Ralph S. Haller
PRINCIPAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NRO

Mr. Ralph S. Haller became the National Reconnaissance Office’s (NRO) third Principal Deputy Director on 15 January 2008. The Director of National Intelligence appointed him to that position with the concurrence of the Deputy Secretary of Defense. As the NRO’s Principal Deputy Director, he also serves as the Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force (Intelligence Space Technology).

Mr. Haller began his career in 1968 with a commission in the U.S. Air Force, after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Photographic Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology. As his initial assignment, he attended the University of Arizona, receiving a Master’s degree in Optical Science. Subsequent assignments included Patrick Air Force Base supporting Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) programs, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base analyzing Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT) data.

He joined the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) Office of Development and Engineering (OD&E) in 1975, where for the next 10-years, he developed components for large, space-based, collection systems. In 1985, he left the CIA to manage subcontracts for Lockheed Missiles and Space Corporation on a project to create a major state-of-the-art sensor system. He rejoined the CIA two years later to head the Data Management and Processing Division of a major intelligence program. That same year he became the Chief of that program’s Systems Analysis Staff, performing full-range internal systems engineering services. In 1989, he led the Imagery Systems Directorate in the NRO’s Office of Plans and Analysis, which performed systems engineering activities across the NRO’s imagery intelligence programs. In 1991, he returned to direct the Systems Analysis Staff. The 1992 integration of NRO Programs A, B, and C, re-designated his position as Director, Systems Engineering for the Imagery Systems and Operations (IMINT) Directorate.

Mr. Haller left the NRO in 1993 to direct an operations group in the CIA’s Office of Technical Collection, retiring in 1994. Moving to industry, he became the Director of Technology for Orbital Science Corporation’s OrbView program. He then became Director of Technology Operations for Lockheed Martin Special Programs, which helped integrate all of Lockheed-Martin’s space-based imagery intelligence activities. In 1997, Mr. Haller became an independent consultant supporting several government and industry imagery programs. In 2000, he returned to Lockheed Martin Special Programs, as Vice President for signals intelligence programs. Mr. Haller returned to private consulting in 2001. While consulting, he participated in several high-profile technical Independent Review Teams and was instrumental in the NRO’s hyperspectral research.

Mr. Haller became Director of NRO’s IMINT Directorate on 22 January 2007 where he supervised the development of new imaging and MASINT collections systems.

Mr. Haller’s awards include the Intelligence Commendation Medal, the SIS Meritorious Officer Award, and the Intelligence Medal of Merit.