Access and Awareness

Mission— ACCESS AND AWARENESS SUPPORT

The Access and Awareness Support project contains non-headquarters management costs in support of DARPA functions and activities across the entire Access and Awareness PE. These costs include: DARPA classified and unclassified network support and equipment; contractor support; classified program security; building security; commercial transition services that increase the likelihood that DARPA-funded technologies remain in the U.S. and provide new capabilities for national defense; DARPA outreach to universities and industry; external contracting, financial and support fees; Program Manager Intragovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Funding; Program Managers from other Government Agencies; and similar operating expenses. Agency support is allocated on a pro-rata basis across the Agency's BA1, BA2 and BA3 PEs and, therefore, fluctuates per PE by fiscal year based on the total Agency budget in that fiscal year. Prior to FY 2026, support requirements in this Project were funded in PE 0602702E, Projects TT-03, TT-04, TT-07, and TT-13.

Mission— ACCESS AND AWARENESS

The efforts described in this Program Element (PE) address the Applied Research associated with the Access and Awareness Program that is directed toward the development and application of technologies that ensure physical or virtual presence where and when necessary and that collect, integrate, or disseminate data and/or knowledge. There is strong interest in the development and application of advanced, innovative autonomy, computing, and communications technologies. This PE also supports innovation and robust transition planning in the technology cycle by working with entrepreneurs to increase the likelihood that DARPA funded technologies take root in the U.S. and provide new capabilities for national defense. The All Domain Tactical Technologies project examines and evaluates emerging technologies and system concepts for developing technologies for enhancing U.S. military effectiveness and survivability in operations across all domains. Enabling and novel technologies include concepts for expanding the envelope of operational naval capabilities to include the entire sea column such as improved situational awareness over large maritime environments, ship self-defense techniques, novel underwater propulsion modalities, high speed underwater vessels, improved techniques for underwater object detection and discrimination, long endurance unmanned surface vehicles, methods and techniques for servicing assets throughout the sea column, and high bandwidth communications. This project will also examine methods and architectures for distributing maritime operations to enable a more agile, survivable, and cost-effective fleet. Technologies will be studied for enhancing U.S. military effectiveness and survivability in ground operations ranging from traditional threats to military operations against irregular forces that can employ disruptive or catastrophic capabilities, or disrupt stabilization operations, including competing in underground spaces. Programs in this project will break the relative symmetry of land combat to give U.S. forces a decided advantage in the current and future ground battlefield. Aeronautics and space technology efforts studied will address high payoff opportunities that dramatically reduce costs associated with advanced aeronautical and space systems and/or provide revolutionary new system capabilities for satisfying current and projected military mission requirements. This includes advanced technology studies of revolutionary propulsion, vehicle, and launch concepts, sophisticated fabrication methods, and examination of novel materials and enabling technologies for aeronautics and space system applications. Studies that also fundamentally change the calculus of battle including consideration of a mix of assets, platforms that are potentially disposable or with limited lifespans, and autonomous integration of space and air platforms in the tactical battlespace are included. The Access and Awareness Support project contains non-headquarters management costs in support of DARPA functions and activities across the entire Access and Awareness PE. These costs include: DARPA classified and unclassified network support and equipment; contractor support; classified program security; building security; commercial transition services that increase the likelihood that DARPA-funded technologies remain in the U.S. and provide new capabilities for national defense; DARPA outreach to universities and industry; external contracting, financial and support fees; Program Manager Intragovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Funding; Program Managers from other Government Agencies; and similar operating expenses. Agency support is allocated on a pro-rata basis across the Agency's BA1, BA2 and BA3 PEs and, therefore, fluctuates per PE by fiscal year based on the total Agency budget in that fiscal year. Prior to FY 2026, efforts in this PE were funded in PE 0602702E, Tactical Technology.

Mission— ALL DOMAIN TACTICAL TECHNOLOGIES

The All Domain Tactical Technologies project examines and evaluates emerging technologies and system concepts for developing technologies for enhancing U.S. military effectiveness and survivability in operations across all domains. Enabling and novel technologies include concepts for expanding the envelope of operational naval capabilities to include the entire sea column such as improved situational awareness over large maritime environments, ship self-defense techniques, novel underwater propulsion modalities, high speed underwater vessels, improved techniques for underwater object detection and discrimination, long endurance unmanned surface vehicles, methods and techniques for servicing assets throughout the sea column, and high bandwidth communications. This project will also examine methods and architectures for distributing maritime operations to enable a more agile, survivable, and cost-effective fleet. Technologies will be studied for enhancing U.S. military effectiveness and survivability in ground operations ranging from traditional threats to military operations against irregular forces that can employ disruptive or catastrophic capabilities, or disrupt stabilization operations, including competing in underground spaces. Programs in this project will break the relative symmetry of land combat to give U.S. forces a decided advantage in the current and future ground battlefield. Aeronautics and space technology efforts studied will address high payoff opportunities that dramatically reduce costs associated with advanced aeronautical and space systems and/or provide revolutionary new system capabilities for satisfying current and projected military mission requirements. This includes advanced technology studies of revolutionary propulsion, vehicle, and launch concepts, sophisticated fabrication methods, and examination of novel materials and enabling technologies for aeronautics and space system applications. Studies that also fundamentally change the calculus of battle including consideration of a mix of assets, platforms that are potentially disposable or with limited lifespans, and autonomous integration of space and air platforms in the tactical battlespace are included. Prior to FY 2026, efforts in this Project were funded in PE 0602702E, Projects TT-03, TT-04, and TT-07.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (6)