[ipunchghosts]

Yes. The problem is darpa PMs only have a 4 year window. They also have a limited budget of about 80 million. They also have to pitch a program to get hired into darpa and then further have to get buy in from darpa brass to move ahead with thier portfolio.

Moreover, darpa is not the airforce, army, navy, ect. Just because darpa makes the widget doesn't mean anyone has to use it. Also working for darpa is a difficult as they micromanage thier PIs and you have to constantly show progress (even bi weekly) which isn't conducive to research.

My experience has been that Darpa has a romanticized role outside of those who have actually worked for darpa.

As a researcher you are not incentived to tell darpa the truth because if they are not happy with it, they won't give you any money which is already hard to come by.

Darpa PMs are often young, have few publications and are new to the government and have romanticized ideas about what they think they can accomplish.