USS Gerald R. Ford Holds Change of Command

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Grace Lyles | Capt. Paul J. Lanzilotta (left) is relieved by Capt. Richard Burgess (right) as commanding officer of the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) during a change of command ceremony in the ship’s hangar bay, April 24, 2023. Ford is in port at Naval Station Norfolk for a continuous planned maintenance availability. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. Navy’s capacity to project power on a global scale. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Grace Lyles)  

NORFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES

04.24.2023

Courtesy Story

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)           

USS Gerald R. Ford Holds Change of Command

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK – In a time-honored naval tradition, the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) held a change of command ceremony aboard the ship in port Naval Station Norfolk, April 24.

Capt. Rick Burgess relieved Capt. Paul Lanzilotta and assumed duties as the commanding officer of USS Gerald R. Ford in a ceremony attended by Navy leadership, family, friends and crew.

During the ceremony, Lanzilotta thanked the crew for their hard work, dedication and service to their country during his time as commanding officer.

“To the crew of this mighty warship, nothing can compare to the appreciation and admiration that I have for what you do every single day. Your dedication to each other and your contagious enthusiasm for our mission sets the bar for the waterfront and for every warship in the Navy. You are the finest Sailors on the planet and I will forever have a soft spot for each and every one of you,” said Lanzilotta.

Lanzilotta, a native of Long Island, New York and graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, became USS Gerald R. Ford’s fourth Commanding Officer after assuming command in February 2021. He led Ford through the completion of post-delivery test and trials (PDT&T), the first full ship shock trials for an aircraft carrier since 1986, the ship’s first planned incremental availability (PIA) completed on-time, strike group and air wing integration, and completed the ship’s first deployment in the U.S. 2nd Fleet and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in fall 2022.

Rear Adm. Greg Huffman, Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, served as the event’s guest speaker and remarked on how Lanzilotta’s leadership over the last two years have enabled the ship and the crew to be ready for operational deployment in 2023.

"Captain Lanzilotta's leadership and dedication to the Ford crew over the last two-plus years have been truly inspiring to see," said Huffman. "Capt. Lanzilotta built a culture of success with the Sailors of this mighty warship and molded a Ford team trained, ready and certified for combat deployment. His commitment delivered the many advancements that the Ford-class aircraft carriers bring to our national defense and 21st century naval aviation."

After reading his orders, Lanzilotta thanked his wife and children for their support and announced that he will report to Naval Air Force Atlantic for duties as directed by the commander.

“It is an honor to join the team as commanding officer of USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier,” said Burgess. “I am humbled for the opportunity to work alongside and sail with such an accomplished crew and demonstrate to the world what Ford-class aircraft carriers bring to the fight during our upcoming deployment.”

Burgess reported to Ford during the ship’s final deployment certification exercise, Composite Training Unit Exercise, which demonstrated and certified Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 as a combat-ready naval force capable of conducting the full spectrum of integrated maritime, joint, and combined operations.

Burgess commanded VFA-103, The Jolly Rogers, from July 2013 to November 2014; served as Executive Officer of USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) from June 2019 to December 2020; and commanded the nation’s first Expeditionary Sea Base, USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), from May 2021 to August 2022.

Ford is the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. Navy’s capacity to project power on a global scale. Ford-class aircraft carriers introduce 23 new technologies, including Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, Advanced Arresting Gear and Advanced Weapons Elevators. The new systems incorporated onto Ford-class ships are designed to generate a higher sortie rate with a 20% smaller crew than a Nimitz-class carrier, paving the way forward for naval aviation.

For more information about the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), visit https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn78/ and follow along on Facebook: @USSGeraldRFord, Instagram: @cvn78_grford, Twitter: @Warship_78, DVIDS www.dvids.net/CVN78 and LinkedIn at USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

• Date Taken: 04.24.2023
• Date Posted: 04.24.2023 15:41
• Story ID: 443268
• Location: NORFOLK, VA, US
• Hometown: NEW YORK, NY, US