Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons
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| Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Type | Program Executive Office |
| Garrison | Patuxent River, Maryland |
Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons is the United States Navy organization responsible for development, acquisition, fielding, and sustainment of unmanned aviation systems and strike weapons. It manages procurement programs that intersect with Naval Air Systems Command, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of the Navy, and operational units including United States Fleet Forces Command, Pacific Fleet, and United States Central Command. The office coordinates with defense industry primes such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Raytheon Technologies, and General Atomics to deliver capabilities to commands like United States Marine Corps aviation units and Special Operations Command.
Overview
The office oversees a portfolio spanning unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions, and related mission systems that support operations in theaters such as Carrier Strike Group, Amphibious Ready Group, Operation Inherent Resolve, and contingency operations in littoral regions. It interfaces with acquisition authorities including the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Congress of the United States appropriations and authorization committees, and standards bodies like Federal Aviation Administration when integrating unmanned systems into national airspace. The portfolio requires alignment with doctrines developed by Chief of Naval Operations staff, readiness metrics from Defense Logistics Agency, and test ranges such as Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
History
Roots trace to post–Cold War shifts and lessons from conflicts such as Gulf War (1990–1991), Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), when exploitation of unmanned platforms and precision strike weapons accelerated. Milestones include acquisition of systems influenced by programs like Joint Strike Fighter program acquisition reforms, responses to lessons from Operation Desert Storm, and integration efforts during Global War on Terrorism (2001–present). The office emerged from reorganizations within Naval Air Systems Command and broader Department of Defense transformation initiatives advocated by figures such as Secretary of the Navy appointees and Secretary of Defense reformers. It evolved alongside legislative changes including provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act cycles that shaped procurement authorities and funding for unmanned and strike programs.
Organizational Structure
Leadership typically comprises a Program Executive Officer appointed under authorities aligned with Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), supported by deputies overseeing portfolios: unmanned aircraft systems, strike weapons, sensors, and mission systems. Divisions liaise with commands such as Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Naval Sea Systems Command, and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command for integration and sustainment. Contracting and legal support coordinates with Defense Contract Management Agency, Department of Justice procurement counsel when needed, and congressional liaisons engage with committees including the House Armed Services Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee.
Major Programs and Projects
Programs managed include classes of unmanned platforms analogous to programs fielded by General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper contractors, efforts to integrate systems like those from Insitu, and strike weapon families similar to Tomahawk (missile), AGM-158 JASSM, and other precision munitions produced by Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. Projects span autonomous mission systems, payload integration for signals intelligence resembling capabilities of RQ-4 Global Hawk, weapons integration akin to Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile efforts, and counter‑UAS solutions developed with primes including BAE Systems and Leonardo S.p.A.. Developmental test efforts often occur at ranges used by Eglin Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range.
Acquisition and Procurement Processes
Acquisition pathways utilize Defense Acquisition System frameworks overseen by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment with milestones aligned to Department of Defense Instruction policies, Milestone A/B/C decision points, and program baselines reviewed by the Defense Acquisition Board. Procurement actions follow Federal Acquisition Regulation practices managed with assistance from the Defense Contract Audit Agency, Government Accountability Office oversight occurs on major cost or schedule issues, and appropriation authorities from the United States Congress set funding for multiyear buys. The office leverages other transaction authorities and rapid acquisition mechanisms used by United States Special Operations Command and rapid prototyping initiatives influenced by lessons from Rapid Equipping Force experiments.
Safety, Testing, and Certification
Safety certification adheres to aircraft certification regimes influenced by Federal Aviation Administration standards for airworthiness and military airworthiness processes developed within Naval Air Systems Command. Test programs coordinate with organizations including Air Force Test Center, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, and National Institute of Standards and Technology for sensor calibration and cyber resilience testing. Live-fire testing and environmental qualification are conducted at facilities used by Naval Sea Systems Command and national test ranges; oversight includes safety review boards and compliance with directives from the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering on autonomous system safety.
International Collaboration and Export Controls
International cooperation occurs with allies and partners such as North Atlantic Treaty Organization, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence partners for interoperability, combined exercises like RIMPAC, and co-development programs similar in nature to joint efforts under Foreign Military Sales cases. Export and transfer are governed by the Arms Export Control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations, with policy coordination involving the Department of State and Defense Security Cooperation Agency, while intelligence-sharing arrangements reflect protocols under agreements like Five Eyes where applicable.