Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Exploitation

I2O explores game-changing technologies in the fields of information science and software to anticipate and create rapid shifts in the complex national security landscape. Conflict can occur in traditional domains such as land, sea, air, and space, and in emerging domains such as cyber and other types of irregular warfare. I2O’s research portfolio is focused on anticipating new modes of warfare in these emerging areas and developing the concepts and tools necessary to provide decisive advantage for the U.S. and its allies.

Modern society depends on information and information depends on information systems. Timely, insightful, reliable, and relevant information drives success. This is not lost on military leaders who well appreciate the critical importance of information for national security. As Sir Francis Bacon wrote in 1597, “Knowledge is power.”

The Transformative Apps program will develop a diverse array of militarily-relevant software applications ("apps") using an innovative new development and acquisition process. A military apps marketplace will be created to enable rapid innovation to meet user needs based on a direct collaboration between a vibrant and highly competitive development community and involved communities of end-users. The program will address all the challenges-technical, business and operational to make the new capabilities available for use in the field. The objectives are to transition the resulting systems to end-users in the Services and to foster a new model for rapidly and effectively acquiring, introducing, maintaining and enhancing software.

Mr. Trung Tran joined DARPA as a program manager in the Microsystems Technology Office in October 2015. Tran earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the US Air Force Academy and a Master of Business Administration degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. While in the Air Force, he was stationed at Fort Meade and Hanscom Air Force Base working at the Air Intelligence Agency. In those roles, he developed cryptographic chips and command and control networks, which focused on reducing the amount of time between the acquisition of sensor data and the use of that data by shooters or, more generally, weapons systems. He received four medals in recognition of his work in these areas.

The Information Innovation Office (I2O) develops game-changing information science and technology to ensure information advantage for the U.S. and its allies. To accomplish this, I2O sponsors basic and applied research in three thrust areas: Cyber, Analytics, and Symbiosis. I2O seeks unconventional approaches that are outside the mainstream, challenge accepted assumptions, and have the potential to radically change established practice.