Services: SIN 871-2

Concept Development and Requirements Analysis

The US GSA Schedule defines the services listed under SIN 871-2 as, "abstract or concept studies and analysis, requirements definition, preliminary planning, the evaluation of alternative technical approaches and associated costs for the development or enhancement of high level general performance specifications of a system, project, mission or activity. Typical associated tasks include, but are not limited to requirements analysis, cost/cost-performance trade-off analysis, feasibility analysis, regulatory compliance support, technology conceptual designs, training, privatization and outsourcing."

In its effort to support this service, JHNA develops operational or warfighting concepts of operations (CONOPS) to provide a vision of how tactical operations could be conducted with future capabilities, provide operational requirements clarification and definition, establish system and system of systems relationships, and identify human performance expectations. The CONOPS take the form of white papers, scenarios, vignettes or snapshots of events associated with capabilities that are depicted through pictures, graphics and text. While CONOPS have many applications, our product is primarily developed to support two purposes. First, place an existing system or capability within a context that suggests a need for the capability when no formal requirement exists. Second, relate a new or emerging technology, details of which the customer usually provides, to an existing validated operational requirement of the warfighting community. In either case, the technology is marketed as being relevant in terms of satisfying a need, enhancing an existing capability, or providing exceptional value-added to the customer. Our CONOPS facilitate communications and lead to better understanding between operational users, technical developers, and engineers. JHNA has worked on concept teams for the Army's Future Combat System (FCS), teams investigating FCS's role in Urban Operations, and teams investigating concepts for advanced robotics applications. JHNA is currently the concepts lead for the Lead Technology Integrator (LTI) Eagle Enterprise for the Future Force Warrior Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD). We have also developed concepts documents for Unmanned Autonomous Collaborative Operations for UAVs as well as concepts for Armed Reconnaissance Vehicle Assault and Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) usage in support of the Armed Robotics Technologies Science & Technology Objective.

JHNA has the unique ability to design CONOPS that allow exploration of future capabilities by crosswalking them to current concepts. We deconstruct operational vignettes into functional and positional tactical behaviors that clarify system performance expectations. Our concept development and refinement affords developers the opportunity to influence systems design. We assess desired user capabilities, expressed in terms of Key Performance Parameters and other parameters, to develop quantifiable performance metrics (e.g., speed, lethality) necessary to meet mission requirements. Our analysis covers the full range of operational requirements (reliability, effectiveness, logistics footprint, supportability criteria, etc.) to sustain the mission over the long term.

JHNA extends the CONOPS by conducting Operational Analyses that support each phase of the requirements determination process and are a continuous and iterative subset of the developmental process. Operational Analysis begins with the development and assessment of concepts during relevant tactical phases, MAPEXs, experiments, simulations, and demonstrations. JHNA Associates are particularly adept at applying their substantial combat arms subject matter expertise to an operational analysis quick-look that facilitates an operationally focused assessment of a particular technology, operational effectiveness gap, organization, or tactic, technique and procedure.