Power Conditioning Equipment

The POWCON - Power Conditioning Equipment program is a Department of the Air Force initiative, specifically supporting the U.S. Space Force (USSF), aimed at procuring and sustaining Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems across critical mission sites. The primary goal of this budget line is to ensure the continuous and conditioned delivery of electrical power to sensitive equipment and operations, including command and control centers, space launch and recovery facilities, space telemetry, intelligence transmission, airfield operations, radars, antennas, and data centers. These systems are essential for maintaining mission readiness and operational continuity in the event of power disturbances, surges, or outages.

The program objectives focus on the replacement and upgrade of aging UPS assets, many of which have exceeded their expected service life of 12-15 years. The procurement is managed under a five-year Multi Award Contract (MAC) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) arrangement, competitively awarded to four prime contractors. This approach ensures both cost efficiency and flexibility in acquiring the necessary equipment. The program is justified under Section 1815 of the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, which mandates support for homeland defense, emergency response, and military assistance to civil authorities.

For FY 2026, the USSF has increased funding to address urgent replacement and upgrade needs at thirteen locations. Funding is allocated to update the UPS supporting the Cape Cod, MD Upgraded Early Warning Radar electrical distribution system, in coordination with a scheduled MILCON project. Additional resources are dedicated to replacing obsolete and end-of-life PCCIE equipment at twelve other USSF operating locations. These investments are targeted at sites where mission continuity is most at risk due to aging infrastructure.

The POWCON line item encompasses a range of UPS systems, categorized by capacity from 1-20 kVA up to units exceeding 2.1 megawatts. Procurement quantities and costs are outlined for each category. In FY 2026, the program will procure higher-capacity UPS units (average 272 kVA) compared to FY 2025 (average 225 kVA), resulting in a unit cost increase for the 201-300 kVA category. This reflects the need to match equipment specifications to evolving mission requirements and facility upgrades.

The overarching goals of the program are to ensure compliance with USSF Resiliency Standards, reduce the probability of mission failure due to power interruptions, and lower operating and sustainment costs through the adoption of more energy-efficient UPS technologies. Newer generation UPS equipment operates at 90-100% efficiency across varying loads, compared to legacy systems that achieved only around 80% efficiency. This transition supports mission assurance and contributes to long-term cost savings and sustainability.

Each procurement under the POWCON line is justified based on mission criticality, equipment age, and operational risk. The program is designed to be responsive to both scheduled infrastructure projects and emergent requirements, ensuring that power conditioning and backup capabilities are maintained at optimal levels. Centralized management of technical support, acquisition, and sustainment activities further enhances the program's ability to deliver reliable power solutions across the USSF enterprise.