# Manufacturing for the Future Force

**R-2A activity** of project 635280 — Manufacturing Technologies  
**Program element:** 0603680F — Manufacturing Technologies  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 3  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603680F/635280/a2  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603680F

## Summary

This activity requests $18.1M in FY2027, 18% of project 635280, up 92% 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 the development of high demand manufacturing technologies including low cost for attritable systems, thermal protection materials for high temperature applications, and other manufacturing technologies geared toward realizing the future force through autonomous collaborative platforms, low-cost munitions, hypersonic weapons, and alternative position, navigation and timing solutions. Activities include: -- Delivery of improved manufacturing and quality processes to increase yield of Read Out Integrated Circuits (ROICs), which will result in increased production capacity of critical Infrared Search and Track systems. -- Accelerate manufacturing efforts for next generation hypersonic systems, such as reusable systems or responsive strike systems. These systems require scale-up in both rate and physical size of the components. -- Delivery of manufacturing prototypes of electronic front end components to enable affordable radar and communications capability traditionally limited to exquisite platforms. - Continue the development of manufacturing processes for substrates to enable quantum sensing. Activities include: -- Establishment of a domestic manufacturing capacity of quantum grade diamond substrates needed for sensors that provide operational magnetic navigation capability. - Continue the development of methodologies and tools to rapidly on-board non-aerospace industries into Department of the Air Force (DAF) supply chains for wartime production surge capacity. Research includes development of digital models and toolsets to rapidly qualify traditional civilian industries to enter defense aerospace supply chains. Activities include: -- Stand up a pilot line for composite forming of munition airframes that utilizes a commercially available composite material and is capable of high rate and low cost forming. - Commence the development of manufacturing approaches that (a) reduce the cost and time to produce specialized propulsion systems, (b) increase manufacturing efficiencies of low-SWAP (size, weight, and power) propulsion systems for enhanced maneuverability.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding in FY 2027 increased compared to FY 2026 by $8.674 million due to increased investment in manufacturing technologies for specialized propulsion and reusable hypersonics.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue the development of high demand manufacturing technologies including low cost for attritable systems, thermal protection materials for high temperature applications, and other manufacturing technologies geared toward realizing the future force through autonomous collaborative platforms, low-cost munitions, hypersonic weapons, and alternative position, navigation and timing solutions. - Continue the development of manufacturing processes for substrates to enable quantum sensing. - Commence the development of methodologies and tools to rapidly on-board non-aerospace industries into Department of the Air Force (DAF) supply chains for wartime production surge capacity. Research includes development of digital models and toolsets to rapidly qualify traditional civilian industries to enter defense aerospace supply chains.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 8.4 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 9.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 18.1 |

> 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 635280

- [Advanced Battery Manufacturing and Technologies](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603680F/635280/a3) — FY2027 53.6
- [Advanced Manufacturing Technologies](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603680F/635280/a1) — FY2027 16.5
- [Affordable Mission Availability](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603680F/635280/a0) — FY2027 11.6

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0603680F project 635280 (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.*