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Fiscal Receipts

Air Control

NavyRDT&EPartial Reconciliation0604504N

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What it is
Air Control (0604504N) is a Navy research & development line funded in the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy account. Its J-book detail breaks the line into 4 projects.
What changed
-$40.5M FY25→26 R-1 TOA · PB2026
Who gets it
No award linkage at high confidence.

Budget Figures

FY24 Actuals
$42.1MR-1 TOA · PB2026
FY25 Total
$64.5MR-1 TOA · PB2026
FY26 Request
$23.9MR-1 TOA · PB2026
FY25→26 Change
-$40.5MR-1 TOA · PB2026

FY2026 award data is a partial year — USASpending awards are reported on a rolling basis and the fiscal year does not close until September 30. why partial FY2026 data? →

Budget Trajectory
The program's 3 summary figures for FY24 to FY26, plotted in fiscal-year order so the direction of travel is readable at a glance: this line ends lower than it starts. The points are the summary cards above, not a separate derivation; the table beside the chart carries each figure with its own citation.
The program's 3 summary figures for FY24 to FY26, plotted in fiscal-year order so the direction of travel is readable at a glance: this line ends lower than it starts. The points are the summary cards above, not a separate derivation; the table beside the chart carries each figure with its own citation.FY24: $42.1MFY25: $64.5MFY26: $23.9MFY24FY25FY26
Budget trajectory: one row per fiscal year, carrying the summary figure the sparkline plots. Every figure opens its own citation.
Fiscal yearAmount
FY24$42.1M
FY25$64.5M
FY26$23.9M

All series figures: R-1 TOA · PB2026

Decade view — P-1/R-1 workbook TOA basis, shown compact in $B/$M (the workbook records USD thousands); each figure cites its own President's Budget edition
12 fiscal years of this program as published (FY2015–FY2026): a line through the actuals (filled dots), with the enacted (hollow circles) and request (diamonds) markers each edition reported. Read it for direction, not for precision — this program's actuals line rises across the span. The grid below is the same data as text, one cited figure per cell.
12 fiscal years of this program as published (FY2015–FY2026): a line through the actuals (filled dots), with the enacted (hollow circles) and request (diamonds) markers each edition reported. Read it for direction, not for precision — this program's actuals line rises across the span. The grid below is the same data as text, one cited figure per cell.FY2015 actuals — PB2017 editionFY2016 actuals — PB2018 editionFY2017 actuals — PB2019 editionFY2018 actuals — PB2020 editionFY2019 actuals — PB2021 editionFY2020 actuals — PB2022 editionFY2021 actuals — PB2023 editionFY2022 actuals — PB2024 editionFY2023 actuals — PB2025 editionFY2024 actuals — PB2026 editionFY2016 enacted — PB2017 editionFY2017 enacted — PB2018 editionFY2018 enacted — PB2019 editionFY2019 enacted — PB2020 editionFY2020 enacted — PB2021 editionFY2021 enacted — PB2022 editionFY2022 enacted — PB2023 editionFY2023 enacted — PB2024 editionFY2024 enacted — PB2025 editionFY2025 enacted — PB2026 editionFY2017 request — PB2017 editionFY2018 request — PB2018 editionFY2019 request — PB2019 editionFY2020 request — PB2020 editionFY2021 request — PB2021 editionFY2022 request — PB2022 editionFY2023 request — PB2023 editionFY2024 request — PB2024 editionFY2025 request — PB2025 editionFY2026 request — PB2026 editionFY15FY18FY20FY22FY24FY26

The vertical scale does not start at zero: the baseline sits just below this program’s smallest year, so a low point on this line is not a small amount. Read the shape for direction and the grid below for the figures.

● actuals (line)  ·  ○ enacted  ·  ◇ request — gaps are editions the program is absent from, never interpolated.

Decade series values by fiscal year and President's Budget edition: one row per series (actuals, enacted, request), one column per fiscal year. Every figure opens its own citation.
SeriesFY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24FY25FY26
Actuals$28.7M$55.9M$42.2M$68.0M$60.3M$50.2M$40.3M$32.6M$38.4M$42.1M
Enacted$57.9M$47.4M$75.2M$61.5M$44.9M$38.9M$27.5M$39.1M$42.7M$64.5M
Request$47.4M$75.2M$62.4M$44.9M$38.9M$27.5M$39.1M$42.7M$84.5M$23.9M

blank = series not published for this year; – = absent from that edition.

Asked vs spent: the PB2018 book requested $75.2M for FY2018; the PB2020 book reported $68.0M as actual total obligation authority — $7.17M below the request. 68.075.2 = -7.2 USD millions — the compact figures above are rounded for reading.

Program Lineage

No predecessor/successor lineage was recorded for this program element — no FY-to-FY transfer into or out of this line was stated in the ingested J-books, and none was inferred from the program structure.

Description

Mission Air Control

This program element provides for the development, integration, and testing of Automated Air Traffic Control (ATC) hardware and software required to provide improved flight safety and more reliable all-weather ATC and landing system capabilities at Naval Air Stations (NASs) and Marine Corps Air Stations (MCASs) and Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facilities (FACSFAC) worldwide. Programs are required to upgrade or replace aging ATC and landing system equipment on aircraft, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, NASs, MCASs and Navy/Marine Corps tactical/expeditionary airfields and remote landing sites. These upgrades include addressing broadened CyberSecurity requirements to remain compliant with software CyberSecurity directives and Information Assurance mandates. This program is funded under System Development and Demonstration because it includes projects that have passed Milestone B approval and are conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirement prior to full-rate production decision.

Mission MATCALS

The Marine Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (MATCALS) program provides for continued development, integration, and testing of hardware and software to meet requirements for all-weather operations and improved flight safety of Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Landing Systems at Marine Corps expeditionary airfields. An Acquisition Decision Memorandum from Jan 2005 approved the use of the U.S. Army AN/TPN-31 Air Traffic Navigation, Integration, and Coordination System (ATNAVICS) to fulfill the Air Surveillance and Precision Approach Radar and Control System (ASPARCS) requirement for Jul 2006. The ATNAVICS replaced the legacy ATC Precision Approach Radar (PAR), Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR), and Command and Control Subsystem with a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle based PAR, ASR and Command and Control Subsystem. The Marine Resource Oversight Committee Decision Memorandum 11-2005 of Dec 2004 outlines the evolutionary improvements required by Headquarters Marine Corps. This program works with the Marine ATC Working Group identifying the requirements to implement the preplanned program improvement (P3I) and evolutionary product improvements as required for Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar System (G/ATOR), ATNAVICS, Expeditionary Precision Approach Landing Capability (EPALC), Expeditionary ATC Towers, Common Aviation Command and Control Station (CAC2S), and Navigational Aids that support Marine Air Traffic Control Detachments.

Mission Carrier ATC

Shipboard Air Traffic Control systems, interfacing with versions of the AN/TPX-42A(V) Direct Altitude and Identity Readout (DAIR), allow shipboard Air Traffic Controllers to identify, marshal, and direct aircraft within a 50 Nautical Mile (NM) radius of the ship. In recent years, the top 25 percent of the AN/SPN-43C frequency band has been reallocated to the Fixed Wireless Access Community prohibiting Air Traffic Control (ATC) Air Search Radar (ASR) operation within 50NM of the coast. Because the Navy requires an air traffic control surveillance radar, this project unit will include engineering efforts to identify requirements and develop the AN/SPN-50(V)1 as an AN/SPN-43C replacement system. In addition, bridging Engineering Change Proposals (ECP) will be required to sustain the AN/SPN-43C capability until the AN/SPN-50(V)1 is completely fielded. Finally, the AN/TPX-42A(V) DAIR continues to undergo several phased upgrades that have resulted in a number of field changes/technology refresh/insertion efforts. System improvements include replacing militarized front-end equipment in the track processor with open architecture Commercial Off the Shelf technology, converting the operational program software to more commonly used and flexible "C" language, providing the "hooks" for potential interface with Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe, and integrating a flat panel monitor into the controller workstation. The ATC System Shipboard, AN/SYY-1(V) interfaces to emerging sensors as well as those currently in service to improve reliability to the fleet. The embedded training capability of the AN/TPX-42A(V) will carry on to the AN/SYY-1(V). This effort includes addressing broadened CyberSecurity requirements to remain compliant with software CyberSecurity directives and Information Assurance mandates.

Mission ATC Improvement

This program provides for engineering development, integration, adaptation, and testing of new and/or modernized Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems, air navigational aids, landing systems, and ATC communication systems for Naval and Marine Corps Air Stations (NAS/MCAS), Fleet ATC Systems, and remote tower improvements. These systems are critical to Naval Aviation and provide for safe, efficient air operations. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is affecting major modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS). The Navy must maintain compatibility with FAA-developed ATC systems in order to ensure seamless interoperability within the NAS. NAS modernization initiatives in Project 1657 include the Visual Information Display System (VIDS) and follow-on Pre-Planned Product Improvements, with additional RDT&E efforts required for modified commercial-off-the-shelf ATC systems and equipment for modernization and recapitalization of these systems at our NAS, MCAS & Fleet Area Control & Surveillance Facilities (FACSFACs) worldwide.

Mission ATC Systems

The Navy's Precision Approach and Landing System Capability (PALC) and Landing System Upgrade Program (LSUP) are essential to retain the United States Navy's capability to perform safe and expeditious aircraft landings aboard CVN and LHA/D class vessels during adverse weather and night conditions. The Navy's PALC requirements, originally identified in the 2013 PALC Roadmap, necessitated Life Cycle Extension upgrades to all three legacy precision landing systems; AN/SPN-35, AN/SPN-41 and AN/SPN-46. The 2013 PALC Roadmap and subsequent LSUP block upgrades addressed obsolete technology developed and fielded over 30 years ago. In 2022, an updated PALC Roadmap was approved and planned to field system upgrades needed to provide PALC to both legacy aircraft and the Air Wing of the Future (AWOTF). These upgrades planned to modernize the AN/SPN-35 and AN/SPN-46 Radar Landing Systems (RLS), as well as insert common sub-systems that minimize future sustainment costs. These development efforts were planned to result in the fielding of a new system, AN/SPN-51, that would replace legacy systems; AN/SPN-35, AN/SPN-41, and AN/SPN-46. In Q1 FY 2025, the 2022 PALC Roadmap update and development efforts were rescinded, thus cancelling AN/SPN-51. Cancellation of the development program necessitates continued research and development of legacy system modifications to ensure sustainment consistent with the 2013 PALC Roadmap requirement. Without these efforts, the Navy estimates complete loss of Precision Approach Radar (PAR) and Automatic Carrier Landing System (ACLS) capabilities within 10 years. Successful development and fielding of all capabilities is essential to giving fleet users relevant equipment, compliant with Cyber Security directives and Information Assurance mandates, and authorized for fleet use.

Justification

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (10)

MATCALS Improvements

Investigate and resolve obsolescence issues. Perform studies and analyses to implement P3I and other evolutionary improvements. Develop criteria for existing MATCALS software to achieve Defense Information Infrastructure-Common Operating Environment Level 5 compliance, Information Assurance, Radar Range Extension and Mapping functionality, and enhanced simulation and training into the existing MATCALS software. Perform Mode 5/S integration, operational functionality study and analyses with AN/TPN-31(V)7 ATNAVICS System.

AN/SPN-50

This project funds the development of the AN/SPN-43C replacement program (AN/SPN-50), which was previously funded under AN/SPN-43C and is being broken out for greater clarity and justification. This system enables Air Traffic Controllers to assure the safe and expeditious movement of air traffic. This capability is an enabler in maintaining launch/recovery cycle times/sortie rates.

AN/SPN-43C

Funds development of sustainment Engineering Change Proposals (ECP) for the AN/SPN-43C. The sustainment effort will ensure the capabilities provided by the AN/SPN-43C remain available to CVN, LHA and LHD type ships until the replacement system is fielded.

AN/TPX-42

This project funds the ongoing modernization of the AN/TPX-42 system through engineering changes and technology refresh, to include CyberSecurity requirements and compliance. Specific engineering changes are: Development of an Air Traffic Control (ATC) Multi-Function Console (MFC) which will reduce operational costs, improve reliability, and provide common hardware for all ATC workstations. Additionally, MFC will provide interfaces for emerging/planned sensors.

NAS MOD VIDS

Continue engineering development of pre-planned product improvements for the VIDS and initiate efforts to incorporate VIDS into the FACSFACs. Research display alternatives for Navy ATC systems, and evaluate alternatives for future communication and radar systems.

Fleet ATC Systems

Research efforts to determine the best technical approach to integrate various data link and communication system upgrades into Navy/Marine Corps ATC Systems including, but not limited to, the Digital Airport Surveillance Radar (DASR) and the DoD Advanced Automation Systems (DAAS) into the Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facilities. Evaluate alternative for future processor/display, sensor and communication systems.

AN/SPN-46 Blk V Upgrade

In accordance with the CNO approved 2022 PALC Roadmap update, the AN/SPN-46 Block V efforts have been updated to support fielding of critical system upgrades and align remaining efforts with the Brizo Upgrade. AN/ SPN-46 Block V upgrades targeted aging/obsolete hardware and software components within the carrier landing system and replaces them with modern components to improve system performance in contested environments as well as system supportability. It consisted of a major operational software upgrade along with a refresh of numerous Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) equipment sub-assemblies. Refresh sub-assemblies included: the radar's obsolete processor circuit card assemblies (CCAs), replaced with new generation CCAs; the radar's Real Time Operating System (RTOS), replaced with a current and supportable RTOS; and the radar's software, replaced with a reconfigured, optimized, modular format. These efforts were split into two phases to allow faster fielding of critical items. Phase 1 upgrades the radar's obsolete processor CCAs with new generation CCAs, inclusive of updated RTOS. Phase 2 efforts will be realigned to the SPN-51 Brizo Landing System efforts and include upgraded maintenance Local Area Network (LAN) hardware and software upgrades that optimize the software architecture as well as implement Risk Management Framework (RMF) Cyber Security controls. All of these upgrades are required to provide the fleet reliable, operational systems today and modular, modern, and maintainable systems that support the Air Wing of The Future.

AN/SPN-35 Blk II Upgrade

In accordance with the CNO approved 2022 PALC Roadmap update, AN/SPN-35 Block II efforts will be realigned to the SPN-51 Brizo Landing System. AN/SPN-35 Block II funds the development, redesign, integration, and testing of upgrades required to extend the system service life and ensure Fleet availability of the system beyond 2040. The system provides Precisions Approach Radar (PAR) capability aboard LHA/LHD class ships ensuring safe approach and landing for aircraft during adverse weather & night conditions, in all operating environments. The most significant upgrade to the system is the development and integration of an Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) to replace the legacy receiver-transmitter, pedestal, and antenna group equipment and to incorporate digital stabilization. Transition of this effort to the SPN-51 Brizo Landing System and Integration of this critical AESA technology and other common equipment upgrades are required to provide the fleet reliable, operational systems today, and modular, modern, and maintainable systems that support AWOTF.

AN/SPN-51 Brizo Landing System

In accordance with the CNO approved 2022 PALC Roadmap update, the AN/SPN-51 Brizo Landing System efforts were initiated to provide for the development, design, integration, and testing of common equipment upgrades to the AN/SPN-35 and AN/SPN-46 systems. This upgrade was planned to leverage technology advancements from each system to design a common, modular equipment set that provides Precision Approach Radar and Automatic Carrier Landing System capabilities to CVN and LHA/D systems, as required by the AWOTF aircraft. The AESA radar developed in support of the AN/SPN-35 Block II and the and below deck AN/SPN-46 ECP upgrades are both critical technologies included in the AN/SPN-51 Brizo Landing System. With the FY 2025 cancellation of the AN/SPN-51 and future year funding reductions, development efforts will cease upon delivery of data deliverables and a reduced scale prototype.

Radar Landing System (RLS) Mod Kit Development

In accordance with the CNO approved 2022 PALC Roadmap update, AN/SPN-35, AN/SPN-41, and AN/SPN-46 systems were planned to sundown upon fielding of the AN/SPN-51 Brizo Landing System. To ensure Precision Approach Landing Capabilities were maintained on CVN and LHA/LHD class ships through AN/SPN-51 fielding, continued subsystem development efforts were planned to address emerging system issues within legacy Radar Landing Systems (RLS) and design / test of system modification kits. With the 2025 cancellation of the AN/SPN-51 efforts, a thorough assessment of system obsolescence issues, remaining component service life, and component manufacturing capabilities are required. These preliminary efforts support the definition and development of future AN/SPN-35, AN/SPN-41, and AN/SPN-46 mod kits. RLS mod kit design work will require procurement and testing to ensure modifications provide obsolescence mitigations critical to extending system life to 2040.

Budget Line Items(workbook-cited)

P-1/R-1 workbook Total Obligation Authority basis (USD thousands) · PB2026.

Exhibit R-1

AccountOrgTypeAmount
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, NavyNFY24 Actuals$42.1M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, NavyNFY25 Enacted$64.5M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, NavyNFY25 Total$64.5M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, NavyNFY26 Disc. Request$23.9M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, NavyNFY26 Total$23.9M

Budget Details(R-2/P-40 facts)

J-book detail basis (R-2/P-40, USD millions) · PB2026 — a different accounting basis from the P-1/R-1 workbook TOA above; where the two disagree, the reconciliation strip under Budget Figures shows both.

Wider than this screen — swipe the table sideways for the remaining fiscal-year columns.

ProjectAll Prior YearsFY24 ActualsFY25 TotalFY26 BaseFY26 Request
Program Element$442.4M$42.1M$64.5M$23.9M$23.9M
0718: MATCALS$17.2M$1.05M$878.0K$902.0K$902.0K
0993: Carrier ATC$247.3M$8.56M$8.72M$8.31M$8.31M
1657: ATC Improvement$6.27M$451.0K$454.0K$441.0K$441.0K
3372: ATC Systems$171.6M$32.0M$54.4M$14.3M$14.3M

No follow-the-dollar view — this program's awards haven't been crosswalked at high confidence (flows cover 17 of 1,741 programs). why coverage is partial? →

Awards

No awards are linked to this program element at high confidence — the budget→award crosswalk only asserts links it can defend, and this line has none yet.

Lobbying Mentions

No Senate LDA lobbying filing in the tracked data mentions this program element by code or alias.

Oversight

Department-level designation (not specific to this program)

GAO lists 5 high-risk areas for DOD as a whole. That designation covers the department, not Air Control — no program-specific GAO finding for this line is in the ingested data. See the DOD oversight record.

No research dossier for this program — dossiers cover 50 of 1,741 programs, the largest fully J-book-detailed lines by FY2026 requested dollars. why no dossier here? →