This arrangement has remaineded unchanged for at least 30 years. The DRG itself comprises Research Directors with responsibility for national defence research. The 8 Panels and the 2 SGEs consisted of national laboratory directors and high level defence technology administrators. This took place relatively formally in experts meetings, seminars, symposia, workshops and of course by the publication of technical reports and proceedings. Collaborative Research Researchers contribute national data for analysis and the production of harmonised paper studies.
Nations contribute manpower, equipment, platforms, targets and facilities and share resulting data.
Over the years the DRG has fostered a very effective environment for collaborative defence research. A pre-arranged 'legal ' structure and a minimised bureaucracy enable research projects to be set up relatively quickly without protracted negotiation of MOU's. The DRG provides a unique transatlantic forum for the pursuit of classified defence related government research. This focuses on the earliest phases of equipment life cycles when technology has its greatest influence on future design, and the exchange of scientific and technology information between governments can be most beneficial. The organization of the DRG has stood the test of time and its structure has changed little since the early days.