Defence Research Agency (United Kingdom)
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1 April 1991 |
Preceding agencies | |
| Dissolved | April 1995 |
Superseding agency | |
| Headquarters | |
Parent agency | Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) |
The Defence Research Agency (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 was combined with five other MOD establishments to form the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.
History
The DRA was formed on 1 April 1991[1] as an amalgamation of the following Defence Research Establishments:
- Admiralty Research Establishment (ARE) – major sites Portsdown, Hampshire and Southwell, Dorset ("Maritime Division")
- Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) – major site Farnborough, Hampshire ("Aerospace Division")[2]
- Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) – major site Boscombe Down
- Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) – major site Fort Halstead, Kent ("Military Division")
- Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE) – major site Malvern, Worcestershire ("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 Sir John Chisholm who took over in August 1991.
In April 1995, the DRA was 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).
References
- ↑ "Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) and its immediate predecessors: Reports and Files 1991–2001". 2001. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ↑ Lake 1999, p. 57.
Bibliography
- Eds. Robert Bud and Philip Gummett (1999), Cold War Hot Science: Applied Research in Britain's Defence Laboratories 1945-1990, Harwood ISBN 90-5702-481-0
- Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
- Military research of the United Kingdom
- Defunct executive agencies of the United Kingdom government
- Defence agencies of the United Kingdom
- 1991 establishments in the United Kingdom
- 1995 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
- Government agencies established in 1991
- Government agencies disestablished in 1995
- United Kingdom government stubs
- United Kingdom military stubs