Future Joint Force Development and Design
The Joint Staff Analytical Support (JSAS) program provides analytic and management support to the Chairman’s Title 10 requirement to develop urgent and long-term Joint concepts. These threat-based Joint concepts advance Joint force operational effectiveness and enable the introduction and incorporation of new capabilities. The Joint concepts program supports the Chairman's responsibility to articulate a vision for the future Joint force; address operational problems on a 20-year horizon; identify Joint force development implications; and identify capabilities required to mitigate and solve future Joint warfighting gaps. The goal is to enable investment decisions balancing near and long-term risk. Threat-informed Joint concepts drive capability development and promote horizontal integration for force development across the Services, Combatant Commands, Defense agencies, OSW and Joint Staff. Key deliverables include: Joint Operating Environment (JOE) and the Gamechangers report: Developed in partnership with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), these reports describe the future security environment and project the implications of change for the Joint Force. The documents describe the circumstances that may alter the security environment and explore how the intersection and interaction of these changes might impact the character of war in the future. They provide a framework to think about the full range of Joint force missions and how they may evolve over time to support development of threat-based future Joint concepts and CONOPS. Joint Warfighting Design 2040 (JWD 2040): Describes the attributes of the future Joint force and identifies areas for Service examination and experimentation. It prepares the Joint force for the future character of warfare – as outlined in the Joint Operating Environment – and provides a force design that balances unity of effort with Service-specific contributions. JWD 2040 is developed through ongoing collaboration with the Services, Combatant Commands, Defense Agencies, the Intelligence Community, industry, academia, and key allies and partners. The Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC): The Department of War's overarching vision for how the Joint Force will fight in the future. It provides a threat-informed, operational concept for how the U.S.
FY2027 planned work Execute the Chairman’s Joint concepts program. Building on the foundational framework of the next JWC developed in FY 2026, the program will refine and build a robust understanding of the Key Operational Problems (KOPs) it identifies. This effort will drive continued development and assessment of associated Concepts of Operation (CONOPS), Concepts of Employment (CONEMPs), and will identify concept-required capabilities (CRCs) that directly inform the new Joint Force Requirements Process (JFRP). The FY 2027 Globally Integrated Wargame (GIWG) series will be the primary analytical platform, specifically designed to build breadth, depth, and rigor in the understanding of these problems, their…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Realigns the Joint Advanced Fires Qualification Course (JAFQ-C) from PE 0204571J (Joint Staff Analytical Support) to PE 0604826J (Joint C5 Capability Development, Integration, and Interoperability) to address critical operation need for all domain fires and effects at the operational level. J-6 is responsible for the Joint Fires mission.
FY2026 plans — current year Execute the Chairman's joint concept program, with the primary effort focused on the development of the next JWC. This effort will include the initial development of subordinate CONOPs, Concepts of Employment (CONEMPs) and the identification of Concept-Required Capabilities (CRCs) designed to address the top priorities of the 2026 National Defense Strategy. The program will support the execution of the FY 2026 Globally Integrated Wargame (GIWG) series, which will serve as the primary learning events to inform and refine the next JWC, its associated CONEMPs, and required capabilities. In parallel, the program will continue to support the operationalization of the current JWC across the Joint…
FY2025 accomplishments Execute the Chairman's Joint Concepts Program. Complete, and garner approval for, the updated version of Joint Warfighting Design 2040. Continue global CONOPS development to support evaluation of joint concepts in exercises, war games, and experimentation. Support the execution of the FY 2025 Globally Integrated War Game. Support the development of curriculum for Joint Advanced Fires Qualification Course.