Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), has been declared as a winner of the 2019 Missile Systems Award by an American institute.

He is sharing the award with Rondell J. Wilson, given by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) to be presented during the AIAA DEFENSE Forum, May 7–9 May at the Kossiakoff Center at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. However, Reddy will receive his award in India.

This award is given in recognition of excellence in developing or implementing missile systems technology, including significant technological accomplishments or for inspired leadership of missile systems programs.

Reddy has been selected for his over three decades of significant national contributions toward indigenous design, development, and deployment of diversified strategic and tactical missile systems, guided weapons, advanced avionics, and navigation technologies in India.

He has been the major contributor towards the towards the formulation of many national policies and pivotal in evolving roadmap for self-sufficiency in Missiles. As Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems (DG, MSS), he has spearheaded Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex Laboratories – ASL, DRDL and RCI, ITR, TBRL & other technical facilities.

According to the DRDO website, Reddy has led the design and development of a wide range of tactical and strategic missile systems to attain complete self-sufficiency in Missiles and initiated many new projects to equip Armed forces with state-of-the-art weapons and technologies. And is the brain behind the mission critical technologies for Long Range Agni-5 missile.

Besides developing the country’s first 1000 kg class Guided Bomb and laid foundation for Long Range Smart Guided Weapons, he has many successes under his belt including the development of indigenous RF and IIR Seekers,

He is also a renowned Navigation expert and has Project Director and Technology Director, steered the design and development of indigenous Inertial Sensors, SatNav Receivers, advanced Inertial Navigation Systems for a variety of defence applications including the Ship Navigation.

Wilson, a former Principal Engineering Fellow of Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, has been selected for his exemplary technical leadership and innovation that has significantly advanced the performance and capability of the world’s premier missile defense systems.

According to the an official statement, the AIAA Missile Systems Technical Committee presents the award biennially to a candidate who has demonstrated expertise in fundamental technical disciplines that has led to substantial improvement in missile systems or innovative leadership that has established an environment in which creativity in missile system technology implementation can flourish and which led to the successful completion of a major program milestone by a government agency or an industry team.