USMC Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD)

The MC Advanced Technology Demo (PE 0603640M) is a Navy Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) program element focused on maturing and demonstrating advanced technologies critical to future Marine Corps and naval expeditionary operations. Managed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in coordination with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) and Futures Directorate, this program aims to address capability gaps in Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), Littoral Operations in Contested Environments (LOCE), and related joint warfighting concepts. The overarching goal is to develop, prototype, and experiment with technologies that enable agile, lethal, and resilient forces capable of operating in austere, contested environments with minimal infrastructure.

2223: Marine Corps Advanced Technology Development (ATD) funds a broad portfolio of technology demonstration and prototyping activities. Its objectives include advancing Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4) for resilient, secure communications in denied environments and developing precision firepower technologies such as extended-range and hypersonic munitions. The program also focuses on enhancing force protection through lightweight armor, counter-UAS systems, and mine countermeasures, as well as improving human performance and training with adaptive, mixed-reality, and physiological monitoring tools. Additional areas include Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) for automated data fusion and situational awareness, logistics innovations for energy efficiency and sustainment, and maneuver technologies such as unmanned amphibious platforms and advanced drivetrains. These efforts are designed to mature technologies to Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 6 through component and system-level prototyping and experimentation.

2297: Futures Directorate supports the MCWL's mission to generate and test threat-informed concepts and capabilities through operational experimentation, wargaming, and modeling and simulation. This line item is organized around Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) capability areas and emphasizes development and demonstration of advanced technology concepts, including unmanned logistics, counter-UAS, explosive detection/defeat, medical support, littoral connectors, and robotic modernization. The program also funds large-scale experimentation with low-cost munitions, precision fires, and integrated C4ISR systems. The budget includes significant investment in One-Way Attack (OWA) munitions development and experimentation, reflecting a focus on affordable, scalable strike capabilities for distributed forces.

2958: Cyberspace Activities is dedicated to developing and integrating cyber and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to ensure freedom of maneuver in the cyber domain while denying adversaries the same. Research areas include distributed precision timing, software-defined radio architectures, cyber-EW integration, electromagnetic spectrum analysis, and the development of defensive cyber kits for vehicles and platforms. The objective is to provide expeditionary forces with resilient, secure, and adaptive cyber capabilities that can be deployed in size, weight, and power-constrained environments. These capabilities support both offensive and defensive operations in contested electromagnetic environments.

9999: Congressional Adds encompasses a range of congressionally-directed projects that supplement core program activities. Notable projects include continued development of low-cost tactical hypersonic long-range fires, multi-function arrays for counter-UAS, low-cost attritable aircraft technology, composite shelters, and extended-range loitering munitions. Other initiatives address AI/ML for automated EW sensors, ground-based electronic support measures, hybrid-electric engine development, and multi-spectral camouflage. These efforts are intended to accelerate innovation, address emerging threats, and support rapid prototyping and field experimentation in alignment with congressional priorities.

Across all line items, the MC Advanced Technology Demo program is structured to balance push (technology-driven) and pull (operational need-driven) innovation, ensuring that emerging technologies are relevant, mature, and suitable for transition to acquisition programs. The program leverages partnerships with other services, defense agencies, industry, and academia, and emphasizes rapid experimentation, user feedback, and iterative development. The objective is to equip the Marine Corps with advanced, adaptable capabilities that maintain a technological edge over peer and near-peer adversaries in future operating environments.