RDT&E Program Element · President's Budget PB2027

Distributed Common Ground/Surface Systems

PE 0305208F·U.S. Air Force·Approp. 3600 — RDT&E·BA7 — Operational System Development
FY2027 Request
$85.4M
Air Force · RDT&E
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U.S. Air Force requests $85.4M in FY2027. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full.

FY2027 Request
$85.4M
▲ 5.3% vs FY2026
FY2026 Enacted
$81.0M
▼ 19% vs FY2025
FY2025 Actual
$99.7M
Prior year

For fiscal year 2027, the U.S. Air Force is requesting $85.4M for Distributed Common Ground/Surface Systems under RDT&E program element 0305208F, up 5.3% over FY2026.

Funding trajectory

Funding profile, FY2025–FY2031

Prior years are actuals, the budget year is the request, and the outyears are the FYDP plan. Estimate types are colored and never summed into one figure.

255075100099.7FY25ACTUAL81.0FY26ENACTED85.4FY27REQUEST68.7FY2870.6FY2967.9FY3069.7FY31
Actual Enacted Request Outyear (FYDP)
Fiscal YearEstimate TypeAmount ($M)
FY2025Actual99.7
FY2026Enacted81.0
FY2027Request85.4
FY2028Outyear68.7
FY2029Outyear70.6
FY2030Outyear67.9
FY2031Outyear69.7
Where it sits

Acquisition lifecycle

This program is funded in RDT&E Budget Activity 7 — Operational System Development.

Complete
Research
BA 1–2
Complete
Advanced Technology
BA 3
Complete
Prototyping
BA 4
Current
Development & Fielding
BA 5–7
Inside the program element

1 project rolls up into PE 0305208F

Projects are the summable leaves — the PE total is their sum, never added to it. Program elements and projects carry the full five-year plan; activities stop at the budget year. This PE moves 5% overall, which can hide much larger swings below.

Project 674826

Common Imagery Ground / Surface Systems

$85.4MFY2027 request ▲ 5%
FY2025 actual$99.7M
FY2026 enacted$81.0M
FY2027 request$85.4M
Product DevelopmentSupportManagement Services

In FY 2026, AF DCGS transitioned from four ACAT III efforts (GEOINT Transformation, SIGINT Transformation, Multi-INT Transformation, and Network Infrastructure Transformation) to one Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP), encompassing Mission Applications, Mission Data Services, and DCGS Operations Integration and Transformation (OI&T), and maintain the Network Infrastructure Transformation (NIT) ACAT III. The SWP with its realigned categories consist of the efforts formerly in the GEOINT Transformation, SIGINT Transformation and Multi-INT Infrastructure ACATs. 1. GEOINT Transformation-1: Rapidly integrates new and updated GEOINT capabilities and enables quick/seamless integration of new sensors, data types, sensor planning, and command and control (C2) capabilities on to the AF DCGS resilient, distributed architecture to meet mission assured requirements and enable DCGS' analyst global orchestration, sense-making, tailored analysis (battlespace awareness, battlespace characterization, and targetable custody tasks). Leverages mission partner methods and tools to the maximum extent possible. 2. SIGINT Transformation-1: Rapidly integrates new and updated SIGINT capabilities and enables quick/seamless integration of new sensors, data types, sensor planning, command and control (C2), and data link visualization capabilities on to the AF DCGS resilient, distributed architecture to meet mission assured requirements and enable DCGS' analyst global orchestration, sense-making, tailored analysis (battlespace awareness, battlespace characterization, and targetable custody tasks). Leverages mission partner methods and tools to the maximum extent possible. 3. Multi-Intelligence-1: Rapidly integrates new and updated enterprise services, core shared services and applications to include voice and chat communications, collaboration, and situational awareness, Enterprise Multi-INT Data and Services (EMDS), Multi-INT fusion, and data analytics capabilities (to include Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning (AI/ML), Automation and Augmentation (AAA)) on to the AF DCGS resilient, distributed architecture to meet mission assured requirements and enable DCGS' analyst global orchestration, sense-making, tailored analysis (battlespace awareness, battlespace characterization, and targetable custody) tasks.

Accomplishments / planned programs (R-2A) — prior, current and budget year only
GEOINT Transformation-1
FY2025 actual$20.2M
FY2026 enacted$0.0M
FY2027 request$0.0M

FY2027 planned work Transitioned to Software Acquisition Pathway Program

FY2026 plans — current year Transitioning to Software Acquisition Pathway Program

SIGINT Transformation-1
FY2025 actual$31.1M
FY2026 enacted$0.0M
FY2027 request$0.0M

FY2027 planned work Transitioned to Software Acquisition Pathway Program

FY2026 plans — current year Transitioning to Software Acquisition Pathway Program

Multi-Intelligence-1
FY2025 actual$47.0M
FY2026 enacted$0.0M
FY2027 request$0.0M

FY2027 planned work Transitioned to Software Acquisition Pathway Program

FY2026 plans — current year Transitioning to Software Acquisition Pathway Program

Network Infrastructure Transformationflat
FY2025 actual$1.3M
FY2026 enacted$0.9M
FY2027 request$0.9M

FY2027 planned work - Will continue to develop, integrate, test and field updates to the DCGS network transport systems and network/releaseable enclave management capabilities - Will continue to develop, integrate, test and field updates to resilient, distributed architecture and end user devices (workstations, etc.) and cross domain data access workstation SecureView capability

FY2026 plans — current year - Continue to develop, integrate, test and field updates to the DCGS network transport systems and management capabilities, Resilient, Distributed Cloud environments, end user devices (workstations, etc.) and line of site capabilities - Continue to develop, integrate, test and field mandated cyber security capabilities/update

FY2025 actual$0.0M
FY2026 enacted$48.6M
FY2027 request$53.2M

- Will continue to develop, integrate, test and field new and updated GEOINT capabilities on DCGS resilient, distributed architecture to connect, direct, and exploit sensors, as well as transform the vast array of multi-source/multi-domain data from available ISR sensors/sources into actionable intelligence to find, fix, track and inform…

Read the FY2027 plan →
FY2025 actual$0.0M
FY2026 enacted$17.5M
FY2027 request$17.3M

- Will continue to develop, integrate, test and field new and updated Enterprise Services, shared data services and Multi-INT capabilities on DCGS resilient, distributed architecture to connect, direct, and exploit sensors, as well as transform the vast array of multi-source/multi-domain data from available ISR sensors/sources into…

Read the FY2027 plan →
FY2025 actual$0.0M
FY2026 enacted$14.1M
FY2027 request$14.0M

- Will continue to provide AF DCGS CI/CD environment integrated with AF DCGS non-cloud-based system components ISO agile software development, test, integration and deployment activities. - Will continue to fund test support to complete developmental test events for operational capabilities - Will continue to develop and integrate Zero…

Read the FY2027 plan →
Congressional action

Congressional marks

Committee marks on the FY2027 request. Adds and cuts are reconciled in conference before they become law.

RequestPresident's Budget
$85.4M
House NDAA (HASC)HASC
$85.4M full · +$0
Senate NDAA (SASC)SASC
$85.4M full · +$0
House Approps (HAC-D)HAC_D
$85.4M full · +$0
unresolved as of 2026-07-27. These are FY2027 authorization marks (NDAA); appropriations and the conference agreement may differ.
Who's building it

Where the FY2027 request goes

Performers named in the R-3 exhibit, resolved into industry, government-lab, and unspecified shares. Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations.

Where FY2027 funding flowsShare$M
Other / unspecified100%85.4
FY2027 request100%85.4
Program detail

Mission & acquisition strategy

In FY 2026, AF DCGS transitioned from four ACAT III efforts (GEOINT Transformation, SIGINT Transformation, Multi-INT Transformation, and Network Infrastructure Transformation) to one Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP), encompassing Mission Applications, Mission Data Services, and DCGS Operations Integration and Transformation (OI&T), and maintain the Network Infrastructure Transformation (NIT) ACAT III. The SWP with its realigned categories consist of the efforts formerly in the GEOINT Transformation, SIGINT Transformation and Multi-INT Infrastructure ACATs. 1.

AF DCGS acquisition strategy is to use approved lean and agile industry practices and leverage to the maximum extent possible commercial off the shelf, government off the shelf, and mission partner capabilities to continuously develop and field new and improved operational capabilities hosted on its open, resilient distributed cloud infrastructure to meet mission requirements. Contracting strategy involves a combination of Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs), Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts awarded to execute program funds and delivery/task orders are negotiated/awarded individually.

Project 674826 — Common Imagery Ground / Surface Systems
  • Product Development
  • Support
  • Management Services
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Provenance

Cite this page

Sources
FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification · Exhibits R-2 / R-3 · PE 0305208F (President's Budget PB2027) — and FY2027 NDAA committee marks, as tracked 2026-07-27.
Suggested citation
HitchAI, "Distributed Common Ground/Surface Systems (PE 0305208F)," federal budget intelligence, PB2027 vintage. hitchintel.com/programs/0305208F
Machine access
Markdown twin /programs/0305208F.md · MCP mcp.hitchintel.combudget_get_program_element, budget_get_cong_marks