# ALCM Upgrades — Program Element 0101122F

**Program element:** 0101122F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101122F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force requests $0.6M in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. Boeing leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 0.6 |
| FY2027 | Request | 0.6 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 0.6 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 0.6 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 0.6 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 0.6 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 0.6 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 0.6 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 0.6 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 0.6 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 674797 | ALCM Upgrades | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | +3% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 674797 — ALCM Upgrades

The AGM-86B, Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), is a subsonic, air-to-surface strategic nuclear missile, operational since 1982. Armed with a W-80 warhead, it is designed to evade air and ground-based defenses in order to strike targets at any location within any enemy's territory. The ALCM is designed for B-52H internal and external carriage. RDT&E funds support development of new test and evaluation procedures, software, and equipment. RDT&E funds also provide sustainment solutions for Line Replaceable Units (LRU) and technology insertion to ensure ALCM sustainability supports Air Force strategic nuclear deterrence and Global Strike mission requirements until the capability is replaced by the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) cruise missile. Additionally, RDT&E funds support aging and surveillance analysis to pro-actively identify components which will degrade system reliability. The ALCM Test Plan Development and Evaluation program develops plans and procedures for testing nuclear systems, and implements those procedures as directed by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and to satisfy the recurring requirements to test Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) susceptibility. An extensive Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) is in place to address age related issues and to ensure reliability and sustainability until replaced by the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) cruise missile. Technology insertion is anticipated to address serviceability of components at or near end of life. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Boeing (0.6, 100%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALCM Test Plan Development and Evaluation | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 100% | 0.6 |

**Top named industry performers:** Boeing ($0.6M, 100%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The AGM-86B, Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), is a subsonic, air-to-surface strategic nuclear missile, operational since 1982. Armed with a W-80 warhead, it is designed to evade air and ground-based defenses in order to strike targets at any location within any enemy's territory. The ALCM is designed for B-52H internal and external carriage. RDT&E funds support development of new test and evaluation procedures, software, and equipment.

Previously, the Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) was assessed in the nuclear environment for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Survivability for High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) and Total Ionizing Dose at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). Follow-on test development will assess the neutron and gamma component in the nuclear environment for CBRN survivability. Test development and execution will utilize organic and contractor agencies. Existing contracts are either Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) or Requirements contracts. Continuous and on-going efforts to identify reliability issues are addressed through low-cost modifications and Service Life Extension Programs (SLEPs).

## Related program elements

- [0607101A — Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Product Improvement](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0607101A) (Army)
- [0207325F — JASSM Extended Range (JASSM-ER)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207325F) (Air Force)
- [0603542N — Radiological Control](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603542N) (Navy)
- [0203752A — Aircraft Engine Component Improvement Program](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0203752A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0101122F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0101122F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*