# Technology Exploration — Program Element 0602336F

**Program element:** 0602336F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 2 — Applied Research  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602336F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding ramps 448% to a $27.0M request in FY2027, 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.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 4.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 27.0 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 29.4 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 31.9 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 32.5 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 33.2 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 27.0 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 27.0 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 27.0 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 27.0 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 623360 | Technology Exploration | 0.0 | 4.9 | 27.0 | +448% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 623360 — Technology Exploration

The Nuclear Delivery Systems (NDS) Technology Exploration program establishes the foundational computational tools necessary to conduct nuclear forensics, perform strategic surveillance, and predict future nuclear re-entry system environmental requirements, effects, and responses. Program activities aid investigations and analyses of 1) enhanced terminal performance options; 2) national strategic and nuclear deterrence operations; 3) potential clandestine nuclear activity; and 4) multi-physics algorithms to improve accuracy in simulating previously untested environmental effects and responses in support of nuclear re-entry systems efforts under PE 0603273F, Science and Technology (S&T) for Nuclear Re-entry Systems. This program provides applied S&T to augment nuclear deterrence operations by reestablishing specialized expertise and technologies necessary to address, and respond to, current and emerging multi-peer-contested nuclear environments. This program is accomplished by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). AFRL is focused on high-impact, multi-domain S&T solutions that drive innovation now while laying the groundwork for the Air and Space Forces to win the future fight. The AFRL effectively synchronizes the Department of the Air Force (DAF) S&T enterprise and workforce to align with the most consequential DAF priorities and accelerate the delivery of game-changing S&T. This program further supports the requisite DAF science and engineering (S&E) and mission enabling civilian workforce with the necessary technical competencies to develop, manage, and deliver S&T capabilities. The use of program funds in this PE is in conjunction with the civilian pay expenses budgeted for in the following PEs: 1206616SF, 1206601SF, 0601102F, 0602020F, 0602102F, 0602202F, 0602203F, 0602204F, 0602298F, 0602602F, 0602605F, 0602788F, and 0603680F. In FY 2027, $1.648 million is budgeted in this program for 8 direct Full-Time Equivalent civilians. AFRL references statutory language under 10 USC 4091 ("Authorities for certain positions at S&T reinvention laboratories”) to manage the workforce strength, structure, positions, and compensation.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Technologies | 0.0 | 4.9 | 5.0 |
| Nuclear Re-entry Systems S&T | — | 0.0 | 22.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Related program elements

- [0303126K — Long-Haul Communications - DCS](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0303126K) (Defense-Wide)
- [0601101E — Defense Research Sciences](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601101E) (Defense-Wide)
- [0603260F — Intelligence Advanced Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603260F) (Air Force)
- [0604200F — Armament Subsystems](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604200F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0602336F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0602336F")`.

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