# Project Air Force — Program Element 0605101F

**Program element:** 0605101F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 6 — RDT&E Management Support  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605101F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding falls 58% to a $13.3M request in FY2027, sustained 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.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 38.3 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 32.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 13.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 13.8 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 14.1 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 14.3 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 14.6 |

> 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 | 13.3 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 13.3 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 13.3 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 13.3 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 661110 | Project Air Force | 38.3 | 32.0 | 13.3 | −58% |

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

### Project 661110 — Project Air Force

MISSION DESCRIPTION Formally designated mission-critical, RAND Project Air Force (PAF) is the Department of the Air Force's (DAF's) sole Congressionally Mandated Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) for studies and analysis. For 78 years, PAF has provided essential, objective analysis to inform DAF and Congressional decisions, with a research agenda directed by the DAF's highest levels, including the Tri-Chair Steering Group chaired by the USecAF, VCSAF, and VCSO. PAF provides a return on investment that far exceeds its costs. Its actionable recommendations have saved billions of dollars while maximizing lethality and readiness. Recent examples include saving $17 billion from an airlift recapitalization strategy and preventing a $30 billion budgetary spike through analysis of the Future Aerial Refueling Enterprise. PAF research informs the DAF's most crucial decisions, from Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) force design and cost-effective air base resilience to improving space acquisition. Notably, PAF's latest work on Dynamic Space Operations (DSO) directly influenced the VCSO's strategy for refueling spacecraft and is being used to formally respond to a FY 2026 Congressional requirement. This program is in Budget Activity 6, RDT&E Management Support because this budget activity includes research, development, test and evaluation efforts and funds to sustain and/or modernize the installations or operations required for general research, development, test and evaluation.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China-Russia Center | 1.4 | 2.3 | 1.1 |
| Strategy & Doctrine | 8.0 | 6.7 | 2.8 |
| Force Modernization and Employment | 8.9 | 7.0 | 2.9 |
| Workforce Development and Health | 8.9 | 6.9 | 2.9 |
| Resource Management | 8.9 | 6.9 | 2.9 |
| Direct Assistance | 2.2 | 2.1 | 0.8 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0605101F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0605101F")`.

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