# Transport

**R-2A activity** of project 643731 — Transport  
**Program element:** 1206410SF — Space Technology Development and Prototyping  
**Component:** U.S. Space Force · **Budget Activity:** 4  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206410SF/643731/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206410SF/643731

## Summary

This activity requests $1.07B in FY2027, 100% of project 643731, up 57% 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.** Tranche 0 - Conduct residual experimentation in support of Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) Transport Risk Reduction. - End-of-life fleet operations Tranche 1 - Complete system level verification and Developmental Testing. - Complete Operational Testing of Transport Layer Tranche 1 (TLT1) capabilities. - Conduct space vehicle command and control, enterprise management, and sustainment for all TLT1 satellites. - Provide continuing support to resilient operational space Transport capabilities including beyond line of sight tactical datalink connectivity, direct downlinks to theater targeting cell, worldwide low-latency high volume data transport, and secure multi-domain optical communications. - Other activities may include, but are not limited to program office support, studies, technical analysis, experimentation, prototyping, exercise participation, etc. Tranche 2 - Complete manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test activities for the Transport Layer Tranche 2 (TLT2) Alpha and Beta space vehicles in preparation for T2 launches. - Continue to support integration studies and mission requirements document development for TLT2 launches. - Fund mission unique hardware and integration of the T2 space vehicles on the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Launch vehicles. - Conduct new capability operational demonstrations for tactical satellite communications (TACSATCOM), Integrated Broadcast Service - LEO (IBS-L), and COSTAR capabilities. - Conduct Transport Layer Ground Operational Readiness Review (GORR). - Conduct Pre-Ship Reviews (PSR) for the transport space vehicles. - Ship space vehicles to launch site and integrate onto the multi-vehicle launch dispensers. - Conduct readiness for launch and early orbit phase operations and transition to nominal operations. - Launch eighteen (18) planes of TLT2 space vehicles (190 total space vehicles). - Conduct on-orbit test and checkout, orbital positioning, and transition operations to the operations centers for initial planes of space vehicles. - Other activities may include, but are not limited to program office support, studies, technical analysis, experimentation, prototyping, etc. Follow-on Tranche Activity - Continue to conduct analysis, pursue technology maturation initiatives, and apply lessons learned to inform on-going and future development and delivery activities for data transport at the tactical edge. Advanced Fire Control (AFC) - Continue execution of other advanced fire control efforts including F2, Warlock, and Goliath. - Demonstrate capabilities, collect data, conduct technical analysis, and mature technologies to inform future Tranche deliveries. - Perform Studies to inform operationalization of demonstration activities.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY 2027 increases from FY 2026 to support sustainment of Tranche 1 capabilities, Tranche 2 launch and sustainment, and continued ground support activities.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Tranche 0 - Continue to leverage Tranche 0 (T0) satellites as a testbed for investigating additional capabilities after Capstone demonstrations. - Begin end-of-life operations on select satellites. Tranche 1 - Complete assembly, integration, and test (AI&T) of Transport space vehicles and payloads in preparation for vehicle launches. - Complete Pre-Ship Reviews (PSR) for the remaining three (3) Transport plane launches and ship space vehicles to launch site - Conduct space vehicle integration onto the multi-vehicle launch dispensers and mate integrated stacks to the launch vehicle. - Fund mission unique hardware and integration of the Tranche 1 (T1) space vehicles on the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Launch vehicles. - Complete readiness for launch, early orbit phase operations, and transition to nominal operations. - Launch remaining (5) planes of Transport Layer T1 (TLT1) space vehicles. - Conduct system level verification and Developmental Testing. - Conduct Operational Testing of TLT1 capabilities. - Conduct space vehicle command and control, enterprise management, and sustainment for all TLT1 satellites. - Begin support to resilient operational space Transport capabilities including beyond line-of-sight tactical datalink connectivity, Direct downlinks to theatre targeting cell; worldwide low-latency high volume data transport, and secure multi-domain optical communications. - Other activities may include, but are not limited to program office support, studies, technical analysis, experimentation, prototyping, exercise participation, etc. Tranche 2 - Continue manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test activities for the Transport Layer Tranche 2 (TLT2) Alpha and Beta space vehicles in preparation for T2 launches. - Support integration studies and mission requirements document development for TLT2 launches. - Fund mission unique hardware and integration of the T2 space vehicles on the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Launch vehicles. - Begin preparations for launch and early orbit checkout and operations phases for TLT2 Alpha and Beta programs. - Begin shipping space vehicles to launch sites and integration with launch vehicles for multi-manifest missions. - Other activities may include, but are not limited to program office support, studies, technical analysis, experimentation, prototyping, etc. Follow-on Tranche Activity - Continue to conduct analysis, pursue technology maturation initiatives, and apply lessons learned to inform on-going and future development and delivery activities for data transport at the tactical edge. Advanced Fire Control (AFC) - Continue execution of other advanced fire control efforts including F2, Warlock, and Goliath. - Continue assembly, integration, and testing of T2TL Gamma space vehicles. - Demonstrate capabilities, collect data, conduct technical analysis, and mature technologies to inform future Tranche deliveries. - Perform Studies to inform operationalization of demonstration activities. Other - Execute Integrated Broadcast Service - Low Earth Orbit (IBS-L) demonstration activities in support of Blackjack. - Develop on-orbit updates testing of IBS-L capability.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 1,182.8 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 679.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 1,068.5 |

> 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.

## Other activities in project 643731

- Classified Program — FY2027 —

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 1206410SF project 643731 (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.*