Future AF Integrated Technology Demos

The Future AF Integrated Technology Demos program, under Program Element (PE) 0603032F, is a Department of the Air Force (DAF) initiative focused on accelerating the transition of emerging technologies into operational capabilities for the warfighter. Managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the program leverages the WARTECH process to align science and technology (S&T) investments with DAF strategic priorities. Efforts are organized into Vanguard Pathfinders, Prospects, and Vanguards, each representing increasing levels of maturity and operational utility. Oversight is provided by an Executive Committee comprising technical, operational, and acquisition leadership to ensure investments address critical capability gaps and are transition-ready.

WARTECH serves as the foundational process for this program, enabling collaborative translation of future force design priorities into targeted S&T investments. Activities include mission thread analyses, feasibility assessments, modeling, simulation, and leveraging expertise from federally funded research centers and industry. The objective is to rapidly assess and mature candidate technologies, with select efforts evolving into Vanguard Pathfinders, Prospects, or full Vanguards, depending on their technical viability and operational relevance.

Vanguard Prospects represent focused efforts to mature contributing technologies and engage acquisition and industry partners for transition planning. Efforts include developing autonomous multi-domain ISR capabilities for contested environments, advancing automated aerial refueling and battle management, and focusing on propulsion and manufacturing for long-range, high-speed weapons. Additional initiatives develop automated planning and AI-driven operational planning tools for air operations centers.

Several efforts have been realigned or transitioned to the United States Space Force (USSF), including those focused on resilient space-based navigation and leveraging commercial rocket capabilities for rapid global cargo delivery. One prospect investigates capsule-based spacedrop and re-entry for multi-domain cargo delivery, expanding upon previous concepts in rapid global logistics.

Electromagnetic spectrum operations are addressed through programs that develop adaptive electronic warfare solutions and EMS protection for platforms and personnel. These efforts involve algorithm development, subsystem integration, and multi-domain experimentation to counter complex and unknown emitters and ensure survivability in contested environments. Additional work advances sensor technologies and algorithms for detection and tracking in contested domains, focusing on real-time processing, data fusion, and integration with operational systems.

Integrated Networks and Integrated Electronic Warfare pathfinders support secure, resilient, and scalable information exchange and distributed EW battle management. These efforts involve prototyping cross-domain solutions, ground emulation, and systems engineering to enable effective decision-making and data movement across multiple security levels and domains. The program also supports modeling, simulation, and demonstration planning for future force operations, though some thrusts have had their funding reprioritized to higher priority efforts.