Requirements in the Affordability Crosshairs.

摘要

Question One: Where are we. What exactly is a 'requirement.' What is the current mechanism of requirements development. What is the current status of JCIDS. Question Two: Where do we want to be. What has leadership said about this capability/requirements/ affordability disconnect (Quotes are provided from former Secretary Bill Gates, Dr. Ashton Carter, and Secretary Leon Panetta.) Question Three: What's the delta. How do we get there. What might this behavioral shift demand. Furthermore, how does the operational requirements/affordability connection progress as the materiel solution evolves. Since capabilities analysis, operational requirements generation, and affordability are so interdependent, let's model this process chronologically from the very beginning, using the framework in Figure 2 and moving from left to right: Pre-Material Development Decision (MDD), Post-MDD Technical Requirements Impact on Affordability, Material Solution Analysis (MSA), Technology Development (TD), Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Production and Deployment (PD), and Operations and Support (O&S). The foundation of system affordability begins during Pre-MDD capabilities analysis by carefully and thoughtfully analyzing warfighter capability needs. The affordability emphasis then evolves into immediate Post-MDD translation of validated capability gaps into usable operational, derived, and technical requirements, specifications, and metrics. Significant savings opportunities continue during later Post-MDD phases by cooperative diligence on the part of both RMs and PMs. This PM/RM team continuously reviews -- and trades off if necessary -- various requirements throughout the entire acquisition life cycle. Mutually supporting and accomplishing these tasks can go far to ensuring that early capability analyses, stable requirements development, and diligent materiel execution fully and competently support not only the needs of our warfighters in battle, but also the taxpayers.