WASHINGTON –
Rear Adm. Douglas Small relieved Rear Adm. Jon Hill as Program Executive Officer for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) during a change of office ceremony Nov. 10 at the Washington Navy Yard.
Small, the incoming PEO, is not new to PEO IWS. He previously served as a major program manager for Above Water Sensors before he was assigned to ASN (RDA)'s office where he served as executive assistant. A 1988 graduate of Marquette University, Small holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Ph.D. in physics.
Small served in a number of assignments afloat and ashore including M-Division Officer and Main Propulsion Assistant in USS Camden (AOE 2) and Combat Systems Officer in USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). He also served during Operation Desert Storm as the first technical director for Joint CREW Composite Squadron One, directed to defeat radio-controlled improvised explosive devices in the combat zone. An Engineering Duty Officer since 1997, Small had a number of tours in acquisition including assignments at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, the Missile Defense Agency and PEO IWS.
During his remarks, Small thanked Hill for "his vision [which] set our Navy on a path to an awesome future. I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to carry on [his] work. It's individuals that make a difference in service to our Navy and Marine Corps," he went on to say. "You are the very best in the world and I am honored to work with you."
Vice Adm. Tom Moore, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, was the presiding officer during the ceremony and remarked on Hill's substantial and consequential tour where he oversaw 124 major weapon system programs and a $5 billion budget. He described Hill as a visionary leader committed to "delivering sea power into the hands of our Sailors so they can go defend themselves and take the fight to the enemy."
The Honorable Sean Stackley, assistant secretary of the Navy (ASN) for Research, Development and Acquisition (RDA), served as the event's guest speaker and spoke of the important role of PEO IWS, calling it the business end of the naval business of warfare that enables the Navy to operate with impunity on any sea. "The strength and success of our fleet relies upon the strength and success of the program executive office of integrated warfare systems," he said.
Stackley cited several of Hill's accomplishments during his tenure that was shaped by "a keen eye on affordability.making technical excellence the norm, and building toward greater commonality in our warfare systems."
During Hill's time at the helm, PEO IWS also developed and deployed a number of critical fleet capabilities to bring sea power to the hands of Sailors and support the Chief of Naval Operations' Lines of Effort to maintain maritime superiority. These included:
. Operational testing, deployment and certification of AEGIS Baseline 9, the foundational basis for Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air, Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) and AEGIS Ashore for partner nations in Europe.
. Rapid development and installation of SeaRAM on forward deployed destroyers in Rota, Spain. This included the first live fire event of RAM Block 2 onboard USS Porter (DDG 78) in partnership with Spain's El Arenosillo Test Centre.
. Delivery of over 200 Standard Missile 6 missiles to the fleet to strengthen naval power at and from the sea
. Completion of initial testing and evaluation of the AN/SLQ-32(V)6 electronic warfare suite on five surface combatants
. Coordination and execution of the first-ever Air and Ballistic Missile Defense fleet firings in the European Theater. This effort, across eight partner nations, resulted in a robust Command and Control infrastructure for future coordinated IAMD.
During his speech, Hill praised the hard work of the men and women at PEO IWS with whom he served over the past two years.
"Thank you for a remarkable experience as your program executive officer. Your dedicated professionalism, sense of urgency, and focus on mission delivered eye-watering sea power to the hands of our Sailors. It was my honor and privilege to serve with you."
Hill leaves PEO IWS to serve as deputy director for Missile Defense Agency.
PEO IWS is responsible for the acquisition, development, delivery and life-cycle sustainment of integrated combat systems for submarines and surface combatants including destroyers, cruisers, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships and littoral combat ships.