WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy’s new acquisition boss is officially on the job, being sworn in by Navy Secretary Richard Spencer on Tuesday.

James “Hondo” Geurts, a long-time civilian senior executive, takes the position long occupied by former research, development and acquisition chief Sean Stackley, who started during the George W. Bush administration.

“I look forward to working with a great team of civilian, military, industrial, academic, and entrepreneurial professionals as we equip and support the finest Navy and Marine Corps in the world,” he said in a statement. “I have a long-held belief that teams which are empowered, have a close connection to their operational customer, ‎and are all focused on the mission can accomplish amazing things.

“I aim to set those conditions and similarly enable those acquisition teams so that they can rapidly and effectively equip and support the Sailors and Marines operating around the globe in defense of our nation.”

Spencer said in a statement he expects Geurts to set the RD&A shop on a path to rapid development and fielding of technologies and systems.

“We are in challenging times and we need rapid and affordable acquisition,” Spencer said. “As a career leader in the acquisition field, Hondo has proven he is the right person to usher in the reform and innovation needed in the Department of the Navy.”

Geurts has been at U.S. Special Operations Command since 2006, rising up through the organization to head acquisitions at the command in 2013.

About David B. Larter

David B. Larter was the naval warfare reporter for Defense News.

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