WASHINGTON — U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Director Scott Large tendered his resignation April 8 to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, NRO spokesman Rick Oborn confirmed April 9.
Large was tapped for the position in October 2007 after serving as the office’s principal deputy director and holding high-level positions at the Central Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. In a memo sent to his employees, Large said he concurred with Gates and the Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair that the time was right for a change of leadership, Oborn said.
Effective April 18, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, now deputy director of the office, will assume temporary leadership. A permanent director will be nominated by Gates in consultation with Blair.