Mr. James E. Thomsen

Principal Civilian Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Acquisition Workforce) Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition)  

Mr. Thomsen is currently the Principal Civilian Deputy Assistant Secretary (RD&A). His responsibilities include leadership of the acquisition workforce and systems engineering.

Previously, Mr. Thomsen served as the Program Executive Officer for Littoral and Mine Warfare. As PEO LMW, he had life cycle responsibility to design, produce, field, and support war fighting capability for the littoral battle space and for the global war on terrorism. Mr. Thomsen led seven program offices that comprised 224 programs ranging from ACAT I through ACAT IV and included several developmental programs that addressed urgent war fighting needs for OIF and OEF. In 2003, Mr. Thomsen was selected as the Executive Director for the Program Executive Office, Littoral and Mine Warfare where he executed the Navy’s material acquisition programs for Integrated Undersea Surveillance, Naval EOD/JCREW, Naval Special Warfare, Mine Warfare Surface and Aviation, Unmanned Maritime Vehicles, Naval Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Ashore and Afloat, and LCS Mission Modules for ASW, Mine Warfare, and ASUW.

Prior to this position, Mr. Thomsen was assigned as Head of the NAVSEA Dahlgren Division’s Weapons Systems Department, directing over 550 scientists, engineers, technicians, and advancing key technical achievements in Naval Surface Weapons systems.

Mr. Thomsen was selected as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) in November 1998 and then named as Head, Coastal Warfare Systems Department directing all of the Littoral Warfare RDT&E programs at Naval Surface Warfare Center (Panama City) which included 360 scientists, engineers, technicians, and military personnel.

Prior to November 1998, Mr. Thomsen served as Program Manager for Mine Warfare programs, for which he was awarded the NDIA Bronze Medal for his achievements in Mine Warfare; Senior Systems Engineer for the Shallow Water Mine Countermeasures program; Project Manager for the ACAT 1D Joint US/UK Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) program for which he received the Commanding Officer/Technical Director Award for special achievement in technical management; and Head, Torpedo Defense Systems Development Branch and served as the System Integration Agent in Submarine Torpedo Defense Countermeasure programs for PMS 415.

In the early years of his 27 year career, he held engineering positions including design engineer, test engineer, project engineer, and systems engineer for several undersea warfare programs at Carderock, Panama City, and NAVSEA Headquarters.

Mr. Thomsen received his Bachelor’s degree in Ocean Engineering from Florida Atlantic University in 1981 and his Master of Science degree from Florida State University in 1986.