"Requirements Engineering": Early Life Cycle Systems Engineering for Air Force Systems and SoS

Institutionalizing Systems Engineering (SE) discipline into early concept identification and development activities can help translate statements of desired capabilities into manageable and executable requirements. For the 21st-century Air Force, capability statements are the first steps in describing future systems; transforming these statements into descriptions of the constituent elements of a system of systems (SoS) or architecture should start with early application of disciplined SE. A solid technical framework for early cost, schedule, and performance trades will yield more confidence in the results of studies and analyses. Perhaps more importantly, "Requirements Engineering" will drive sound and informed decision-making, beginning with the initial investment strategy: When evaluating and selecting concepts for the platforms and systems that comprise the SoS, those candidates with robust pedigrees should carry significantly lower risk throughout their acquisition program life cycles than those developed using less rigorous methods.