O ver the last two years, DoD has issued additional guidance on its digital en- gineering (DE) policy, and other authoritative sources provided examples of best practices. These focus on requirements best practices, integrated hard- ware-software, Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E), program management (PM) competencies, and digital acquisition. To review DoD’s DE basic policy prior to the issuances in 2023 and December 2024, see my article in the May-June 2022 issue of Defense Acquisition magazine.
When the Air Force announced the contract award for the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance Platform on March 21, 2025, it stated, “By le- veraging cutting-edge DE techniques and government-owned architecture, the F-47 benefits from a streamlined and accelerated development time- line compared to previous fighter programs.” DoD on Dec. 21, 2023, provided up- to-date advice for program managers
(PMs) to leverage DE techniques with the best practices for systems engi- neering and project management. DoD’s policy. The department’s overarching DE policy was estab- lished in DoD Instruction 5000.97. DoD is to use DE methodologies, technologies, and practices in sup- porting “a comprehensive engineer- ing program for defense systems.” DoD mandates incorporation of DE for all new programs (with some
exceptions); directs components to use DE practices in requirements, cost, business, and sustainment; and calls for replacing documents with the use of digital models as the primary means of communicating system in- formation. Requirements best practices. The DoD Guide—Software Engineering for Continu- ous Delivery of Warfighting Capability April 2023, provides guidance on the quali- ties and components of requirements
30 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION | July-August 2025
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker