- The Navy’s PAE Maritime organization reached initial operational capability under a new acquisition structure
- The office will oversee aircraft carriers, surface combatants, amphibious ships, auxiliaries and ship readiness
- Civilian Chris Miller will lead the organization and report to the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition
The U.S. Navy’s new Portfolio Acquisition Executive Maritime organization has reached initial operational capability, establishing a new structure for overseeing surface shipbuilding, aircraft carriers and ship readiness programs, the USNI News reported Monday.
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What Programs Will PAE Maritime Oversee?
PAE Maritime will be led by civilian Chris Miller, who will report to the assistant secretary of the Navy research, development and acquisition. The office will manage amphibious warships, aircraft carriers, surface combatants, auxiliaries, and ship readiness and sustainment.
Five deputy PAEs will report to Miller. Rear Adm. Casey Moten and acting civilian Nick Baumgardner will lead the carriers office, while Rear Adm. Brian Metcalf and acting Lou Detrisac will head combatants. Melissa Kirkendall and Sam Taylor will lead expeditionary and mine warfare in an acting capacity, and Capt. Cedric McNeal will lead auxiliaries in an acting capacity. Rear Adm. Andy Biehn and civilian Lisa Bonacic-Doric will oversee ship readiness.
The office will also oversee three Supervisor of Shipbuilding sites at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, HII Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi and HII Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.
How Does PAE Maritime Fit Into Broader Reform?
The Pentagon’s newest acquisition reform initiative created PAE Maritime, along with several other offices, with legacy commands such as Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Air Systems Command set to hand over functions to the new structure as officials look to get systems into the fleet more quickly.
According to Vice Adm. Seiko Okano, approximately 70 percent of the functions and workforce at systems commands will be transferred to the PAEs. She also said the commands will continue to provide engineering, technical expertise and infrastructure.
The Navy has also established PAEs for undersea, industrial operations, strategic systems programs, the Marine Corps and robotic autonomous systems. PAE Aviation, Mission Systems and Munitions were established in May.
