{"id":50507,"date":"2025-08-26T21:23:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T21:23:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2025\/08\/26\/phelan-establishes-new-naval-rapid-capabilities-office\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:08:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:08:04","slug":"phelan-establishes-new-naval-rapid-capabilities-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/pentagon\/2025\/08\/26\/phelan-establishes-new-naval-rapid-capabilities-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Phelan establishes new Naval Rapid Capabilities Office"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The civilian head of the U.S. Navy announced the service will consolidate several wings and create a new office focused on development and problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navy Secretary John Phelan said the Navy established the Naval Rapid Capabilities Office, which will dismantle and absorb the Maritime Accelerated Response Capability Cell, Disruptive Capabilities Office, NavalX and the Navy\u2019s execution of the Defense Department\u2019s Replicator activities, according to an Aug. 19 memo obtained by Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe NRCO will serve as the single accountable organization spanning all naval warfare domains, responsible for the rapid assessment, execution, fielding and transition of urgent solutions within a three-year timeframe to ensure U.S. maritime supremacy,\u201d the memo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new office aims to support Trump\u2019s executive order entitled, “Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base<\/a>,\u201d which sought to overhaul the defense acquisition system to \u201cdeliver state\u2010of\u2010the\u2010art capabilities at speed and scale.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phelan, in the memo, stated the new office will help the Navy identify operational gaps and provide quick solutions, as well as enable the service to respond to emerging threats promptly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Navy has not yet announced who will lead the new office. That person will report directly to Phelan and work alongside the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The director of the NRCO will also be given direct-hire authority, which the Office of Personnel Management awards to certain government agencies looking to fill positions quickly, eliminating the potential of a lengthy federal hiring process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whoever takes the position will be tasked with listing other organizations that should be absorbed into the NRCO, the memo states, as well as picking at least five programs the office can take charge of within 60 days of the memo, among other responsibilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\t