During the course of the study, the Senior Review Group developed a list of more than 70 technologies considered important in the pursuit of extended reconnaissance. These were categorized and cross-referenced to the lexicon introduced in the Enabling Technologies section of the Integrated Strategy. The topics were separated into four broad functional areas: platforms, sensors, information processing, and communications (although it was acknowledged that some topics spanned more than one functional area). The group then developed a consensus of opinion for each of the technologies on the basis of three criteria:
The results of this process are shown in the matrix in Table 1. The symbols indicate the relative degree of emphasis for each technology. A special category (the "star") is shown to indicate those areas where already supported by strong investments within the DoD, by commercial concerns, or by both: leveraging is most important in these areas. The check marks indicate where, if at all, the DARO should begin or continue to invest technology funding. In some cases (the "In DARP" column), the technology of interest is already being funded in connection with a particular advanced development program within the DARP. Funding for these areas is contained within the overall DARP Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) budget. In other cases (the "In Tech Trans'n" [for Technology Transition] column), it was determined that additional applications research was needed to transition the technology from a research to an operational environment. Funding for these areas will comprise the technology transition programs identified in this plan.
Thus, the investment strategy, as tabulated in the matrix, includes two main thrusts:
The former represents the foundation of the DARO's Technology Plan. Illustrated in Figure 3, the plan lays out funding profiles for nine thrust areas that consolidate and focus technology programs ranked in the matrix. The figure also shows how near-term demonstra-tions in specific areas will be followed by ones in which the most promising technology is chosen from a pool of possibilities currently under investigation within other Government and commercial sectors. A six fiscal year (FY) planning horizon (FY 1996 - FY 2001) is used for this initial Technology Plan to support the budget process and provide an input to the development of the Airborne Reconnaissance Technical Architecture Plan. The Architecture Plan, scheduled for release in early 1995, will provide the detailed migration path toward the Objective Architecture set forth in the Integrated Strategy. Technology plays a central role in the migration path, and so there will be a continuing iteration between the two plans as technologies mature to enable the architecture, and as the architecture adapts to changing technical opportunities.
Table 1 Matrix of Technologies and DARO Investment Emphasis
Figure 3 DARO Advanced Technology Program Plan
