The US Navy is setting up a sweeping reorganization to push robotic and autonomous systems from experimentation into everyday fleet operations. Navy Secretary John Phelan has announced the creation of three new billets and offices that will oversee the service’s growing portfolio of drones and uncrewed platforms.
The move, outlined in a September 3 memorandum obtained and reported by Breaking Defense Thursday, signals a stronger institutional commitment to unmanned systems and a desire to streamline how the Navy manages its development and acquisition.
A New Structure for Unmanned Systems
The memorandum directs the establishment of a deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for robotics and autonomous systems (RAS), a program executive office for RAS, and a portfolio acquisition executive for RAS. These positions are intended to unify oversight of unmanned efforts that have long been spread across multiple offices and commands.
“To ensure the success of this effort, all [Department of the Navy] acquisition activities shall pause RAS-related acquisition decisions and contracting actions (including awards and modifications) during the 30-day analysis, unless explicitly approved by the [acquisition executive],” the memo reads, cited by Breaking Defense.
Phelan wants a focused, time-limited sprint to develop an implementation plan that clearly defines roles, eliminates redundancies, and establishes a foundation for rapid growth.
Vice Admiral Seiko Okano, the principal military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition, will lead the 30-day sprint.
Okano will be responsible for assembling a small team, consulting with stakeholders across the Navy and Marine Corps, and delivering a final briefing to Phelan with actionable recommendations.
Pausing to Plan
The pause in contracting activity is a dramatic step, intended to give Okano and the sprint team breathing room to reassess the Navy’s unmanned strategy without being locked into ongoing deals.
During the review, the team will analyze the service’s current RAS programs, propose ways to consolidate them into a “minimal set of cohesive” elements, and map out a transition schedule for the new offices.
Phelan expects the new billets and offices to reach initial operating capacity within 90 days of the September 3 memorandum.
According to a report by USNI News, Jason Potter, who is currently performing the duties of the assistant secretary for research, development and acquisition, will provide weekly updates and deliver the final sprint briefing.
The memorandum reflects a broader push from the Pentagon and the White House to rapidly expand the US military’s drone manufacturing and operational use.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also launched efforts to streamline organizations across the Department of Defense, cutting down on overlapping offices and sprawling staffs.
Phelan’s plan appears aligned with those priorities.
Lessons from Past Efforts
The Navy’s record on unmanned system integration has been uneven.
In 2015, then-Secretary Ray Mabus created a deputy assistant secretary for unmanned and the N-99 unmanned warfare systems directorate to coordinate development of platforms such as the MQ-25A Stingray, an unmanned carrier-based tanker. Both offices were eventually absorbed or disestablished.
By 2018, the Navy shifted to a strategy of “mainstreaming” unmanned efforts into existing commands rather than giving them separate leadership.
That approach slowed progress. Large-scale projects such as the Ghost Fleet Overlord ships and the Sea Hunter vessel came out of Defense Department programs rather than Navy-led initiatives.
Service-specific efforts like the MQ-25A and the XL Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (XL-UAV) have faced years of delays. Unmanned programs often became billpayers for manned priorities in budget submissions.
The new organizational structure signals that the Navy wants to correct course. By creating billets with explicit responsibility for robotics and autonomous systems, Phelan aims to provide continuity and focus.
The Role of the Naval Rapid Capabilities Office
Okano is already playing a central role in the Navy’s innovation portfolio as head of the Naval Rapid Capabilities Office (NRCO), created in August.
The NRCO combines several organizations, including NavalX, the Navy’s contribution to the former Replicator initiative, and the disruptive capabilities office.
While Phelan’s September 3 memo does not explicitly mention the NRCO, the overlap in leadership suggests that the office will serve as a key player in implementing the new RAS structure.
Industry Reaction
The restructuring has been welcomed by industry groups that have long pressed for clearer Navy leadership on unmanned systems. The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, a lobbying group for the unmanned sector, praised the move.
“The dedicated RAS team creates the required structure and urgency needed to restore Congressional confidence and finally turn innovation into deployable capability,” Michael Robbins, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “This step is long-overdue recognition that uncrewed systems are not just enabling tools, they are strategic capabilities critical to achieving the Navy’s mission in a rapidly evolving maritime domain.”
Industry has reason to be encouraged. In addition to the new organizational focus, Congress has recently approved supplemental defense spending that provides $2.1 billion for medium unmanned surface vessels and $1.53 billion for other unmanned programs.
The Navy has also begun soliciting proposals for new platforms, including the Modular Attack Surface Craft, which is envisioned as a containerized, long-range vessel capable of carrying payloads at speed.
Looking Ahead
Phelan’s initiative reflects a recognition that unmanned systems are no longer experimental projects but core capabilities that must be integrated into the fleet. The Navy’s surface and subsurface systems are currently managed by Naval Sea Systems Command, while unmanned aviation assets are under Naval Air Systems Command.
The September 3 memo does not specify how those portfolios will be affected, but consolidation into a unified RAS organization would represent a significant change.
The next several months will determine whether the Navy can deliver on its new vision. The sprint led by Okano is expected to provide clarity on how the new offices will function and how quickly the Navy can transition to a more streamlined and accountable strucfuture of naval warfareture. If successful, the effort could mark a turning point for the service’s long-struggling unmanned enterprise.
For now, the Navy is pressing pause, taking stock, and charting a new path. Within 90 days, Phelan expects the Navy’s new robotic and autonomous systems leadership team to be in place and ready to accelerate the deployment of technologies that could shape the future of naval warfare.