Seek Eagle

Mission — SEEK EAGLE Certifications source

The Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office (AFSEO) is designated by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) as the center of expertise for aircraft-store compatibility activities and as the primary source of technical analysis and test support, as well as the central data repository, for the SEEK EAGLE process. The SEEK EAGLE process is a rigorous analysis of many factors to assure the safe and acceptable carriage and release (employment and jettison), safe escape, and ballistics accuracy of all stores on Air Force and foreign military sales aircraft. Thus, the AFSEO's mission as an accelerator is to ensure that every aircraft type is capable of employing the weapons and stores needed to meet Combatant Commander requirements, directly supporting the Secretary of the Air Force's (SECAF) Operational Imperatives (OI), and Cross-cutting Operational Enablers (COE). The Air Force operates a variety of combat and other aircraft that carry numerous and varied stores: bombs, missiles, rockets, fuel tanks, cargo pods, targeting pods, electronic countermeasures pods, etc. Stores are carried in many different loading combinations determined by operational and training scenarios, missions, tactics, and weapon development programs. Additionally, aircraft-store configuration (carriage and employment) requirements change as operational plans and tactics are updated and/or as new stores are developed and fielded. Aircraft program managers must provide SEEK EAGLE certifications for all aircraft-store configurations within their user-established carriage and employment parameters before they may be used for operations, test, or training. The AFSEO completes flight clearance and certification recommendations through any combination of engineering analysis, wind tunnel testing, modeling and simulation, and ground/flight test and evaluation. The SEEK EAGLE process encompasses eight engineering disciplines: Fit and Function, Flutter, Aircraft and Store Structural Integrity, Stability and Control, Electromagnetic Compatibility/Interference (EMC/EMI), Separations, Ballistics, and Safe Escape. In support of certification, the AFSEO recommends approximately 1000 aircraft-store combinations for flight each year through engineering analysis and testing. The AFSEO certification portfolio includes the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems and B-21, as well as the following Mission Design Series aircraft: A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52, F-15C/D/E/EX, F-16, QF-16, F-22, F-35, KC-135, WC-130, MC-130H, HH-60W, MH-139A, MQ-9, T-7A, AT-6, and more. Integrated solutions for combat delivery mission planning problems are developed and provided to combat forces via Combat Weapons Delivery Software (CWDS) and Joint Safe Escape Analysis Solution (JSEAS) software. The SEEK EAGLE Office also works in coordination with the Air Force Safety Center to provide Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO) analysis and certification recommendations for ordnance systems containing electro-explosive devices. Additionally, the AFSEO is responsible for incorporating new and emerging technologies into the SEEK EAGLE process to make certification more efficient in support of rapid acquisition timelines, as well as resourcing for the sustainment of a viable Air Force aircraft-store certification capability. SEEK EAGLE funds are budgeted to support certification testing and analysis for new and inventory stores including, but not limited to: Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) I and II, Laser Joint Direct Attack Munitions (LJDAM), Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD), BRU-57 (Smart Bomb Rack), BRU-61 (SDB Bomb Rack), Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), Sniper Targeting Pod with video data link, LITENING Targeting Pod with video data link, B61-12 nuclear free-fall weapon, penetrator warhead upgrades, practice bombs, electronic warfare pods, reconnaissance pods, and aircraft instrumentation pods. SEEK EAGLE funds also support certification of other inventory stores on Combat Air Forces (CAF) and Special Operations Command (SOCOM) aircraft. In addition, these funds further support capability development and weapons certification efforts required by Air Combat Command (ACC) to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) for the F-35A. Many of these weapons certification efforts are directly involved in SECAF OI-3, Moving Target Engagement, and all of them contribute to COE-1, Munitions. Additionally, many of the pods and other stores these funds support contribute directly to COE-2, Electromagnetic Spectrum. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such programs funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY24, 9.893M was obligated for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and 10.880M was forecasted for civilian pay expenses in FY25 in this program element. The FY26 request has been reduced by .034M for Advisory and Assistance Services to promote efficiencies and advance the policies of the Administration in alignment with Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative." This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (4)