Defence Research and Development Canada

Defence Research and Development Canada, also Defence R&D Canada or DRDC (Recherche & développement pour la défense Canada, R & D pour la défense Canada, ou RDDC<!-- official names --> in French), is an agency of the Department of National Defence (DND), whose purpose is to respond to the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces (CF). DRDC has an annual budget of $350 million (CAD) and employs about 1600 people.

History

During World War II the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) conducted wartime research for the Department of National Defence and its military arms, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Army. When NRC reverted to its peacetime activities following the war, DND sought to continue defence research and created the Defence Research Board (DRB) in April 1947 to coordinate the department's research and development activities.

The unification of the three services into the Canadian Forces (CF) in 1968 saw DRB evolve, becoming the Research and Development Branch of the CF by 1974. The R&D Branch was reorganized on April 1, 2000 when it became an agency within DND called Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC).

DRDC is organized around nine research centres located across the country with headquarters in Ottawa. Each research centre focuses on a particular set of scientific and operational requirements. DRDC has an annual budget of $350 million and employs 1600 people.

Centres......

Read More