# Vanguard Pathfinder - Integrated Networks

**R-2A activity** of project 630320 — Air Force Vanguards  
**Program element:** 0603032F — Air Force Vanguards  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 3  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a12  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F

## Summary

This activity requests $11.2M in FY2027, 4.0% of project 630320, up 287% 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 planning and early systems engineering for development of autonomous/AI aided software microservices that will serve as Command and Control (C2) decision aids enabling Battle Staff and Battle Managers to more rapidly process information and make decisions critical to the employment of kinetic and non-kinetic effects across multi-domain and integrated kill chains. - Continue early systems engineering to develop a system of integrated C2 Decision Aids. - Continue modeling, simulation, and analyses (MS&A) and capability development activities that enhance the DAF ability to support orchestration of joint all domain effects, to include manned/unmanned teams and kinetic and non-kinetic effects, at speed and scale. - Commence requirements maturation with stakeholders to include, Program Executive Office (PEO), Authorities to Operate (ATOs), and Digital Infrastructure Hosting. - Commence testing and evaluation to identify most impactful algorithms developed, providing optimal benefit to the warfighter. - Commence rapid transitioning of novel technology to counter evolving adversary threats, addressing both current and future operational needs. - Commence the improvement of data sources and analytics to feed the Long Range Kill Web. - Commence the development of a testbed capability to rapidly quantify expected sensor performance, including existing feeds and anticipated performance with future feeds. - Commence requirements maturation with stakeholders to include, Program Executive Office (PEO), Authorities to Operate (ATOs), and Digital Infrastructure Hosting. - Commence the development of a transition path/plan for algorithms which improves sensing capabilities to support future PEO transition to create a permanent Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for rapidly incorporating future new S&T.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY 2027 funding increased compared to FY 2026 by $8.281 million due to commencing maturation of requirements with stakeholders, testing and transitioning advanced algorithms, improving data analytics, and developing a testbed and transition plan for new sensing technologies.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Stop development of next-generation cross domain solutions through design and prototyping of software services that enable discoverability and reconfigurability of cross domain solution functions. - Stop ground emulation evaluation of hardware and software applications received from selected vendors to assess scalability of emerging technologies. Emulation environment to include hardware and software necessary to optimally route mission data across multiple security levels and heterogenous networks. - Stop modeling, simulation, and analyses (MS&A) integration with multi-domain data transport efforts to assess how networks from multiple domains enhance aerial network & kill-chain in complex information security use cases to identify risks, challenges and synergies. Assess scalability to large number of network nodes in air and mission performance under various network conditions. - Stop integration of software and hardware designs to address any deficiencies discovered during ground simulations and functionality with airborne information management services. - Commence planning and early systems engineering for development of autonomous/AI aided software microservices that will serve as Command and Control (C2) decision aids. (In FY 2026 PB this was reported under the WARTECH effort.) - Commence modeling, simulation, and analyses (MS&A) and capability development activities that enhance the DAF ability to support orchestration of joint all domain effects, to include manned/unmanned teams and kinetic and non-kinetic effects, at speed and scale. (In FY 2026 PB this was reported under the WARTECH effort.)

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 6.1 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 2.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 11.2 |

> 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 630320

- [Vanguard Prospect - Ephemeral Paragon (E-Gon)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a5) — FY2027 45.9
- [Vanguard Pathfinder - Integrated Combat Effects](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a13) — FY2027 42.6
- [Vanguard Prospect - CRONUS](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a4) — FY2027 38.0
- [Vanguard Prospect - EO/IR Sensing Demonstration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a10) — FY2027 36.5
- [Vanguard Prospect - Payload Delivery System](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a9) — FY2027 32.9
- [Vanguard Prospect - Scabbard Rage](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a8) — FY2027 30.7
- [Vanguard Prospect - APEX GEAR](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a7) — FY2027 27.0
- [Vanguard Pathfinder - Integrated Electronic Warfare](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603032F/630320/a11) — FY2027 13.1
- WARTECH — FY2027 4.0
- Vanguard Prospect - Resolute Sentry — FY2027 0.0
- Vanguard Prospect - Area Effects Demonstration — FY2027 0.0
- Vanguard Prospect - Fight Tonight — FY2027 0.0
- Vanguard Prospect - Swift Hammer — FY2027 0.0

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0603032F project 630320 (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.*