Retired Brig. Gen. Frank Kelley, former chief of the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command, has been appointed as the first deputy assistant secretary for unmanned systems at the U.S. Navy, USNI News reported Tuesday.Kelley will oversee the Navy’s efforts to build and implement unmanned aerial and underwater platforms in his new position, according to the report by Megan Eckstein and Sam LaGrone.
Reuters quoted Navy Secretary Ray Mabus as saying he created the DASN post in an effort to “streamline our current programs and drive a strategy for development that is deliberate and thoughtful.”
Early in his military career, Kelley served as electronic warfare branch head at the Naval Air Systems Command’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Five and as avionics systems project officer for NAVAIR’s EA-6B Prowler program.
He also held the roles of MCSC program manager for unmanned systems and military assistant to the Navy assistant secretary for research, development and acquisition.
Kelley managed training systems at MCSC and became the command’s chief of staff before he took the commander role in July 2010.
