The Architectural Runway in SAFe consists of the existing code, components, and technical infrastructure necessary to support the implementation of prioritized, near-term Features without excessive redesign and delay. Its importance is twofold:

It supports a stable velocity (A): Teams need sufficient architectural runway to maintain a predictable velocity and reduce technical debt. As stated in SAFe, “Architectural Runway enables teams to build features quickly and efficiently, thus maintaining stable velocity.”

It iteratively evolves the architecture to meet changing needs (C): SAFe recommends an incremental and emergent architectural approach. The runway is not static; it evolves to meet the emerging business and technical requirements, “just enough, just in time.”

Incorrect options:

B is incorrect—while documentation may be produced, the runway itself is not documentation but actual working infrastructure.

D is incorrect—runway specifically supports technical changes, not nontechnical ones.