Vice Adm. James P. Downey was relieved of his dual-hatted role as Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) by Rear Adm. Pete Small and as Portfolio Acquisition Executive Industrial Operations (PAE IO) by Rear Adm. Todd Weeks during a joint change of office and command ceremony on the Washington Navy Yard, Aug. 6. Admiral James W. Kilby served as the ceremony’s presiding officer and highlighted Downey’s extensive contributions to fleet readiness and the Navy’s acquisition enterprise. Downey served as Commander of NAVSEA since January 2024. Rear Adm. Pete Small assumes acting command of NAVSEA following a dual-role assignment as NAVSEA’s Chief Engineer and NAVSEA Deputy Commander for Naval Systems Engineering since June 2024, and as Commander, Naval Surface and Undersea Warfare Centers since June 2025. Serving as a vital link between the technical community and warfighters, Small facilitated close coordination between NAVSEA Engineering and the warfare centers.