Kirkland Hogue "Kirk" Donald (born 1953) was NR's 5th Director taking over from Admiral Bowman in 2004. Donald made major contributions to the naval nuclear fleet including advancing VIRGINIA-class submarines, being a driver behind Columbia-class submarines, and moving FORD-class aircraft carriers into development.

Early Naval Career and Submarine Service (1975-2004) - After completing his initial nuclear power and submarine training, he served on the USS Batfish (SSN-681), USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658), and USS Seahorse (SSN-669). Donald was Commanding Officer of the USS Key West (SSN-722), from October 1990 to February 1993.

Advancing in Naval Leadership - His senior shore assignments included the Pacific Fleet Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board and on the staff of the Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion. He served as Commander, Submarine Development Squadron Twelve from August 1995 to July 1997. He was also assigned as Commander, Submarine Group Eight; Commander, Submarine Force Sixth Fleet (CTF 69); Commander, Submarines Allied Naval Forces South; and Commander, Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine Force (CTF 164) in Naples, Italy. He also served as Commander, Naval Submarine Forces; Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Commander, Allied Submarine Command, Atlantic; and Commander, Task Forces 84 and 144 in Norfolk, Virginia. He also served at the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), on the Joint Staff, and as Deputy Chief of Staff for C4I, Resources, Requirements and Assessments for the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion (2004–2012) - On November 5, 2004, Admiral Donald succeeded Admiral Bowman as the Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion, a role in which he oversaw the Navy’s nuclear fleet during a critical period of technological advancement and geopolitical tension. Donald’s leadership ensured the continued excellence and safety of the Navy's nuclear fleet, while also driving modernization efforts.

New Class Development: Ford-Class Aircraft Carriers - Under Donald's tenure, NR played a central role in the development of the reactor plant design for the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) class of aircraft carriers. This new design featured the A1B reactor, which represented a significant technological leap over the Nimitz-class A4W reactor. The A1B design provides greater energy output and reduces the number of reactor department personnel required, thus enhancing operational efficiency and lowering life-cycle costs.

Virginia-Class Submarines - Throughout this period, NR continued to oversee the production and operational support for Virginia-class fast attack submarines, including integration of improved core designs with extended life and enhanced performance. The design emphasized stealth, endurance, and reduced manning requirements, with the Core 9A/9B reactor variants being delivered during this era.

International Relations - Admiral Donald also led a collaborative effort to assist the United Kingdom’s

Royal Navy in improving delivery of its new class of nuclear attack submarines and other aspects of its naval reactor program. For his efforts, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the title of Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Project Prometheus - From 2004-2006, Admiral Donald led NR through efforts to support a space nuclear propulsion design. In April 2004, the Secretary of Energy tasked NR to team with Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other NASA centers to build a space reactor capable of propelling a mission to explore the icy moons of Jupiter. This required a significant realignment of expertise given other traditional program efforts underway. In September 2005, NASA decided to terminate the program in favor of a mission to the moon.

Independent Assessment Efforts - In 2008, Donald was assigned by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to investigate the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident where nuclear missile fuses were mistakenly sent to the island of Taiwan. In 2011, after the Fukushima reactor accidents in Japan, NR provided technical advice to Japan concerning how best to respond to the event. In January 2024, shortly after the high-profile Alaska Airlines 1282 mid-air door plug incident on a Boeing 737 MAX, Boeing appointed Admiral Donald as special advisor to help investigate its quality management practices.

Legacy and Lasting Impact - Admiral Donald retired on November 3, 2012 and was relieved as Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion by Admiral John Richardson. Donald received the National Nuclear Security Administration Gold Medal of Excellence for Distinguished Service and the National Award of Nuclear Science and History by the National Atomic Museum Foundation.

Following his retirement, he joined Systems Planning and Analysis, a national security consulting company, where he became president and chief executive officer, serving until 2015. He served on the boards of Entergy Corporation, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Battelle, CyberCore Technologies, Centrus Energy, and the Naval Submarine League.

Admiral Donald supports the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States by serving in security oversight positions at Rolls Royce North America, LANXESS Corporation and Sauer Compressors USA. He is also an advisor to the Government of Australia on matters related to submarine capability.

As of April 2022, he was chairman of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest military shipbuilding company in the United States.