When it comes to developing leading edge aviation technologies, few organizations can match the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The advanced scientific outfit was formed 50 years ago this year and has in its history introduced the world to a host of revolutionary aviation technologies such as Have Blue, which became the F-117 stealth fighter as well as the Predator and Global Hawk, unmanned air vehicles flying today in Iraq. Recently the agency's director, Tony Tether gave wide ranging congressional testimony about DARPA's broad areas of research and development that included a look at some of its more recent aviation research. This slideshow looks at 10 of the hottest developments in the field of flight gleaned from that testimony.

1. Falcon.

The Falcon program has been working to improve the US capability to promptly reach other points on the globe. A major goal of the program is to flight test key hypersonic cruise vehicle technologies in a realistic flight environment. Recently DARPA conducted low- and high-speed wind tunnel tests that validate the stability and control of the hypersonic technology vehicle. According to Darpa'S Web site the Falcon program objectives are to develop and demonstrate hypersonic technologies that will enable prompt global reach missions. This capability is envisioned to entail a reusable Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle (HCV) capable of delivering 12,000 pounds of payload at a distance of 9,000 nautical miles from CONUS in less than two hours.