Appendix A: IPP PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Integrated Planning Process (IPP) Overview
Figure A-1 illustrates the IPP, showing the four process phases, major inputs and outputs. HQ AFSPC/XPX owns the process and works with the AFSPC Mission Teams to facilitate process execution. The biennial IPP develops and updates AFSPC’s 25-year investment strategy for correcting current shortfalls and for achieving its long-term Vision. The IPP is performed by AFSPC’s five Mission Teams: Force Enhancement, Space Control, Space Support, Force Applications and Mission Support. The first three phases of the IPP, Mission Area Assessment (MAA), Mission Needs Analysis (MNA) and Mission Solutions Analysis (MSA), constitute the Air Force Modernization Planning Process (MPP). These phases, documented in MAPs and the MSP, are conducted essentially without cost constraints. AFSPC adds a fourth phase, Integrated Investment Analysis (IIA), to produce a cost-constrained investment plan, documented in the Strategic Master Plan (SMP). The Integrated Phased Implementation Plan presented in Chapter 6 of the SMP is the result of IIA. A more detailed description of the IPP and its products is contained in the AFSPC Space Integrated Planning Process Handbook.
Figure A-1 reflects recent refinements to AFSPC’s IPP that have been incorporated into the current planning cycle for the 1999 SMP, MAPs and MSPs. Three formal command-level reviews, indicated as diamonds in the figure, have been incorporated at key points in the process to strengthen the links between long range planning and related processes within AFSPC. The purpose of these reviews is described below.
Figure A–1: IPP produces a
cost-constrained, 25-year roadmap
to guide AFSPC requirements and
programming
Modernization Planning Process
As stated above and shown in the figure, the first three phases of the IPP constitute the Air Force MPP. MAA is a strategy-to-task process that identifies the operational and support tasks that AFSPC must perform to accomplish current and future missions. AFSPC’s MAA, performed by the five Mission Teams, addresses a 25-year planning horizon. National Military Strategy is translated into AFSPC tasks through the AFSPC Vision, the Air Force Vision and the Air Force Strategic Plan (AFSP). AFSPC tasks are identified that support the Core Competencies of the Air Force Vision as well as the end states in the AFSPC Vision and AFSP. The final step in MAA is to integrate and weight all tasks across AFSPC Mission Areas. Task weighting is an important input to the prioritization of Needs accomplished in MNA and the subsequent investment optimization performed in IIA. MNA is a task-to-need process that identifies needs to correct current shortfalls, needs for sustaining current capabilities in the future and needs for new capabilities to achieve future end states. The current planning cycle incorporates a more rigorous analytical process for identifying and quantifying needs than has been used in the past. Needs are integrated across Mission Areas and prioritized as the final step of MNA. A key factor in the prioritization are the current CINC IPLs. Needs identified in MNA are the major input to AFMC Product Centers for conducting the MSA phase. Another refinement to the process for the current cycle is the addition of the Requirements Review Committee (RRC) review at the end of MNA. The RRC, chaired by HQ AFSPC/DR, reviews the results of MNA to validate the prioritized needs and ensure that the command’s requirements documentation keeps pace with current and future needs.
MSA identifies, develops and evaluates potential solutions for satisfying the Needs of MNA. Materiel solutions and certain non-materiel solutions are developed, evaluated and costed by the Product Centers with support from AFRL. Technical Planning Integrated Product Teams identify modifications to existing systems and new concepts along with enabling technologies and available Science and Technology (S&T) resources that could meet the Needs identified during MNA. Also during MSA, AFSPC identifies and evaluates potential non-materiel solutions for meeting identified Needs. Finally, using the same quantitative metrics used for MNA, AFSPC evaluates all solutions in their ability to satisfy the tasks and associated needs. This quantitative evaluation of solutions is a vital input to IIA. New for the current planning cycle is the second RRC event at the end of MSA. This review focuses on the completeness of the MSA solution set for IIA and the implications of non-materiel solutions for requirements generation.
As outlined above, the MPP is conducted without considering cost constraints, resulting in a set of potential solutions whose cumulative costs exceed realistic expectations for space and missile funding over the 25-year planning horizon. AFSPC added the fourth step in its planning process to specifically address this issue.
Integrated Investment Analysis
This phase of the IPP produces a cost-constrained, 25-year, integrated investment roadmap for addressing current shortfalls and achieving the AFSPC Vision. IIA identifies the most cost-effective combination of programs, systems, technologically feasible future concepts and acquisition schedules for satisfying the identified Needs over the 25-year planning horizon under a realistic funding profile. Potential solutions are evaluated in terms of their cost and their quantitative ability to accomplish the tasks (identified during MAA) associated with each of the Needs. Both single and synergistic combinations of solutions are considered. A computerized optimization model is used to generate initial investment options and explore sensitivity to input assumptions. This information is used by HQ AFSPC/XPX and the five Mission Teams to generate the final 25-year, integrated investment roadmap. The results of IIA are presented to the Program Review Committee, chaired by HQ AFSPC/XP for review before forwarding to the AFSPC Council and the programming process. The results of the IIA, along with a summary of MPP results, are documented in the SMP. The SMP provides the basis for AFSPC’s POM submission.
Technology Interface
AFRL’s Space Sector (AFRL/XPS) provides the interface between the Product Centers, AFSPC, the AFRL technical directorates and the DoD S&T planning process. AFRL/XPS develops the space portion of the AFRL S&T Plan, which is fed to HQ USAF/XP, for use in developing the AFSP, and to the Deputy Director for Research & Engineering (DDR&E) for use in developing the Joint Warfighting S&T Plan, the Defense Technology Area Plan and the Defense Technology Objectives. Providing a single face to the customer, AFRL/XPS integrates technology efforts throughout AFRL to satisfy AFSPC mission needs, as well as reporting to AFSPC and DDR&E on these efforts.
Executive Summary Table Of Contents
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9