DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
[DD Mmmmmm YYYY]
The Honorable Rodney P. Frelinghuysen
Chairman
Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Pursuant to of Title 10 United States Code Section 2366a(c)(l), enclosed is the
Milestone A Report for the [INSERT NAME OF PROGRAM AND ACRONYM] program. The
Milestone A for the [INSERT ACRONYM OF PROGRAM] program was approved on MONTH
DAY, XXXX. An identical letter has been sent to the other congressional committees.
Sincerely,
DARLENE J. COSTELLO
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the
Air Force (Acquisition & Logistics)
Enclosure:
As stated
cc:
The Honorable Nita M. Lowey
Ranking Member
Note:
-
Sent to HAC, SAC, HASC & SASC Chairman and cc: Ranking Member
HAC Rodney P. Frelinghuysen & Nita M. Lowey
SAC Thad Cochran & Patrick J. Leahy
HASC William M. “Mac” Mac Thornberry & Adam Smith
SASC John McCain & Jack Reed
Sent within 15 days of Milestone A
The Honorable Rodney P. Frelinghuysen
Chairman
Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable John McCain
Chairman
Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Thad Cochran
Chairman
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 205l0
The Honorable William M. "Mac" Thornberry
Chairman
Committee on Armed Services
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
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[INSERT NAME OF PROGRAM AND ACRONYM]
Milestone A Report
The following information is provided to the congressional defense committees pursuant
to Title 10 United States Code (USC) Section 2366a(c)(1):
(A) The program cost and fielding targets established by the Secretary of Defense under section
2448a(a) of this title.
This section is (Notional language: not applicable. Title 10 U.S.C., section 2448a(a) is
part of Subchapter III of Chapter 144B. In accordance with section 807(a)(2) of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (Publ. L. 114-328), Subchapter III of
Chapter 144B only applies to Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) that reach
Milestone (MS) A after October 1, 2017.)
(B) The estimated cost and schedule for the program established by the military department
concerned, including: (i) the dollar values estimated for the program acquisition unit cost and
total life-cycle cost; and (ii) the planned dates for each program milestone and initial operational
capability.
(i)
The (INSERT MILITARY DEPARTMENT) prepared a (Notional language:
Component Cost Estimate OR Service Cost Position), dated [INSERT MONTH
DAY, XXXX] and established the following estimated cost:
Program Acquisition Unit Cost: $[INSERT DOLLARS] Billion (BYXXXX$)
Total Life-Cycle Cost: $[INSERT DOLLARS] Billion (BYXXXX$)
(ii)
The (INSERT MILITARY DEPARTMENT) developed an acquisition strategy
for [INSERT PROGRAM ACRONYM] and has established the following
estimated schedule:
MS B: [MONTH YEAR]
MS C: [MONTH YEAR]
Initial Operational Capability: [MONTH YEAR]
Full Rate Production: [MONTH YEAR]
(C) The independent estimated cost for the program established pursuant to section 2334(a)(6)
of this title, and any independent estimated schedule for the program, including: (i) an
assessment of the major contributors to the program acquisition unit cost and total life-cycle cost;
and (ii) the planned dates for each program milestone and initial operational capability.
(i) The Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (D, CAPE) conducted an
Independent Cost Estimate for the program, dated [INSERT MONTH DAY, XXXX] and
established the following estimated cost:
Program Acquisition Unit Cost: $[INSERT DOLLARS] Billion (BYXXXX$)
Total Life-Cycle Cost: $[INSERT DOLLARS] Billion (BYXXXX$)
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The major contributors to the Program Acquisition Unit Cost (PAUC) and Total LifeCycle Cost are a (Notional language: two vendor TMRR phase, the recurring manufacturing
rate of the missile, and missile range.)
(ii) The D, CAPE has established the following estimated schedule based upon
analogous program data and the [INSERT PROGRAM ACRONYM] Acquisition
Strategy:
MS B: [MONTH YEAR]
MS C: [MONTH YEAR]
Initial Operational Capability: [MONTH YEAR]
Full Rate Production: [MONTH YEAR]
(D) A summary of the technical or manufacturing risks associated with the program, as
determined by the military department concerned, including identification of any critical
technologies or manufacturing processes that need to be matured.
[INSERT PROGRAM ACRONYM] technical risks depend on (Notional language:
concept missile systems and available technologies to meet the draft Capability Development
Document requirements. The Army has identified the risks listed below. Manufacturing risks
are indeterminable until the Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction engineering design
trade studies are complete.





Rocket Motor that meets range and Insensitive Munition (IM) requirements
Warhead that meets effectiveness/ penetration, IM, and Cluster Munition
requirements
Guidance, Navigation, and Control that meets accuracy, angle of fall, and time of
flight requirements
Launch Pod Missile Container – protection and interfaces
Launcher Fire Control & Munition Software Interface, and Integration for Flight
Test)
(E) A summary of the independent technical risk assessment conducted or approved under
section 2448b of this title, including identification of any critical technologies or manufacturing
processes that need to be matured.
This section is not applicable. Title 10, U.S.C., section 2448b is part of Subchapter III of
Chapter 144B, which as stated above only applies to MDAPs that reach MS A after October 1,
2017.
(F) A summary of any sufficiency review conducted by the Director of Cost Assessment and
Program Evaluation of the analysis of alternatives performed for the program (as referred to in
section 2366a(b)(6) of this title).
The D,CAPE, upon review of the (INSERT MILITARY DEPARTMENT) report, stated
that (Notional language: the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) sufficiently examined a full-range of
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alternatives to replace the capability provided by the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS),
e.g., joint fires without LRPF, Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) ATACMS, and New Start
LRPF alternatives. D,CAPE also stated that the AoA effectively defined the options and set up
the contextual decision space necessary to inform the MS A acquisition decision, and is sufficient
to inform programmatic decisions.)
(G) Any other information the milestone decision authority considers relevant.
The MDA has not articulated any other considerations.
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