# Capability Development Core Ops

**R-2A activity** of project 640011 — Architecture & Integration Core Ops and Gap Assessment  
**Program element:** 0604609F — Requirements Analysis & Concept Maturation  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 4  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604609F/640011/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604609F/640011

## Summary

This activity requests $57.6M in FY2027, 100% of project 640011, up 483% 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 HVAA-P Planning for Development activities as informed by the endgame demonstration. - Commence additional Planning for Development and conduct further concept refinement activities in response to Force Design and DoW priorities. These efforts will address critical capability areas including, but not limited to, Autonomy Capabilities, Counter-Air, Persistent ISR, Strategic Airlift, and Rapid Strike, all informed by Mission Engineering Threads. This work will build the necessary evidence to support AoA Sufficiency studies at all security levels and relevant domains, delivering fully informed data to drive acquisition decisions, inform continued development planning, and prepare for MAJCOM interactions and PPBE activities required for PoR establishment. These products will support the Capability Development Enterprise with system attribute trades and open system solutions, leveraging modern digital engineering tools. Where necessary, activities will involve targeted S&T investments, risk reduction, and demonstrations to resolve technical debt, along with supporting directed studies in collaboration with the Air Force Futures and MAJCOM.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** - FY 2027 funding increased compared to FY2026 by $47.702 million. This increase is due to programmatic adjustments within the Capability Development portfolio, to include the consolidation of Projects 640011 and 640012 as well as a heavy USAF demand signal for HVAA-P maturation, risk reduction, and Planning for Development activities. - All associated FY 2027 plans and activities in the "Capability Development System Attribute Definition and Acquisition Planning” thrust and Project 640012 have been consolidated into the 'Capability Development Core Ops' thrust under a single Project. This realignment prevents the duplication of work between the two areas and ensures all activities are properly aligned within a single, unified capability development framework.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Commence and complete the Next Generation Air Lift (NGAL) concept analysis and assessment. Delivers acquisition data and analysis to support data-driven acquisition decisions. Inform Planning for Development and prepares for MAJCOM interactions and PPBE activities required for program of record establishment. Support additional directed studies based on USAF Force Design Mission Thread priorities. - Commence endgame demonstration for High-Value Airborne Asset Protection (HVAA-P) to assess potential solutions to close near-term capability gaps, inform future acquisitions decisions and follow-on efforts, and provide a transition path for proven technologies. - Complete and provide fully informed, mission- and campaign-level Ensemble Analysis on surrogate Hard and Deeply Buried Targets (HDBTs). Delivers the data, analysis, and methodology for evaluating ensembles of existing and future weapons utilizing existing intelligence products.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 9.4 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 9.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 57.6 |

> 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 640011

- Capability Development System Attribute Definition and Acquisition Planning — FY2027 0.0

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0604609F project 640011 (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.*