Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Technology Transition
Abstract
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was created in 1958 to ensure technological superiority for U.S. military forces by fostering innovation and pursuing high-payoff, frequently high-risk projects. Each conflict since that time has demonstrated the wisdom of having an entrepreneurial technical organization unfettered by tradition or conventional thinking. For example, in Operation Desert Storm, the Persian Gulf War of 1990, some of the revolutionary capabilities, such as the F-117 stealth fighter, the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), and the Precision Guided Munitions were the direct result of initiatives of this small agency in the preceding years. Successful though DARPA has been, the introduction of new capabilities into our forces has been relatively slow for a variety of reasons. It is important to examine past transitions of technology to military applications in order to improve the processes and to understand the right investment strategies. Introducing high-quality military capabilities is obviously important and, historically, has been the department's dominant goal. In today's less certain world, in which many potential adversaries have access to technology almost as rapidly as does the U. S. military, the time it takes to apply new technology takes on new significance. It is hoped that this study will go a long way to focus attention on improving the transition process and timeline.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA434135
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency