The world is changing at an ever-increasing rate, and information is the driving force.
Information technologies - algorithms, software, hardware, and networks - are now pervasive in nearly all facets of human endeavor, and find new civilian and military applications every day. DARPA has played a leading role in this information revolution by sponsoring the development of many of the modern computing, communications, and information technologies that we enjoy today. This includes such well-known advances as time-sharing/interactive computing, the ARPANET/Internet, and advanced microprocessor architectures. Just as important for the DoD is DARPA's success in creating new command, control, sensor, processing, and exploitation technologies and systems such as Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) radar, the Command Post of the Future (CPoF), and the Tactical Ground Reporting system (TiGR).
Information lifts the fog of war and increases the speed and accuracy of decision making for the warfighter. Information technologies have revolutionized warfighting, bringing vast improvements in weapons, platforms, command and control, battlefield intelligence, planning, logistics, and training. The mission of the Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) is to pioneer advanced information science, technology, and systems that have direct bearing on current and future national security needs. IPTO is building on its past successes, and drawing on exciting developments in other sectors, by supporting research, development, and prototyping that spans the information lifecycle:
sense,
process,
understand, and
apply.
