Defence Evaluation and Research Agency - Definition and Overview

The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (normally known as DERA), then Britain's largest science and technology organisation, was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence until July 2, 2001. DERA was then spilt into two organisations: a commercial firm, QinetiQ, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).

QinetiQ incorporates the majority of DERA, with the DSTL assuming responsibility for the most sensitive of DERA's operations, e.g. nuclear, chemical, and biological research.

DERA was formed in April 1995 as an amalgamation of the following:

• Defence Research Agency (DRA)
• Defence Test and Evaluation Organisation (DTEO)
• Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment
• Centre for Defence Analysis (CDA)