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Fiscal Receipts

Life Support Systems

FRDT&EPartial Reconciliation0604706F
What it is
Life Support Systems — a research & development program run by Air Force.
What changed
-$3.96M FY25→26
Who gets it
No award linkage at high confidence.

Budget Figures

FY24 Actuals
$37.6M
FY25 Total
$24.5M
FY26 Request
$20.5M
FY25→26 Change
-$3.96M

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
FY24: $37.6MFY25: $24.5MFY26: $20.5MFY24FY25FY26
FY24
$37.6M
FY25
$24.5M
FY26
$20.5M
Decade view — each figure cites its own President's Budget edition
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 editionFY15FY26

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

SeriesFY15FY16FY17FY18FY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24FY25FY26
Actuals$14.7M$7.90M$8.71M$10.3M$10.3M$14.1M$27.7M$22.3M$32.8M$37.6M
Enacted$8.19M$7.52M$9.06M$8.92M$14.6M$28.6M$25.4M$50.0M$39.3M$24.5M
Request$7.52M$9.06M$8.92M$8.62M$23.7M$25.4M$47.4M$39.3M$25.5M$20.5M

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

Asked vs spent: the PB2023 book requested $47.4M for FY2023; the PB2025 book reports $32.8M actually spent — $14.6M below the request.

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 Life Support Systems

This program develops aircrew flight equipment and other combat support equipment required for safe effective execution. Air Force acquisition teams lead the upgrade and fielding of new equipment and systems by assessing deficiencies in existing equipment, identifying and assessing existing products or developing new technology, and conducting required Safe-to-Fly tests, certifications, and studies. Program efforts include, but are not limited to, the following projects: directed energy protective equipment; flight helmets and visors; oxygen breathing systems for aircrew; radios and locator beacons; support equipment; nuclear flash blindness protection; night vision devices; noise reduction devices; all types of flight suits and ensembles to protect aircrew against environmental threats; anti-gravity (anti-G) suits; flame resistant, retardant and blast/ballistic protective gear; aircraft seating; impact protection equipment; flotation devices; parachutes; ejection systems; post-ejection survival systems; physiological monitoring devices and other aircrew, life support, and ground crew systems required by the warfighter. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, or 0605898F. In FY24 1.5M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY25 2.4M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. The FY 2026 request was reduced by $.509M 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 5, System Development and Demonstration (SDD) because it has passed Milestone B approval and is conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.

Justification

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (2)

Next Generation Ejection Seat

This effort includes the qualification, procurement, fielding and sustainment of an upgraded ejection seat escape system for ACES II-equipped aircraft. The new ejection seat escape system safely accommodates greater variation in aircrew minimum and maximum weights at minimum aircrew sitting height of 31 inches, including 59% of the female pilot population, and the use of Helmet Mounted Displays. It reduces the risk of injuries to the arms and legs (especially due to limb flail), neck, and spinal column throughout all ejection phases.

Aircrew Performance Studies/Technology Projects, Minor Development Efforts and Aircrew Accommodation Efforts

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Aircrew Performance Branch is the single USAF focal point for Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) Safe-to-Fly (STF) testing certification, addressing Safety Investigation Board (SIB) recommendations, along with studies and analysis. Aircrew Accommodation Efforts develop and sustain Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE) & Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Airmen to enhance mission performance while improving safety and survival. Anthropometric data collection ensures that these programs produce the OCIE and PPE that will allow Airmen to perform their best in the missions they are assigned. OCIE and PPE for aircrew includes, but is not limited to, the development and refinement of flight suits, bladder relief systems, helmets, ejection seats, post ejection survival system, G-suits, aircrew body armor, oxygen masks, Modular Aircrew Restraint Back and Leg Support (MARBLES), radio upgrades and feedback mechanisms. Aircrew Laser Eye Protection - Technical Insertion (ALEP-TI), Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet (NGFWH), BA-X Low Profile Parachute (LPP) and Nuclear Flash Blindness Goggles (NFBG) are currently the active programs within Life Support Systems (LSS). In addition, funding addresses real-time capability gaps identified by the warfighter which may be satisfied by testing and qualifying commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products and/or performing minor development efforts totaling less than 10M per year. Previous successful efforts may evolve into enduring capabilities as other users and MAJCOMs seek to incorporate these STF assets into their inventory. Funds may be used to address associated emerging aircrew, ground crew, and egress requirements, and for program management activities.

Budget Line Items(workbook-cited)

Exhibit R-1

AccountOrgTypeAmount
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air ForceFFY24 Actuals$37.6M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air ForceFFY25 Enacted$24.5M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air ForceFFY25 Total$24.5M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air ForceFFY26 Disc. Request$20.5M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air ForceFFY26 Total$20.5M

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

ProjectAll Prior YearsFY24 ActualsFY25 TotalFY26 BaseFY26 Request
65412A: Life Support Systems$0$37.6M$24.5M$20.5M$20.5M
Program Element$0$37.6M$24.5M$20.5M$20.5M

No follow-the-dollar view — this program's awards haven't been crosswalked at high confidence (flows cover 17 of 1741 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.

No research dossier for this program — dossiers cover 50 of 1741 programs, the largest fully J-book-detailed lines by FY2026 requested dollars. why no dossier here? →