Navy unveils three new PAEs for aviation, mission systems, munitions

WASHINGTON — The Navy today revealed the latest three portfolio acquisition executives, known as PAEs, in lockstep with broader acquisition reforms across the Pentagon. 

The Navy has tapped the following individuals to serve as interim PAEs for their respective organizations: 

• PAE Aviation, led by Vice Adm. John Dougherty;
• PAE Mission Systems, led by Jim Day; and
• PAE Munitions, led by Paul Mann

“The needs of the warfighter demand that our acquisition system move faster in order to outpace the threat,” Jason Potter, who is performing the duties of assistant secretary of the Navy for research and development, said in a statement today. “The establishment of these PAEs today will accelerate acquisition efforts in three key portfolios.”

The Navy previously established the first PAE for robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) in December, and announced in March that it would establish PAE organizations for maritime, undersea, industrial operations, strategic systems programs, and Marine Corps. Also in March, the Navy said that transition teams were underway for additional PAEs for aviation, mission systems, and munitions.

The Navy emphasized at the time that establishing additional PAEs marked a significant shift from the program executive officer (PEO) structure, and permits those leading these new PAE organizations authority over associated technical, contracting and sustainment functions that were previously conducted within the systems commands (SYSCOM). 

“This is not just a name change, but a critical step toward streamlining and simplifying the Navy’s acquisition process,” Adm. Jim Kilby, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, said in a statement today. “The three new PAEs are designed to align authority and accountability, reduce process overhead, equip program managers to execute more effectively, and deliver operational capability to the Navy and Marine Corps with speed and scale.” 

Meanwhile, the Navy also today unveiled a Fiscal Year 2027 Shipbuilding Plan that calls for requesting $65.8 billion for shipbuilding alone for FY27 — as outlined in the Navy’s FY27 budget request released in April — in an effort to advance President Donald Trump’s Golden Fleet Initiative. Altogether, the plan calls for expanding the Navy’s total inventory to 450 ships, including battle force ships, auxiliary ships, and unmanned vessels, by 2031.

“The United States is at a strategic inflection point, and rebuilding American maritime dominance requires urgency, accountability, and sustained commitment,” Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said in a statement today. “This Shipbuilding Plan provides a roadmap for the Golden Fleet, to grow a larger, more capable Fleet while revitalizing the industrial base, strengthening our workforce, and ensuring our Sailors and Marines have the platforms they need to defeat any adversary for decades to come.”