# Carrier Systems Development — Program Element 0603512N

**Program element:** 0603512N  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603512N

## Summary

U.S. Navy requests $8.8M in FY2027 — the program's peak, 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. L3Harris leads the industry work, though an unusually large share flows to government labs and warfare centers.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 5.6 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 8.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 8.8 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 7.9 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 8.1 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 8.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 8.3 |

> 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 | 8.8 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 8.8 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 8.8 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 8.8 | +0.0 |

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

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4005 | In-Service Carrier Systems Development | 1.1 | 4.0 | 4.6 | +15% |
| 3216 | Tactical Support Center-Integration | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | −3% |

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

### Project 4005 — In-Service Carrier Systems Development

The In-Service Carrier Systems Demonstration and Validation Program develops new technology and enhancements for 11 nuclear powered Aircraft Carriers with nearly 300 systems onboard each vessel. These systems are a combination of historical and new initiatives that deliver an affordable, robust, operator-friendly automated control environment. In order to deter threats and properly integrate all of the systems, the Demonstration and Validation Program segments the testing and upgrades into four areas: system architecture, requirements/specification development, technology selection, cyber-security engineering and integration, and software development. The Demonstration and Validation Program also focuses on the Total Ownership Costs of each system and any equipment obsolescence issues. Initial technologies include the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Replacements, the Integrated Condition Assessment System (ICAS), the On-Machine I/O development for Low Pressure Air Plants (LPAP) and LPAP Air End Re-design. Demonstration technologies include Advanced Damage Control System (ADCS) software improvements, Input / Output Controller (IOC) Replacement, Fleet wireless Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), Weapons Elevator Laser Positioning System (WELPS), Legacy Steering Interface (LSI) upgrades, Passive Countermeasures System (PCMS) alternate measurement capability, additive manufacturing efforts, and Weapons Elevators Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) redesign.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Service Carrier Systems Development | 1.1 | 4.0 | 4.6 |

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

### Project 3216 — Tactical Support Center-Integration

The AN/SQQ-34 CV-TSC project delivers ASW and SUW combat capability to the Aircraft Carrier. This project delivers capability updates to the Fleet, developing, testing, certifying, and fielding system upgrades and cyber-security patches. The project maintains interoperability with current and future interfaces; supports mission data exchange; improves track/sensor processing and analysis techniques; improves mission planning; improves data recording, reconstruction, and distribution; improves embedded simulation and training capabilities and implements cyber-security measures to effectively employ overall CVN self-defense capabilities. CV-TSC integrates sensor data from off-board aircraft, organic platform sensors, Link-16 track data, SSDS track data (PLA and non-PLA), GCCS OTH track data, and environmental and threat databases to assess the threat and assist the TAO and Composite Warfare Commander (CWC) to effectively employ overall CVN self-defense capabilities. CV-TSC generates real-time ASW/SUW information and recommendations, tactical planning and employment of ASW/SUW assets, ASW/SUW sensor data processing and analysis, and distribution of tactically significant data. Aircraft supported include MH-60R/S Seahawk, and P-8 Poseidon and MQ-4C Triton as future ASW/SUW systems. System development is accomplished through the following initiatives: 1) Maintaining interoperability with the local CVN warfare systems through current and future interfaces; 2) Continuing to support mission data exchange and tactical control with current and future ASW/SUW assets and their mission systems; 3) Improving track and sensor processing and analysis techniques as new track and sensor data becomes available; 4) Improving mission planning support for the ASW/SUW missions conducted from the CVN; 5) Improving data recording, reconstruct, and distribution to meet the decreasing timelines associated with getting tactically significant data to other end users both on and off platform; 6) Improving embedded simulation and training capabilities to enable operator proficiencies; and 7) Implementing cyber security measures.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** L3Harris (0.2, 5.7%), NAWC/Pax River (0.2, 5.4%), VAR* (0.2, 4.2%), KMS Solutions (0.1, 1.7%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CV-TSC Development / Integration / Test / Certification | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 |

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

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 8.8% | 0.8 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 85% | 7.5 |
| Other / unspecified | 5.8% | 0.5 |

**Top named industry performers:** L3Harris ($0.2M, 2.7%), NAWC/Pax River ($0.2M, 2.6%), VAR* ($0.2M, 2.0%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

This Program Element (PE) addresses technology areas associated with Command and Control (C2) of the MH-60R/S Seahawk Helicopter, as well as the development of other technologies and enhancements for Aircraft Carrier-based systems. PROJECT 3216: The AN/SQQ-34 Aircraft Carrier Tactical Support Center (CV-TSC) program delivers Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Surface Warfare (SUW) combat capability to the Aircraft Carrier supporting Aircraft Carrier, Nuclear power (CVN) Tactical Action Office (TAO) and embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Sea Combat Commander.

- CV-TSC utilizes an incremental development approach that aims to deliver capability updates via Fleet Capability Releases (FCRs). This approach allows required capability to be delivered to address emerging Fleet needs and provides frequent opportunities to ensure interoperability is synchronized with the SSDS and other critical ship-board systems. The acquisition strategy places heavy emphasis on the use of standardized combat system hardware and software hosting, minimizing the use of custom hardware thereby reducing life-cycle costs.

## Related program elements

- [1206761SF — Protected Tactical Service (PTS)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206761SF) (Space Force)
- [0302060F — Looking Glass Next (LG-N))](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0302060F) (Air Force)
- [0605513N — Unmanned Surface Vehicle Enabling Capabilities](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605513N) (Navy)
- [0604212N — Other Helicopter Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604212N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0603512N (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0603512N")`.

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