scope:

Scope and Applicability. This instruction applies to personnel supporting NAVAIR and Aviation Program Executive Officer (PEO) programs, and business units involved with the design, development, test and evaluation, and acquisition of Naval Aviation weapon systems and equipment.

a. This instruction applies to all Department of the Navy (DON) aviation ACAT designated programs under the cognizance of NAVAIR, the Marine Corps and affiliated PEOs.

b. TRA Definition. A TRA is a formal, systematic, metricsbased process and accompanying report that assesses the maturity of technologies called Critical Technology Elements (CTEs) to be used in systems. The CTEs can be hardware or software. An Independent Review Team (IRT) of subject matter experts (SMEs) uses Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) as metrics to assess CTE maturity.

c. Terminology. Two terms, namely, TRA and Technology Maturity Assessment (TMA) , when used in this instruction, signify the same rigorous and disciplined process, with the distinction that a TRA is in response to a regulatory requirement and a TMA is in response to a non-regulatory requirement.

Purpose. To outline the existing Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) process, establish policy, and assign responsibilities for the planning, conduct and certification of TRAs for Acquisition Category (ACAT) I - IV programs aligned to NAVAIR.

a. The NAVAIR Systems Engineering Technical Review (SETR) Process was established by the NAVAIR Engineering community to provide a consistent, rigorous, and disciplined process for all NAVAIR acquisj.tion programs (Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPS) and non-MDAPS)), in support of the Milestone Decision Authority's (MDA)decision process. The SETR Process and the TRA Process are complementary. The NAVAIR TRA Process was established by the NAVAIR Engineering community to also provide a consistent, rigorous and disciplined process for all NAVAIR acquisition programs (MDAPS and non-MDAPS), in support of the MDA's decision process.

b. The purpose of this TRA Process Instruction is to document the existing successful TRA Process and to disseminate enclosure (1) throughout the NAVAIR Community as guidance.