Army seeks $35M funding shift to address C-UAS capability gaps

By Jaspreet Gill / July 1, 2020 at 1:45 PM

The Army is seeking to reprogram $35 million to address critical capability gaps found in its counter-small unmanned aircraft systems effort, according to the Defense Department’s annual omnibus reprogramming request to Congress.

The Pentagon earlier this year designated the service as the lead on joint counter-drone technology efforts.

The request, obtained by Inside Defense, states the funding will be used to "comprehensively detect, track, identify and defeat" enemy lightweight, low-altitude UASs.

The increase will bring the total amount of air defense command, control and intelligence engineering and development funding for fiscal year 2020 to $68.7 million in the base budget.

"This effort includes funds for the establishment of a C-UAS common test range, consolidated UAS threat library repository and improvements to multi-service C-UAS efforts," the request states. "This is a new start. The estimated total cost of the effort is still being refined (FY 2020, $35.150 million.)"

Meanwhile, the service in its FY-21 unfunded priorities list is asking Congress for $27.9 million for the procurement of C-UAS systems to address gaps in currently fielded systems, support the development of joint solutions and establish an operational headquarters.

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