The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) is the lead agency for developing advanced dual-use technologies (i. e. , those which are equally applicable to commercial and defense systems) in information processing, electronics, optics, and materials in support of the Department of Defense's missions. Within the High Performance Computing and Communications Program (HPCC), ARPA develops the underlying computing and communications technologies needed by the program. The focus is on creating a scalable technology base of interoperating workstations, networks, parallel computing systems, massive storage, systems software, and development tools and environments. This identical technology base, enriched by an intelligent, adaptive layer of application support services and with support for a more diverse collection of bitway technologies, will underlie the development of the National Information Infrastructure.
The Department of Defense has unique mission responsibilities that influence its interests in the National Challenge applications. These are reflected in ARPA's emphasis on the development of NII capabilities in support of Crisis Management, Training, Health Care, and Manufacturing. The applications are described in more detail below.
Crisis Management: This is the use of command, control, communications, and intelligence information systems to support decision makers in anticipating threats, formulating plans, and executing such plans through a coordinated response. Operation Desert Storm is one form of a large-scale crisis; the recent floods along the Mississippi, the Los Angeles riots, Hurricane Andrew, and the Loma Prieta earthquake also could benefit from a comprehensive information-centered approach to command and control. The underlying systems are of direct interest to the National Guard as well as law enforcement and public safety agencies.
Education and Training: The major thrust of ARPA's activities is in the area of simulation-based training, in particular, distributed simulations made possible by network technology. In addition, Defense has considerable experience in constructing and using (hardware) simulators of complex systems. Nevertheless, software-based simulators and "virtual realities" will dominate in future training systems.
Health Care: ARPA's interests are particularly focused on exploiting information technology to improve the survival of trauma victims. The key to survival is rapid response. This means determining the most capable care provider who can get to the scene most rapidly with the right equipment and instruments. In addition, ARPA is interested in developing technologies that make available remote medical expertise where it is needed and where it can be used in the critical first few minutes of injury. Thus, there is considerable interest in telemedicine.
Design and Manufacturing: Defense depends on an advanced design and manufacturing base from which its specialized systems can be implemented and constructed. Given the new demands for affordable military systems, information technology must be exploited to make possible low volume manufacturing that is also low(er) cost. To this end, ARPA has been focusing on the underlying infrastructure elements to make communications and coordination along the producer-supplier food chain more efficient.