{"id":82750,"date":"2026-08-06T14:20:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T14:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2026\/08\/06\/navy-removes-the-head-of-its-drone-program-just-8-months-into-her-tenure\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T18:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T18:39:09","slug":"navy-removes-the-head-of-its-drone-program-just-8-months-into-her-tenure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2026\/08\/06\/navy-removes-the-head-of-its-drone-program-just-8-months-into-her-tenure\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy removes the head of its drone program just 8 months into her tenure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eight months after her appointment as the Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Robotic and Autonomous Systems in December 2025, Rebecca J. Gassler<\/a> was removed from the position on Wednesday, per a Navy release<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the removal, the service announced the establishment of the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems, aimed at correcting \u201cyears of fragmented requirements, resourcing, and acquisition practices that dispersed accountability, complicated industry engagement, and slowed delivery to the warfighter,\u201d the memo states. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christopher Miller was selected to serve as the acting DRPM RAS and will concurrently take over Gassler\u2019s previous role as Portfolio Acquisition Executive RAS. He will report directly to William Toti, who is performing the duties of the under secretary of the Navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe 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,\u201d said Toti. \u201cSecretary Cao has directed us to replace that model with clear accountability, faster decisions, and a relentless focus on the warfighter.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rebecca J. Gassler (U.S. Navy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The move comes only weeks after the RAS unit was caught in the crosshairs of a federal lawsuit after the Navy tweaked the acquisition framework for the medium unmanned surface vehicle program twice within the past two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two defense technology companies \u2014 Blue Water Autonomy and Saildrone<\/a> \u2014 filed lawsuits in federal court on July 14 after being excluded from the U.S. Navy\u2019s newest unmanned surface vessel acquisition program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two companies allege they were kicked out of contention for the Navy\u2019s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel Family of Systems program<\/a> after the Navy failed to comply with its own requirements, among other errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\t