
The Navy announced the establishment of Program Executive Office Columbia (PEO CLB) on Wednesday to better focus on the Navy’s “number one acquisition priority,” the new nuclear-armed ballistic missile SSBN submarines. James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, said PEO CLB will provide oversight of construction of the 12 Columbia-class submarines the Navy is procuring to replace the 14 existing Ohio-class submarines. The new submarines are expected to operate through the 2080s. “This is the…