# Light Enforcement Platform

**Agency:** Homeland Security  
**Account:** Procurement, Construction, and Improvements  
**Source document:** Customs and Border Protection · p. 8  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/budget/homeland-security/light-enforcement-platform  

> **Trust:** parsed from the agency Congressional Justification. Approximate, **not summable**, verify at the cited page.

## Funding ($M)

| Fiscal year | Basis | Amount |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FY2025 | enacted | 18.2 |
| FY2026 | CR annualized | 18.2 |
| FY2027 | request | 38.7 |

The prior-year column is a CR annualized figure, not an enacted appropriation.


## Homeland Security discretionary budget authority (OMB PBDB — authoritative)

FY2027 $91.40B, FY2026 $88.60B. This is the agency total, not a sum of the parsed lines.


## What this funds

The Light Enforcement Platform (LEP) rotary-wing (RW) and fixed-wing (FW) fleet is a versatile fleet used for a variety of missions ranging from tactical response and investigative surveillance to disaster relief and support to special security events. Replacing aging, non-standardized legacy RW helicopters and FW aircraft with modern configurations enhances operational safety, reduce maintenance costs, and support enforcement outcomes such as sustained or increased apprehensions, arrests, drug seizures, weapon seizures, and rescues. The FY 2027 Budget includes $38.7M to fund three LEP aircraft replacements: two RW missionized Airbus H125 helicopters and associated supporting equipment, and one FW missionized single engine aircraft. This investment directly supports the Administration's January 2025 Executive Order 14165 - Securing Our Borders by advancing CBP's operational control of the U.S. borders. CBP operates 90 light RW helicopters (of which 52 require replacement) and 26 light FW aircraft (of which, 23 require replacement). The FY 2025 Full-Year CR and the FY 2026 Annualized CR both funded two aircraft replacements (for a total of four) and the Working Families Tax Cut Act (Pub. Law 119-21) funded an additional ten replacements, leaving 40 RW and 23 FW in need of replacement. The oldest helicopters operate only 40-54 percent of the time; however, the new H125 model raises readiness to approximately 74 percent, significantly improving mission effectiveness. Replacing aging, non-standardized aircraft with modern models modernization sustains enforcement outcomes, maintains operational readiness, improves operator safety, and enhances operational effectiveness. ' Deliver LEP RW #1 and complete operational test and evaluation.


**Where it sits:** Civilian / Non-Defense › Homeland Security › Customs and Border Protection › Procurement, Construction, and Improvements › Integrated Operations Assets and Infrastructure


*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. government. Civilian line dollars are parsed from agency Congressional Justifications and are approximate.*