§8669b Senior Technical Authority for Each Naval Vessel Class

Summary

The Secretary of the Navy must name, in writing, a Senior Technical Authority (STA) for every class of naval ships. For ship classes that already had Milestone A or a similar approval when the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 became law, the STA must be named within 30 days of that date. For other classes, the STA must be named by the time the class gets its first such approval. Each STA must be a Navy Senior Executive Service employee in a technical organization that reports to the portfolio acquisition executive. The STA gets a fixed term set by the Secretary that is at least long enough to show the ship class can meet its approved capabilities. If an STA leaves voluntarily before that success is shown, the Secretary must pick a replacement and tell the congressional defense committees within 90 days. If the Secretary removes an STA, the Secretary alone must do so, must tell the committees within 15 days with reasons, and must name a replacement and notify the committees within 90 days. The Secretary may reassign or remove an STA as needed, subject to those rules. Each STA must set, check, and approve technical standards, tools, and processes for the ship class and must make sure design requirements tie directly to key performance goals or key system attributes. Starting January 1, 2021, the Navy may not obligate funds for the first ship in a class unless the Secretary certifies, in writing, a package that includes the STA’s name and bio, the STA’s written descriptions of engineering and integration risks and of each critical hull, mechanical, electrical, propulsion, and combat system (including power systems and key mission areas), the date plans were approved, the key technical knowledge goals and demonstrated performance, a finding that the plans are enough to gain the needed technical knowledge before detail design and construction, a finding that plan execution is supporting the schedule, a description of other risk‑reduction efforts, a certification that each critical system was tested as a prototype or identical component in its final form, fit, and function in a realistic environment, a Secretary finding that those plans are fully funded in the future‑years defense program for the fiscal year that begins the year the certification is submitted, and a Secretary finding that the STA will approve the ship specification in writing before any request for proposals for detail design or construction. That written certification must be sent to the congressional defense committees at least 30 days before the first obligation of shipbuilding or other procurement funds for the lead ship. Definitions: “class of naval vessels” = a group of similar undersea or surface craft bought with Navy shipbuilding or other procurement funds, including manned, unmanned, and optionally‑manned craft, and including new classes or major incremental changes; “future‑years defense program” = meaning in section 221; “Milestone A approval” = the decision to enter technology maturation and risk reduction under DoD acquisition guidance.