BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY
OF THE AIR FORCE
AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 10-601
27 APRIL 2021
Operations
OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY
REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTATION
AND VALIDATION
COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY
ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at
www.e-Publishing.af.mil for downloading or ordering
RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication
OPR: AF/A5RP
Supersedes: AFI10-601,
6 November 2013
Certified by: AF/A5R
(Maj Gen Dawn M. Dunlop)
Pages: 12
This instruction implements Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 10-6, Capabilities Requirements
Development, and supports implementation of the policies and procedures described in Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 5123.01H, Charter for the Joint Requirements
Oversight Council (JROC) and Implementation of the Joint Capabilities Integration and
Development System (JCIDS), and DoD Instruction (DoDI) 5000.02, Operation of the Adaptive
Acquisition Framework. This publication establishes the guidelines for the Air Force process
managed by the Directorate of Operational Capability Requirements (AF/A5R) for documentation
and validation of operational capability requirements under the authority described in
Headquarters Air Force (HAF) Mission Directive (MD) 1-7, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy,
Integration and Requirements. The guidance provided in this instruction applies to all personnel,
including Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, who develop, review or approve operational
capability requirements documents as governed by this instruction, whether such programs are
designated as unclassified, collateral, compartmented, or special access. This publication does not
apply to the United States Space Force. The authorities to waive wing/unit level requirements in
this publication are identified with a Tier (“T-0, T-1, T-2, T-3”) number following the compliance
statement. See DAFI 33-360, Publications and Forms Management, for a description of the
authorities associated with the Tier numbers. Submit requests for waivers through the chain of
command to the appropriate Tier waiver approval authority, or alternately, to the requestor’s
commander for non-tiered compliance items. This instruction may be supplemented at the Major
Command (MAJCOM) (or equivalent) level, but all supplements must be routed to AF/A5RP for
coordination before certification and approval. Submit recommended changes using the AF Form
