# IFF/ATC Test and Certification — Program Element 0207420F

**Program element:** 0207420F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207420F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force requests $1.7M 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.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 1.8 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 1.7 |
| FY2027 | Request | 1.7 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 1.7 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 1.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 1.8 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 1.9 |

> 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 | 1.7 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 1.7 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 1.7 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 1.7 | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 642742 | IFF/ATC Test and Certification | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | +0% |

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

### Project 642742 — IFF/ATC Test and Certification

Cooperative Combat Identification employs technologies required to rapidly identify friendly platforms. The program develops, integrates and evaluates technologies that provide Air Force platforms with a means of positively identifying an air or surface (maritime) platform as a friendly, via active (or passive reception) cooperative identification capabilities. The development funded by this project ensures availability of a Mode 5 upgrade path for implementing ground and air platforms across the Air Force fleet. As Executive Agent the Department of War International AIMSPO has system level interoperability testing and certification responsibilities for the current Mark XIIB system, development and integration of new Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system capabilities, and development/integration of civil Mode S capabilities into Mark XIIB Identification Friend or Foe equipment. The AIMSPO ensures Identification Friend or Foe equipment/platform functionality in accordance with established standards and ensures total system interoperability to meet Department of War/Service mission areas (e.g. Offensive Counter Air, Defensive Counter Air, and Integrated Air and Missile Defense). The goals will be to test and certify the Mark XIIB system, develop and integrate the new Mark XIIB Identification Friend or Foe system capability (Mode 5 Level 2 Broadcast) and also continue the development/integration of civil Mode S capabilities into Mark XIIB Identification Friend or Foe equipment using newly fielded M-code GPS receivers. The Office of the Secretary of War and Federal Aviation Administration guidelines required Mode 5 be fully implemented by FY 2020 but many platforms continue to integrate this capability. The Department of War (DoW) AIMS Program will ensure those certifications are current on all applicable platforms/systems and work with both domestic and foreign military sales partners to ensure compliance. The funds also support representation to several military (United States and NATO) and civil (Federal Aviation Administration, International Civil Aviation Organization and Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics) requirements meetings for Mode 5, Mode S and ADS-B. These important meetings allow the Department of War to remain interoperable with our foreign military partners as well as the United States and international civil aviation community.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Control and Radar Beacon Systems Identification Friend or Foe Mark XII System (AIMS) Program Office | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 |

> 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Government labs & warfare centers | 97% | 1.6 |
| Other / unspecified | 3.0% | 0.1 |

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

Cooperative Combat Identification employs technologies required to rapidly identify friendly platforms. The program develops, integrates and evaluates technologies that provide Air Force platforms with a means of positively identifying an air or surface (maritime) platform as a friendly, via active (or passive reception) cooperative identification capabilities. The development funded by this project ensures availability of a Mode 5 upgrade path for implementing ground and air platforms across the Air Force fleet.

Combat Identification develops technologies for implementation by the United States Air Force and the other services. Award multiple, competitive contract vehicles emphasizing off-the-shelf technology and maximizing the use of non-developmental items (NDIs). Develop/mature technology to a point that it can be demonstrated in a relative combat environment.

## Related program elements

- [0603742F — Combat Identification Technology](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603742F) (Air Force)
- [0101316F — Strategic Automated Command and Control System](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101316F) (Air Force)
- [0604134A — Counter Improvised-Threat Demonstration, Prototype Development, and Testing](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604134A) (Army)
- [0603305A — Army Missle Defense Systems Integration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603305A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0207420F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0207420F")`.

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