Chapter II. Science and Technology Integration With Army XXI
Army Science and Technology Master Plan (ASTMP 1997)

2. Future Operational Capabilities

A summary of desired future operational capabilities described in concepts approved by the TRADOC Commander will be provided in TP 525-66, Future Operational Capabilities (formerly called Operational Capability Requirements) (see Volume II, Annex C). This document will be the control mechanism for requirements determination activities. It is the basis for a holistic appraisal of current and desired future capabilities which produces a future capabilities strategy. This strategy provides the authority to conduct studies and warfighting experiments to better understand desired capabilities and the means to achieve them. (See Figure II-3.)

In the past, the requirements determination process made it virtually impossible to cross-reference future capabilities. TP 525-66 will open up the requirements determination process to all players and will enable horizontally integrated DTLOMS requirements determination across the combined arms team. This will be especially useful to materiel developers, providing an unclassified reference to guide independent research and development (IR&D) and facilitate better horizontal technology integration (HTI) throughout future systems.