# Air Traffic Control System — Program Element 0305114F

**Program element:** 0305114F  
**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/0305114F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding ramps 129% to a $61.9M request in FY2027 — the program's peak, before stepping down 84% 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. AFLCMC/HBA leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 14.7 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 27.1 |
| FY2027 | Request | 61.9 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 52.3 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 37.0 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 9.6 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 9.8 |

> 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 | 61.9 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 61.9 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 61.9 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 61.9 | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 673587 | Air Traffic Control System | 14.7 | 27.1 | 61.9 | +129% |

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

### Project 673587 — Air Traffic Control System

To support the Air Force worldwide flying mission, the Air Traffic Control and Landing System (ATCALS) program element funds research, development, and management of fielded and emerging air traffic control communications, surveillance, automation, positioning, and precision approach and landing systems. ATCALS programs are focused on development of technology and strategies to support Agile Combat Employment (ACE) adaptive basing and agile basing concepts of operation as well as modernizing airfield operations to ensure enduring, resilient, efficient, and safe air operations. ATCALS also pursues opportunities in the organization, training, and equipping of ATC associated career fields and any new civil ATCALS technologies that may have military utility. ATCALS currently includes three projects: Air Traffic Control (ATC) Future Technology (AFT), Multi-Function Tactical Radar System (MTRS), and Tactical ATC Operations System (TACOS). 1. AFT is a multi-project program focused on identifying and documenting capability gaps and associated future technologies in multiple areas of aircraft launch and recovery for both fixed and expeditionary operations. These gaps and technologies will be outlined in a bridging strategy, capability-based assessments, and capability roadmaps. FY 2027 AFT research and development spans multiple projects that include the following: - The Small Footprint Precision Approach and Landing Capability (SF-PALC) effort aims to reduce the footprint, transport and set-up time for delivering instrument landing system capabilities in an Agile Combat Employment (ACE) Environment. SF-PALC researches multiple technologies including a traditional instrumented landing system (ILS) approach and a non-traditional tactical transponder approach. - The Flight Inspection Drone project manages the foreign comparative test of flight inspection drones against Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Air Force flight inspection requirements. The goal is to reduce flight inspections, fuel costs, and inspection time while also reducing exposure in a contested environment. As these and other technologies and architectures mature, any applicable fixed-base or deployable, ground-system upgrades will be coordinated and fielded concurrently with related manned and unmanned aircraft avionics capabilities as required.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** AFLCMC/HBA (14.2, 23%), AFLCLC/HBA (2.2, 3.6%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Control (ATC) Future Technologies (AFT) | 6.8 | 7.2 | 5.9 |
| Tactical ATC Operations System (TACOS) | — | 0.0 | 6.5 |
| Multi-Function Tactical Radar System (MTRS) | 7.9 | 19.9 | 49.0 |
| Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) | — | 0.0 | 0.4 |

> 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 | 27% | 16.4 |
| Other / unspecified | 73% | 45.5 |

**Top named industry performers:** AFLCMC/HBA ($14.2M, 23%), AFLCLC/HBA ($2.2M, 3.6%).

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

To support the Air Force worldwide flying mission, the Air Traffic Control and Landing System (ATCALS) program element funds research, development, and management of fielded and emerging air traffic control communications, surveillance, automation, positioning, and precision approach and landing systems. ATCALS programs are focused on development of technology and strategies to support Agile Combat Employment (ACE) adaptive basing and agile basing concepts of operation as well as modernizing airfield operations to ensure enduring, resilient, efficient, and safe air operations.

Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (ATCALS) is a basket program element with multiple programs in various stages of acquisition which provide the air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure to support worldwide peacetime and wartime missions. The ATC Future Technology (AFT) portfolio is focused on fixed-based and lightweight, scalable, readily deployable ATC equipment to support the National Defense Strategy.

## Related program elements

- [0207461F — Kessel Run Flight Operations](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207461F) (Air Force)
- [0604231N — Command AND Control](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604231N) (Navy)
- [0801380F — AF LVC Operational Training (LVC-OT)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0801380F) (Air Force)
- [0603239N — (u)naval Construction Forces](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603239N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0305114F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0305114F")`.

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