USS Providence at Naval Submarine Base New London August 2020. (file)
WASHINGTON: The Navy is reorganizing its submarine acquisition offices to better manage the upcoming transition between Ohio-class and Columbia-class submarines, as well as to maintain and modernize the service’s attack submarine fleet, according to a Sept. 9 memorandum obtained by Breaking Defense.
“The revised organization structure will enable better response to key imperatives including managing the Strategic Deterrence transition from Ohio Class to Columbia Class Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBN), achieving improvements necessary to meet Fleet Commander Attack Submarine (SSN) Operational Availability requirements, transforming combat capabilities, and clarifying the organizational command structure while balancing executive leadership and organizational workload,” Jay Stefany, the Navy’s acting acquisition executive, wrote in the memo.
The new directorate will feature three program executive offices:
- PEO Strategic Submarines (PEO SSBN), is the renamed PEO Columbia office. Rear Adm. Scott Pappano, who was leading PEO Columbia, will now head up the new PEO SSBN alongside Matthew Sermon, the new office’s executive director.
- PEO Submarines will now be PEO Attack Submarines (PEO SSN) and will be responsible for the acquisition and development of all attack subs. That office will be led by Rear Adm. David Goggins, while Lisa Radocha and Michael Breslin will be its executive directors, according to the memo.
- Lastly, the service will establish PEO Undersea Warfare Systems, responsible for “the delivery of enhanced combat capability, with improved cybersecurity and resiliency, to all submarine platforms,” according to Stefany’s memo. PEO UWS will be led by Rear Adm. Edward Anderson and Michael McClatchey will be its executive director.
“Furthermore, the creation of PEO UWS best positions Team Submarine to ensure undersea sensors and warfare systems are integrated into the Project Overmatch architecture in support of Distributed Maritime Operations,” according to Stefany. “PEO UWS will include the undersea domain program integration office for Project Overmatch and will organize those programs, projects and efforts to directly support” the Overmatch effort.
The memo also establishes an in-service submarine support and infrastructure program office that reports to PEO SSBN, designated PMS 396. “PMS 396 will be designated as a Major Program Manager (MPM)
equivalent program office, and will assume responsibility and accountability for sustainment and modernization of in-service strategic submarines,” Stefany wrote. Capt. Keith Baravik will lead the new program office.
Defense News first reported the changes coming to the Navy’s submarine acquisition directorates.
Stefany directed the structural changes be implemented no later than Oct. 1, 2021 and the associated “fiscal implementation” with the new offices be done no later than the same date next year.
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