RDT&E Program Element · President's Budget PB2027

Aircraft Certification

PE 0605606A·U.S. Army·Approp. 2040 — RDT&E·BA6 — RDT&E Management Support
FY2027 Request
$2.0M
Army · RDT&E
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U.S. Army funding falls 59% to a $2.0M request in FY2027 (down from a FY2026 peak). In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full.

FY2027 Request
$2.0M
▼ 59% vs FY2026
FY2026 Enacted
$4.9M
▲ 122% vs FY2025
FY2025 Actual
$2.2M
Prior year

For fiscal year 2027, the U.S. Army is requesting $2.0M for Aircraft Certification under RDT&E program element 0605606A, down 59% from FY2026.

Funding trajectory

Funding profile, FY2025–FY2031

Prior years are actuals, the budget year is the request, and the outyears are the FYDP plan. Estimate types are colored and never summed into one figure.

02.2FY25ACTUAL4.9FY26ENACTED2.0FY27REQUEST2.0FY281.8FY291.7FY301.7FY31
Actual Enacted Request Outyear (FYDP)
Fiscal YearEstimate TypeAmount ($M)
FY2025Actual2.2
FY2026Enacted4.9
FY2027Request2.0
FY2028Outyear2.0
FY2029Outyear1.8
FY2030Outyear1.7
FY2031Outyear1.7
Where it sits

Acquisition lifecycle

This program is funded in RDT&E Budget Activity 6 — RDT&E Management Support.

Complete
Research
BA 1–2
Complete
Advanced Technology
BA 3
Complete
Prototyping
BA 4
Current
Development & Fielding
BA 5–7
Inside the program element

1 project rolls up into PE 0605606A

Projects are the summable leaves — the PE total is their sum, never added to it. Program elements and projects carry the full five-year plan; activities stop at the budget year. This PE moves -59% overall, which can hide much larger swings below.

Project 092

Aircraft Certification

$2.0MFY2027 request ▼ 59%
FY2025 actual$2.2M
FY2026 enacted$4.9M
FY2027 request$2.0M

The Airworthiness Certification project assures safe flight operation of Army aircraft and aviation systems by means of technical design approval and qualification of systems to appropriate airworthiness standards. This project supports independent airworthiness qualification for all assigned developmental and in-production Army aircraft, both manned and unmanned, as required by Army Regulation (AR) 70-62, "Airworthiness of Aircraft Systems", and is essential for assuring the safe operation of Army aircraft. This project performs engineering functions (design, analysis, testing, demonstrations, and system specification compliance) essential for certifying the airworthiness of nearly 20,000 assigned Army aircraft. This Project also supports: management/execution of the Army Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (AMACC) program; management/execution of airworthiness approval for new systems and materiel changes for all assigned Army aircraft systems; airworthiness engineering support for major development/modification and future systems/ subsystems requirements of the Program Executive Officer for Aviation (PEO AVN) and U.S. Army Special Operations Command's Technology Applications Program Office (TAPO); and management of test and evaluation processes in support of the airworthiness qualification process. The Airworthiness Certification project also performs general research and development in support of aircraft qualification and overarching airworthiness projects that involve multiple aircraft models and supports the application of other critical aviation subsystems onto Army aircraft. This project also supports: airworthiness certification for military-use civil derivative aircraft technical qualification through the Federal Aviation Administration's Military Certification Branch; development of airworthiness procedures, specifications, critical standards, and other design and qualification documents; participation in senior leadership mandated airworthiness tri-service activities (e.g., National Airworthiness Council) and international airworthiness related activities mandated by treaty (e.g. Flight Into Non-segregated Airspace (FINAS)).

Accomplishments / planned programs (R-2A) — prior, current and budget year only
Certification Requirements and Studies for Force Modernization Aircraft, Future Aircraft, and Advanced Aircraft Technologies▲ 8%
FY2025 actual$1.4M
FY2026 enacted$1.2M
FY2027 request$1.3M

FY2027 planned work Will refine Army Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (AMACC) document. Will conduct technical and airworthiness qualification assessments, projects, and studies to demonstrate airworthiness and system performance for Army force modernization aircraft systems and multi-system programs (e.g. AH-64E, UH-60M, MH-47G, MH-60M, etc.). Will conduct studies of Airworthiness Certification requirements for future aircraft systems and other advanced technology transition programs (e.g. Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, Advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Modular Open System). These efforts will aid in fully understanding advanced aviation technologies and proposed airworthiness…

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding changes reflect planned lifecycle of this effort

FY2026 plans — current year Will refine Army Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (AMACC) document. Will conduct technical and airworthiness qualification assessments, projects, and studies to demonstrate airworthiness and system performance for Army force modernization aircraft systems and multi-system programs (e.g. AH-64E, UH-60M, MH-47G, MH-60M, etc.). Will conduct studies of Airworthiness Certification requirements for future aircraft systems and other advanced technology transition programs (e.g. Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, Advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Modular Open System). These efforts will aid in fully understanding advanced aviation technologies and proposed airworthiness…

FY2025 accomplishments Refined Army Military Airworthiness Certification Criteria (AMACC) document. Conducted technical and airworthiness qualification assessments, projects, and studies to demonstrate airworthiness and system performance for Army force modernization aircraft systems and multi-system programs (e.g. AH-64E, UH-60M, MH-47G, MH-60M, etc.). Conducted studies of Airworthiness Certification requirements for future aircraft systems and other advanced technology transition programs (e.g. Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, Advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Modular Open System). These efforts will aid in fully understanding advanced aviation technologies and proposed airworthiness certification…

Design Standardsflat
FY2025 actual$0.7M
FY2026 enacted$0.6M
FY2027 request$0.6M

FY2027 planned work Will develop, implement, and maintain Military Standards, Specifications, and Handbooks, airworthiness procedures and tools, and overarching airworthiness qualification documentation.

FY2026 plans — current year Will develop, implement, and maintain Army Aeronautical Design Standards, airworthiness procedures and tools, and overarching airworthiness qualification documentation.

FY2025 accomplishments Developed, implemented, and maintained Army Aeronautical Design Standards, airworthiness procedures and tools, and overarching airworthiness qualification documentation.

Aircraft Fleet Airworthiness Certification Advancement and Synchronizationflat
FY2025 actual$0.0M
FY2026 enacted$0.0M
FY2027 request$0.0M

FY2027 planned work Will provide support to maintain general situational awareness in national and international airworthiness certification committees, conferences and working groups responsible for establishing, maintaining, and synchronizing aircraft safety for fleets of aircraft (e.g. National Airworthiness Council, Joint Propulsion Coordinating Committee, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Airworthiness working groups, Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC) Airworthiness working groups, and Global Air Traffic Management working groups)

FY2026 plans — current year Will provide support to maintain general situational awareness in national and international airworthiness certification committees, conferences and working groups responsible for establishing, maintaining, and synchronizing aircraft safety for fleets of aircraft (e.g. National Airworthiness Council, Joint Propulsion Coordinating Committee, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Airworthiness working groups, Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC) Airworthiness working groups, and Global Air Traffic Management working groups)

FY2025 accomplishments Provided support to maintain general situational awareness in national and international airworthiness certification committees, conferences and working groups responsible for establishing, maintaining, and synchronizing aircraft safety for fleets of aircraft (e.g. National Airworthiness Council, Joint Propulsion Coordinating Committee, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Airworthiness working groups, Air Force Interoperability Council (AFIC) Airworthiness working groups, and Global Air Traffic Management working groups)

Congressional action

Congressional marks

Committee marks on the FY2027 request. Adds and cuts are reconciled in conference before they become law.

RequestPresident's Budget
$2.0M
House NDAA (HASC)HASC
$2.0M full · +$0
Senate NDAA (SASC)SASC
$2.0M full · +$0
House Approps (HAC-D)HAC_D
$2.0M full · +$0
unresolved as of 2026-07-27. These are FY2027 authorization marks (NDAA); appropriations and the conference agreement may differ.
Program detail

Mission & acquisition strategy

The Airworthiness Certification Program Element (PE) assures safe flight operation of Army aircraft and aviation systems by means of technical design approval and qualification of systems to appropriate airworthiness standards. This PE supports independent airworthiness qualification for all assigned developmental and in-production Army aircraft, both manned and unmanned, as required by Army Regulation (AR) 70-62, "Airworthiness of Aircraft Systems", and is essential for assuring the safe operation of Army aircraft.

Project 092 — Aircraft Certification
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Provenance

Cite this page

Sources
FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification · Exhibits R-2 / R-3 · PE 0605606A (President's Budget PB2027) — and FY2027 NDAA committee marks, as tracked 2026-07-27.
Suggested citation
HitchAI, "Aircraft Certification (PE 0605606A)," federal budget intelligence, PB2027 vintage. hitchintel.com/programs/0605606A
Machine access
Markdown twin /programs/0605606A.md · MCP mcp.hitchintel.combudget_get_program_element, budget_get_cong_marks