Leadership of the National Reconnaissance Office

The director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO) of the United States is responsible to the secretary of defense (through the under secretary of defense for intelligence) and the director of national intelligence (DNI) for all national space and assigned airborne reconnaissance activities. The DNRO provides top-level management direction to the NRO in response to secretary of defense and director of national intelligence requirements.

Chronological list of National Reconnaissance Office directors This is a list of directors of the NRO, and the terms in office.

PhotoNameTerm of OfficePresidential Administration(s)Significant eventsDr. Richard M. Bissell, Jr. September 1961 – February 1962KennedyCo-director with Dr. CharykDr. Joseph V. Charyk September 6, 1961 – March 1, 1963KennedyFirst NRO co-directorDr. Brockway McMillan March 1, 1963 – October 1, 1965Kennedy/JohnsonDr. Alexander H. Flax October 1, 1965 – March 17, 1969JohnsonDr. John L. McLucas March 17, 1969 – December 20, 1973NixonMr. James W. Plummer December 21, 1973 – June 28, 1976Nixon/FordMr. Thomas C. Reed August 9, 1976 – April 7, 1977Ford/CarterDr. Hans Mark August 3, 1977 – October 7, 1979CarterDr. Robert J. Hermann October 8, 1979 – August 2, 1981Carter/ReaganMr. Edward (Pete) C. Aldridge, Jr. August 3, 1981 – December 16, 1988ReaganMr. Martin C. Faga September 28, 1989 – March 5, 1993Bush/ClintonDeclassification of NROMr. Jeffrey K. Harris May 19, 1994 – February 26, 1996ClintonDeclassification of CORONA/ARGON/LANYARDMr. Keith R. HallMarch 28, 1997 – December 13, 2001Clinton/BushSeptember 11, 2001 attacksMr. Peter B. Teets December 2001 – March 2005BushDr. Donald M. Kerr July 2005 – October 5, 2007BushMr. Scott F. Large October 19, 2007 – April 18, 2009Bush/ObamaGeneral Bruce Carlson, USAF (Ret.) June 12, 2009 – July 20, 2012ObamaMs. Betty J. Sapp July 20, 2012 – April 4, 2019Obama/Trump First woman NRO Director Dr. Christopher Scolese August 5, 2019 – July 10, 2026Trump/Biden/TrumpFirst presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed NRO Director Roger Mason August 17, 2026 – Present Donald Trump

List of Deputy Directors of National Reconnaissance Office Deputy DirectorTermPortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm length

See also Under Secretary of the Air Force

References

https://www.nro.gov/About-NRO/leadership/leadership-povak/