Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet > Media

Pacific Submarine Force Reestablishes Submarine Squadron 3
June 10, 2026 — PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - To support Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West), Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, reestablished Submarine Squadron 3 (CSS-3), which previously operated out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and was decommissioned in February 2012. The new CSS-3 will operate from HMAS Stirling in Western... MORE

USS Hawaii (SSN 776) departs HMAS Stirling.

Capt. Lacy Lodmell Assumes Command of Submarine Squadron 19
June 4, 2026 — KEYPORT, Wash. (June 4, 2026) — Capt. Lacy Lodmell relieved Capt. Rob Garis as commodore of Submarine Squadron (CSS) 19 during a ceremony held at the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington, June 4, 2026.Rear Adm. Chris Nash, commander of Submarine Group (SUBGRU) 9, presided over the ceremony and delivered remarks as the guest speaker,... MORE

260604-N-MZ309-1177 KEYPORT, Wash. (June 4, 2026) Capt. Lacy Lodmell relieves Capt. Rob Garis as commodore of Submarine Squadron (CSS) 19 during a change of command ceremony at the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington, June 4, 2026. CSS-19 is subordinate to Commander, Submarine Group (SUBGRU) 9 which exercises administrative and operational control of assigned submarine commands and units in the Pacific Northwest, providing oversight for shipboard training, personnel, and the supply and material readiness of SSBNs and their crews. SUBGRU-9 is also responsible for nuclear submarines undergoing conversion or overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan Riley)

Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 3 Conducts Change of Command at Naval Base Ventura County
May 21, 2026 — NAVAL BASE VENTURA, Calif. (May 21, 2026) – Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron (UUVRON) 3 held a change of command ceremony at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, California, May 21. Cmdr. Jason Paradis, from St. Petersburg, Florida, relieved Cmdr. Drew Lichtenstein, from Louisville, Kentucky, as UUVRON 3’s commanding officer.Since November... MORE

Naval Base Ventura County, Calif. (May 21, 2026) Capt. Aaron Peterson, director of Training, Tactical Development, Ordnance, and Doctrine for Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, right, presents Cmdr. Andrew Lichtenstein, outgoing commanding officer of Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron (UUVRON) 3, his end-of-tour award during the change of command ceremony at Needham Theater at Naval Base Port Hueneme, May 21, 2026. UUVRON 3’s mission is to tactically operate and maintain XLUUVs fleetwide. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Nicholas Wade)

USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) Holds Change of Command Ceremony
May 15, 2026 — NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA, Calif. - Cmdr. Miguel Recalde relieved Cmdr. Eric Knepper as commanding officer of Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) in a change of command ceremony held aboard Santa Fe at Naval Base Point Loma, May 15.Capt. Phillip Syliva Jr., commander, Submarine Squadron 11, served as the presiding officer and... MORE

NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA, Calif. (May 15, 2026) – Official party members render salutes during the change of command ceremony for Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) onboard Naval Base Point Loma, May 15, 2026. During the ceremony, Cmdr. Eric Knepper was relieved by Cmdr. Miguel Recalde as commanding officer of Santa Fe. Santa Fe is assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 11, home to four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines which are capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rashan Jefferson)

Pacific Submarine Force hosts 2026 Undersea Warfare Commanders’ Conference
April 21, 2026 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (April 21, 2026) - Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (SUBPAC) hosted the 2026 Undersea Warfare Commanders’ Conference at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, April 8-10, 2026.Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, SUBPAC commander, welcomed allied and partner nation submarine force counterparts and representatives... MORE

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (April 8, 2026) — Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, center, commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, provides opening remarks to various leaders during the 2026 Undersea Warfare Commanders’ Conference (USWCC) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, April 8, 2026. First held in 2018, this year’s conference theme was “Shaping the future: Moving forward quickly and collaboratively to assure our combined advantage in the undersea domain.” The USWCC conference included submarine force representatives from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Singapore. The multi-day event included briefings from each partner nation focused on force employment, combat readiness, interoperability, and integration of emerging technology such as unmanned systems and artificial intelligence. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Omar A. Dominquez)

USS Greeneville (SSN 772) Holds Change of Command Ceremony
February 17, 2026 — NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA, Calif. – Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772) conducted a change of command ceremony onboard Naval Base Point Loma, Feb. 17, 2026. During the ceremony, Cmdr. Spencer Ovren relieved Cmdr. Chad Tella as Greeneville’s commanding officer.U.S. Navy Capt. (ret.) Jeremy Pelstring served as the guest... MORE

NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2026) Capt. Phillip Sylvia, left, commander, Submarine Squadron 11, stands with Cmdr. Chad Tella, off-going commanding officer, Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772), during the change of command ceremony for Greeneville onboard Naval Base Point Loma, Feb. 17, 2026. During the ceremony, Tella was relieved by Cmdr. Spencer Ovren as commanding officer of Greeneville. Greeneville is assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 11, home to four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines, which are capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tiarra Brown)

USS Greeneville Returns Home Following Deployment
January 30, 2026 — NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA - Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Point Loma, following a regularly scheduled deployment to the Indo-Pacific region in support of U.S. national security objectives, January 30, 2026.During the deployment, Greeneville steamed over 49,000 nautical miles... MORE

NAVAL BASE POINT LOMA, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2026) - A Sailor assigned to Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772) is welcomed home after returning to Naval Base Point Loma following a deployment to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility, Jan. 30, 2026. Greeneville is assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 11, home to four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines, which are capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rashan Jefferson)

USS Illinois (SSN 786) Holds Change of Command Ceremony
January 16, 2026 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Jan. 16, 2026) - Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Illinois (SSN 786) conducted a change of command ceremony at the USS Parche Park and Submarine Memorial on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Jan. 16. Cmdr. Jeffrey Vandenengel relieved Cmdr. Johannes Smith as commanding officer of Illinois.Smith took... MORE

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Jan. 16, 2026) - Cmdr. Jeffrey Vandenengel, commanding officer of Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Illinois (SSN 786), salutes the sideboys as he departs the change of command ceremony for Illinois at the USS Parche Park and Submarine Memorial on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Jan. 16, 2026. Illinois is assigned to Submarine Squadron 1 and is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations forces support, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas Russell)

USS Hawaii (SSN 776) Returns Home from Deployment
December 8, 2025 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Dec.8, 2025) - Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following a scheduled deployment, Dec. 8, 2025. During the deployment, Hawaii and its crew performed a wide range of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.“Every day, this crew... MORE

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Dec 8, 2025) - Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Vince Morales, assigned to Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776), meets his family pierside as Hawaii returns to its homeport at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following a scheduled deployment, Dec. 8, 2025. Hawaii is assigned to Submarine Squadron 1 and is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations forces support, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas Russell)

USS Missouri Holds Change of Command Ceremony
November 19, 2025 — JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Nov. 19, 2025) - Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) conducted a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Nov. 19. Cmdr. Michael Humara, from Torrance, California, relieved Cmdr. Gieorag Andrews, from Gardnerville, Nevada, as commanding officer of the Missouri... MORE

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (Nov. 19, 2025) - Cmdr. Michael Humara, commanding officer of Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780), departs the change of command ceremony for Missouri at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Nov. 19, 2025. Missouri is assigned to Submarine Squadron 7 and is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations forces support, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas Russell)