Lethality Technology

The Lethality Technology program (PE 0602141A) within the Army's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget is focused on advancing applied research to enable next-generation lethality for Army weapon systems. The objective is to develop technologies, methodologies, and models that provide capabilities to defeat advanced adversary armor, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of munitions, and support the Army Modernization Strategy. This program supports research efforts in novel energetic materials, advanced warhead designs, scalable effects, improved materials and processes, and enabling technologies for distributed and collaborative lethality.

Disruptive Energetics and Propulsion Technologies (AH6) investigates and validates novel energetic materials and propulsion concepts to maximize energy density and power delivered on target. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) leads efforts to optimize propellant grains for increased range, develop advanced models for energetic materials, and explore synthetic biology for new material synthesis. Plans include scaling up novel energetic formulations, refining mesoscale models, and employing machine learning for rapid prediction of performance and survivability.

Lethal and Scalable Effects Technologies (AH7) focuses on designing and assessing technologies for warheads that can efficiently defeat mixed target sets while minimizing collateral damage, particularly in urban environments. The project investigates multipurpose warhead technologies, collaborative engagement techniques, and compact, efficient warhead designs using advanced materials and energetics. Funding and efforts are being realigned to the new Science of Massed Responsive Fires (DN6) project, which will further pursue distributed, dense, multifunctional munitions architectures.

Lethality Materials and Processes Technology (AH8) supports research into innovative materials to achieve improvements in lethality, weight, volume efficiency, and sustainability. The project has accelerated the transition of novel topology toolsets for gun charges and is maturing printed propellant technologies and advanced alloys to reduce gun barrel wear and erosion. This project was completed earlier than planned due to rapid progress.

Advanced Warheads Technology (AH9) explores new pathways to enhance the effectiveness of future warheads against emerging threats, including the use of advanced materials, novel pyrotechnics, and next-generation energetics. The Armaments Center leads research into advanced modeling, modular payload concepts, and survivability in extreme environments. Efforts include maturing explosive fills, distributed energetic initiation, and validating performance of new warhead components.

Lethality Technology (CA) (BS6) is a Congressional Interest Item that funds advanced materials and manufacturing initiatives, such as convergent manufacturing for microfactories, quantum technologies, carbon composites for hypersonics, advanced semiconductor devices, and AI-based autonomous rescue missions. These projects are intended to accelerate modernization and support the development of next-generation armament systems.

Other projects include Solid-state Laser Concepts and Architectures (CF7) for directed energy weapon development, Terminal Effects Against Critical Targets Tech (CF8) for high-fidelity modeling of weapon effects on structures, Advanced Radar Concepts and Technologies (CG4) for novel radar and electronic warfare components, and Foundational Hypersonic Weapons Research (CZ9) for materials and control technologies for hypersonic systems. The new Science of Massed Responsive Fires (DN6) project will integrate research across energetics, materials, guidance, and autonomous delivery to enable rapid, adaptable, and collaborative munitions for complex threat environments.