Rear Adm. Michael Jabaley

WASHINGTON: Submariners come under a lot of pressure — up to 100,000 pounds per square inch, to be exact. Now sub program managers ashore are under intense pressure too, as the Navy tries to squeeze three major sub initiatives — including the enormously expensive Ohio-class replacement (ORP) — into a tightening budget.

That’s the challenge career sub driver Michael Jabaley faces as he pins on his second star and becomes the Navy’s top acquisition official for subs, Program Executive Officer – Submarines. Rear Adm. Jabaley will replace Rear Adm. David Johnson, who took on the job in 2010 and has featured many times in our stories. (We’ve not seen any announcement yet on where Johnson is heading).

The USS Ohio being converted from a nuclear missile submarine (SSBN) to a conventional missile one (SSGN).

Jabaley has served aboard both attack submarines and the USS Ohio, namesake of the class of ballistic missile submarines whose long-awaited replacement threatens to devour the Navy budget. Designing the Ohio Replacement will be Jabaley’s biggest responsibility as PEO-Subs, followed by continued production of the Virginia-class attack boats and preparation to build a new, longer, and more heavily armed Virginia variant.

Jabaley joined the Virginia office in 2006 and rose to program manager, with the program winning the Packard Award for excellence under his command and Jabaley himself winning promotion to one-star admiral. In 2011 he joined Navy Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), first as vice commander and then, in 2013, as deputy commander for undersea warfare. He’s currently commander of NAVSEA’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center.