The Department of the Navy Establishes Portfolio Acquisition Executive-Marine Corps
Quantico, VA– On Apr 10, the Marine Corps took a historic step in its modernization journey with the establishment of the Portfolio Acquisition Executive-Marine Corps (PAE-MC). This new organization replaces Program Executive Office Land Systems (PEO-LS) and incorporates programs from Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC), marking a significant transformation in how the Marine Corps develops and delivers capabilities to its warfighters.
During a ceremony at Marine Corps Base Quantico, LtGen Eric Austin, who also serves as the Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration and the Commanding General of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, assumed the dual-hatted role as PAE-MC. BGen Tamara Campbell, Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command, will transition to serve as Deputy, PAE-MC.
During the event, the Marine Corps formally sunsetted Program Executive Office-Land Systems, shifting their responsibilities to the new PAE-MC—an important move in the way the Marine Corps equips its forces.
“This is maneuver warfare in acquisition – a repositioning of critical capability on the big “A” acquisition battlefield,” said Steve Bowdren, who served as PEO-LS and will take on new responsibilities as Executive Director, PAE-MC. “This transition ensures that we deliver not just platforms, but advantage.”
The establishment of PAE-MC represents a significant milestone in the Department of the Navy’s comprehensive acquisition reform initiative. This effort is guided by directives from the Executive and Legislative branches, as well as the Department of War, and is designed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of acquisition processes across the enterprise.
Mr. Jason L. Potter, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, officially introduced the PAE-MC role.
“We are in a new era of acquisition,” said Potter. “For the first time in 40 years, we finally have everything we need to deliver capabilities back in one place to rig us for speed”.
PAE-MC is one of several PAEs created within the Department of the Navy, each dedicated to specific domains. Its formation strengthens vertical alignment with strategic guidance and the Commandant’s modernization priorities. Simultaneously, it promotes horizontal integration across portfolios, facilitating collaboration and the breakdown of traditional organizational barriers.
Capability Portfolio Managers will play a pivotal role in this new structure, ensuring coherence throughout the lifecycle of capabilities—from initial concept development to eventual divestment. Their efforts will be instrumental in fostering collaboration and eliminating stovepipes.
The interconnected nature of these PAEs enables the Marine Corps to leverage expertise and resources from across the enterprise, supporting a unified and cohesive approach to modernization.
Furthermore, the PAE-MC framework integrates acquisition execution into the Force Development Enterprise (FDE), which crosses all Marine Corps equities and encompasses futures planning, concept development, wargaming, and the service-level campaign of learning. This comprehensive process will facilitate disciplined, data-driven decision-making regarding cost, schedule, and performance, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to areas of greatest need.
In addition, Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) will assume an expanded role as the workforce provider for the entire FDE. MCSC will be responsible for managing personnel, processes, training, and tools, while maintaining robust connections to all PAEs with Marine Corps equities.
Ultimately, this reform aims to streamline processes, enhance alignment, and accelerate the delivery of modernized, integrated capabilities to the warfighter at the speed of relevance. The intent behind the change is to empower program managers and acquisition professionals to execute with agility and precision, embracing creative acquisition strategies, and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.
“This new construct is designed to responsibly accelerate the delivery of modernized, integrated capabilities to our Marines at the speed of relevance,” said Austin. “It’s about speed, alignment, velocity and accountability – themes that will define our path forward.”
By streamlining processes and aligning efforts, PAE-MC aims to deliver capabilities more rapidly, incorporating a warfighting mindset that thrives in chaos, adapts to change, and moves with urgency.
“We often measure our achievements in dollars and contracts. But the Fleet knows our impact differently. They’ve been inside vehicles that maneuver under fire. They rely on the sustainment systems that keep formations moving. They depend on the protection upgrades that bring Marines home,” said Bowdren. “That work still matters.”