The term "disruptive technology" is used to in the 2004 US National Defense Strategy and 2006 US National Security Strategy as a concern of the US Government. A study of potential disruptive technologies that will affect the way war in the future is fought is essential to prepare the US Army and the United States in general so that it will not lose its next war. This thesis will analyze commercial disruptive technology, determine how the United States is pursing disruptive technology, determine what the stages of military disruptive technology are, and the differences in pursuing and evaluating military disruptive technology versus commercial disruptive technology, and what the United States is doing to prevent technological surprise in the next 20 years.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)