Navy announces new Naval Air Forces and NAVSEA commanders

Rear Adm. Dan “Undra” Cheever will become the next commander of Naval Air Forces.

Cheever, who joined the Navy in 1988, is replacing Vice Adm. Kenneth Whitesell, who has served as the so-called “Airboss” since 2020. Cheever will also become the commander of Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and be promoted to vice admiral.

He now serves as chief of staff for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and previously served as commander of Carrier Strike Group 4.

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Cheever also served as the commander of the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center in Fallon, Nevada, from 2017 to 2019. Additionally, he was a flight instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School in Miramar, California, and the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada, from 1995 to 1998.

The Navy also named Rear Adm. James P. Downey, who has served as program executive officer for aircraft carriers since 2019, as the next commander of Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. Downey will replace Vice Adm. William Galinis, who became NAVSEA commander in 2020.

Downey previously served as commander of Navy Regional Maintenance Center and Naval Sea Systems Command’s deputy commander for surface warfare.

Vice Adm. Daniel W. Dwyer has been assigned as deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting development, N7, in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. Dwyer is currently serving as commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet; and commander, Joint Forces Command Norfolk in Virginia.

Editor’s Note: This headline has been updated with the correct Naval Air Forces title.