# NC3 Advanced Concepts

**R-2A activity** of project 646020 — NC3 Advanced Concepts  
**Program element:** 0604001F — NC3 Advanced Concepts  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 4  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604001F/646020/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604001F

## Summary

This activity requests $14.4M in FY2027, 100% of project 646020, up 34% 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.** •Conduct studies, analysis, and prototyping •Test bed activities •Exercise participation •Develop modeling and simulation of identified NC3 WS architecture •Integrated NC3 WS testing, validation, and certification •Direct mission support contracts in support of next generation NC3 systems and sub-systems •Rapidly respond to evolving warfighter priorities and warfighter requirements •Continue to support early development and risk reduction of emerging applicable technologies in FY2027, including: --Radio enhancements --Antenna improvements --Evaluation of alternative communication paths for NC3 --Cyber resiliency --Network communications services --Hardware enhancements --Inform evolving NC3 requirements and reduce risk through prototyping for emerging NC3 programs like Sentinel and SAOC, Tankers, B-21, MC2S, etc • Continue to support High Frequency (HF) engineering analysis and the establishment of experimental infrastructure to reduce technical risk and schedule for potential future programs of record/requirements Details can be provided at higher classification levels.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY 2026 to FY 2027 budget increase is to fund additional advanced concept efforts: Network communications services, Cyber resiliency, Material Hardening and Alternative communication paths for NC3.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** •Conduct studies, analysis, and prototyping •Test bed activities •Exercise participation •Develop modeling and simulation of identified NC3 WS architecture •Integrated NC3 WS testing, validation, and certification •Direct mission support contracts in support of next generation NC3 systems and sub-systems •Rapidly respond to evolving warfighter priorities and warfighter requirements •Continue to support early development and risk reduction of emerging applicable technologies in areas such as: --Radio enhancements --Antenna improvements --Evaluation of alternative communication paths for NC3 --Cyber resiliency --Network communications services --Hardware enhancements --Inform evolving NC3 requirements and reduce risk via prototyping for emerging NC3 programs such as Sentinel and SAOC, Tankers, B-21, MC2S, etc • Continue to support High Frequency (HF) engineering analysis and standup of experimental infrastructure to reduce technical risk and schedule for potential future program of record/requirement Details can be provided at higher classification levels.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 5.3 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 10.8 |
| FY2027 | Request | 14.4 |

> 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.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0604001F project 646020 (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.*