Mission Need Statement

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Within the context of the U.S. Department of Defense, a Mission Needs Statement (MNS) was a type of document which identified capability needs for a program to satisfy by a combination of solutions (DOTMLPF) to resolve a mission deficiency or to enhance operational capability.

This term was introduced as a fundamental step in CJCSI 3170.01B (Apr 2001),{{cite web|publisher=United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/tr/ADA394750 |title=Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 3170.01B - Requirements Generation System |year=2001}} 6212.01D (Apr 2005), and the Interim Defense Acquisition Guidebook (Oct 2004).

This type of document has been superseded{{cite web |publisher=United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |url=https://www.dau.edu/sites/default/files/Migrated/CopDocuments/CJCSI%203170.01E.pdf |title=Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 3170.01E - JOINT CAPABILITIES INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM |year=2005 |page=4 |access-date=January 2, 2024 |archive-date=January 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102212300/https://www.dau.edu/sites/default/files/Migrated/CopDocuments/CJCSI%203170.01E.pdf |url-status=live }} by the description of capability needs called an Initial Capabilities Document, as of CJCSI 3170.01E. The CJCSI 3170.01 and 6212.01 were superseded{{cite web |publisher=United States Department of Defense |url=https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Library/SupportDocs/CJCS%20Reports/CJCS%20SUPERSEDED-CANCELED%20-%201%20Jan%202023.pdf?ver=YRSiq-jsMdxcIa-W9xNlTw%3D%3D |title=LIST OF CANCELED AND SUPERSEDED CJCS DIRECTIVES AND MCMs as of 1 January 2023 |year=2023 |page=14 |access-date=January 2, 2024 |archive-date=January 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102212302/https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Library/SupportDocs/CJCS%20Reports/CJCS%20SUPERSEDED-CANCELED%20-%201%20Jan%202023.pdf?ver=YRSiq-jsMdxcIa-W9xNlTw%3D%3D |url-status=live }} by the CJCSI 5123.01 Series.{{cite web |publisher=United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |url=https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Library/Instructions/CJCSI%205123.01I.pdf |title=Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 5123.01I - CHARTER OF THE JOINT REQUIREMENTS OVERSIGHT COUNCIL AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT CAPABILITIES INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM |year=2021 |access-date=January 2, 2024 |archive-date=February 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224182621/https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Library/Instructions/CJCSI%205123.01I.pdf |url-status=live }}