Jagannath Nayak has been appointed as the new Director General of Missiles & Strategic Systems (MSS) at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), succeeding U. Raja Babu, who retired on June 30,2026. With over 35 years of experience in defence research and development, Nayak has been a prominent figure at the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS),DRDO .
Notably,Nayak played a crucial role in the development and field testing of India’s first Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system,marking a significant advancement in the country’s defence capabilities. His expertise extends to the indigenous development of advanced avionics for both defence and aerospace applications. He is also recognized as the chief architect behind the Fibre Optic Gyro (FOG) guidance system for Akash missiles and DEW-based Anti-Drone systems.
His academic credentials include a Master’s degree and a Ph.D . in Electrical Communication Engineering from Indian Institute of Science (IISc),Bangalore. Throughout his career, Nayak has contributed extensively to the field, authoring over 125 research papers in esteemed journals. His work has earned him several prestigious accolades, such as the Aryabhata Award from the Astronautical Society of India and the National Aeronautical Prize from the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI). He also received the DRDO Agni Award for Excellence in Self-Reliance, further underscoring his contributions to India's defence sector.
