# High-Speed Systems Integration and Demonstration

**R-2A activity** of project 634920 — Aerospace Systems Integration & Demonstration  
**Program element:** 0603211F — Aerospace Technology Dev/Demo  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 3  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603211F/634920/a2  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603211F/634920

> **NEW START.** $80.1M requested in FY2027 with no prior-year and no current-year funding.

## Summary

This activity requests $80.1M in FY2027, 31% of project 634920 — a new start with no prior-year and no current-year money. 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 technology maturation activities to investigate performance capabilities of responsive strike hypersonic platforms. - Activities include demonstrating improved performance, thermal management, structural feasibility, and operability at higher Mach speeds, advancing toward more affordable, reusable high-speed systems. Continue high-speed airframe propulsion integration technology development focused on inlet and nozzle configurations, high- speed propulsion dual-mode scramjet and the necessary high temperature seals and actuation methods. - Activities include developing platform conceptual designs and conducting trade studies to refine analytical solutions for ground-test evaluation, advancing high-speed dual-mode scramjet design and tools to optimize heat-release and distortion performance, and performing trade studies to improve the efficiency and accuracy of high-speed direct-connect engine testing. Continue technology development addressing aerodynamic challenges encountered by a durable hypersonic platform operating across a wide Mach range. - Activities include studying low-speed performance, conducting configuration trade analyses, and collecting data on high-speed platforms operating outside cruise conditions, driving improvements in performance while supporting more affordable, reusable system designs. Commence technical performance validation efforts to enable scalable, affordable, exquisite and responsive strike hypersonic capabilities. - Activities include multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization of integrated high-speed/hypersonic platform designs to include integrated propulsion system, power, thermal management, aerothermodynamic effects, and mission system integration. Commence technology maturation activities to investigate performance capabilities of responsive strike hypersonic weapons. - Activities include demonstrating improved performance, thermal management, structural feasibility, and operability at higher Mach speeds, advancing toward more affordable high-speed weapon systems. Commence integrated airframe structures development and validation via ground test for high-speed platforms. - Activities include modeling and testing of structural materials, integrated structural components, and subscale integrated airframe structures. Commence development and validation of integrated power and thermal management technology for high-speed systems. Activities include: - The conceptual and detailed design of an integrated power and thermal subsystem and ground demonstration of its key high-temperature turbogenerator components, enabling a transition from traditional propulsion-sourced power to enable reduced system SWaP with increased range and/or payload capacity for future high-speed aircraft. - The development and demonstration of advanced thermal management technologies, such as high-temperature propulsion materials, alternative heat rejection approaches, and advanced power cycles that convert excess heat to electricity, driving increased vehicle thermal capacity to enable greater range, speed, and survivability for future high-speed reusable aircraft.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY 2027 funding increased by $80.108 million due to the transfer of the High-Speed Systems Integration and Demonstration effort and associated funding within this Program Element from Project 634926 / High Speed Systems Integ & Demo to Project 634920 / Flight Vehicle Tech Integration (now called Aerospace Systems Integration and Demonstration). This includes an increase from FY2026 to FY2027 of $49.274 million due to increased development, validation, and system integration for enabling scalable, affordable, exquisite and responsive strike hypersonic capabilities and affordable, reusable system design.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** In FY 2025 and FY 2026, the High-Speed Systems Integration and Demonstration effort and funding were reported in Program Element 0603211F / Aerospace Technology Dev/Demo /Project 634926 / High Speed Systems Integ & Demo. FY 2025 funding was $8.878 million and FY 2026 funding is $30.834 million.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 0.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 80.1 |

> 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 634920

- [High-Speed Propulsion Integration and Demonstration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603211F/634920/a3) — FY2027 94.4
- [Air Breathing Propulsion Integration and Demonstration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603211F/634920/a1) — FY2027 30.0
- [Missile Propulsion Integration and Demonstration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603211F/634920/a6) — FY2027 25.8
- [Autonomous Systems Control Integration and Demonstration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603211F/634920/a4) — FY2027 12.1
- [Power &Thermal Systems Integration and Demonstration](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603211F/634920/a5) — FY2027 10.3
- Aerospace Vehicle Integration and Demonstration — FY2027 7.5

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0603211F project 634920 (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.*