Institute for Defense Analyses

Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) is a not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. Established in 1956, IDA operates three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) in the public interest: the Systems and Analyses Center, the Science and Technology Policy Institute, and the Center for Communications and Computing.

Sponsors rely on IDA for dispassionate, fact-based, and scientifically rigorous research and advice to inform their decisions critical to U.S. national security. The unique relationship with Government sponsors grants IDA unusual access to highly classified and sensitive government and corporate proprietary information while maintaining a strict regime for avoiding conflicts of interest.

The work produced by IDA’s FFRDCs is characterized by unquestioned objectivity and high quality. The organization's diverse mix of professionals possesses expertise in a range of technologies and systems, combined with deep knowledge of costs, policies, operations, and organizational matters.

IDA continually renews and evolves its staff, integrating those newly educated in the latest advances in research with seasoned veterans of acquisition management, policy-making, and operational leadership roles in government and defense-related organizations. The exceptional creativity, determination, and commitment to service that IDA researchers bring to their work are the foundation of IDA’s excellence.

Industries: Privacy and Security, Space