# Emerging Requirements

**R-2A activity** of project 645350 — Experimentation  
**Program element:** 0604858F — Tech Transition Program  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force · **Budget Activity:** 4  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604858F/645350/a1  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604858F/645350

## Summary

This activity requests $35.3M in FY2027, 85% of project 645350, up 340% 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 to execute Air Force CSAT Blue Horizons Class XII Projects, developing candidate solutions to the Academic Year 2027 strategic dilemma posed by CSAF. Solutions will address the Homeland Defense, LRKC, Counter-HVAA, and Counter-Surface Action Group missions. - Conduct rapid experimentation to evaluate new capabilities and technologies, rigorously assessing their effectiveness in addressing identified capability shortfalls. The experimentation is synergistic with prototyping activities, and critical to the assessment and analysis. Prioritized Mission Engineering Threads, such as Counter-Air (HVAA-Protect, C-UAS), Persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (MQ-Next, Multi-Mission Autonomy), and Rapid Strike (LRKC, Next Generation Airlift) will guide these efforts. The data generated from these experiments will be used to make informed decisions regarding potential follow-on development, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and maximizing return on investment.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** - FY 2027 funding increased compared to FY 2026 by $27.282 million. This increase is due to new work in the Capability Development portfolio and updated emerging projects that are aligned with emerging threats. Projects and experimentation priorities are informed by Mission Engineering Threads, as detailed in the FY 2027 plans.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Execute Air Force Center for Strategy and Technology (CSAT) Blue Horizons Class XI Projects, developing candidate solutions to the Academic Year 2026 strategic dilemma posed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF). Solutions will address the Homeland Defense, Long Range Kill Chain (LRKC), Counter-High Value Airborne Asset (HVAA), and Counter-Surface Action Group missions. - Conduct rapid experimentation and assessment of candidate solutions addressing emerging capability gaps to inform potential follow-on development, including projects such as Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS), HVAA-Protect, and other potential emerging projects.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 3.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 8.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 35.3 |

> 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 645350

- USNORTHCOM Modeling, Simulation, and Experimentation — FY2027 6.5
- Experimentation Campaigns — FY2027 0.0

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0604858F project 645350 (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.*