Navy appoints Rucker as new PAE Maritime lead

WASHINGTON — Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao has appointed Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker to lead Portfolio Acquisition Executive Maritime, the service announced today. 

“President [Donald] Trump has given me a clear mandate: build the Golden Fleet,” Cao said in a statement from the Navy. “Admiral Rucker is the right leader at the right time to bring accountability to and accelerate our American shipbuilding system.”

As PAE Maritime, Rucker will lead “the Navy’s surface ship acquisition efforts across the shipbuilding enterprise.”

“We owe it to our Sailors and Marines to deliver the ships they need at speed with capability and quality to ensure they maintain our competitive advantage,” Rucker said in the statement. “I am eager to build the Fleet America needs now.”

PAE Maritime was one of five PAE organizations stood up by the Navy in March as part of a wider acquisition reform initiative across the services. The office oversees all the surface fleet acquisition programs, including carriers, combatants and auxiliary vessels.

Among its notable programs is the service’s Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program, which last week awarded Hanwha Defense USA the right to construct a new vessel in a $269 million deal

Before today, Rucker has served as a director of design and construction for Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager (DRPM) Submarines since April, and prior to that he was the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Attack Submarines, according to the announcement. 

Rucker takes over for Chris Miller, who served as the inaugural chief of PAE Maritime. On Oct. 13, Cao formally appointed Miller to serve as both the PAE and DRPM for Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) concurrently, according to a statement from the Navy.