Bureau of Naval Weapons
Encyclopedia
The Bureau of Naval Weapons (BuWeps) was part of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

's material organization between 1959 and 1966, with responsibility for procurement and support of naval aircraft
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...

 and aerial weapons. The bureau was established August 18, 1959, by an Act of Congress. The Act merged the Bureau of Aeronautics
Bureau of Aeronautics
The Bureau of Aeronautics was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for Naval Aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" for the design, procurement, and support of Naval aircraft and related systems...

 (BuAer), which had responsibility for naval aircraft and related systems, and the Bureau of Ordnance
Bureau of Ordnance
The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...

 (BuOrd), which had responsibility for naval weapons.

As aviation technology became increasingly complex after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the Navy increasingly realized the need for better integration between its aircraft and aerial weapons. This was also to end conflict between bureaus due to technological convergence; BuOrd's work in guided missiles, for example, was overlapping with BuAer's work on unmanned aircraft.

BuWeps was under the command of a two-star admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...

 known as the Chief, BuWeps. Four individuals served in this position:
  • RADM Paul D. Stroop
    Paul D. Stroop
    Vice Admiral Paul D. Stroop was an officer of the United States Navy and a Naval Aviator. He held numerous high-ranking staff positions in aviation from the 1930s onward, including World War II service on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, he held...

     - September 10, 1959 – October 29, 1962
  • RADM Kleber S. Masterson - November 27, 1962 – March 24, 1964
  • Radm. Wellington T. Hines (acting), March 25 - May 27, 1964-1964
  • RADM Allen M. Shinn - May 28, 1964 – 1 May 1966


The establishment of BuWeps represented only a temporary solution to the Navy's needs. In the mid-1960s, the Navy completely revised its material organization, replacing the bureau system
United States Navy bureau system
The "bureau system" of the United States Navy was the Department of the Navy's material-support organization from 1842 through 1966. The bureau chiefs were largely autonomous, reporting directly to the Secretary of the Navy and managing their respective organizations without the influence of other...

 with "Systems Commands" (SYSCOMs). BuWeps was disestablished May 1, 1966 and replaced with the current Naval Air Systems Command
Naval Air Systems Command
The Naval Air Systems Command provides material support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. NAVAIR was established in 1966 as the successor to the Navy's Bureau of Naval Weapons . Current Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, is Vice Adm. David Architzel since May...

 (NAVAIR). RADM Shinn, Chief, BuWeps, became the first Commander, Naval Air Systems Command.

See also

  • Bureau of Ordnance
    Bureau of Ordnance
    The Bureau of Ordnance was the U.S. Navy's organization responsible for the procurement, storage, and deployment of all naval ordnance, between the years 1862 and 1959.-History:...

  • Bureau of Aeronautics
    Bureau of Aeronautics
    The Bureau of Aeronautics was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for Naval Aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" for the design, procurement, and support of Naval aircraft and related systems...

  • United States Navy bureau system
    United States Navy bureau system
    The "bureau system" of the United States Navy was the Department of the Navy's material-support organization from 1842 through 1966. The bureau chiefs were largely autonomous, reporting directly to the Secretary of the Navy and managing their respective organizations without the influence of other...

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