Navy Removes Head of Drone Program Amidst Acquisition Challenges
Rebecca J. Gassler, who was appointed as the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Robotic and Autonomous Systems in December 2025, has been removed from her position after eight months. The U.S. Navy announced this decision as part of a broader restructuring effort to address longstanding issues in its acquisition processes. The Navy has established a new role, the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems, to streamline operations and improve accountability. Christopher Miller has been appointed as the acting manager and will also assume Gassler's previous responsibilities. This change comes in the wake of a federal lawsuit involving two defense technology companies, Blue Water Autonomy and Saildrone, which were excluded from a Navy acquisition program. The companies allege that the Navy's decision-making process was flawed and did not adhere to statutory requirements.