- Navy official Andrew Magliochetti has been tapped to lead the service’s defense industrial base efforts
- Magliochetti will lead technology integration efforts for the Navy-Marine Corps team
- Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao will keynote the 2026 Navy Summit this Thursday
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao has appointed Andrew Magliochetti, most recently director of the Department of the Navy’s Office of Small Business Programs, as deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for the defense industrial base.
As the Navy works to strengthen its industrial base and expand fleet capacity, Cao will keynote the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Navy Summit this Thursday, Aug. 27. The event will bring together government and industry leaders for discussions on artificial intelligence, digital engineering, autonomous and unmanned systems, shipbuilding and other priorities shaping the future maritime force. Secure your seats now!
In a statement published Monday, Cao, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, said a resilient industrial base is necessary for the Navy-Marine Corps team to deter adversaries and operate in contested environments, and that Magliochetti’s background positions him to help ensure supply chains deliver capability at the pace required by the force.
“Mr. Magliochetti’s deep experience in venture capital and national security technology makes him the ideal leader to spearhead this effort and ensure our supply chains deliver dominant warfighting capabilities at tactical speed,” he stated.
What Are Magliochetti’s Responsibilities?
In his new role, Magliochetti will serve as the principal civilian adviser to the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition on matters concerning the department’s industrial supply chain. His portfolio covers the integration, health and expansion of that supply chain in support of naval readiness and modernization efforts.
Magliochetti is tasked with expanding the domestic manufacturing base, addressing supply chain vulnerabilities and incorporating dual-use commercial technologies into naval systems. The office’s broader goal is to help build what Navy leadership has termed the “Golden Fleet,” an effort intended to preserve a competitive advantage for sailors and Marines.
Magliochetti said he was honored to take on the role and described a secure industrial base as central to military readiness.
“An agile, secure industrial base is the cornerstone of our combat readiness. I am committed to accelerating the delivery of resilient supply chains and cutting-edge, dual-use technologies directly into the hands of our warfighters to ensure our Sailors and Marines are ready for any high-end fight.”
Who Is Andrew Magliochetti?
Magliochetti is a national security and finance professional with 25 years of private-sector experience spanning structured finance, investment banking and private equity. He most recently co-founded and served as managing partner of a venture capital firm focused on national security technologies.
Prior to his current appointment, Magliochetti led the Department of the Navy’s Office of Small Business Programs, where he served as the principal advisor to the secretary of the Navy on small business matters.
How Does the Appointment Fit Into the Navy’s Broader Industrial Base Push?
Magliochetti’s appointment comes as Nicole Perry takes over leadership of the Navy’s Small Business Programs Office, a post he previously held before shifting into his new role responsible for DIB efforts. It also follows the White House’s direction for the Department of the Navy to expand investment in the shipbuilding industrial base, underscoring the administration’s focus on strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity, and adds to a string of recent senior personnel decisions under Cao, including the appointment of William Toti to perform the duties of Navy under secretary.
These organizational and leadership shifts also align with the Office of Naval Research’s 2026 science and technology strategy, which centers on accelerating the delivery of new capabilities to the fleet.
