What CNA does

CNA (The CNA Corporation) is a not-for-profit research and analysis organization founded in 1942 by physicist Philip Morse, who introduced operations research to the United States during World War II. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with nearly 700 scientists, analysts, and professional staff, CNA operates two principal divisions: the Center for Naval Analyses — the Department of the Navy's federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) and the oldest of 42 FFRDCs in the U.S. — and the Institute for Public Research, which serves civilian federal, state, and local agencies in justice, public health, emergency management, and homeland security. Approximately 90% of analysts hold advanced degrees and 35% have military field experience; the organization produces roughly 500 analyses per year. Its signature Field Program embeds analysts for two-to-three-year tours at military commands worldwide, including carrier strike groups and Marine expeditionary forces, generating privileged first-party operational data.

CNA's technology stack centers on operations research, data science, machine learning, AI, and modeling/simulation, delivered through the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy (CAIA) and the CNAi2 Innovation Incubator. Notable AI assets include Morse Code, a custom LLM deployed in Azure Government (making CNA the first FFRDC to operationalize OpenAI in a secure federal environment); Performance to Plan, an ML-based Navy maintenance prediction system; the Dynamic Decision Model for servicemember retention; the Merlin Cyber Module for wargaming; and deployable products such as FRAME, SWIFT, CRUISER, and UCATS. CNA distributes its services exclusively through government procurement channels: the 10-year DoN FFRDC contract (N00014-22-D-7001), GSA Multiple Award Schedule (47QRAA18D003X, 2018-2028), and GSA OASIS+ (47QRCA25DU077, 2024-2034). Customers include the Department of the Navy, Marine Corps, broader DoD, FAA, FEMA, DOJ, HHS, DHS, and hundreds of state and local agencies. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

CNA

Legal name

The CNA Corporation

Website

https://cna.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CNA is a not-for-profit research organization operating the Department of the Navy's oldest FFRDC, providing data-driven analysis to military and government agencies across national security, justice, public health, and emergency management through its Center for Naval Analyses and Institute for Public Research divisions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense & National Security Research Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

Keywords

• Defense research analysis
• National security analytics
• Operations research services
• Military readiness analysis
• Public safety research

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Department of the Navy FFRDC Contract: CNA operates the Center for Naval Analyses as the Department of the Navy's FFRDC under a 10-year contract (N00014-22-D-7001). This is a long-term, mission-focused relationship with the Navy.
2. GSA Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts: CNA provides services through GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contract 47QRAA18D003X (2018-2028) and GSA OASIS+ Contract 47QRCA25DU077 (2024-2034), enabling access to broader federal government agencies.
3. Institute for Public Research Contracts: CNA's Institute for Public Research supports civilian government agencies including FAA, FEMA, DOJ, HHS, and state/local agencies through various project contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CNA is a not-for-profit analytical organization that operates the Center for Naval Analyses (the Department of the Navy's FFRDC) and the Institute for Public Research, delivering data-driven research, analysis, modeling, simulation, wargaming, and AI/analytics tools to U.S. military leaders and civilian federal, state, and local government agencies. The organization embeds analysts in operational commands through its Field Program and produces approximately 500 analyses annually across national security, force readiness, and public safety domains.

Product overview

CNA is a nonprofit research and analysis organization operating two primary divisions: the Center for Naval Analyses (Department of the Navy's FFRDC) and the Institute for Public Research. The organization produces approximately 500 analyses annually across 11 expertise areas. CNA's technology portfolio includes AI and autonomy research through its Center for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy (CAIA), featuring the internal Morse Code large language model; predictive analytics tools including Performance to Plan (P2P) for Navy data science; innovative safety tools like FRAME for first responders and SWIFT for intersection safety; and autonomous systems solutions including CRUISER indoor drones and UCATS airspace simulation. The CNAi2 Innovation Incubator drives new research, tools, and approaches including the Force Design Lab. Research outputs include podcasts (AI with AI), newsletters (PLA Update, China AI and Autonomy Report), and specialized analytics frameworks like the AI Maturity Model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CNAi2 (CNA Innovation Incubator): Innovation incubator housing innovative public-facing work, exploring new tools and approaches for emerging challenges including AI, autonomy, and emerging security threats
• CNAi2
• CNAi2

Products and services

• Performance to Plan (P2P) Data science platform and partnership with the U.S. Navy that uses machine learning algorithms to predict maintenance performance and identify root causes of problems in aircraft, ship, and submarine maintenance, as well as personnel issues.
• First Responder Awareness Monitoring during Emergencies (FRAME) Machine learning and AI system that ingests data from smart city sensors, interprets emergency information, and aggregates it into a common data view to increase situational awareness for first responders during disasters.
• Safe Warnings for Intersections Forecasting Tool (SWIFT) AI-driven forecasting tool for intersection safety that helps predict and prevent traffic accidents at dangerous intersections through traffic safety analysis automation.
• CNA-RIIS UAS Indoor Solution for Emergency Response (CRUISER) Indoor uncrewed aircraft system (drone) solution for emergency response operations, providing UAS capability for confined space operations. Developed in partnership with RIIS LLC.
• Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Cooperative Airspace Traffic Simulation (UCATS) Simulation tool for modeling and analyzing cooperative airspace traffic management for unmanned aircraft systems, supporting FAA and NASA on UAS traffic management challenges.
• AI Maturity Model for Government Agencies Assessment framework enabling government agencies to understand and communicate the current maturity level of their AI programs, the target level, and the path to get there.
• Dynamic Decision Model for Servicemember Retention Modeling tool that predicts the impact of policy changes on servicemember retention decisions, offering flexibility for Navy and DoD personnel policy analysis.

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RAND Corporation: RAND is the most directly comparable peer: a nonprofit research organization operating multiple FFRDCs (RAND Project AIR FORCE, Arroyo Center for the Army) and providing national security analysis to DoD. Both CNA and RAND were founded during WWII to apply operations research to military problems and serve similar sponsor-agency models.
• Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA): IDA is a nonprofit FFRDC serving the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, and defense agencies - a direct structural peer to CNA's Navy FFRDC. Both operate under similar sponsor-funded models providing objective scientific and technical analysis to defense clients.
• MITRE Corporation: MITRE operates multiple FFRDCs (National Security Engineering Center, Center for Enterprise Modernization, Homeland Security Systems Engineering) serving DoD, FAA, and DHS. Comparable to CNA's FFRDC structure and federal sponsor base, particularly FAA and DHS work that overlaps CNA's Institute for Public Research portfolio.
• RAND's National Defense Research Institute (NDRI): NDRI is RAND's FFRDC serving the Office of the Secretary of Defense, providing analysis on force planning, manpower, and acquisition. Directly comparable to CNA's Center for Naval Analyses FFRDC mission and sponsor relationship model within DoD.

Broad incumbents

• Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen is a large defense and government consulting firm that competes with CNA for civilian agency analytical work (FEMA, DOJ, HHS) and provides analytics, AI, and cyber services to DoD. It serves overlapping clients but operates as a commercial consulting firm rather than an FFRDC.
• Leidos: Leidos is a major defense and government services contractor providing analytics, engineering, and IT services to Navy, DoD, FAA, and DHS. Overlaps with CNA on Navy analytics, FAA airspace work, and homeland security; operates at much larger commercial scale.
• SAIC: SAIC provides scientific, engineering, and IT services to defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies - directly overlapping CNA's civilian and defense agency work. As a large public defense services prime, SAIC competes for the same GSA/OASIS+ task orders that enable CNA's Institute for Public Research.
• Aerospace Corporation: Aerospace Corporation operates as an FFRDC for the Space Force and national security space programs. Comparable FFRDC structure serving a single defense sponsor, though focused on space systems engineering rather than naval operations analysis.

Emerging players

• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): CSIS is a defense and foreign policy think tank producing national security analysis. Comparable to CNA's strategic competition, China/Russia, and policy work, though CSIS operates as an open-source think tank rather than an FFRDC with classified access.
• Applied Research Associates (ARA): ARA is an employee-owned research and engineering firm providing defense, civil, and commercial analytical services including modeling and simulation work for DoD. Comparable to CNA on technical research, modeling/simulation, and defense analytics outside the FFRDC envelope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CNA_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CNATalks
• Facebookfacebook.com/CNA.analysis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cna
• Instagraminstagram.com/cna_analysis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles30 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CNA