A year ago, all Navy and Marine Corps unmanned air vehicle efforts were located in one program office. Today, because of recent expansions, the number has risen to four.

In response to the Navy’s and Marine Corps’ growing interest in unmanned aviation and to better serve the war fighter, the Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons program executive office split a PMA into three separate acquisition programs and created a fourth PMA in the last few months.

Capt. Paul Morgan, the program manager of the only PMA designated for unmanned air systems before the expansion, supported the additional UAV acquisition programs.

With the new PMAs, ‘‘we can handle additional work,” said Morgan, who remains the program manager for the Navy and Marine Corps Unmanned Air Systems program (PMA-263).

Two of the integrated programs of PMA-263 were separated into their own acquisition programs in October. Both Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems program (PMA-262) and Navy and Marine Corps Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Air Systems program (PMA-266) were created. Delores Etter, former assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, approved the Navy Unmanned Combat Air System program, now known as PMA-268, Nov. 14.

By allowing the programs to specialize on their part of the UAV spectrum while maintaining interoperability, said PEO(U&W) Program Executive Officer, Rear Adm. Timothy Heely, ‘‘We will be able to deliver to the fleet the capability it needs to enhance what manned aviation already brings to the fight.”

Currently, UAVs can help the war fighter by monitoring unaware insurgents, gathering intelligence, exploiting battlefield tactics, providing day and night surveillance, and supplying over-the-hill and around-the-corner reconnaissance. The list of possibilities will continue to grow, but the number of PMAs should stay the same, according to Morgan.

Capt. Martin Deppe, who Feb. 1 replaced Capt. Richard Brasel, became the major program manager for PMA-268. Deppe previously served as chief of staff for PEO (U&W).

The Tactical Aircraft program and the Air ASW, Assault and Special Missions program executive offices have also undergone some restructuring. In December, Navy acquisition leadership evaluated the PEO/PMA structure and wanted to achieve a more effective distribution of the programs.

To accomplish this, the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems program (PMA-273), Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications program (PMA-271), and AV-8B Weapons Systems program (PMA-257) were realigned from PEO(A) to PEO(T).