative focuses on developing systems for long-range, unmanned logistical support. These projects are intended to accelerate the deployment of advanced weapons and support Army modernization priorities.

CG2: Lethality Enabling University Advanced Development leverages academic research to mature technologies in areas such as directed energy, laser diagnostics, hypersonic vehicle design, deep learning, and novel materials for extreme environments. The program includes efforts to validate laser diagnostics for hypersonic flows, improve turbulence and transition modeling for hypersonic vehicles, and develop materials capable of withstanding high strain rates and thermal gradients. It also explores intelligent hypersonics using deep learning neural networks to enhance adaptability and lethality. These university-led projects are managed by the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and are designed to deliver both near-term and mid-to-long-term technological advancements.

CH5: Terminal Effects Against Critical Targets Advanced Technology focuses on developing and demonstrating engineering tools and high-fidelity modeling and simulation capabilities to predict and optimize weapon performance against structures and critical assets. The program aims to provide validated engineering tools, such as the BlastX tool for advanced blast propagation modeling, and semi-automated battle damage assessment capabilities. In FY 2026, new efforts will validate prediction and analysis codes for penetration of high-velocity weapon systems and mature warhead models for enhanced penetration predictions. This work is performed by the Army Engineer Research and Development Center Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory.

CID: Sensor to Shooter (STS) Advanced Technology is dedicated to maturing advanced network lethality architectures that enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) decision aid algorithms for coordinated and synchronized responses. The goal is to reduce the sensor-to-shooter timeline for large-scale combat operations by automating synchronized effects and optimizing threat engagement. The project also extends real-time multi-intelligence support to terminal guidance targeting, allowing munitions to update targeting information in-flight. This supports integration with systems such as AFATDS, JTIC2S, and TITAN, ensuring seamless data exchange and improved targeting accuracy.

DB2: Future Armaments Scalable Technologies addresses the maturation of critical armament component technologies, including energetics and warheads, fuzing and sensing, guidance navigation and control, and advanced materials. FY 2026 plans include demonstrating a full thermal reserve battery for extended-range munitions and validating electronic safe and arm devices. The program will initiate efforts to optimize warhead design with advanced energetic materials and aims to develop a common armament guidance and fuzing architecture to promote scalability and reduce logistical burdens. Additional objectives include improving thermal battery runtime for long-range precision fires.

LR1: Long Range Sensing Advanced Technology supports the development of modeling and simulation tools, physics-based models, and radar sensor technologies to enhance adaptive multi-function resource management, tracking, and discrimination algorithms for Long Range Precision Fires. FY 2026 efforts will demonstrate advanced radar counterfire modes with improved range performance and optimize resource management algorithms. This work is performed by the C5ISR Center and is intended to expand the utility of current and future sensor technologies, supporting Army priorities in counterfire and precision targeting.