DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, was established in 1958 to develop new technologies and battlefield applications for the Department of Defense. Consisting of less than 300 employees, DARPA reports directly to civilian leadership in the form of the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States. DARPA operatives occasionally accompany military personnel to gather information on their research projects; however, their position outside the military chain of command has led to frayed relationships, and many DARPA missions are viewed as an unneeded risk by military units.