Dr. Pappas served as the Chief Scientist of the U S Army Space and Strategic Defense Command. He demonstrated real-time stereo processing of early warning satellite data to detect ballistic missile launches.
For over 20 years, Dr. Peter G. Pappas has made significant contributions to our Nation's missile defense community. From 1987 through 1993, Dr. Pappas served as the Chief Scientist of the U. S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command, which merged with the Army Space Command to become the Space and Strategic Defense Command in 1992. For more than five years, he provided scientific guidance, leadership, and technical review of Army's diverse missile defense program. One of the many major achievements during his tenure was the successful demonstration of real-time stereo processing of early warning satellite data to detect tactical ballistic missile launches. The success of this project alone resulted in a joint Army and Navy acquisition program to field tactically deployable units and an Air Force program to produce CONUS based central processor. The Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) continues to be upgraded as the United States fields new early warning satellites. His scientific leadership resulted in the selection of solid-state technology to power the next generation of missile defense radars and was instrumental in the design requirements of THAAD, the Theater High Altitude Area Defense system. Dr. Pappas recognized that missile defense must be a system of systems, not just a collection of pieces and injected that philosophy into the designs of JTAGS and THAAD. His significant contributions to the Nation's missile defense community are further demonstrated by his leadership and participation in numerous Defense Department directed, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization sponsored studies related to space and missile defense. Highlights include a system requirements review of the THAAD anti-missile system and several studies on the defense of the US against cruise missile attacks in the post cold war environment. He also participated in several studies for the Army's Space and Missile Defense Command including an evaluation of the Navy Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) and mission analysis of Kwajalein Missile Range.
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