Night Vision Systems Advanced Development

Mission — Night Vision Systems Advanced Development source

A portion of this funding line is directly aligned to the Army Soldier Lethality Modernization Priority in support of situational awareness for the Close Combat Soldier. This Program Element focuses on efforts to evaluate and integrate technologies and representative prototype systems that facilitate the development of Soldier-borne sensor devices transitioning from the laboratory to operational use. Efforts focus on proving out commonality across as broad a spectrum of users as possible to provide enhanced Soldier products, giving them superiority on the battlefield. Project BQ5 (Visual Augmentation System-Advanced Development) This project evaluates and integrates technologies and representative prototype systems transitioning from the Science and Technology (S&T) stage. It develops the next generation augmented vision and situational awareness system providing Soldiers and Squads a single platform for increased lethality, mobility, and situational awareness to achieve overmatch against our current and future adversaries. Funded efforts accelerate the development of components, Heads Up Display (HUD) improvements, terrain shared coordinate data and processing, algorithms including machine learning/artificial intelligence, human machine integration, and demonstrations in support of the next generation augmented vision and situational awareness system. Efforts will provide rapid decision making and passive targeting capabilities with the integration of external video and data sources such as weapon sights, air and ground platforms, unmanned air and ground assets, and other data sources enabled by edge computing devices and advanced network services. This project will provide data driven analytics to optimize unit performance and enhance lethality and to enable training in a mixed reality environment. This project includes costs for efforts associated with edge computing platforms, movement of information and high-level processing, integration, and interface of products with the Soldiers' head, body, weapon, and platforms. Funding in this project aligns with the Army's Continuous Transformation priorities and the National Defense Strategy. This project supports the Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team. Project VT7 (Soldier Maneuver Sensors-Advanced Development) project enables development of emerging capabilities for the maneuver force, that are envisioned by the Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team, the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE), the Maneuver Capabilities Development Integration Directorate (MCDID), the Science and Technology (S&T) community, industry partners or the acquisition workforce that may provide the Soldier or Squad increased capability to "fight, win and survive, day and night, in a multi- domain environment now and tomorrow". This project also allows pursuit of technology breakthroughs that challenge current technical solutions and have the potential for providing increased Soldier performance. This effort focuses on capabilities that enable modernization of Soldier sensor and laser devices, including digital features and enhanced solutions including maneuver capabilities to detect, recognize and identify targets, and to provide target acquisition and handoff but not limited to capabilities to mitigate threats. The integration of higher performing multi-spectral sensors with smart processing will provide adjusted weapon sight reticles and leverage network connectivity for improved situational awareness/understanding. Additional project capabilities include advanced optical components and assemblies and techniques for signature management, resiliency across the electromagnetic spectrum, and integration of a modular design structure for target acquisition applications including support for wireless data transfer, passive range determination, technologies for working in a global positioning system (GPS) contested environment, advanced GPS replacement technologies and mitigation of manned and unmanned threat sensor systems. This project supports efforts to evaluate and integrate technologies and representative prototype systems including Micro Electronics Modules (MEMS) technology with improved size, weight and power for development of modernized Soldier sensor capabilities transitioning from the S&T stage to operational use. This project includes costs for efforts associated with development, certification, verification and validation of interface products into the Adaptive Squad Architecture (ASA). This project also includes development of tools and emulators of ASA components. Funding in this project aligns with Army's priorities in support of the National Defense Strategy. Project VT8 (Soldier Precision Targeting Devices - Advanced Development) enables development of emerging technologies that are envisioned by the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE), the Fires Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate (FCDID), the Science and Technology (S&T) community, industry partners and the acquisition workforce that provide the Fire Support Soldier increased capability and reduced weight to improve operational effectiveness. This project focuses on developing component technologies and representative prototype systems for Soldier portable precision targeting devices to continue improvements to system performance while reducing size, weight, and power required by those systems. The effort will consider emerging Micro-Electronic Modules (MEMs) technologies for improved efficiency and performance. Efforts will improve the Soldier's ability to precisely locate and laser designate targets across a broader range of operating environments, including all weather conditions and in GPS-contested environments using active and passive methods and technologies. Component technology development will precede integration into specific systems and will include improved Precision Azimuth and Vertical Angle Measurement (PAVAM) devices; solid-state, improved lasers for range finding/designation/marking; novel passive target acquisition methods; electro-optical sensors such as infrared, near-infrared, ultra-violet, and visible spectrum imagers; sensor and data fusion; laser designator spot detection and imaging; integration of advanced power management technologies, and Global Positioning System (GPS) M-Code receivers. The effort will also develop, mature and integrate next generation sensors to enable Human Machine Integration improving situational awareness and combat overmatch in complex environments. Funding in this project aligns with Army's priorities in support of the National Defense Strategy. The FY 2026 request was reduced by $0.063 million for Advisory and Assistance Services to promote efficiencies and advance the policies of the Administration in alignment with Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative." The FY 2026 cost of the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) Middle Tier of Acquisition effort is $85.5 million, including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The Department will certify FYDP funding in a future budget submission.

Mission — Visual Augmentation System Advanced Development source

This project evaluates and integrates technologies and representative prototype systems transitioning from the Science and Technology (S&T) stage. It develops the next generation augmented vision and situational awareness system providing Soldiers and Squads a single platform for increased lethality, mobility, and situational awareness to achieve overmatch against our current and future adversaries. Funded efforts accelerate the development of components, Heads Up Display (HUD) improvements, terrain shared coordinate data and processing, algorithms including machine learning/artificial intelligence, human machine integration, and demonstrations in support of the next generation augmented vision and situational awareness system. Efforts will provide rapid decision making and passive targeting capabilities with the integration of external video and data sources such as weapon sights, air and ground platforms, unmanned air and ground assets, and other data sources enabled by edge computing devices and advanced network services. This project will provide data driven analytics to optimize unit performance and enhance lethality and to enable Synthetic Training Environment (STE) squad capability to perform live mixed reality training and rehearsing. This project includes costs for efforts associated with edge computing platforms, movement of information and high-level processing, integration, and interface of products with the Soldiers' head, body, weapon, and platforms. Funding in this project aligns with the Army's priorities in support of the National Defense Strategy. This project supports the Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team. The FY 2026 cost of the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) Middle Tier of Acquisition effort is $85.5 million, including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The Department will certify FYDP funding in a future budget submission.

Mission — Soldier Maneuver Sensors - Adv Dev source

This project enables development of emerging capabilities for the maneuver force, that are envisioned by the Soldier Lethality Cross Functional Team, the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE), the Maneuver Capabilities Development Integration Directorate (MCDID), the Science and Technology (S&T) community, industry partners or the acquisition workforce that may provide the Soldier or Squad increased capability to "fight, win and survive, day and night, in a multi- domain environment now and tomorrow". This project also allows pursuit of technology breakthroughs that challenge current technical solutions and have the potential for providing increased Soldier performance. This effort focuses on capabilities that enable modernization of Soldier sensor and laser devices, including digital features and enhanced solutions including maneuver capabilities to detect, recognize and identify targets, and to provide target acquisition and handoff but not limited to capabilities to mitigate threats. The integration of higher performing multi-spectral sensors with smart processing will provide adjusted weapon sight reticles and leverage network connectivity for improved situational awareness/understanding. Additional project capabilities include advanced optical components and assemblies and techniques for signature management, resiliency across the electromagnetic spectrum, and integration of a modular design structure for target acquisition applications including support for wireless data transfer, passive range determination, technologies for working in a global positioning system (GPS) contested environment, advanced GPS replacement technologies and mitigation of manned and unmanned threat sensor systems. This project supports efforts to evaluate and integrate technologies and representative prototype systems including Micro Electronics Modules (MEMS) technology with improved size, weight and power for development of modernized Soldier sensor capabilities transitioning from the S&T stage to operational use. This project includes costs for efforts associated with development, certification, verification and validation of interface products into the Adaptive Squad Architecture (ASA). This project also includes development of tools and emulators of ASA components. Funding in this project aligns with Army's priorities in support of the National Defense Strategy.

Mission — SOLDIER PRECISION TARGETING DEVICES - ADV DEV source

This project enables development of emerging technologies that are envisioned by the Fires Center of Excellence (FCoE), the Fires Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate (FCDID), the Science and Technology (S&T) community, industry partners and the acquisition workforce that provide the Fire Support Soldier increased capability and reduced weight to improve operational effectiveness. This project focuses on developing component technologies and representative prototype systems for Soldier portable precision targeting devices to continue improvements to system performance while reducing size, weight, and power required by those systems. The effort will consider emerging Micro-Electronic Modules (MEMs) technologies for improved efficiency and performance. Efforts will improve the Soldier's ability to precisely locate and laser designate targets across a broader range of operating environments, including all weather conditions and in Global Positioning System (GPS)-contested environments using active and passive methods and technologies. Component technology development will precede integration into specific systems and will include improved Precision Azimuth and Vertical Angle Measurement (PAVAM) devices; solid-state, improved lasers for range finding/designation/marking; novel passive target acquisition methods; electro-optical sensors such as infrared, near-infrared, ultra-violet, and visible spectrum imagers; sensor and data fusion; laser designator spot detection and imaging; integration of advanced power management technologies, and GPS military-code (M-Code) receivers. The effort will also develop, mature and integrate next generation sensors to enable Human Machine Integration (HMI) improving situational awareness and combat overmatch in complex environments. Funding in this project aligns with Army's priorities in support of the National Defense Strategy.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (3)