Dr. Brian E. Grantham, was appointed as Acting Director of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s Technical Center in June 2026. He is responsible for leading and managing research, development, and test programs for space, missile defense, cyber, directed energy and related technologies. He is also responsible for the management of the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range in the Marshall Islands.
Dr. Grantham’s career reflects a steady rise in leadership and technical responsibility within the U.S. Army. His journey began in industry as technical support to the Army’s Missile Command, where he honed his skills in inertial navigation systems. In 2005, he joined the U.S. Army DEVCOM AvMC, where he distinguished himself as a leading expert in missile technology, serving in various roles from director of basic research activities to Capability Area Lead for Air and Missile Defense Systems, and culminating in his role as Acting Chief Engineer for Missile Technology. In 2024, he joined the SMDC Technical Center as the Chief Scientist and was appointed as the Director of Research and Technology in 2025. As Director for Research & Technology, he led the critical mission of advancing the Army’s capabilities in space integration and interdiction, hypersonics, and directed energy technologies.
Dr. Grantham possesses in-depth knowledge of: Micromachined Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS); optical and quantum-based gyroscopes; Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems & sensors; guidance & control systems; signal processing system design; integration; prototyping; modeling; and simulation. He is a proven leader with extensive experience in leading and managing multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists, managing multi-million-dollar budgets and complex research programs, developing and implementing strategic plans for technology development, and transitioning research outcomes into fielded systems.
He holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Alabama.
Dr. Grantham’s awards and recognitions include a two-time recipient of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) Research and Development Achievement Award, and the Department of the Army Civilian Service Achievement Medal. He has published over 25 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.
