The U.S. Navy is leveraging its existing capabilities and adaptive acquisition framework to accelerate progress to meet the service branch’s fiscal year (FY) 2027 goal to boost readiness and lethality, a top Navy official said on April 8.
In 2024, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, former chief of Naval Operations (CNO), established a guiding “north star” to direct Navy operations, focusing on achieving readiness for sustained high-end joint and combined combat by FY2027.
To support this vision, the Navy is prioritizing the accelerated delivery of new capabilities through the strategic use of existing resources and ongoing activities, according to Vice Adm. James Pitts, the Navy’s deputy CNO for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities.
“With a clear near-term timeline, we’re focused on maximizing the delivery of capabilities using our existing resources and activities,” Pitts said during day two of the Sea Air and Space conference in National Harbor, Md.
Pitts explained that by utilizing these existing authorities, Navy leaders can fast-track the requirements and capabilities essential for a more lethal and ready naval force across the service.
“Together, we can accelerate these capabilities, learn more quickly, and continuously integrate that knowledge back into the process to deliver the needed capabilities,” he said.
Pitts further explained that the Navy is leveraging the adaptive acquisition framework – which enables faster, more effective capability acquisition through multiple pathways, agility, and the integration of commercial innovation and best practices to swiftly address emerging challenges.
“[We’re] accelerating our efforts and leveraging all the authorities provided through the adaptive acquisition framework to speed up capability delivery, ensuring we’re better prepared for potential high-end combat by 2027,” he said.
However, Pitts acknowledged that while these accelerating tools are effective, they may not apply to every capability, noting, “sometimes we will need to use traditional methods for acquiring and delivering capabilities.”
“Some of our bigger programs require us to use the normal process, which helps us balance requirements and resourcing,” Pitts said. “But for those areas where we want to move faster, that’s where we use our adaptive acquisition framework to accelerate and speed things up.”