Robert Burns Pirie (18 April 1905 – 9 January 1990) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy.

His classmates included Henry C. Bruton, Charles Carpenter, Howard Gilmore, Lofton Henderson, Carlton Hutchins, Fitzhugh Lee, Max Leslie, Wade McClusky, and John Sylvester.

The Air Traffic Controller of the Year award, named in honor of Vice Adm. Robert B. Pirie, is presented for outstanding contributions to operational readiness and safety applied by individual Navy and Marine Corps Air Traffic Controller.

[1] In 1958, Pirie also became an inaugural member, along with Hugh Dryden, Abe Silverstein and Ira Abbott, of the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee, which sought to coordinate the space-related activities of the Department of Defense with those of the newly created NASA.

Vice Admiral Robert Burns Pirie received a lot of high military decorations for valor or for distinguished service.