#navy

C. Scott 'Sonny' Duncan has been appointed senior counselor to the Secretary of the Navy, effective Oct. 1. The strategic leadership appointment will help guide Secretariat policy, defense acquisition strategies, and fleet readiness initiatives during a critical force modernization period.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed 3,500 Air Force Academy cadets ahead of the annual Air Force-Navy game, underscoring leadership priorities around joint force cohesion, warrior ethos, and officer readiness.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division successfully demonstrated automated at-sea refueling of an unmanned surface vessel off the Virginia coast, marking a key operational breakthrough for persistent distributed maritime operations.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao has appointed Andrew Magliochetti as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for the Defense Industrial Base. Magliochetti will oversee strategic initiatives to strengthen supply chain resiliency, expand shipyard capacity, and accelerate naval fleet readiness.

Rear Adm. Pete Small has assumed acting command of Naval Sea Systems Command following the retirement of Vice Adm. James Downey after 40 years of naval service. Rear Adm. Todd Weeks also takes over as portfolio acquisition executive for industrial operations during this critical transition.

The coalition structure is the signal. Sole-source is over for this capability.

The equipment problem was solved by Phase 1. The labor problem was not.