# Intercontinental Ballistic Missile - Dem/Val — Program Element 0603851F

**Program element:** 0603851F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603851F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding falls 38% to a $72.1M request in FY2027, 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 added 57% (to $112.9M). MDA leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 106.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 117.1 |
| FY2027 | Request | 72.1 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 136.8 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 125.7 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 127.7 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 130.3 |

> 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 | 72.1 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 72.1 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 72.1 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 112.9 | +40.8 |

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

## Projects (4)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 641020 | ICBM Guidance Applications | 26.6 | 25.4 | 28.4 | +12% |
| 641022 | ICBM Reentry Vehicle Applications | 71.9 | 72.0 | 22.2 | −69% |
| 641024 | ICBM Command & Control (C2) Applications | 4.8 | 10.6 | 19.3 | +83% |
| 644209 | Long Range Planning (LRP) | 2.8 | 9.1 | 2.2 | −76% |

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

### Project 641020 — ICBM Guidance Applications

The Guidance Applications Program (GAP) studies and assesses both legacy and future ICBM Guidance System technology applications. Efforts are focused on current and future requirements and technologies, reduced life-cycle costs, and increased nuclear safety and surety. Activities leverage the efforts of the science and technology community and are coordinated with the Navy strategic applications program to enhance synergy and avoid duplication. Key elements include developing responsive technologies with common applications for future strategic guidance capabilities. This program also includes any needed nuclear surety, certification, and system vulnerability assessments. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY 2025 0M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2026 0M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** MDA (2.0, 7.1%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guidance Applications Program | 26.6 | 25.4 | 28.4 |

> 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 641022 — ICBM Reentry Vehicle Applications

The Reentry Vehicle Applications Program (RVAP) ensures the ICBM force is equipped with the safe, reliable, survivable reentry systems, and explores options for common, multi-mission capabilities. The program enables a responsive engineering infrastructure by developing modeling/simulation and ground/flight test platforms to support reentry system qualifications. The program ensures the availability of long-lead components and materials while identifying life-cycle cost reduction opportunities. In addition, the program matures and tests advanced reentry system technologies and designs to meet future capability requirements. This includes conducting any necessary studies and assessing technology applications relevant to Mk12A, Mk21, Mk21A, and future ICBM reentry systems by maturing technologies and demonstrating/validating concepts and leveraging investments by the science & technology community and Navy reentry systems applications program. Testing may occur on a space-available basis on Air Force and Navy Force Development Evaluation (FDE) flights. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY 2025 0M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2026 0M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reentry Vehicle Applications Program | 71.9 | 72.0 | 22.2 |

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

### Project 641024 — ICBM Command & Control (C2) Applications

The Command and Control Applications Program (C2AP) supports ICBM weapon system connectivity to the President and National Command Authorities. C2AP studies and assesses both legacy and future C2 system technologies. C2AP evaluates and develops assured, survivable, and secure communications and battlespace awareness between the missile Launch Control Centers and Launch Facilities essential for mission execution. Efforts include identifying and developing current and future technologies, as well as concepts that exploit state-of-the-art communications and information transfer techniques to both current and future ICBM systems. Products include studies, demonstrations, and tests such as ICBM Advanced C2 Capabilities architectures, networks, and systems to meet nuclear C2 requirements. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY 2025 0M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2026 0M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Command and Control Application Program | 4.8 | 10.6 | 19.3 |

> 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 644209 — Long Range Planning (LRP)

The Long Range Planning (LRP) effort identifies, analyzes, and evaluates potential modifications to current and future ICBM Weapon Systems required to meet warfighter objectives related to executing flight tests, long-term sustainment, technology insertion, battle space awareness, employment, force structure, and future systems. The studies will focus on system supportability, operability, reliability, innovation, and maintainability. Options/concepts generated by these studies are evaluated for feasibility, system impacts, and cost. LRP supports and conducts testing in support of future weapon system development and deployment. Pre-milestone activities may be conducted for current and/or future ICBM weapon systems, which may include entry criteria for milestone activities enabling a rapid response to evolving warfighter priorities and emerging requirements. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY 2025 0M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2026 0M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** BAE (0.5, 23%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Range Planning | 2.8 | 9.1 | 2.2 |

> 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 | 3.5% | 2.5 |
| Other / unspecified | 97% | 69.6 |

**Top named industry performers:** MDA ($2.0M, 2.8%).

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Demonstration/Validation (Dem/Val) program ensures the development of strategic capabilities in response to United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) Strategic Advisory Group, USSTRATCOM Commander Guidance, and the Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Deterrence. ICBM Dem/Val provides responsive solutions to address emerging threats and issues through technology insertion and technology application for legacy and future ICBM systems, and other common strategic deterrent mission areas.

Studies, analyses, limited engineering, and pre-prototype hardware development will be accomplished; efforts will be conducted using contracting strategies deemed most appropriate, generally using competitive contracts and/or other obligating documentation considered most appropriate by obligating and performing agencies involved. Current effort deliverables include various technologies for ICBM reentry vehicles, including modeling and simulation software, alternate high-temperature materials, advanced concepts, and radiation-hardened microelectronics.

## Related program elements

- [0603036F — Armament Demonstration and Validation](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603036F) (Air Force)
- [0207439F — Electromagnetic Warfare Int Reprog (EWIR)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207439F) (Air Force)
- [0604264N — Air Crew Systems Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604264N) (Navy)
- [0101221N — Strategic Sub & Wpns Sys Supt](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101221N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0603851F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0603851F")`.

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