# Advanced Propulsor, Experimental (APEX)

**R-2A activity** of project DAT-01 — ADVANCED SYSTEMS  
**Program element:** 0603467E — DARPA Advanced Technology Development  
**Component:** Defense-Wide · **Budget Activity:** 3  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603467E/DAT-01/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603467E/DAT-01

## Summary

This activity requests $73.4M in FY2027, 18% of project DAT-01, up 19% 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.** - Execute Critical Design Review (CDR) for larger scale demonstrator vehicle. - Purchase materials for manufacturing of the larger scale demonstrator vehicle. - Continue to test software control system for demonstrator. - Continue to update the software control system for demonstrator. - Continue manufacture of the demonstrator vehicle. - Continue to build the larger scale demonstrator article subsystems. - Continue to test the larger scale demonstrator article subsystems.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The FY 2027 increase reflects increase in manufacturing larger subsystems for the larger scale demonstrator.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Complete motor risk reduction assembly testing and incorporate lessons learned. - Complete testing for the smaller scale demonstrator article and incorporate lessons learned. - Execute Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for larger scale demonstrator vehicle. - Complete detailed design of the demonstrator vehicle. - Purchase long-lead items for demonstrator vehicle. - Initiate manufacture of the demonstrator vehicle. - Conduct subsystem modeling, simulation, and analysis activities. - Conduct High Performance Computing (HPC) performance modeling to validate performance. - Complete the development, building, and testing of the quarter scale demonstrator article subsystems.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | Enacted | 61.8 |
| FY2027 | Request | 73.4 |

> 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 DAT-01

- [Advanced Systems Studies and Concepts](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603467E/DAT-01/a10) — FY2027 178.7
- Midway — FY2027 39.6
- [Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative (EEI)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603467E/DAT-01/a1) — FY2027 25.0
- [Archer](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603467E/DAT-01/a2) — FY2027 20.8
- [Box Kick](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603467E/DAT-01/a9) — FY2027 20.0
- [Pulling Guard](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603467E/DAT-01/a3) — FY2027 19.9
- Deep Thoughts — FY2027 15.8
- Time-definite Capability Delivery — FY2027 8.0
- Resilient Supply-and-Demand Networks (RSDN) — FY2027 4.1
- FLexible networking Using Intelligent Dialecting (FLUID) — FY2027 2.0
- Goblin — FY2027 —
- No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) — FY2027 —
- Scorpionfish — FY2027 —
- Trenton — FY2027 —
- Willow — FY2027 —

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0603467E project DAT-01 (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.*