Defence Research Agency
Encyclopedia
The Defence Research Agency (normally known as DRA), was an executive agency
of the UK Ministry of Defence
(MOD) from April 1991 until April 1995. At the time the DRA was Britain
's largest science
and technology
organisation. In April 1995 the DRA combined with five other MOD establishments to form the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
.
of the following Defence Research Establishments:
DRA's headquarters was created at the RAE site at Farnborough, but the other major sites maintained a great deal of independence.
DRA's first Chief Executive was Nigel Hughes, followed by John Chisholm who took over in August 1991.
In April 1995 the DRA combined with five other MOD establishments to form the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
(DERA
), DRA's John Chisholm becoming Chief Executive of the enlarged DERA
(split in July 2001 into DSTL
and QinetiQ
).
Executive agency
An executive agency, also known as a next-step agency, is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate in order to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland...
of the UK Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
(MOD) from April 1991 until April 1995. At the time the DRA was Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's largest science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
organisation. In April 1995 the DRA combined with five other MOD establishments to form the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence until July 2, 2001. At the time it was the United Kingdom's largest science and technology organisation...
.
History
The DRA was formed on 1 April 1991 as an amalgamationConsolidation (business)
Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...
of the following Defence Research Establishments:
- Admiralty Research EstablishmentAdmiralty Research EstablishmentThe Admiralty Research Establishment was formed on 1 April 1984 from various Admiralty establishments. It became part of the Defence Research Agency on 1 April 1991.-Constituent parts on formation:...
(ARE) - major sites Portsdown, HampshireHampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and Southwell, Dorset ("Maritime Division") - Royal Aircraft EstablishmentRoyal Aircraft EstablishmentThe Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
(RAE) - major site Farnborough, HampshireFarnborough, Hampshire-History:Name changes: Ferneberga ; Farnburghe, Farenberg ; Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough .Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence...
("Aerospace Division") - Aeroplane and Armament Experimental EstablishmentAeroplane and Armament Experimental EstablishmentThe Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment was a research facility for British military aviation from 1918 to 1992.-History:...
(A&AEE) - major site Boscombe Down - Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) - major site Fort HalsteadFort HalsteadFort Halstead is a research site of Dstl, an Executive Agency of the UK Ministry of Defence. It is situated on the crest of the Kentish North Downs, overlooking the town of Sevenoaks...
, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
("Military Division") - Royal Signals and Radar EstablishmentRoyal Signals and Radar EstablishmentThe Royal Signals and Radar Establishment was a scientific research establishment within the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom, located primarily at Malvern in Worcestershire. It was formed in 1976 in an amalgamation of earlier research establishments including the Royal Radar Establishment...
(RSRE) - major site Malvern, WorcestershireMalvern, WorcestershireMalvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
("Electronics Division")
DRA's headquarters was created at the RAE site at Farnborough, but the other major sites maintained a great deal of independence.
DRA's first Chief Executive was Nigel Hughes, followed by John Chisholm who took over in August 1991.
In April 1995 the DRA combined with five other MOD establishments to form the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence until July 2, 2001. At the time it was the United Kingdom's largest science and technology organisation...
(DERA
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence until July 2, 2001. At the time it was the United Kingdom's largest science and technology organisation...
), DRA's John Chisholm becoming Chief Executive of the enlarged DERA
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence until July 2, 2001. At the time it was the United Kingdom's largest science and technology organisation...
(split in July 2001 into DSTL
Dstl
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is a trading fund of the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom. Responsibility for Dstl lies with the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, currently Peter Luff....
and QinetiQ
QinetiQ
Qinetiq is a British global defence technology company, formed from the greater part of the former UK government agency, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency , when it was split up in June 2001...
).