Bridging The Gap Powered By Ideas
Abstract
This document describes the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) current strategic plan, as required by Section 2352, title 10 of the United States Codes. It provides a top-level view of DARPA's activities for Congress, the research community, and various elements of the Department of Defense (DoD). This strategic plan describes DARPA's mission, the strategy for realizing that mission, and the tactics by which the strategy will be achieved. DARPA's original mission, established in 1958, was to prevent technological surprise like the launch of Sputnik, which signaled that the Soviets had beaten the U.S. into space. The mission statement has evolved over time. Today, DARPA's mission is still to prevent technological surprise to the US, but also to create technological surprise for our enemies. Stealth is one example where DARPA created technological surprise. A discussion of DARPA's mission appears in section 2. DARPA's strategy for accomplishing its mission is embodied in strategic thrusts. Over time, as threats and opportunities change, DARPA's strategic thrusts evolve. Today there are eight strategic thrusts, detailed in sections 3 and 4, that are important national security research and development areas. They represent focus areas for DARPA involvement and contain the foundations for innovative joint warfighting capabilities to defeat existing and emerging national security threats. DARPA executers its strategy by sponsoring specific revolutionary, high-payoff research and development programs. Section 3 and 4 provide many examples of DARPA-sponsored efforts to pursue its strategy by bridging the gap between fundamental discoveries and their military uses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA433949
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency