General guidance for the Operational Context includes:

- This section provides an operational context for the capability requirements identified later in the ICD and explains how the capability requirements contribute to the missions and activities of the joint force.

- Major topics include:

1. Competition Continuum

2. Exportability

3. Timeframe Under Consideration

4. Measurable Operational Outcomes

5. DoDAF Operational View-1 (OV-1)

1. Competition Continuum:

- The term “Range of Military Operations (ROMO) has been replaced in Joint lexicon by the term “Competition Continuum.” The concepts behind the terms are not very different, however. Just be sensitive to the nuanced differences. You can learn more about the concept of Competition Continuum by reading the documents in the “Other Joint Documents” folder under “Show Help” and “View Documents.”

- Make sure to address where the capability gaps identified in this document most appropriately fit along the competition continuum—campaigning through cooperation, competition below armed conflict, or armed conflict.

- As appropriate, identify how closing the identified gap enhances campaigning and cooperation with specific partners, or prepares our forces to compete with and/or win in conflict over specific state or non-state actors.

- If operations are required to be conducted in chemical, biological, radiological, contamination and/or initial nuclear effects, such as High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP)), discuss how and where it fits in the operational context.

- Discuss the impact of a loss of capability and if the loss would lead to critical mission failure.

- These elements should have been discussed in the CBA or other study reports. Summarize here and refer to the report for additional detail.

2. Exportability:

- The general idea is to "bake in" exportability considerations for any potential material solution up front, using this document.

- Joint Requirements Oversight Council Memo (JROCM 025-19) issued on 15 April 2019 requires that allied/partner interoperability and coalition use be included in the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) section of an Initial Capabilities Document (SW-ICD).

- Considerations:

- Each administration usually adjusts the conventional arms transfer policy; however, in representing the warfighter, you should consider which technologies should be shared with allied and partner nations and which should only be used by the US military. The general goals of the United States government are:

1. to support our allies and partners;

2. to prevent our enemies from getting US defense technology; and,

3. to support U.S. defense industry.

• These factors should form the basis of decisions upon which weapon system exportability is based.

- Did the CBA consider allied/partner interoperability and coalition use of any current systems or of any of the identified capability requirements? If so, highlight in this section of your SW-ICD

- NOTE. DoDI 5000.85 requires that PMs integrate international acquisition and exportability planning into the program's acquisition strategy beginning at the entry milestone. PMs must design the system for exportability to foreign partners, except when the program has an MDA-approved waiver allowing for a U.S.-only design.

3. Timeframe (for Initial Operational Capability (IOC) & Full Operational Capability (FOC)):

- Provide estimates for IOC and FOC based on input from the warfighter (Combatant Commands) and the acquisition community. (Note: this information may not be available until you have socialized the ICD draft).

- Timeframes must be consistent with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) CV-3 (Capability Phasing) and any phasing of capability proposed in Section 3 of the SW-ICD (Capability Requirements).

4. Measurable Operational Outcomes:

- What outcomes are required?

- What effects must be produced to achieve them?

- How do the outcomes complement the integrated joint/multinational force?

- What enabling capabilities are required?

5. Include a DoDAF Operational View-1 (OV-1):

- Ensure your OV-1 illustrates the high-level intelligence system connectivity and interoperability.

- Ensure that your narrative is consistent with any OVs generated during prior analysis, as modified for the scope and purpose of your SW-ICD, including the OV-1, OV-2, OV-4, and OV-5a.

- Do not include any other architecture data and associated artifacts/views in the SW-ICD unless needed for illustration purposes.

- The only file format compatible with the RDW at this time is .jpg. Adobe Acrobat-type files (.pdf) are not compatible with the RDW at this time.