# Wide Field of View (WFOV) On-Orbit Testbed Mission Integration

**R-2A activity** of project 657009 — Space Mod Initiative  
**Program element:** 1206442SF — Next Generation OPIR  
**Component:** U.S. Space Force · **Budget Activity:** 5  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206442SF/657009/a3  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206442SF/657009

## Summary

This activity requests $18.2M in FY2027, 10% of project 657009, down 1.2% 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.** The Wide Field of View (WFOV) system is an operationally-contributing sensor to the Theater Event System (TES) and the Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) system that is currently positioned over the strategically-important INDOPACOM region. WFOV is also capability that acts as a capability pathfinder ahead of Next-Gen Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) (NGG), Next-Gen Polar (NGP), and Missile Warning Missile Tracking (MW/MT) Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) Epoch programs and will continue to provide utility of the wide area, sensitive, persistent capability with full frame, real- time image data provided in support of operational exercises and tests with the Department of War (DoW), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and other targets of opportunity as available. In FY 2027, the program will continue operationalizing Wide Field of View (WFOV) Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) data and exploring risk reduction opportunities for future sensors. The WFOV program will continue to provide missile track data to support data fusion in systems that message out on both the Theater Event System (TES) and Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) system. In support of operations, the program will be included as part of the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) baseline and will provide updated software to enable the operational data string. WFOV will also be improving our ground architecture for better availability and reliability. The program plans to optimize different missile warning products for the operational and intelligence communities and create and test new specific data products for end users as requested in support of Resilient Missile Warning Missile Tracking (MW/MT) and Battlespace Awareness/Technical Intelligence (BA/TI) missions. The program is cooperating with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) and others to make the mono-track data and full frame messages fully accessible and available for both near real time and post processed intelligence reporting and technical analysis. Wide Field of View (WFOV) is a pathfinder to demonstrate the added value that Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) data could bring to several other critical mission areas and push the limits of OPIR mission capability. As an on-orbit demo system the Space Vehicle (SV) will be available to test and demonstrate alternative modes of data transport from Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) back to the Continental United States (CONUS).

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** FY 2027 decreased due to realignment of funds within the program to optimize mission investments.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** The Wide Field of View (WFOV) system proves the utility of the wide area, sensitive, persistent capability with full frame, real-time image data provided in support of operational exercises and tests with the Department of War (DoW), Missile Defense Agency (MDA),and other targets of opportunity as available. The WFOV program will continue to provide missile track data to support data fusion in systems that message out on both the Theater Event System (TES) and Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) system. The program plans to create and test new specific data products for end users as requested in support of Resilient Missile Warning Missile Tracking (MW/MT) and Battlespace Awareness/Technical Intelligence (BA/TI) missions. The program is cooperating with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) and others to make the mono-track data and full frame messages fully accessible and available for both near real time and post processed intelligence reporting and technical analysis. WFOV is preparing to pathfind and demonstrate the added value that Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) data could bring to several other critical mission areas and push the limits of OPIR mission capability.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | Enacted | 18.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 18.2 |

> 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 657009

- [Data Processing & Analytics](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206442SF/657009/a2) — FY2027 78.1
- [Demonstrations/Prototypes](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206442SF/657009/a0) — FY2027 38.5
- [Technology Maturation](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206442SF/657009/a1) — FY2027 24.6
- [Capability Exploitation](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206442SF/657009/a4) — FY2027 20.0

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 1206442SF project 657009 (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.*