Hung Cao, Acting Secretary Of The Navy, Is The SECNAV America Needs

Hung Cao, Acting Secretary of the Navy, is positioning the Navy for a major execution push amid growing requirements and a tight staff. The article centers on the need to make the most of a forthcoming $65 billion shipbuilding budget, arguing that Cao and Bill Toti must ensure the Navy Secretariat is ready to handle expanding work over the next two years. It suggests one immediate step: recruit the White House to test the Navy’s new Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) structure by creating a national Navy Battle Depot to procure and maintain complete sets of spares for major vessel types and variants. The piece also cites parts-inventory accuracy last year ranging between 83% and 95%, below a 98% target. It further urges speeding reforms at NAVFAC, warning that its culture and contracting approach could slow or derail infrastructure refresh efforts, including ongoing construction noted on 20 May.