U.S. Navy fires senior Admiral citing ‘loss of confidence’

The US Navy has relieved Rear Admiral Kevin Smith of his role as Program Executive Officer for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC), following a substantiated complaint investigated by the Office of the Naval Inspector General.

In a statement released on 27 May, the Navy said Smith was removed “due to a loss of confidence based on a complaint substantiated by an Office of the Naval Inspector General investigation.”

Rear Adm. Smith was relieved by Dr Brett Seidle, the acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition. Smith had served as PEO USC since June 2023 and has now been temporarily reassigned to the staff of Naval Sea Systems Command.

The Navy’s PEO USC is the acquisition authority responsible for the design, development, construction, maintenance, and modernisation of a broad portfolio of systems. These include unmanned maritime systems, mine warfare, expeditionary and special warfare systems, as well as small surface combatants.

Melissa Kirkendall, the executive director for PEO USC, has assumed temporary responsibilities in the wake of Smith’s removal.

The Navy stated: “The Navy maintains the highest standards for leaders and holds them accountable when those standards are not met.”

No further details regarding the nature of the complaint or the specific findings of the Inspector General’s investigation were disclosed in the Navy’s release.

Who is Rear Admiral Smith?

According to the U.S. Navy, Rear Adm. Kevin R. Smith is a native of Perrysville, Ohio. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the Boston University, where he earned his commission through the Naval ROTC program and holds a Master of Science degree in computer science from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Afloat, Smith served aboard USS Nicholson (DD 982) as the communications, training and tomahawk engagement control officer and qualified as a surface warfare officer.

Ashore, Smith served as the lead systems engineer and later as AEGIS deputy program manager at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division. As the AEGIS test officer for Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP), in Bath, Maine, he was responsible for combat system installation, activation, integration, test and trials for five new construction DDG 51-class ships. Smith served as the DDG 1000 program baseline director and ship integration and design manager in Program Executive Office (PEO), Ships, then returned to SUPSHIP Bath, as the DDG 1000 program manager representative, overseeing lead ship construction of the Zumwalt class.

Rear Adm. Smith served as PEO Integrated Warfare Systems liaison officer in Adelaide, South Australia, leading integration efforts for the Aegis Combat Suite aboard the Hobart-class air warfare destroyer. He next served as the Aegis Ashore Fleet Introduction program manager, supporting multiple U.S. Navy commands overseeing the in-country installation, test, trials, acceptance and delivery of the first two Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Systems planned for Romania and Poland.

Smith served again in PEO IWS as the military deputy major program manager and as major program manager for Zumwalt Integrated Combat Systems. He then became the major program manager for the DDG 1000 program office located in PEO Ships. During his tenure as the major program manager for the Constellation-class Frigate, the program office was awarded the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition award for 2021 as the top program office in the Department of Defense.

Rear Adm. Smith assumed duties as Program Executive Officer for Unmanned and Small Combatants on Jun. 1, 2023. Smith’s personal decorations include the Legion of Merit (3 awards), the Meritorious Service Medal (6 awards), the Navy Commendation Medal (2 awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.