11. CCMD Requirements: Joint Urgent Operational Needs/Joint Emergent Operational Needs

a. Process Overview

(1) The JUON and JEON processes are designed to address critical capability gaps that cannot be satisfied within the normal Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process. If left unresolved, these gaps would result in mission failure of an ongoing or anticipated contingency operation or the loss of life requiring additional forces to accomplish assigned contingency operation mission objectives. JUONs and JEONs will be evaluated against six total criteria. In order to be approved, a JUON or JEON must meet one of the first two approval criteria below, and at least five of the six total. Those approval criteria are:

(a) Mission Failure. Prevents mission failure of an ongoing contingency operation (JUON) or anticipated contingency operation (JEON).

(b) Loss of Life. Prevents loss of life that would otherwise require additional forces to accomplish assigned contingency operation mission objectives.

(c) Nonexistent Capability within DoW. The capability does not currently exist in the Joint Force (i.e., has not been fielded), but a potential solution exists (including commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), government-off-the-shelf (GOTS), non-developmental item (NDI), and/or science and technology (S&T)).

(d) Prioritization. The capability merits prioritization over all other non-urgent/emergent requirements.

(e) TTP Mitigation. The capability gap cannot be mitigated through changes in TTPs.

(f) Timely Fielding. The capability solution is at a sufficient TRL for fielding within the required timelines.

(2) The threshold for approving JUONs and JEONs is deliberately set very high, as approved JUONs or JEONs merit prioritization over all other non-urgent/emergent requirements. This reflects the critical nature of the gaps while recognizing the significant impact these programs have on the Services’ deliberate acquisition programs, which may serve as offsets to fund urgent and emergent requirements. This process prioritizes speed and urgency over traditional acquisition pathways, ensuring rapid identification, evaluation, and approval of solutions.