SEEK EAGLE Certifications
The Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office (AFSEO) is designated by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) as the center of expertise for aircraft-store compatibility activities and as the primary source of technical analysis and test support, as well as the central data repository, for the SEEK EAGLE process. The SEEK EAGLE process is a rigorous analysis of many factors to assure the safe and acceptable carriage and release (employment and jettison), safe escape, and ballistics accuracy of all stores on Air Force and foreign military sales aircraft. Thus, the AFSEO's mission as an accelerator is to ensure that every aircraft type is capable of employing the weapons and stores needed to meet Combatant Commander requirements, directly supporting the Secretary of the Air Force's (SECAF) and Secretary of War (SECWAR) operational and acquisition priorities. The Air Force operates a variety of combat and other aircraft that carry numerous and varied stores: bombs, missiles, rockets, palletized munitions, chaff/flare, fuel tanks, cargo pods, targeting pods, electronic countermeasures pods, etc. Stores are carried in many different loading combinations determined by operational and training scenarios, missions, tactics, and weapon development programs. Additionally, aircraft-store configuration (carriage and employment) requirements change as operational plans and tactics are updated and/or as new stores are developed and fielded. Aircraft program managers must provide SEEK EAGLE certifications for all aircraft-store configurations within their user-established carriage and employment parameters before they may be used for operations, test, or training. The AFSEO completes flight clearance and certification recommendations through any combination of engineering analysis, wind tunnel testing, modeling and simulation, and ground/flight test and evaluation. These AFSEO recommendations are key artifacts for aircraft program managers demonstrating MIL-STD compliance for airworthiness and safety. AFSEO's efforts within the SEEK EAGLE process primarily encompass these eight engineering disciplines: Fit and Function, Flutter, Aircraft and Store Structural Integrity, Stability and Control, Electromagnetic Compatibility/Interference (EMC/EMI), Separations, Ballistics, and Safe Escape.
FY2027 planned work Support USAF Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Munitions certification by prioritizing the procurement of test assets for developmental and operational testing, such as ground tests for electromagnetic compatibility and flight tests for separations.
FY2026 to FY2027 change General inflation increase and mission growth.
FY2026 plans — current year -Continue to provide for USAF Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Munitions certification efforts, including towed decoys, ECM pods, chaff/flare countermeasures certification efforts, Airborne Instrumentation Systems pods, fuel tanks, and travel pods certification efforts. Efforts also include capability expansion on multiple aircraft for MALD, JASSM, APKWS, AIM-9x, AIM-120, and SDB II. -Continue to provide CWDS upgrade support, Safe Escape software updates and Safe Separation Time Data.
FY2027 planned work Sustain a viable Air Force aircraft-store certification capability by supporting increased Air Force munition and aircraft capability requirements.
FY2026 to FY2027 change General inflation increase
FY2026 plans — current year -Continue to support increased Air Force munition and aircraft capability requirements that drive infrastructure and resource capacity needs within the SEEK EAGLE enterprise.
FY2027 planned work Required resources to support fielding of advanced weapons as well as investing in the development of advanced modeling and analytical tools to ensure the Air Force SEEK EAGLE office certification process is more efficient in support of rapid acquisition timelines.
FY2026 to FY2027 change No Increase or Decrease from FY26 to FY27
FY2026 plans — current year -Continue to complete development of the F-35 wind tunnel model -Continue to commence F-35 weapon certification partnership with Israeli Air Force -Continue to support investments in other advanced modeling and simulation, automated tool, and information technology enhancements
FY2027 planned work Sustain increased requirements in order to continue to develop state-of-the-art engineering and business tools to not only support SEEK EAGLE enterprise but also growing multi-agency customer base.
FY2026 to FY2027 change General inflation and increased engineering and business tool development
FY2026 plans — current year -Continue to develop and sustain state-of-the-art engineering and business tools to support the SEEK EAGLE enterprise.