US Navy removes drone program head after 8 months, restructures autonomous systems acquisition

Published Aug 6, 02:20 PM UTC

The U.S. Navy removed Rebecca J. Gassler from her position as Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) on August 5, 2026, just eight months after her appointment in December 2025. Concurrently, the Navy established a new Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems (DRPM RAS) to address fragmented requirements and acquisition practices. Christopher Miller will serve as acting DRPM RAS and assume Gassler's former role, reporting directly to William Toti, performing the duties of the under secretary of the Navy. The restructuring follows a federal lawsuit filed on July 14 by Blue Water Autonomy and Saildrone, who allege they were improperly excluded from the Navy's Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) acquisition program. Acting Navy leadership cited the need for faster decisions and clear accountability to deliver capabilities to warfighters.