# High Speed Propulsion and Advanced Weapon Technologies

**R-2A activity** of project 0000 — Power Proj Applied Research  
**Program element:** 0602114N — Power Proj Applied Research  
**Component:** U.S. Navy · **Budget Activity:** 2  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602114N/0000/a1  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602114N/0000

## Summary

This activity requests $27.9M in FY2027, 72% of project 0000, up 86% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2026–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** Continue: - Development and characterization of ultra-high temperature metamaterials and structures to enable, sensing, flow control, power generation, and improved aero-thermo-mechanical performance of aeroshells and high-speed propulsion systems. - Development of efficient, predictive computational tools for high-speed, air-breathing propulsion systems to enable robust vehicle-scale digital-engineering methodologies. - Experimental and numerical investigation on the combustion characteristics of solid fuels in supersonic combustors. - Development of physics based computational fluid and structural analysis tools for prediction of impact damage in weapon structures due to atmospheric encounters under high-speed flow conditions. - Development and testing of new aeroshell material technology to extend laminar flow. - Development of reduced orders models for rapid prediction of aerothermal and aerodynamic performance using data driven approaches such as machine learning, high-fidelity simulations and experiments as training data - Numerical and experimental investigations of emerging airbreathing propulsion technologies, to enhance weapon range while adhering to the Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints of naval platforms. - Development of reduced-order models to study the aerodynamics, aerothermal effects, aerothermostructural impacts, and Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) strategies for morphing hypersonic vehicles. Complete: - Applied research for Nuclear Aircraft Carrier (CVN) compliant hypersonic air-breathing weapons to increase performance & operability. - High-fidelity computations, ground test techniques and flow diagnostics to characterize neutral and ionized gas species. Initiate: - Applied research focused on real-time adaptive air-breathing cruise missile propulsion. Research towards adaptive air-breathing propulsion systems will provide propulsive and aerodynamic efficiency improvements that enable engagement from more survivable ranges to improve platform survivability, and optimize terminal approach vectors for maximum lethality against time-sensitive, highly-defended targets from survivable standoff. - Critical enabling technologies for Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) and next generation ramjet and scramjet propulsion systems. Novel propulsion concepts for air-breathing engines will emphasize on enhancing weapon volumetric efficiency, increased range, and broadening the operational envelope of these systems while simultaneously exploring novel fuel developments and their implementation to meet Navy unique SWaP-C constraints. - Applied research to develop robust control algorithms, advanced estimation techniques, and GN&C electronics for hypersonic flight regimes. Research includes real-time adaptive algorithms for trajectory optimization and terminal guidance precision, multi-mission capabilities, both defensive and offensive, and enabling on-the-fly target updates, autonomous handling of complex maneuvers, and real-time estimation and adaptation to inflight perturbations. - Applied research focused on the development of advanced digital engineering tools and methodologies to enable rapid and affordable design of hypersonic systems compliant with naval carrier and launcher constraints. This includes the development of integrated multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) frameworks, digital twins, and automated design space exploration algorithms for hypersonic systems.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The funding increase from FY26 to FY27 is to accelerate the maturation of critical enabling technologies for next-generation, Navy-compliant hypersonic weapon systems. This increased investment will directly support four priority research thrusts designed to deliver unmatched range, speed, and lethality while adhering to stringent naval SWaP-C and platform integration constraints. The research thrusts are: (1) Emerging Air-Breathing Cruise Missile Technologies to expand the operational envelope, enhance maneuverability, and significantly increase range of air-breathing systems. (2) Next-Generation Propulsion Enablers to develop and mature game-changing Rotating Detonation Engines (RDEs), advanced ramjet/scramjet technologies, and novel fuel formulations tailored for naval operations. (3) Resilient Guidance, Navigation, & Control (GN&C) to develop adaptive algorithms that enhance terminal precision and system autonomy in contested environments. (4) Advanced Digital Engineering to develop the foundational methodologies and proof-of-concept algorithms for advanced digital engineering to enable the rapid design of hypersonic systems that balance performance, manufacturability, and cost.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Continuing: - Development and characterization of ultra-high temperature metamaterials and structures to enable, sensing, flow control, power generation, and improved aero-thermo-mechanical performance of aeroshells and high-speed propulsion systems. - Development of efficient, predictive computational tools for high-speed, air-breathing propulsion systems to enable robust digital-engineering methodologies. - Experimental and numerical investigation on the combustion characteristics of solid fuels in supersonic combustors. - Development of physics based computational structural analysis tools for prediction of impact damage in weapon structures due to atmospheric encounters under high-speed flow conditions. - Development and testing of new aeroshell material technology to extend laminar flow. - High-fidelity computations, ground test techniques and flow diagnostics to characterize neutral and ionized gas species. - Applied research for Nuclear Aircraft Carrier (CVN) compliant hypersonic air-breathing weapons to increase performance & operability. - Development of reduced orders models for rapid prediction of aerothermal and aerodynamic performance using data driven approaches such as machine learning, high-fidelity simulations and experiments as training data Complete: - Experimental and computational studies to extend the flight envelope of solid fuel ramjets to higher speeds and altitudes and to improve throttle-ability. Initiate: - Numerical and experimental investigations of emerging airbreathing propulsion technologies, particularly powder-fueled ramjets, to enhance weapon range while adhering to the Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP) constraints of naval platforms. - Development of reduced-order models to study the aerodynamics, aerothermal effects, aerothermostructural impacts, and Navigation, Guidance, and Control (NGC) strategies for morphing hypersonic vehicles.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 14.6 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 15.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 27.9 |

> Prior, current and budget year only — an R-2A activity carries no five-year plan. It sums exactly into its project in the request year and not necessarily in any other.

## Other activities in project 0000

- Directed Energy — FY2027 5.6
- Navigation, Electro Optic/Infrared (EO/IR), and Sensor Technologies — FY2027 5.3

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0602114N project 0000 (PB PB2027). Narrative is the government's own text.
- **No marks, no contractors at this grain** — congressional marks land on the program element and R-3 performers on the project.
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_activity`.

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