# Test And Evaluation Support Budget Authority — Program Element 0701212F

**Program element:** 0701212F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 5 — System Development & Demonstration  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0701212F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding falls 47% to a $15.9M 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. 516th OO-ALC leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 21.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 29.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 15.9 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 10.9 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 12.1 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 12.3 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 12.6 |

> 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 | 15.9 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 15.9 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 15.9 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 15.9 | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6506TE | Test And Evaluation Support Budget Authority | 21.0 | 29.9 | 15.9 | −47% |

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

### Project 6506TE — Test And Evaluation Support Budget Authority

The Automatic Test Systems (ATS) program office is responsible for developing, acquiring, delivering and sustaining ATS war-fighting capabilities for the United Stated Air Force (USAF). ATS is responsible for developing, modernizing, acquiring, and sustaining ATS to meet the user's operational needs. ATS Product Group consists of the following: Armament and Stores Avionics Electronic Warfare Software Loader/Verifier and Built-in-Test Radar and Identification Friend or Foe Specialized Automatic Test Systems Innovation and Digital Transformation Requirements for the Common Armament Tester - Fighters and the Aircraft Smart Weapon Test Set programs were combined and is not the Common Armament Tester -Fighters for FY24 through the sustainment of the programs. RDT&E (APPN 3600) funding is essential to maintain operational readiness and technological superiority for our warfighters, requiring a strategic investment in the development, modernization, and technology insertion into over 8,000 testers impacting all major commands and the Joint Force. This investment directly supports the modernization of cyber-resilient, nuclear-certified Automatic Test Systems (ATS) across a wide range of critical USAF platforms, including Armament, Bomber, Fighter/Advanced Aircraft, Mobility, Training, ISR, and SOF, safeguarding national security and ensuring mission success. These funds will also accelerate the ATS Digital Transformation initiative, integrating Digital Engineering into legacy systems to enhance agility and responsiveness to evolving threats, ultimately improving efficiency and reducing long-term costs for the Air Force. This modernization effort is a vital component of ensuring a strong and capable military prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century. RDT&E (APPN 3600) funds needed for development of the Common Armament Tester-Fighters (CAT-F). This tester will ensure the readiness and security of our critical fighter platforms (F-15, F-16, and potentially A-10, F-22, and F-35) which requires investment in a modernized testing infrastructure. Currently the fragmented tester environment is vulnerable to outside forces due to not being certified or kept current on needed cyber protections. This common tester would address the critical needs to protecting critical assets across all platforms and reduce vulnerabilities of mission critical data.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** 516th OO-ALC (12.2, 77%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATS Modernization and Digital Transformation | 4.7 | 11.9 | 1.2 |
| Automatic Test Systems Innovation/Digital Transformation / Common Armament Tester - Fighter | 1.7 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| Common Aircraft Portable Reprogramming Equipment (CAPRE) Secure Memory Loader Verifier (SMLV) | 14.5 | 15.7 | 12.2 |

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

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 77% | 12.2 |
| Other / unspecified | 23% | 3.7 |

**Top named industry performers:** 516th OO-ALC ($12.2M, 77%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Automatic Test Systems (ATS) program office is responsible for developing, acquiring, delivering and sustaining ATS war-fighting capabilities for the United Stated Air Force (USAF). ATS is responsible for developing, modernizing, acquiring, and sustaining ATS to meet the user's operational needs. ATS Product Group consists of the following: Armament and Stores Avionics Electronic Warfare Software Loader/Verifier and Built-in-Test Radar and Identification Friend or Foe Specialized Automatic Test Systems Innovation and Digital Transformation Requirements for the Common Armament Tester - Fighters and the Aircraft Smart Weapon Test Set programs were combined and is not the Common Armament…

Acquisition Strategy for ATS modernization and technology insertion projects are evaluated for priority, feasibility, Return on Investment, and cost then sorted into Tiers for ease of classification: Tier I: Stars-Highest priority projects that are both achievable and provide significant benefits to the Air Force. •Tier II: Rising Stars-Projects that are high priority, meet modernization goals, and will deliver needed capabilities. •Tier III: Innovation Opportunities-Low TRL projects that require small investments to begin development. •Tier IV: Sustainment Efforts-Lower cost efforts targeted at improving existing systems.

## Related program elements

- [0207133F — F-16 Squadrons](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207133F) (Air Force)
- [0604445F — Wide Area Surveillance](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604445F) (Air Force)
- [0605013M — Marine Corps IT Dev/Mod](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605013M) (Navy)
- [1206447SF — Resilient MW/MT - MEO](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206447SF) (Space Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0701212F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0701212F")`.

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