Replac Equip & War Consumables

The Replac Equip & War Consumables program, as outlined in Line Item 222000 of the Air Force's FY 2026 Missile Procurement budget, is designed to modernize and sustain critical test and support equipment for tactical munitions and missile systems. The primary objectives of this program are to replace obsolete systems, enhance cybersecurity, and ensure persistent logistics support for current and future Air Force smart munitions and weapon systems. The program is managed by the Air Force and supports both procurement and recapitalization efforts for essential armament and stores automatic test systems, including software loader/verifier and built-in-test equipment.

A major component of this line item is the Common Munitions BIT Reprogramming Equipment (CMBRE) Cyber Enhanced (CE) initiative. The CMBRE CE program is tasked with replacing legacy test equipment originally fielded in the 1990s, which is now technologically outdated and presents significant cybersecurity risks. The CMBRE CE upgrades address numerous obsolete components, transition away from unsupported operating systems, and resolve vulnerabilities identified in Red Team and Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) assessments. The Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for CMBRE ensures continued support for more than 20 smart munitions and weapon systems, as well as advanced systems in development.

The CMBRE SLEP/CE system is essential for verifying weapons' built-in test status, reprogramming operational flight data, and uploading/downloading mission and GPS data. It is comprised of three major components that require replacement: the Digital Computer System Assembly (DCSA), the Test Adapter Unit (TAU), and the Armament Data Unit (ADU). The upgrades also break vendor lock, granting the government full data rights and access to the technical data package, which is critical for long-term sustainment and flexibility.

Without these upgrades, there would be no test capability for smart munitions and bomber rack units, such as the BRU-61 for fighter aircraft.

Another key element of this budget line is the Cruise Missile Automatic Test System (CM-ATS). The CM-ATS is a nuclear-certified tester designed to support the AGM-86 Cruise Missile fleet, the B-2 Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA), and associated Carrier Aircraft Equipment (CAE) used to launch missiles. Funding for CM-ATS ensures that these strategic assets remain reliable and operationally ready, with the ability to conduct comprehensive testing and verification of nuclear and conventional cruise missile systems.

The program also includes funding for Munition Application Programs (MAPs), which cover the costs associated with software and hardware updates for established and new munitions. The cost increase per MAP reflects the complexity and technological advancements of modern munitions. These funds are necessary to keep pace with evolving threats and maintain compatibility with next-generation weapon systems.

Additional funding is allocated for Program Management Administration (PMA) and congressional adds, such as the Ebbing Field Beddown effort, which provide oversight and support for procurement activities. The increase in FY 2026 funding is driven by higher production hardware kit costs, inflation in component and labor prices, and the need for a technology refresh in both the CMBRE and CM-ATS programs. FY 2026 funds will be used to procure CMBRE CE production kits, complete low-rate initial production, and recapitalize the ATS Product Group with commercial and government off-the-shelf solutions.