# Next Gen Platform Dev/Demo — Program Element 0603273F

**Program element:** 0603273F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 3 — Advanced Technology Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603273F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding ramps 17% to a $165.9M request in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House added 4.2% (to $172.9M); the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 85.7 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 141.6 |
| FY2027 | Request | 165.9 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 170.4 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 173.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 177.3 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 180.9 |

> 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 | 165.9 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 172.9 | +7.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 165.9 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 165.9 | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 634094 | Next Gen Platform Dev/Demo | 85.7 | 141.6 | 165.9 | +17% |

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

### Project 634094 — Next Gen Platform Dev/Demo

This program oversees the engineering and demonstration of advanced Department of the Air Force (DAF) Nuclear Delivery System (NDS) components and technologies that support integrated Nuclear Deterrence Operations (NDO) missions. This work is achieved through foundational science, development of technologies, sub-scale validation and testing, and full-scale flight testing of re-entry system components. The Next-Generation Platform Development/Demonstration project encompasses the design, development, integration, experimentation, and evaluation of specific technologies that will enable the future delivery of multiple Government Reference Designs (GRDs) and Government Reference Vehicles (GRVs) comprised of various technology suites. These technologies include advanced aeroshell modeling and re-entry system materials development; fuzing technologies for improved system trajectory performance; advanced guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) systems; strategic radiation-hardened communications in representative operational nuclear environments; the development of specialized nuclear science and technology (S&T) expertise; and the Integration, Experimentation, and Evaluation (IE&E) of technologies through infrastructure developments. Collectively, these efforts will produce various testbeds that enable relevant environment characterizations for DAF nuclear re-entry vehicles and their sub-systems. This program requires close DAF and Department of Energy (DOE) interagency coordination to ensure informed and rapid nuclear re-entry system technology maturation and transitions. This program supports Department of War (DOW) priorities to revitalize enduring nuclear deterrence operations by modernizing and demonstrating the specialized infrastructure and technologies necessary to address, and respond to, current and emerging multi-peer-contested nuclear threats while also developing specialized expertise to continuously execute this work. This effort will develop the advanced technologies necessary to effectively address multi-peer threats and maintain operational effectiveness in a cost-effective manner by reducing technical and programmatic risks associated with the execution of collective nuclear modernization activities. This program is accomplished by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeroshell Technologies | 56.9 | 67.3 | 96.6 |
| Advanced Fuzing Technologies | 1.3 | 3.5 | 6.8 |
| Advanced Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Technologies | 12.6 | 20.9 | 25.0 |
| Integration, Experimentation, and Evaluation Solutions | 14.9 | 35.3 | 37.6 |

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

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0603273F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0603273F")`.

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