David E. Mann (November 4, 1924 – July 22, 2018) was an American who served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Engineering and Systems) from 1977 to 1981.
In 1951, Mann joined the National Bureau of Standards as a physicist and as Chief of the Molecular Spectroscopy section.
During this time, he became well known for his research in the application of cryospectroscopy to the determination of the molecular structures of high–temperature and unstable molecules.
Mann joined the Advanced Research Projects Agency in 1966, and in 1967 became deputy director of its Ballistics Missile Defense Office.
He became head of its Strategic Technology Office in 1968; there, he began development programs in high energy lasers, long–range infrared and radar sensors, special communications techniques, and a wide range of undersea and ASW sensor technology.