United States Navy systems commands

The systems commands, abbreviated as SysCom or SYSCOM, are the materiel agencies of the United States Department of the Navy, responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of military systems such as ships, aircraft, and weapons. The systems commands replaced the Navy bureau system in 1966 and report to The current Navy systems commands reporting to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RD&A). The current Navy systems commands are:

The Office of Naval Research is sometimes grouped with the systems commands, although it has a different mission geared towards scientific research rather than weapon systems development and acquisition.

Each of the systems commands provides full life-cycle support for a specific category of military hardware or software, including research and development, design, procurement, testing, repair, and in-service engineering and logistics support. NAVSEA is concerned with ships and submarines, NAVAIR naval aircraft, SPAWAR information technology, NAVFAC shore facilities, NAVSUP supply chain management, and MCSC the specific equipment of the Marine Corps.

While each systems command is directly subordinate in the military chain of command to the Chief of Naval Operations (or, in the case of MCSC, the Commandant of the Marine Corps), the rank of their commanders varies. As of 2014, NAVAIR and NAVSEA are each led by a Vice Admiral; SPAWAR, NAVFAC, and NAVSUP are each led by a Rear Admiral; and MCSC is led by a Colonel. In addition, the commanders of NAVFAC and NAVSUP are the highest-ranking members of two of the eight Navy staff corps, the Civil Engineer Corps and Supply Corps respectively, while all the other commanders are line officers. Ultimate responsibility for procurement lies with the civilian Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) in the Department of the Navy through several Program Executive Officers. Each oversees a specific acquisition program such as PEO Aircraft Carriers or PEO Joint Strike Fighter through operational agreements with the systems commands.

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