Requirements Analysis and Maturation

The Requirements Analysis and Maturation (RAM) program element is a key Air Force initiative focused on providing analytic, technical, and programmatic rigor to address capability gaps and mature future programs of record. The primary goal of RAM is to support the Air Force's Future Force Design by prioritizing and accelerating the transition of high-impact warfighting capabilities through robust capability development. The program funds activities such as modeling, simulation, analysis, science and technology attribute refinement, and trade space studies, all of which are essential for informed acquisition planning and decision-making.

Within RAM, the Development Planning (DP) project is dedicated to analyzing force design in support of the Capability Development Enterprise. Its objectives include conducting coordinated mission engineering and analysis to identify and refine key capability trades, technology needs, and cost and schedule implications. DP emphasizes developing options that address force design gaps by evaluating multi-domain capabilities and considering all aspects of Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, and Facilities-Planning (DOTMLPF-P).

The outcome of DP is a set of tradespace attributes and mission engineering artifacts that underpin capability development decisions. A major component of DP is the Future Capability Analyses activity, which builds capability development roadmaps using integrated mission threads tied to the Air Force Future Force Design and Theory of Victory. This activity uses modern digital engineering tools and methodologies to provide solution sets for further investigation and risk reduction.

Future Capability Analyses examines the full span of DOTMLPF-P to determine the need for materiel solutions and conducts gap and solution analyses prioritized by the Integrated Capabilities Command. The analyses deliver prioritized demand signals to technology developers and industry stakeholders, aligning modernization initiatives and guiding capability alternative trade space.

Another key objective under DP is Concept Evaluation, which refines and codifies candidate concepts based on desired force design attributes, analysis data, available technologies, and key assumptions. This process documents the military utility of concepts with envisioned Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and Concepts of Employment (CONEMPs). It also validates materiel and non-materiel capability attributes through rigorous problem decomposition and engagement with stakeholders such as FFRDCs, UARCs, industry, and non-traditional vendors.

The evaluation captures critical dependencies and interactions among capability elements, supporting the creation of cost estimates and identification of developmental needs. The Integrated Simulation and Analysis (ISA) project supports the development and sustainment of integrated analysis and digital engineering tools for the Capability Development Enterprise. Its primary goal is to develop system performance models, digital artifacts, and analytical tools that underpin variable fidelity, stand-alone, interactive, and distributed simulations.

ISA incorporates mission engineering and digital engineering enterprise tools and methods, such as Model-Based Systems Engineering and Modeling Simulation and Analysis, to create and maintain digital records for future analytical needs and acquisition life cycle support. A significant focus of ISA is the Modeling, Simulation, Analysis, and Experimentation Ecosystem, which aims to develop enterprise-capable, cross-domain system-of-systems modeling and simulation capabilities.

This ecosystem supports development planning, capability assessment, and acquisition decisions by providing a common interface for users across different computing environments and security levels. The project enhances tools for wargaming, secure data management, and advanced analytical methods, and integrates United States Space Force and Joint modeling and simulation capabilities into the broader Department of the Air Force ecosystem.