# Mission Optimized Air Breathing Propulsion Technology Development

**R-2A activity** of project 623066 — Turbine Engine Technology  
**Program element:** 0602203F — Aerospace Systems Technologies  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 2  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602203F/623066/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602203F/623066

## Summary

This activity requests $41.5M in FY2027, 50% of project 623066, up 0.0% 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 demonstration of high efficiency, high durability propulsion components tailored for embedded systems. Activities include: -Complete distortion tolerant fan manufacturing and start test event. Continue engine component validated methodologies trade engine life, cost, and performance. Activities include: -Demonstration of risk based design for cost/schedule benefits Continue development of predictive analysis tools to enable reliable, sufficiently durable component designs to enable affordable mass for Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP). Activities include: -Assessment of ability of methods to increase turbine engine parts acceptance rates at increased risk posture Continue new lubrication function higher temperature turbine engine mechanical systems. Activities include -Maturation of several lubricants' performance under laboratory test conditions. Commence detailed design of fan modification to enable embedding of commercial engines in military platforms. Activities include -Design of multiple distortion tolerant features into a commercial fan. Commence the development of an artificial intelligence model for assisting turbine engine component design. Activities include -Utilize datasets for model training to improve design time and application optimization. Commence the demonstration of a novel additive manufactured turbine bladed disk. Activities include -Conducting engine testing of components to validate service life and system applications. Commence development of technology to enable next generation of affordable small turbine engines for cruise missiles. Activities include: -Engine cycle study to identify promising engine architectures. -Testing compact combustors focused on altitude ignition and operation. -Evaluation of lubrication methods with commercial off-the-shelf bearings -Evaluation of components made from low cost materials Commence demonstration of a multi-fidelity thermal-structural engine design process for reduced computational expenses and increased accuracy for turbine engine structural design. Activities include: -The development of automated processes for non-linear hot to cold geometry generation and analysis inputs. -The overall design process automation and validation.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Not Applicable

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue demonstration of high efficiency, high durability propulsion components tailored for embedded systems. - Finalize manufacturing build parameters for turbines. - Continue engine component validated methodologies trade engine life, cost and performance - Finalize risk-based design system. - Continue development of predictive analysis tools to enable reliable, sufficiently durable component designs enable affordable mass for Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP). - Rapid assessment of as-manufactured parts. - Complete development studies to extend engine operability and efficiency by advancing rules and integrated engine design tools. - Aerodynamic design tools and analysis methods to meet modeling, simulation, and analysis defined capabilities. - Complete design-for-integration and assessment for embedded engines by advancing design activities for distortion tolerant fan components - Transonic fan distortion tolerance and transfer study. - Complete analysis for high lift / high work study. - Reduce turbine stage /blade count. - Complete design of compressors and turbines for limited life and affordability, to enable embedded fan technologies. - Preliminary design review of embedded engine compressor fan module and hardware. - Complete systems engineering & digital engineering frameworks. - Multi-disciplinary design & optimization. - Complete fan module component failure mode investigations. - Fan module testing. - Complete studies of bearings nonoil lubrication. - Design technologies for limited life systems. - Commence new lubrication function higher temperature turbine engine mechanical systems. - Technology development studies for disruptive propulsion for future platforms.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 41.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 41.5 |

> 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 623066

- [Revolutionary Propulsion Technology Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602203F/623066/a1) — FY2027 33.3
- Aerospace Fuel Technology Development — FY2027 8.5
- Turbine Engine Components — FY2027 0.0
- Turboshaft/Turboprop and Turbofan Engine Technologies — FY2027 0.0
- Engine Technologies for Autonomous Vehicles and Munitions — FY2027 0.0
- Combustion Technologies — FY2027 0.0
- Diagnostic Technologies — FY2027 0.0
- Bearing Technologies — FY2027 0.0
- Lubricant Technologies — FY2027 0.0

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0602203F project 623066 (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.*