RDT&E Program Element · President's Budget PB2027

NCCT Core Technology

PE 0305221F·U.S. Air Force·Approp. 3600 — RDT&E·BA7 — Operational System Development
FY2027 Request
$9.1M
Air Force · RDT&E
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U.S. Air Force funding falls 24% to a $9.1M 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. L3Harris leads the industry work.

FY2027 Request
$9.1M
▼ 24% vs FY2026
FY2026 Enacted
$12.0M
▲ 21% vs FY2025
FY2025 Actual
$10.0M
Prior year

For fiscal year 2027, the U.S. Air Force is requesting $9.1M for NCCT Core Technology under RDT&E program element 0305221F, down 24% from 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.

010.0FY25ACTUAL12.0FY26ENACTED9.1FY27REQUEST9.5FY289.7FY299.9FY3010.1FY31
Actual Enacted Request Outyear (FYDP)
Fiscal YearEstimate TypeAmount ($M)
FY2025Actual10.0
FY2026Enacted12.0
FY2027Request9.1
FY2028Outyear9.5
FY2029Outyear9.7
FY2030Outyear9.9
FY2031Outyear10.1
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 0305221F

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 -24% overall, which can hide much larger swings below.

Project 675197

NCCT Core Technology

$9.1MFY2027 request ▼ 24%
FY2025 actual$10.0M
FY2026 enacted$12.0M
FY2027 request$9.1M
Product DevelopmentSupportManagement Services

Network Centric Collaborative Targeting (NCCT) is the Department of the Air Force's (DAF) program of record performing platform agnostic, tactical, cooperative geo-location against time sensitive targets. At its core, NCCT is a cloud-based, Joint sensor network that integrates sensors and shooters via a multi-domain, multi-intelligence (multi-INT) AI/ML-assisted decision matrix over a survivable network to find, fix, track, and target (F2T2) threats in highly contested battlespaces. Operationally, NCCT is currently deployed on a variety of DAF aircraft, the DCGS, and other DoD assets. NCCT's utilization of intelligent sensor mesh networks, multi-INT fusion, and its cross-domain information sharing and sensor C2 are key contributions to the Sensing Grid's sensing, sense making, integration, and global orchestration thrusts. NCCT research and development funding supports development of the NCCT message set, network management systems, and technology modernization specific to network and fusion architecture design. Development funds also support software modifications required for development and integration with new and emerging platforms, and incorporation of new data fusion algorithms while satisfying DoD standards and Information Assurance requirements. FY 2027 funding will be dedicated to continued scaling of the long-range kill chain by leveraging multi-INT AI/ML-assisted fusion, focused integration into track custody ontologies via object-based methods, as well as tactical edge fusion and orchestration support. NCCT will be working closely with C3BM and DAF Battle Network to advance core capabilities to fulfill critical networking requirements, as well as continued partnerships and integrations with the Joint Force. FY 2026 funding is dedicated to filling critical capability gaps in the long-range kill chain and multi-INT High Capacity F2T2EA (HCF) sense-making, as well as continued partnerships and integrations with the Joint Force. NCCT is working closely with C3BM to enhance core capabilities, fulfill critical networking and fusion gaps, and advance long-range kill chain operations. NCCT is also developing advanced techniques for rapid sensemaking of multi-INT HCF sensors by leveraging cross-intelligence AI/ML-assisted fusion and optimizing the network to mirror targeting priorities.

Accomplishments / planned programs (R-2A) — prior, current and budget year only
Core Technology▼ 24%
FY2025 actual$10.0M
FY2026 enacted$12.0M
FY2027 request$9.1M

FY2027 planned work FY 2027 funding will be dedicated to no more than one major capability release and one minor release, which are planned to include the following capabilities: - Continued scaling of long-range kill chain capabilities leveraging AI/ML-assisted fusion - Focused integration into track custody ontologies via object-based methods - Tactical edge fusion enhancements and orchestration support - Continued partnerships and integrations with the Joint Force Finally, FY 2027 funding will preserve rapid software delivery based on continuous user feedback and emerging requirements.

FY2026 to FY2027 change FY 2027 funding represents normal FYDP funding levels following an FY 2026 increase of 2.924M to support C3BM priorities including National-to-Tactical tip and queue integration and Long-Range Kill Chain enhancements.

FY2026 plans — current year FY 2026 funding is dedicated to no more than two major capability releases and one minor release, which are planned to include the following capabilities: - Core capability advancements in support of long-range kill chain enhancements - Rapid sensemaking and network optimization for HCF - Continued integration with Joint Fires Network, DAF Battle Network, and Navy Finally, FY 2026 funding will preserve rapid software delivery based on continuous user feedback and emerging requirements.

Congressional action

Congressional marks

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

RequestPresident's Budget
$9.1M
House NDAA (HASC)HASC
$9.1M full · +$0
Senate NDAA (SASC)SASC
$9.1M full · +$0
House Approps (HAC-D)HAC_D
$9.1M 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.

L3Harris
$6.7M · 73%
Core Technology Development (Agile) · CPFF
NaraLogics
$1.3M · 14%
AI/ML Development · Various
Where FY2027 funding flowsShare$M
Industry primes100%9.1
FY2027 request100%9.1
See L3Harris's full federal contract ledger members
Program detail

Mission & acquisition strategy

Network Centric Collaborative Targeting (NCCT) is the Department of the Air Force's (DAF) program of record performing platform agnostic, tactical, cooperative geo-location against time sensitive targets. At its core, NCCT is a cloud-based, Joint sensor network that integrates sensors and shooters via a multi-domain, multi-intelligence (multi-INT) AI/ML-assisted decision matrix over a survivable network to find, fix, track, and target (F2T2) threats in highly contested battlespaces. Operationally, NCCT is currently deployed on a variety of DAF aircraft, the DCGS, and other DoD assets.

The 645 AESG, Wright Patterson AFB OH, manages the Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contracts used for the agile software development of NCCT Core Technology. 645 AESG will develop NCCT software on common hardware for systems and platforms designated to field this ISR capability. Individual platform program management offices may contract directly with their prime contractors or through the 645 AESG for integration of NCCT capabilities on their respective systems and platforms.

Project 675197 — NCCT Core Technology
  • Product Development
  • Support
  • Management Services
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Answers are generated from the figures on this page — the FY2027 justification exhibits and the marks tracked above — and nothing else is consulted. Confirm any figure against the cited exhibit before you use it externally.

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Questions this page can answer
How does the FY2027 request compare with FY2026, and what does the five-year plan show?What did the FY2027 NDAA committees do to this request?How is the FY2027 request split between industry and government performers?In plain terms, what is this program element for and how is it being acquired?

This page carries the budget justification and the NDAA marks — nothing else. For what L3Harris has actually been obligated, the ledger is at hitchintel.com/vendors; for live solicitations, hitchintel.com/opportunities. Both are member surfaces.

Provenance

Cite this page

Sources
FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification · Exhibits R-2 / R-3 · PE 0305221F (President's Budget PB2027) — and FY2027 NDAA committee marks, as tracked 2026-07-27.
Suggested citation
HitchAI, "NCCT Core Technology (PE 0305221F)," federal budget intelligence, PB2027 vintage. hitchintel.com/programs/0305221F
Machine access
Markdown twin /programs/0305221F.md · MCP mcp.hitchintel.combudget_get_program_element, budget_get_cong_marks