# (u)marine Aviation Demonstration/validation — Program Element 0604295M

**Program element:** 0604295M  
**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/0604295M

## Summary

U.S. Navy funding ramps 21% to a $47.2M request in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House added 102% (to $95.2M); the Senate added 127% (to $107.2M); House appropriators funded it in full. NAWCAD leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 54.1 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 38.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 47.2 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 52.1 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 62.0 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 62.6 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 63.7 |

> 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 | 47.2 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 95.2 | +48.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 107.2 | +60.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 47.2 | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3751 | Vertical Takeoff and Landing Development | 49.2 | 33.9 | 42.2 | +25% |
| 3752 | Future Capabilities Transition | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.9 | −1% |

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

### Project 3751 — Vertical Takeoff and Landing Development

USMC VTOL Development portfolio addresses vertical lift capability requirements that are feasible and affordable. This element supports Marine Corps Force Design and Marine Corps Aviation's Project Eagle initiative. This portfolio facilitates developmental and operational prototyping and demonstration of capabilities supporting Logistics/Aviation Sustainment, Future Attack/Strike (FASt), Assault Support, and Autonomy. Project activities are closely aligned with the OSW-sponsored vertical lift initiatives and will look to leverage any aspects of Joint Service programs (e.g., Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, unmanned, air launched effects) that may benefit the Marine Corps through accelerated development and/or reduced life cycle costs. The VTOL Development portfolio serves as a force multiplier, supporting development, maturation, experimentation and evaluation of enhanced performance qualities (e.g., agility, endurance, reliability, lift capacity, survivability), technically relevant modular kinetic/non-kinetic payloads, and superior warfighter-machine interface (e.g., autonomy), enhancing warfighter lethality. This project increases the MAGTF's lethality through its long-range fires, Logistics/Aviation Sustainment, FASt, and Assault Support efforts. Specific projects include the Contested Logistics focused Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC). Project activities directly support Force Design and Project Eagle, enable the Stand-in Force (SiF), and facilitate Expeditionary Advanced Basing Operations (EABO), and Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment (LOCE) through the development of manned and unmanned capabilities that enhance warfighter survivability and lethality.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** NAWCAD (11.1, 26%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| USMC Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Development | 49.2 | 33.9 | 42.2 |

> 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 3752 — Future Capabilities Transition

The Future Capability Transition (FCT) portfolio implements a capabilities-based acquisition approach focused on lethality, enhancing Marine Corps Aviation's interoperability and effectivity in joint kill webs. FCT accelerates the transition of Science and Technology (S&T) efforts into lethal Warfighter capabilities, which includes OSW R&E Defense Innovation Acceleration (DIA) and OSW R&E Rapid Defense Experiment Reserve (RDER) projects. FCT supports the execution of Force Design by ensuring both legacy and future platforms inform design and acquisition decisions that avoid duplicative design and engineering, reduce life-cycle costs and expedite delivery of enhanced lethality capabilities to Marine Aviation. This PE includes enduring VMX-1 RDT&E support along with support of Fleet evaluations and demonstration.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** NAWCAD (0.3, 7.0%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future Capabilities Transition | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.9 |

> 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 | 24% | 11.4 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Other / unspecified | 76% | 35.7 |

**Top named industry performers:** NAWCAD ($11.4M, 24%).

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

## Mission & acquisition strategy

USMC VTOL Development portfolio addresses vertical lift capability requirements that are feasible and affordable. This element supports Marine Corps Force Design and Marine Corps Aviation's Project Eagle initiative. This portfolio facilitates developmental and operational prototyping and demonstration of capabilities supporting Logistics/Aviation Sustainment, Future Attack/Strike (FASt), Assault Support, and Autonomy.

ALC uses a Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) approach due to availability of commercial-off-the-shelf and government-off-the-shelf (COTS/GOTS) solutions and maturity of materiel solutions based on responses from Industry-wide requests for information (RFIs) released in FY 2023. The Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) signed on March 19, 2024 initiated the MTA Rapid Prototyping phase in FY 2024. MTA Rapid Prototyping OTA contracts support demonstration of multiple platforms, autonomy suites and associated subsystems in FY 2024, FY 2025, and FY 2026. Narrowing to a single vendor for final mission systems integration will occur at the end of FY 2026.

## Related program elements

- [0605812A — Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase (EMD)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605812A) (Army)
- [0604270A — Electronic Warfare Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604270A) (Army)
- [0604601N — Mine Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604601N) (Navy)
- [0207146F — F-15EX](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207146F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0604295M (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0604295M")`.

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