# AF Defensive Cyberspace Operations — Program Element 0208088F

**Program element:** 0208088F  
**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/0208088F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding falls 37% to a $76.8M request in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak), 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. Enlighten Consulting leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 83.2 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 121.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 76.8 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 93.5 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 96.3 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 99.1 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 101.1 |

> 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 | 76.8 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 76.8 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 76.8 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 76.8 | +0.0 |

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

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 677824 | Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System | 75.3 | 114.0 | 76.8 | −33% |
| 677820 | Computer Security RDTE: Firestarter | 7.9 | 7.4 | 0.0 | −100% |

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

### Project 677824 — Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System

Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System (IDCS) enhances the Department of Air Force (DAF) cyber infrastructure and supports operations within contested environments. The IDCS mission is to provide and maintain enterprise situational awareness of the DAF's cyber terrain within a contested environment to enable and support Cyber Forces response to evolving Cyber threats. The Air Force (AF) strategy previously involved three stand-alone programs that provided capabilities in a disparate fashion. IDCS delivers a comprehensive cyber defense architecture by integrating the three key mission sets with advanced sensors and data analytics. This provides commanders with critical risk assessments and enables proactive threat identification and neutralization on mission-critical networks. Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System (IDCS) is an integrated enterprise-level cybersecurity system that safeguards DAF computer, network, weapon, and control systems. It empowers operators to detect threats and assess their impact, allowing for quick deployment of defensive measures to thwart malicious actors from exploiting critical vulnerabilities. IDCS delivers the cybersecurity requirements of a variety of operational units, including the Sixteenth AF, 688th Cyber Wing Cyber Security Service Providers (CSSPs), 67th Cyber Wing, AF Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs), Mission Defense Teams (MDTs), and network defenders. It equips these units with the tools necessary to protect DAF networks, Industrial Control Systems, and Weapon Systems. It supports both enterprise and edge/mobile cybersecurity defense use cases. IDCS provides capabilities to enable the following mission sets: Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter (CVA/H): The Hunter mission focuses on the capability to find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess (F2T2EA) the advanced persistent threat (APT). CVA/H provides capabilities to characterize and then eliminate threats for the purpose of mission assurance. CVA/H executes Hunter missions on Air Force (AF) and Department of War (DoW) networks and systems. Cyber Defense Analysis (CDA): The CDA mission conducts Defensive Cyberspace Operations (DCO) by monitoring, collecting, analyzing, and reporting sensitive information transiting or residing on the Air Force Network (AFNet).

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Enlighten Consulting (19.2, 25%), Defense Unicorns (12.2, 16%), 47th Cyber Test Sq (2.1, 2.8%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System (IDCS) Development | 75.3 | 84.0 | 76.8 |

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

### Project 677820 — Computer Security RDTE: Firestarter

The Firestarter program provides newly improved capabilities and technical transition opportunities for Cyber Defense and Information Assurance (IA) technologies and tools needed to defend Air Force (AF) Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and Intelligence (C4I) systems from cyber attacks, while ensuring recovery in the event of an attack. The emphasis of the program is directed toward defensive cyberspace capabilities; computer and network systems security; damage assessment and recovery; cyber threat recognition, attribution, and mitigation; and active response methodologies in response to evolving threats and changes to cyber environment. These areas of emphasis are realized through research and development, test and acquisition in the areas of proactive defense, defensive counter cyberspace, cyberspace intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance & situational awareness, persistent network operations, as well as decision support, recovery, and digital forensics. Current AF systems, such as the Air Force Network (AFNet) Non-Classified Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNet) Gateways, Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) Modernization program, and Host Based Security System leverage this technology to meet their information assurance and defensive cyberspace needs/requirements. Firestarter utilizes cyber and IA technology investments by United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Security Agency (NSA), Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and various government research laboratories, to jump-start its development of solutions to existing AF cyber and IA requirements. This program supports AF Cyberspace strategic direction in support of Cyber Defense which provides capabilities to Sixteenth AF, as the AF component to USCYBERCOM, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), National Security Agency (NSA), and other services to ensure Global Information Grid (GIG) cyber and IA requirements are being met.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firestarter | 7.9 | 7.4 | 0.0 |

> 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 | 44% | 33.5 |
| Other / unspecified | 56% | 43.3 |

**Top named industry performers:** Enlighten Consulting ($19.2M, 25%), Defense Unicorns ($12.2M, 16%), 47th Cyber Test Sq ($2.1M, 2.8%).

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System (IDCS) enhances the Department of Air Force (DAF) cyber infrastructure and supports operations within contested environments. The IDCS mission is to provide and maintain enterprise situational awareness of the DAF's cyber terrain within a contested environment to enable and support Cyber Forces response to evolving Cyber threats. The Air Force (AF) strategy previously involved three stand-alone programs that provided capabilities in a disparate fashion. IDCS delivers a comprehensive cyber defense architecture by integrating the three key mission sets with advanced sensors and data analytics.

IDCS utilizes the Software Acquisition Pathway (defined in DoDI 5000.87) as its overarching acquisition strategy. IDCS entered Software Acquisition Pathway Planning Phase in Feb 2023. IDCS entered the Software Acquisition Pathway Execution Phase in Oct 2025. Acquisition strategy for the IDCS focuses on ensuring cost efficiency, alignment with industry standards, and maximizing collaboration with related programs. The IDCS Program Management Office (PMO) will leverage pre-competed contracts for the procurement of hardware and software components to streamline the sourcing process and ensure compliance with program requirements.

## Related program elements

- [0605310D8Z — Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605310D8Z) (Defense-Wide)
- [0602025E — Making, Maintaining, Supply CHAIN AND Logistics](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602025E) (Defense-Wide)
- [0605037A — Evidence Collection and Detainee Processing](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605037A) (Army)
- [0605625A — Manned Ground Vehicle](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605625A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0208088F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0208088F")`.

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