A Seahawk medium displacement unmanned surface vessel participates in U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem (UxS IBP) 21. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe)
WASHINGTON — The Navy is establishing a new Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems (DRPM RAS) amid a broader shakeup to the service’s RAS leadership.
Chris Miller, who currently leads the portfolio acquisition executive (PAE) Maritime office, will serve as the acting DRPM RAS and will report to William Toti, who is currently performing the duties of undersecretary of the Navy, the service announced on Wednesday.
The DRPM RAS position is an attempt to streamline developing and acquiring RAS capabilities across the service and the Marine Corps in line with guidance from Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, per the Navy.
“We are at an inflection point in naval warfare, and the Department has been approaching robotic and autonomous systems through arcane processes that do not deliver capabilities at the speed our Sailors and Marines need,” Toti said in a Navy news release. “Secretary Cao has directed us to replace that model with clear accountability, faster decisions, and a relentless focus on the warfighter.”
