Seek Eagle

The Seek Eagle Program is a specialized Air Force initiative focused on aircraft-store compatibility certification, managed by the Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office (AFSEO). Its primary objective is to ensure that all Air Force and select foreign military sales aircraft can safely and effectively carry, employ, and jettison a wide range of stores, including bombs, missiles, fuel tanks, electronic pods, and other mission-critical payloads. The program is designated by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) as the center of expertise for technical analysis, test support, and data management related to aircraft-store integration. This work directly supports the Secretary of the Air Force's Operational Imperatives and Cross-cutting Operational Enablers, ensuring combat aircraft meet evolving mission and tactical requirements.

The Aircraft-Store Certification line item is dedicated to evaluating and certifying the compatibility of various munitions and stores with Air Force aircraft. This involves a rigorous process utilizing engineering analysis, wind tunnel testing, modeling and simulation, and ground and flight test evaluation. The AFSEO provides certification recommendations to airworthiness authorities, enabling operational, test, and training use of certified configurations. The program will continue to support certification efforts for air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, electronic countermeasure pods, chaff/flare countermeasures, instrumentation pods, fuel tanks, and travel pods. Upgrades to the Combat Weapons Delivery Software (CWDS) are planned to enhance mission planning capabilities.

The Operations Baseline and Mission Support line item underpins the sustainment of the Air Force's aircraft-store certification capability, enabling rapid response to emerging warfighter needs and global operational requirements. This funding supports infrastructure and resource capacity to meet increased demands for munition and aircraft capability. The program ensures that AFSEO can maintain a viable certification enterprise, adapting to changing operational plans, tactics, and new store developments. There is a minor decrease in planned certification tasks due to shifting priorities.

The Advanced Capability Development line item provides resources to enhance AFSEO's organic capabilities, particularly in support of advanced and classified weapons programs such as hypersonic weapons. Investments are made in developing advanced modeling and analytical tools, artificial intelligence applications, wind tunnel model development, and automated tool enhancements. These efforts are aimed at making the SEEK EAGLE certification process more efficient, supporting rapid acquisition timelines. Notable activities include the development of the F-35 wind tunnel model and a weapon certification partnership with the Israeli Air Force. Continued improvements to modeling, simulation, and IT infrastructure are also planned.

The Tools, Equipment, and Capability Sustainment line item focuses on the development and maintenance of state-of-the-art engineering and business tools necessary for the SEEK EAGLE enterprise. Funding supports operational management of information and technology infrastructure, hardware, software, and equipment required for certification activities. The program will continue to invest in sustaining and upgrading these tools to ensure efficient and reliable support for aircraft-store certification processes.

The SEEK EAGLE program funds certification testing and analysis for both new and existing inventory stores, including advanced munitions such as the Small Diameter Bomb I/II, Laser JDAM, JASSM, LRASM, AMRAAM, MALD, and various bomb racks and targeting pods. Certification efforts also extend to support Full Operational Capability for platforms like the F-35A, and contribute to broader Air Force operational imperatives related to munitions and electromagnetic spectrum operations. The program includes necessary civilian pay expenses for managing and executing these activities, with adjustments made to promote efficiency and align with government cost-saving initiatives.