The Defense Department on Wednesday announced the White House nominated new people to take over as the head of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA); Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, called the Air Boss; and deputy chief of naval operations for Warfighting Development, N7, within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV).
Rear Adm. James Downey was nominated to become vice admiral and commander of NAVSEA. He has served as Program Executive Officer (PEO) for aircraft carriers within NAVSEA since June 2019. Previously, Downey served as major program manager for the three-ship Zumwalt-class destroyers when the first ship was delivered. Before leading the carrier office, Downey was concurrently both commander of Navy Regional Maintenance Center and NAVSEA deputy commander for surface warfare.
If confirmed, Downey will succeed Vice Adm. William Galinis, who has led NAVSEA since June 2020.
The White House nominated Rear Adm. Daniel Cheever to become a vice admiral and be assigned as commander of Naval Air Forces and commander of Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Cheever currently serves as chief of staff for North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command, a position he has held since September 2022.
Previously, Cheever served as Director of Strategy, Policy & Plans (J5) at NORAD and NORTHCOM from 2020 to 2022, commander of the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center in Fallon, Nev., Chief of Staff to Commander of Naval Air Forces in North Island, Calif., and department head for TOPGUN and Strike at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nev.
If confirmed by the Senate, Cheever will succeed Vice Adm. Kenneth Whitesell, so has been the Air Boss since October 2020.
Lastly, the White House nominated Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer to be reappointment to vice admiral and assigned deputy chief of naval operations for Warfighting Development, N7, within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
Dwyer currently serves as commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet and commander, Joint Forces Command Norfolk, Va. He has served in this role since August 2021. Previously, Dwyer served as Director of Plans and Policy (J5) for U.S. Cyber Command in Fort Meade, Md.; chief of staff and assistant chief of staff for Strategy, Resources and Plans (N5) for Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa and for Commander of U.S. 6th Fleet in Naples, Italy; commander of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (CSG 9); and 36th Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA).
If confirmed, Dwyer will succeed Vice Adm. Stuart Munsch at N7. In 2020 the Navy announced the change of OPNAV N7 to focus on Navy strategy; organizational learning and analysis of lessons learned from wargames, exercises and experiments; education policy; strategic force development planning; and aligning efforts across the headquarters, Navy, government and industry to solve operational problems.
Notably, N7 is responsible for oversight of naval education policy at the U.S. Naval Academy, Naval Postgraduate School, and U.S. Naval War College.