The Air Force’s Tech Advancements and Opportunity Signals to Industry

The US Department of the Air Force has been undergoing a steady stream of transformations as it forges toward technology modernization. A notable change this year has been the formation of Portfolio Acquisition Executives, responsible for procurement of goods and services to address a specified mission, with the main goal to speed up technology procurement in support of warfighters.

For FY27, the USAF is requesting $267.7B for the Air Force and $71.1B for the Space Force; this is a 25% increase over FY26 for the AF and a significant increase of 124% for the Space Force. While specific allocations for IT are still under Congressional considerations, the USAF has clearly identified priorities to ensure the Force’s warfighter readiness. The Department is emphasizing integrated, secure, resilient technology to improve mission speed and readiness. For IT companies, the desired budget increase clearly signals significant demands for technologies in the coming year. Let us examine the list of top software and hardware that will be prominent for USAF.

Priorities and Software Roles

Enterprise data modernization: Treating data as a strategic asset, the USAF is prioritizing data mesh architectures, enterprise data catalogs, automated metadata, data lineage, governed application programming interfaces (APIs), and trusted data products that can strengthen AI and mission decisions. To gain a competitive edge, IT companies should offer interoperable data platforms to connect legacy and modern systems, implement secure APIs, improve data quality, enforce access and classification controls.

Operational AI and automation: Leaders across the USAF also consistently link technology to operational continuity, faster decisions, and their ability to operate under degraded or contested conditions. The role of AI has shifted from chatbots and demonstrations to governing agents, decision support, cyber operations, knowledge management, testing, training and workflow automation. USAF favors vendors and resellers that can provide mission-specific AI solutions with human oversight, explainability, audit logs, role-based access, model monitoring and measurable outcomes such as hours saved, faster analysis or improved decision cycles rather than positioning generic AI tools.

Cybersecurity as mission assurance: Cybersecurity remains critical to USAF operations and missions. Topping its security agenda is zero trust, asset visibility, attack-surface management, automated vulnerability prioritization, and mission-risk analysis. Solutions
should support secure operational continuity by showing how their solutions reduce blind spots, prevent lateral movement, accelerate detection and responses, and help missions continue under cyberattack or degraded conditions.

Accelerated software delivery: USAF is also seeking faster access to software solutions with secure continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, automated testing, compliance-as-code, and continuous Authority to Operate (ATO) capabilities to shorten the time from development to deployment. The USAF will look for IT companies that can demonstrate compatibility with existing USAF and DOW development ecosystems, automate security and accreditation evidence, and show how tier platforms
reduce time to field while supporting frequent and secure software releases.

Legacy-system and workflow modernization: Cutting costs and improving efficiency is high on the USAF’s modernization efforts as well. The department wants to consolidate duplicative applications, modernize aging code, eliminate spreadsheet-driven and
inefficient processes that consume mission time. Favorable solutions would include incremental modernization approaches, including integration layers, automated code analysis, workflow automation, and user-experience improvements that support mission continuity while producing measurable gains in productive and readiness.

Hardware modernization

Lightweight, deployable tactical communications: Mobility depends on communications equipment that is easier to transport, power, configure, and operate. The USAF is therefore prioritizing lighter, modular packages that reduce airlift requirements, set
time, improving mobility with lighter, modular communications packages that require less burden on airlift, power, setup time and staffing needs. Strong offerings will pair size, weight, and power (SWaP) reductions, modular components, automated configuration,
quick deployment, faster connection speeds, logistic footprint and operator requirements.

Resilient edge connectivity: In contested and degraded environments, the Air Force needs communication architectures that can shift among available networks without disrupting operations. Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), satellite communications (SATCOM), fifth-generation wireless (5G), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), mesh networking, and tactical radios can provide that flexibility. Open, multi-transport solutions will be most valuable when they combine automatic failover, dynamic routing, zero trust
security, and interoperability across defense and commercial communications networks.

Ruggedized edge computing: When connectivity is unavailable or limited, the Air Force requires hardware that can continue processing locally. Essential technologies to USAF include rugged servers and high-performance computing nodes for command posts,
rugged laptop, tablets and handheld devices for operators; graphics processing units (GPU), neural processing units (NPU), or field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-accelerated devices for real-time AI and sensor processing; Platforms may also include removable
storage, secure network interface cards, modular chassis that allow processors, accelerators, storage or communication components to be replaced without redesigning the full system. Competitive IT companies should engineer these devices for low size,
weight, temperature extremes, and operation from generators, batteries, vehicles or other constrained power sources. Importantly, interoperability with USAF networks and mission applications should be emphasized.

Endpoint and user-device modernization: The USAF needs secure, dependable devices that personnel can use from day one, supported by automatic setup and centralized device management. Compelling solutions will combine responsive user support with
streamlined onboarding, helping personnel become mission-ready faster and spend less time resolving technology issues. Key capabilities include device configuration, identity verification, role-based access, security checks, application delivery. 

Operation technology (OT) and installation resilience: Power, fuel, HVAC, SCADA, industrial controls and other mission-critical installations like airfield lighting, backup generators, aircraft maintenance support equipment all underpin mission continuity; a
failure in any of these systems can disrupt or halt operations. IT/OT asset discovery, network segmentation, anomaly detection, dependency mapping, and mission-aware dashboards can give the USAF greater visibility into these systems, strengthen continuity,
and show how infrastructure disruptions affect base operations, aircraft readiness, and mission progress.

Modular Mission-system Architectures: The Air Force also needs hardware that evolves as missions requirements change. It favors open, upgradable components, sensors, applications and computing modules to be replaced without redesigning an entire
platform. Tech companies should follow modular open-system principles, publish secure APTs, support third-party integration, provide simulation, and test environments that lower upgrade costs and accelerate deployment of new capabilities.

Across these technology priorities, the Air Force is signaling that it wants connected capabilities rather than more stand-alone products. Tech companies will be more competitive when they can deliver integrated, modular and continuously secure capabilities that work from the enterprise to the tactical edge. The strongest offerings will also be interoperable, resilient and ready to support the mission.

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About the Author:
Toan Le is a Senior Market Insights Analyst on the DLT Market Insights team covering DOD and IC domain-centric trends across the Public Sector.