[1] JCIDS was created to replace the previous service-specific requirements generation system that allowed redundancies in capabilities and failed to meet the combined needs of all US military services.
In order to correct these problems, JCIDS is intended to guide the development of requirements for future acquisition systems to reflect the needs of all five services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force and Air Force) by focusing the requirements generation process on needed capabilities as requested or defined by one of the US combatant commanders.
The drive to create JCIDS was born out of a March 2002 Secretary of Defense memorandum to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff requesting a study on alternative ways to evaluate requirements.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) approved the most recent JCIDS Instruction on 23 January 2015[2] and its accompanying manual was released on 12 February 2015.
[3] The central focus of JCIDS is to address capability shortfalls, or gaps as defined by combatant commanders.
The Joint Capability Areas were established in conjunction with JCIDS in order to provide for a common lexicon throughout the US Department of Defense.
JDAT collects and analyzes data and provides observations, findings, conclusions, and recommendations to identify policy, Joint doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP); and materiel solutions and products that promote capability improvement.
The JCIDS process starts with the development of joint integrating concepts and the capability they imply from the US Secretary of Defense (SecDef) and combatant commanders.
The functional area analysis identifies operational tasks, conditions and standards needed to accomplish objectives.
The ASA(ALT) uses the Acquisition Category (ACAT) I, II, III, IV in its Weapon System Handbook.
The CPD potentially refines the thresholds from the CDD based on lessons learned during the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase.
This board replaces the joint requirements panel (JRP) from the previous system, with expanded responsibilities and membership.
This expanded membership gives the FCB Chairman the tools to make better and more broadly informed recommendations on the capability proposals to the JROC.