BATH, Maine. — Capt. David Hart relieved Capt. Joseph Tuite as commanding officer, Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP), Bath, during a ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, March 25.
As the 32nd commanding officer, Hart reports to SUPSHIP Bath after serving most recently as the DDG(X), Guided Missile Destroyer Program Manager. Capt. Hart began his naval career as a Surface Warfare Officer, serving as damage control assistant aboard USS Hue City (CG 66) and auxiliary machinery officer on USS Nicholas (FFG 47). After becoming an engineering duty officer in 2000, he served in various technical and program management positions, including: project officer for the Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP) in Portsmouth, Virginia; main propulsion inspector with the Board of Inspection and Survey; production officer for the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center in Sasebo, Japan; production engineer for the LPD 17 Program Office (PMS 317); logistics analyst with the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Programming Division (N80), DDG 1000 program manager's representative with SUPSHIP Bath, Maine, and Commanding Officer of Southwest Regional Maintenance Center.
“Capt. Hart has proven himself to be a talented, knowledgeable and thoughtful leader. One who is ready to take the reins of a complex team like SUPSHIP Bath and continue to deliver ships to the Fleet,” said Vice Admiral William J. Galinis, Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command.
Following the change of command, Galinis presented Tuite with a Legion of Merit Medal for his professional accomplishment since assuming command of SUPSHIP Bath in September 2017.
Tuite is retiring after a 30-year career serving the Navy. As the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, he oversaw the delivery or preliminary acceptance of 13 ships to the Navy.
“Our ships operate in unforgiving environments and they must be constructed of the highest quality; but they also need to be delivered on budget and on schedule,” said Galinis. “Joe Tuite has developed a solid reputation for bringing a well thought out balance among those three key elements – quality, cost and schedule – during his time in Navy shipbuilding.”
SUPSHIP Bath is a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command. SUPSHIP Bath oversees the design and construction of five Navy ship classes at private shipyards in Bath, Maine; San Diego, California; and Marinette, Wisconsin.