1. Purpose of the gate
This gate fixes the rigour of the whole program. Once each item has a development assurance level, the objectives of DO-254 and DO-178C that apply, the independence needed and the verification depth all follow. A level changed later reopens the plans, the evidence and the agreement with the authority, which is why the lane carries an assurance levels frozen marker here.
Reviewers check three things. First, that the functional hazard assessment is complete and its classifications agreed with the integrator, not assumed. Second, that each level follows from the failure conditions its item can contribute to, as ARP4754B describes, and that any lower level resting on independence names exactly what is independent. Third, that the export classification of the equipment and its data is recorded, since it decides who may work on the design and which customers can be served.
The gate also baselines the allocated system requirements, so later item requirements can be traced to a fixed set.
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