RDT&E Program Element · President's Budget PB2027

C-130J Program

PE 0401132F·U.S. Air Force·Approp. 3600 — RDT&E·BA7 — Operational System Development
FY2027 Request
$16.6M
Air Force · RDT&E
HitchAI read

U.S. Air Force requests $16.6M in FY2027. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate added 42% (to $23.6M); House appropriators funded it in full. Lockheed Martin leads the industry work.

FY2027 Request
$16.6M
▼ 11% vs FY2026
FY2026 Enacted
$18.7M
▼ 45% vs FY2025
FY2025 Actual
$34.3M
Prior year

Roll-up of 2 projects. Projects are the summable leaves — the PE total is their sum, never added to it.

For fiscal year 2027, the U.S. Air Force is requesting $16.6M for C-130J Program under RDT&E program element 0401132F, down 11% 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.

25034.3FY25ACTUAL18.7FY26ENACTED16.6FY27REQUEST12.0FY2812.2FY2912.5FY3012.7FY31
Actual Enacted Request Outyear (FYDP)
Fiscal YearEstimate TypeAmount ($M)
FY2025Actual34.3
FY2026Enacted18.7
FY2027Request16.6
FY2028Outyear12.0
FY2029Outyear12.2
FY2030Outyear12.5
FY2031Outyear12.7
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

2 projects roll up into PE 0401132F

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 -11% overall, which can hide much larger swings below.

Congressional action

Congressional marks

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

RequestPresident's Budget
$16.6M
House NDAA (HASC)HASC
$16.6M full · +$0
Senate NDAA (SASC)SASC
$23.6M +$7.0M · +42%
House Approps (HAC-D)HAC_D
$16.6M full · +$0
▲ $7.0M chamber gap — 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.

Lockheed Martin
$13.1M · 79%
C-130J AMC-Initiatives, Air Force Life Cycle Mgmt Ctr (AFMC), WPAFB, OH · Various
Where FY2027 funding flowsShare$M
Industry primes79%13.1
Other / unspecified22%3.6
FY2027 request100%16.6
See Lockheed Martin's full federal contract ledger members
Program detail

Mission & acquisition strategy

The C-130J is a medium-sized transport aircraft capable of performing a variety of combat delivery (tactical airlift) operations across a broad range of mission environments. The C-130J aircraft, with its extended (by 15 feet) fuselage, provides additional cargo carrying capacity for the USAF combat delivery mission compared with legacy C-130E/H and the C-130J (short). Special mission variants of the C-130J conduct weather reconnaissance (WC-130J), search and rescue (HC-130J), and special operations (MC-130J and AC-130J). All aircraft variants must be capable of worldwide operations.

The C-130J aircraft will be modified using a "block upgrade" strategy. The Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM), navigation safety requirement initially met in three block upgrades (Block 6.0, Block 7.0 and Block 8.1). In order to better manage the fleet, the USAF combined the Block 7 and Block 8.1 mods. This allows aircraft and trainers to be modified one time. Subsequently, C-130J modifications will be grouped into smaller updates known as Capability Management Updates (CMU) or Enhancement and Deficiencies (EnD). Other AMC initiatives are upgrades to hardware and software that have arisen after the formation of the block upgrades and CMUs.

Project 675061, 675305 — C-130J
  • Product Development
  • Test and Evaluation
  • 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?Which project inside PE 0401132F is growing fastest, and which is shrinking?How is the FY2027 request split between industry and government performers?

This page carries the budget justification and the NDAA marks — nothing else. For what Lockheed Martin 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 0401132F (President's Budget PB2027) — and FY2027 NDAA committee marks, as tracked 2026-07-27.
Suggested citation
HitchAI, "C-130J Program (PE 0401132F)," federal budget intelligence, PB2027 vintage. hitchintel.com/programs/0401132F
Machine access
Markdown twin /programs/0401132F.md · MCP mcp.hitchintel.combudget_get_program_element, budget_get_cong_marks
FY2027 Request
$9.9M
▲ 161% vs FY2026
FY2026 Enacted
$3.8M
▼ 84% vs FY2025
FY2025 Actual
$24.3M
Prior year

C-130J — one RDT&E project inside PE 0401132F. Congressional marks are recorded on the program element, not on a project.

Project 675061 — C-130J — requests $9.9M in FY2027, 59% of the $16.6M requested for program element 0401132F. Year over year it grows 161% against FY2026.

Funding trajectory

Project 675061 funding, 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. Projects carry the full five-year plan; the activities inside them stop at the budget year.

024.3FY25ACTUAL3.8FY26ENACTED9.9FY27REQUEST5.2FY284.1FY294.1FY304.2FY31
Actual Enacted Request Outyear (FYDP)
Fiscal YearEstimate TypeAmount ($M)
FY2025Actual24.3
FY2026Enacted3.8
FY2027Request9.9
FY2028Outyear5.2
FY2029Outyear4.1
FY2030Outyear4.1
FY2031Outyear4.2
Inside the project

5 accomplishments / planned programs

The R-2A exhibit. Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan — and they are descriptive: coverage is partial and they do not always add back to the project, so count them, never total them.

Test & Evaluation
FY2025 actual$0.1M
FY2026 enacted$0.0M
FY2027 request$0.0M
Enhancement & Deficiencies (EnD)▲ 488%
FY2025 actual$15.9M
FY2026 enacted$1.1M
FY2027 request$6.6M

FY2027 planned work Continuation of EnD efforts through the C-130J International Program Office (IPO) and Block 8.1.3 contracting activities.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding increased due to ramp up of contracting activities for block upgrade modifications.

FY2026 plans — current year EnD 1 for CMU 2 program Block 8.1.3 contracting activities.

Cooperative Systems and Software Upgrade Requirements Management (COSSURM)flat
FY2025 actual$0.1M
FY2026 enacted$0.1M
FY2027 request$0.1M

FY2027 planned work Continuation of COSSURM planning and development of EnD requirements and Joint Users Group (JUG) website.

FY2026 plans — current year COSSURM planning and development of EnD requirements and JUG website.

Other Inititatives▼ 9%
FY2025 actual$5.2M
FY2026 enacted$0.9M
FY2027 request$0.9M

FY2027 planned work Continuation of prior year digital transformation efforts.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decreased due to reduction of digital transformation efforts.

FY2026 plans — current year Continuation of prior year digital transformation efforts.

C-130J/International Programs Office (IPO) Support▲ 41%
FY2025 actual$1.0M
FY2026 enacted$1.6M
FY2027 request$2.3M

FY2027 planned work Continuation of program support activities.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding increased due to additional contracting activities for Engineering Professional and Administrative Support Services (EPASS).

FY2026 plans — current year C-130J International Program office support activities.

Who's building it

Named performers on project 675061

Performers named in the R-3 exhibit under this project. Share is of the project's whole FY2027 R-3 total — the same denominator the program-element split uses, so the two read on one scale and will not sum to 100% when unnamed or government work is in the mix. Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations.

Lockheed Martin
$7.7M · 79%
Project detail

What project 675061 buys

The C-130J is a medium-sized transport aircraft capable of performing a variety of combat delivery (tactical airlift) operations across a broad range of mission environments. The C-130J aircraft, with its extended (by 15 feet) fuselage, provides additional cargo carrying capacity for the USAF combat delivery mission compared with legacy C-130E/H and the C-130J (short). Special mission variants of the C-130J conduct weather reconnaissance (WC-130J), search and rescue (HC-130J), and special operations (MC-130J and AC-130J). All aircraft variants must be capable of worldwide operations. This project also provides RDT&E funding and outlined in a cost share agreement for required capabilities that are grouped as "Block" upgrades or "Capability" or "Enhancement and Deficiencies" (EnD) updates. Content/requirements for these efforts is documented in International Program Directives (IPDs) as determined through the Cooperative Systems and Software Upgrade Requirements Management (COSSURM) process or other approved C-130J Joint User Group (JUG) processes. Activities required to complete development and integration of the common-core capabilities for all United States' variants are included in this project. In addition, this project includes early acquisition and engineering studies and initiatives related to the C-130J such as, but not limited to, capability gap resolution, emerging technology assessments, exploration and adaptation, systems integration assessments and technology transition; to include digital transformation. This project also provides RDT&E funding for requirements that are outside of the "Block" upgrades, "Capability" updates, "Enhancement and Deficiencies" (EnD) updates, or COSSURM process. These efforts may include, but are not limited to, communication, data link, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), electronic warfare, formation flight system, digital pathfinder initiatives and mission support system updates. The requirements are identified and concurred between the C-130J Program Office and Air Mobility Command (AMC). Requirements are documented through the C-130J Program Office approval process. This project provides RDT&E funding for studies and risk reduction activities and Program Support Costs (PSC).

R-3 lines of work
  • Product Development
  • Test and Evaluation
  • Management Services
FY2027 Request
$6.8M
▼ 55% vs FY2026
FY2026 Enacted
$14.9M
▲ 49% vs FY2025
FY2025 Actual
$10.0M
Prior year

C-130J Prog — one RDT&E project inside PE 0401132F. Congressional marks are recorded on the program element, not on a project.

Project 675305 — C-130J Prog — requests $6.8M in FY2027, 41% of the $16.6M requested for program element 0401132F. Year over year it falls 55% against FY2026.

Funding trajectory

Project 675305 funding, 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. Projects carry the full five-year plan; the activities inside them stop at the budget year.

010.0FY25ACTUAL14.9FY26ENACTED6.8FY27REQUEST6.8FY288.2FY298.3FY308.5FY31
Actual Enacted Request Outyear (FYDP)
Fiscal YearEstimate TypeAmount ($M)
FY2025Actual10.0
FY2026Enacted14.9
FY2027Request6.8
FY2028Outyear6.8
FY2029Outyear8.2
FY2030Outyear8.3
FY2031Outyear8.5
Inside the project

1 accomplishment / planned program

The R-2A exhibit. Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan — and they are descriptive: coverage is partial and they do not always add back to the project, so count them, never total them.

Communication Modernization▼ 55%
FY2025 actual$10.0M
FY2026 enacted$14.9M
FY2027 request$6.8M

FY2027 planned work Continuation of Comm Mod phase 1 development and Comm Mod Phase 2 efforts.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decreased due to ramping down Com Mod Phase 1 activities.

FY2026 plans — current year Comm Mod phase 1 development and ramping up Comm Mod Phase 2 efforts.

Who's building it

Named performers on project 675305

Performers named in the R-3 exhibit under this project. Share is of the project's whole FY2027 R-3 total — the same denominator the program-element split uses, so the two read on one scale and will not sum to 100% when unnamed or government work is in the mix. Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations.

Lockheed Martin
$5.3M · 78%
Project detail

What project 675305 buys

The C-130J program funds Communication Modernization (phase 1 and phase 2) which meets Crypto Mandate 1. Comm Mod phase 1 and phase 2 efforts include but not limited to the development and integration of the new radio communication and defensive systems, Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), Second-generation Anti-jam Tactical UHF Radio for NATO (SATURN), Joint Range Extension Application Protocols (JREAP) to modernize Military Satellite Communication System (MILSATCOM), JREAP Connectivity via Commercial Pathway, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) and Super High Frequency (SHF) modernization including Hybrid SATCOM/Global Lighting or similar technologies, High Frequency (HF) Radio Modernization, special mission processing, and data link messaging. These systems will provide secure, global Line of Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) satellite voice and data connectivity utilizing modern satellite constellations and waveforms. These systems will also be integrated into other C-130J capabilities, such as Radio Frequency (RF) components including ALR-69A and DRFM (Digital Radio Frequency Memory Countermeasure). This requirement supports performance of a full financial audit as required by title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 9A, Sec 240-D. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F.

R-3 lines of work
  • Product Development
  • Management Services