Joint Warfighting Program

The Joint Warfighting Program (JWP), managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Program Element PE 0603727D8Z, is designed to support the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition (ASD(A)) in fulfilling acquisition and portfolio management responsibilities. The primary objective of the JWP is to identify and address joint capability gaps through rigorous analyses, studies, limited scope experiments, wargaming, and partnerships. These activities are intended to inform credible requirements for subsequent acquisition efforts, ensuring that future warfighting environments and emerging threats are adequately addressed.

A key goal of the JWP is to provide independent assessments and perspectives on potential solutions for joint capability gaps. This includes mission engineering integration management and other high-priority, emerging issues that require unbiased analysis to guide acquisition decisions impacting national security. The program's analytical support is focused on enabling ASD(A) staff and joint customers to make informed decisions regarding capability development and acquisition investments for the joint force and warfighter.

In FY 2024, the program continued acquisition analyses using a portfolio management approach, with major focus areas including Mission Thread Analysis and the development of a Digital Engineering environment. This methodology aims to automate, simplify, and integrate mission engineering processes. Additionally, the JWP worked to implement enterprise Capability Portfolio Management, aligning strategic efforts and optimizing capability investments across the Department of Defense. The program also assessed the execution phase of agile software programs, evaluating technical architecture flexibility, software development control processes, and mechanisms for mapping requirements to product roadmaps.

The JWP conducted a portfolio review of acquisition analysis related to Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2), with particular attention to Long Range Fires in the INDOPACOM region and the enabling services required to sustain JADC2 capabilities. This review included analysis of CJADC2 systems to assess program health and potential replacement options. Another significant effort was a Congressionally-mandated study on the utilization of Middle Tier of Acquisitions (MTA) and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) across the Department, examining contract data, product types, contractor composition, competition trends, and transitions to programs of record.

For FY 2025, the JWP plans to fund Integrated Acquisition Portfolio Reviews to assess acquisition health across various portfolios and drive effective solutions. The program will continue to support capability acquisition for Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2), emphasizing centralized command and control and cross-service integration. Funding will also be directed toward analyses, studies, and experiments that define joint capability gaps and develop credible requirements for acquisition efforts, including the completion of ongoing studies and initiation of new ones to support critical acquisition decisions.

In FY 2026, the JWP will maintain its focus on funding analyses, studies, and limited scope experiments to define joint capability gaps and develop requirements for acquisition efforts supporting ASD(A). The program will complete follow-on studies from FY 2025 and initiate new analyses as required by stakeholders. The FY 2026 budget request reflects a reduction due to cost efficiency initiatives for Advisory and Assistance Services in alignment with Executive Order 14222, which aims to promote government efficiency and cost savings.