WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rear Adm. Todd Weeks relieved Rear Adm. Scott Pappano as Program Executive Officer, Strategic Submarines (PEO SSBN) during a change of office ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard, June 5.
The Honorable Nickolas Guertin, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN (RDA)), presented Pappano with the Legion of Merit at the ceremony.
“Under Rear Adm. Pappano’s leadership, a lot has been accomplished here at PEO SSBN,” said Guertin. “He oversaw a portfolio of over 130 billion dollars for Columbia alone. In addition to this, he established the Submarine Industrial Base Program within PEO SSBN. His innovative planning led to more than 20 billion dollars of executed and planned investment in the Submarine Industrial Base.”
During Pappano’s tenure, he was the first PEO Columbia to provide dedicated flag-level leadership to the Navy’s top priority acquisition program in 2019. Pappano assumed additional responsibilities for in-service ballistic missile and guided missile submarines as PEO SSBN in 2021. Additionally, Pappano oversaw the Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) program within PEO SSBN to address generational needs for new construction submarines. Innovative SIB efforts have established a model within the Department of Defense to strengthen the Defense Industrial Base across supplier base evaluation, shipbuilder and supplier infrastructure, strategic outsourcing, and new technologies.
“It has been an absolute privilege to serve as PEO Strategic Submarines,” said Pappano. “I want to take a moment to recognize the men and women within our program, in industry, and academia who have worked tirelessly to accomplish our mission set. They are the future of this Nation and will define where it goes in the next decade, generation, and century. I am eager to see the program evolve under Rear Adm. Week’s leadership. PEO SSBN couldn’t be in better hands.”
Weeks is reporting to PEO SSBN after serving as Program Executive Officer for Undersea Warfare Systems (PEO UWS), managing the eight program offices which enable the delivery of enhanced combat capability to both our submarine and surface fleets.
“I am thrilled to be the next PEO SSBN and I look forward to building on Rear Adm. Pappano’s success,” said Weeks. “To my new team and to our industry partners – every single shipbuilder, engineer, and program analyst supporting this program forms the bedrock of our nation’s nuclear deterrent mission. Thank you for your hard work and partnership, and I am eager to see what we accomplish together.”
The Navy’s Team Submarine comprises PEO UWS, PEO Attack Submarines, PEO Strategic Submarines, and the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) Integration & Acquisition Office. PEO SSBN enables proactive and focused management for strategic deterrence, sustainment, and infrastructure.