# Air Crew Systems Development — Program Element 0604264N

**Program element:** 0604264N  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 5 — System Development & Demonstration  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604264N

## Summary

U.S. Navy funding falls 51% to a $21.6M request in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak), before stepping down 54% 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. NAWCAD leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 29.2 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 44.3 |
| FY2027 | Request | 21.6 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 17.5 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 10.2 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 8.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 9.9 |

> 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 | 21.6 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 21.6 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 21.6 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 21.6 | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0606 | Aircrew System Development | 20.0 | 40.2 | 21.6 | −46% |
| 9099 | Physiological Episodes | 9.2 | 4.1 | 0.0 | −100% |

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

### Project 0606 — Aircrew System Development

AIRCREW SYSTEMS: Aircrew Systems include Cold Weather/Anti-Exposure Systems (CWAES), Helmet, Mask, Regulator (HMR), Survival Vest Systems Improvement (SVSI), and Improved Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (IJHMCS). The CWAES program will design, test, and qualify improved cold weather/anti-exposure systems. System components will provide reduced thermal burden, increased mobility, and superior water intrusion resistance while maintaining protection levels. The improved system will reduce fatigue and dehydration, enable operating at optimum performance during extended missions, provide protection from exposure, and provide improved survivability during extended recoveries. The SVSI program provides for an improved RW/TR aircrew survival vest to address safety and performance issues with the currently fielded solution. Vest systems include, at a minimum, aircrew life support equipment and armor carrier, hoisting capability, mobile aircrew restraint, and life preserver. IJHMCS will mitigate aircrew back and neck strain/fatigue and replace the JHMCS Helmet Mounted Day Display and Night Vision Cueing Device (NVCD) with a single day/night, digital color-capable helmet-mounted display. IJHMCS will integrate onto the helmet solution identified in the Helmet Mask Regulator (HMR) program. AIRCREW SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM: Aircrew Safety Improvement Program (ASIP) provides continuing development and qualification in response to high priority, emergent aircrew systems deficiencies, capability gaps, obsolescence, and readiness issues. ASIP addresses critical safety and performance issues while enhancing safety and survivability with solution improvements across the aircrew systems portfolio. Efforts are prioritized according to fleet demand signals.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** NAWCAD (12.6, 59%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aircrew System Development | 17.4 | 36.1 | 17.5 |
| Aircrew Safety Improvement Program | 2.6 | 4.1 | 4.1 |

> 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 9099 — Physiological Episodes

Physiological Episodes includes Helmet Mask Regulator (HMR). HMR: Improved helmets, masks, and regulators are required to mitigate physiological episodes. This program determines what improvements are needed and develops the material solution. The closeout of RCCA action items is paramount to the Naval Aviation Enterprise's efforts in mitigating physiological episodes, restoring confidence in the aircraft, and most importantly, keeping our USN and USMC aircrew safe.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physiological Episodes | 9.2 | 4.1 | 0.0 |

> 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 | 59% | 12.6 |
| Other / unspecified | 41% | 8.9 |

**Top named industry performers:** NAWCAD ($12.6M, 59%).

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Aircrew Systems Development program (PU 0606) provides Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of Aviation Life Support Systems to protect aircrew and flight deck personnel from current and future threats including: directed energy weapons, chemical/biological/radiological agents/fallout, ballistic projectiles, temperature extremes, heat/fire, low concentration oxygen environments, high dynamic forces during emergency egress, hearing loss, high "G" forces, and survivability during isolated personnel events.

Leverage Commercial-Off-The-Shelf/Non-Developmental Items where possible. Full and open competition utilizing negotiated best value procedures applied when appropriate. Cost plus fixed fee contracts are employed when sufficient technical complexity and uncertainty is associated with design and development.

## Related program elements

- [0207279F — Isolated Personnel Survivability and Recovery](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207279F) (Air Force)
- [0603851F — Intercontinental Ballistic Missile - Dem/Val](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603851F) (Air Force)
- [0602236N — Warfighter Sustainment Applied Res](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0602236N) (Navy)
- [0603739N — Navy Logistic Productivity](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603739N) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0604264N (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0604264N")`.

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