Defence Research and Development Canada, also DRDC (Recherche & développement pour la défense Canada, or RDDC in French), is an agency of the Department of National Defence (DND), whose purpose is to provide the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), other government departments, and public safety and national security communities with the knowledge and technology needed to defend and protect Canada’s interests at home and abroad. DRDC has approximately 1,400 employees across eight research centres within Canada.