Abstract: The current international situation is complex and changeable. Traditional and non-traditional threats are intertwined. How to effectively safeguard national security has become a severe challenge for all countries in the world. With its unique and effective governance, DARPA has taken on the dual tasks of defense and technology and achieved global success. Based on the core elements of governance and the theory of flexible government governance, this paper constructs a theoretical model of DARPA governance, analyzes its internal mechanisms and laws affecting the effectiveness of DARPA governance, and proposes that DARPA governance effectiveness is determined by mission flexibility and organizational flexibility. Elasticity of staff, decision-making and project resilience, and flexible governance of environmental and cultural factors. Finally, based on DARPA's effective flexible governance approach, it proposes countermeasures and suggestions for the DARPA-like institutions explored in China and the mission-oriented scientific research institutions in the high-risk research and development environment.