Navy Space and Electronic Warfare (SEW) Support

The Navy Space & Electronic Warfare Support (PE 0605866N) program is a Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) initiative under the Department of the Navy. It focuses on advancing the Navy's capabilities in electromagnetic spectrum operations and survivability. The program's primary objectives are to develop and sustain tools, processes, and technologies that enable the Navy to operate effectively in increasingly complex and contested electromagnetic environments. The FY 2026 budget request supports two main projects within this program element: Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) & Radio Frequency (RF) Management (Project 0706) and Real-Time Spectrum Operations (RTSO, Project 3239).

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) & RF Management (Project 0706) is dedicated to identifying and mitigating sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI) that can impact Navy systems and platforms. The project's goals include developing EMC criteria for Navy systems, enhancing frequency management processes, and providing automated spectrum management compatibility criteria to support operational planning for communications, radar, and weapons systems. This work ensures that Navy, Allied, and Joint operations can be conducted with minimal EMI risk, even in congested or contested environments.

Within Project 0706, the Shipboard Electromagnetic Compatibility Improvement Program (SEMCIP) focuses on engineering and evaluating solutions to emerging shipboard EMI problems. The program develops new EMI mitigation techniques, implements advanced testing methods such as the Unmanned Bit Error Rate Test (UBERT), and improves autonomous EMI detection for radar and communications systems. These efforts are intended to maintain mission performance by reducing the operational impact of EMI on critical shipboard systems.

Another key component of Project 0706 is the Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Survivability Program, which assesses and enhances the EMP resilience of mission-critical Navy systems, ships, submarines, and shore facilities. The program develops improved modeling and testing methodologies to validate EMP hardness, investigates new measurement techniques, and integrates historical data into modern computational models. These activities aim to reduce validation costs and ensure Navy platforms can survive and operate after exposure to EMP events.

Real-Time Spectrum Operations (RTSO, Project 3239) is a software-centric effort to automate the analysis and management of the electromagnetic environment for Navy and Marine Corps operations. RTSO develops and refines numerical models, databases, and algorithms to support spectrum planning, sensing, and monitoring. The program enables real-time characterization and prediction of electromagnetic environmental effects (E3), helping to avoid and mitigate EMI and vulnerabilities across Navy platforms. RTSO also supports the validation of spectrum plans and Emissions Control (EMCON) compliance, providing a common operational picture for spectrum management.

In FY 2026, RTSO will continue to enhance its software architecture and expand cloud-based capabilities. The program will integrate live data ingest and detection features, develop new decision aids for spectrum mission planning, and improve models for estimating radio frequency performance in complex environments. RTSO will also work on integrating its outputs with other Navy software applications and engage with fleet users to ensure the software meets operational needs. These efforts are intended to provide the Navy with advanced tools for battlespace awareness and command and control of the electromagnetic spectrum.