# MACE (Project Alpha)

**R-2A activity** of project 1600 — High-Speed Long Range Maritime Strike Weapon  
**Program element:** 0604659N — Precision Strike Weapons Development Program  
**Component:** U.S. Navy · **Budget Activity:** 4  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604659N/1600/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604659N/1600

## Summary

This activity requests $138.5M in FY2027, 100% of project 1600, up 36% 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.** FY 2027 will continue the government integration, test, evaluation and certification from Knowledge Point (KP)1 (1st air-launched test shot) in Q4 FY 2026 thru KP2 (Live Fire Shot in Combat Environment) in Q4 FY 2027. Integration efforts for the Reactive Material Warhead and Advanced Lethality Enhancement will commence.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Increase from FY 2026 to FY 2027 supports rapid acceleration of MACE/Project Alpha EOC in FY 2027.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Project Alpha efforts are focused on development of a potential material solution for an affordable mass Anti-Surface Warfare munition and fielding an Early Operational Capability (EOC) to accelerate closure of critical warfighting gaps. The program will leverage ongoing SBIR Phase III efforts and continue airframe development, integration of subsystems into All Up Rounds (AURs) and onto F/A-18E/F platforms, and qualification utilizing Rapid Capability Office authorities to support an accelerated achievement of EOC in FY 2027. Warhead Development will continue for payload to integrate onto AURs.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 101.8 |
| FY2027 | Request | 138.5 |

> 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 Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0604659N project 1600 (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.*