ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-7:2026 PDF

Overview

ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-7:2026 is an international standard developed by ISO, IEC, and IEEE that provides comprehensive requirements for applying systems engineering across the life cycle of defence programs. This document specifically addresses the needs of defence agencies, including the US Department of Defense (DoD), by implementing and tailoring ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 to support the planning, acquisition, operation, modification, and sustainment of defence systems.

The standard ensures consistency in systems engineering processes and outputs, with a focus on acquirer-supplier agreements and effective life cycle management. It supports organizations, projects, and process assessors engaged in systems engineering within the defence sector, and incorporates defence-specific terminology, outputs, and application guidance.

Key Topics

• Defence Systems Engineering Activities The standard establishes clear requirements for systems engineering tasks within defence agencies throughout a system's life cycle.

• Implementation of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 It adapts the general system life cycle processes of ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, with additional requirements and outputs tailored to defence applications.

• Life Cycle Processes and Integration Covers detailed requirements for executing and integrating agreement processes, technical and technical management processes, and organizational enabling processes.

• Conformance and Tailoring Outlines approaches for full and tailored conformance, enabling flexibility to adapt to the specific needs and contexts of various defence projects while ensuring conformance with agreed outcomes and tasks.

• Defence-Specific Outputs and Terminology Contains language, definitions, and required outputs specific to defence systems engineering, including configuration baselines, product definitions, and quality assurance activities.

• System of Systems (SoS) Considerations Addresses the unique aspects of systems of systems, including managerial and operational independence, applicable taxonomy, and life cycle stage integration.

• Specialty Engineering Highlights areas such as safety, cybersecurity, reliability, human factors, and other defence-relevant specialties that are essential in modern systems engineering.

Applications

ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-7:2026 is invaluable for:

• Defence Acquisition Projects Assists government agencies and suppliers in defining and managing systems engineering requirements throughout all life cycle phases: planning, acquisition, operation, modification, and sustainment.

• Contracting and Agreements Helps structure acquirer-supplier agreements, providing a foundation for specifying and measuring systems engineering activities and required deliverables in defence contracts.

• Project Management and Quality Assurance Facilitates alignment of technical and management processes, ensuring traceability of project requirements, risk management, and quality outputs across multi-stakeholder projects.

• Process Assessment and Improvement Enables organizations to assess, benchmark, and improve their systems engineering capabilities in line with international best practices for defence programs.

• International Collaboration Supports interoperability and harmonized practices for multinational defence projects, as well as alignment with national and alliance-specific directives (such as DoDI 5000.02 for the US DoD or NATO AAP-20).

Related Standards

• ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023 – Systems and software engineering - System life cycle processes
• ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765 – Systems and software engineering vocabulary
• DoDI 5000.02 – US Department of Defense system life cycle guidelines
• NATO AAP-20 – NATO system life cycle model guidance
• ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748 Series – Guidance on life cycle management for systems and software
• IEC Electropedia & IEEE Standards Dictionary – Key terminology references for international standards

By providing a defence-focused framework for applying systems engineering best practices, ISO/IEC/IEEE 24748-7:2026 ensures rigorous, consistent, and effective management throughout the life cycle of complex defence systems. This standard is essential reference material for defence program managers, engineers, integrators, and quality professionals seeking to ensure project success and regulatory compliance in the global defence domain.