Defining a Common Planning Framework for the Air Force

Within the Air Force, resourcing requirements and recommended allocations are developed within the Major Commands (MAJCOMs), and the corporate Air Force has few mechanisms that allow it to look across all Air Force requirements and set institutional priorities. RAND was asked to develop a common planning framework that could extend across the Air Force, allow better coordination of requirements and options, incorporate the Air Force "vision," and link to the external environment. The strategies-to-tasks methodology would provide the framework's foundation. Eventually, it was determined that the proposed planning areas were confusing and that all planning and programming should be based in Air Force core competencies. Other means have been implemented to strengthen existing processes to ensure that cross-cutting issues are raised and that horizontal integration across MAJCOMs takes place. Although the Air Force chose not to implement the proposed common planning framework, the effort is documented to contribute to the field of defense planning and programming.