AFWERX

Mission — AFWERX source

The AFWERX mission is to accelerate agile and affordable capability transitions by teaming innovative technology developers with Airmen and Guardian talent. AFWERX leverages Spark (the Airmen and Guardian talent base), Ventures (the dual use expanded technology base), and Prime (technology transitions) to scale and accelerate capability. Funding in this project supports AFWERX research and development, innovation hubs and infrastructure, information technology, public affairs, and marketing. SBIR/STTR execution also benefits from Operations & Support funding. The Spark mission is to inspire and enable Airmen and Guardians to harness their collective talent and ingenuity. Spark connects innovators using virtual collaboration, immersive training, and networking opportunities to inspire ideas and cultivate a more lethal force. By connecting operators closer to acquisition processes, Spark provides both a voice and a conduit to accelerate powerful ideas into game-changing operational realities. This focus helps guide technologies through transition across the valley from idea to scaled and sustained capability. The AFWERX Program reduces risk in emerging technology markets by partnering with industries through Prime investments and providing access to Government analysis, testing and certification capabilities. Prime investments focus on Government-Industry partnerships to influence and militarize emerging commercial capabilities to ensure US competitive advantage in key technology areas. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver Technology Transfer capabilities. 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 FY 2026, $7.878 million is budgeted in this program for 37 direct Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) civilians. This program element may include necessary expenses to support the operation and maintenance of facilities to manage, execute, and deliver science and technology capabilities. Beginning in FY 2024, funding for Program 0604317F, Technology Transfer, Project 646030, AFWERX, and Project 64317A, Technology Transfer Add, were transferred to Program 0604009F, AFWERX Prime, Project 640856 AFWERX Operations and Support per Congressional direction. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.

Mission — AFWERX Operations and Support source

The AFWERX mission is to accelerate agile and affordable capability transitions by teaming innovative technology developers with Airmen and Guardian talent. AFWERX leverages Spark (the Airmen and Guardian talent base), AFVentures (the dual-use expanded technology base), and Prime (technology transitions) to scale and accelerate the capability. Funding in this project supports AFWERX research and development, innovation hubs, and information technology, public affairs, and marketing. The Spark mission is to inspire and enable Airmen and Guardians to unleash their collective talent and ingenuity. Spark connects innovators using virtual collaboration, immersive training, and networking opportunities to inspire ideas and cultivate a more lethal force. By connecting operators closer to acquisition processes, Spark provides both a voice and a conduit to accelerate powerful ideas into game-changing operational realities. This focus helps guide technologies through transition across the valley from idea to scaled and sustained capability. Beginning in FY 2024, Program 0604317F, Technology Transfer, Project 646030, AFWERX and Project 64317A, Technology Transfer Add were transferred to Program 0604009F, AFWERX Prime, Project 640856 AFWERX Operations and Support.

Mission — AFWERX Prime source

AFWERX Prime leverages an acquisition approach that uses government specific resources to reduce risk in emerging technology markets and enables transition into DoD capabilities. AFWERX Prime is dedicated to discovering emerging commercial technologies with the potential for use as military capabilities. AFWERX Prime partners Air Force resources with investors, commercial industry, non-traditional contractors, academic institutions, and inter-agency organizations to discover, develop, mature, test and transition dual use technologies. AFWERX Prime employs novel and rapid acquisition methodologies to facilitate accelerated, cost-effective, agile development of commercial and military capabilities. The technologies targeted by AFWERX include hybrid-electric powered Vertical and Short Take Off and Landing Aircraft; Scalable Aircraft Autonomy; Autonomous Logistics Systems; Expeditionary Combat Support Systems; Advanced Manufacturing; sUAS and Counter-sUAS; enhanced, low cost, distributed, scalable and digital Manufacturing and an AFWERX Autonomy Proving Ground. AFWERX Prime fosters the development of dual-use technologies through collaborative efforts and partnerships with investors, industry, interagency, and international partners for accelerated, affordable, and agile commercial and military capability. AFWERX Prime endeavors to strategically leverage commercial investments in technologies that facilitate mobility and sustainment within benign or contested environments to enable agile, cost-effective distributed logistics, humanitarian operations, personnel transport, disaster response initiatives, and enhanced communications capabilities. AFWERX Prime is pursuing efforts to assist in building robust, cost-effective capacity for swift evaluation, iteration, and maturation of emerging mission and applied autonomy technologies to deliver enhanced autonomy to assist in meeting the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD). Prime technical focus areas, such as Agile Support, Autonomy Focus, and Manufacturing will leverage commercial technology and investment resulting in the advanced, agile, and accelerated deployment of commercial and military capabilities that bolster national security and domestic technological dominance.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (2)