WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pentagon is preparing to elevate oversight of the Navy’s struggling submarine construction programs by appointing a new three-star officer to serve as a direct reporting program manager (DRPM) under Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg.
A new memo issued by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth outlines the plan, which would place the officer in charge of acquiring all new nuclear submarines for a four-year term. The DRPM would consolidate responsibility for existing submarine program offices currently overseen by the Department of the Navy.
The officer will report directly to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, while coordinating with the Secretary of the Navy and the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. In addition, the DRPM will work alongside the director of naval reactors — a four-star dual-hatted position that spans the Department of Energy and the Navy — to help shape future submarine requirements in coordination with the Chief of Naval Operations.
The position also carries budgetary authority for maintenance of in-service submarines, expanding its scope beyond new construction. According to sources familiar with the plan, the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) office will partially report to the new czar for submarine-related industrial expansion, while maintaining ties to the Navy’s assistant secretary for research, development, and acquisition.
The move follows an exhaustive review led by retired Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy, former commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, who has been evaluating new submarine production challenges. McCoy, now chief nuclear officer at BWXT, toured nuclear shipyards as part of his assessment.
The decision comes as the Navy continues to lag on both its Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines. Current production averages just 1.3 Virginia-class submarines per year — far short of the 2.3 needed to meet U.S. commitments under the AUKUS agreement to supply Australia with three to five boats. Meanwhile, the first Columbia-class submarine, the District of Columbia (SSBN-826), is running as much as two years behind schedule, primarily due to supply chain bottlenecks.
Billions have already been invested in strengthening the submarine industrial base. Last year, nonprofit Blue-Forge Alliance was awarded nearly $1 billion to expand production capacity and workforce readiness. The MIB has also poured money into supplier development, though delays persist.
Defense analysts say the new oversight structure may help restore accountability.
“The Navy’s submarine leadership in the acquisition world has not done a great job,” said Bryan Clark, a naval analyst. “There have been billions and billions spent on this effort. It seems like they’ve turned a corner but it’s unclear what the [return on investment] is on their part. It seems like there has been a lack of accountability to where this money has gone.”
The Pentagon has already created similar DRPM roles in other high-priority programs. Last month, Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein was tapped to oversee the Golden Dome missile defense system, while another DRPM will manage the Air Force’s LGM-35 Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program. A defense official confirmed the department intends to establish three DRPMs in total — covering submarines, missile defense, and the Sentinel ICBM.
The proposed submarine czar signals how seriously the Pentagon views the backlog in undersea warfare capabilities, with implications not only for U.S. naval readiness but also for allied commitments in the Indo-Pacific.
Originally reported by Sam Lagrone in USNI News.
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