Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Sylvie Carafiol | 260513-N-CO642-1954 NORFOLK, Va. (May 13, 2026) Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander,...... read more read more
By COMNAVSURFLANT Public Affairs
NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. (May 13, 2026)— Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT) held a change of command ceremony on Pier 14 at Naval Station Norfolk, May 13.
Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander assumed duties as the 62nd SURFLANT Commander, relieving Rear Adm. Joe Cahill during the time-honored ceremony. Adm. James W. Kilby, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, served as the guest speaker.
“Over the course of RADM Cahill’s tenure, SURFLANT prepared and certified ships for deployment and to conduct combat operations at a speed and scale I have not seen in my career,” said Adm. Kilby. “It is clear the Atlantic Surface Fleet is in a higher state of readiness and more lethal today because of Admiral Cahill’s leadership.”
SURFLANT is responsible for the personnel, materiel and training of the Atlantic Surface Force to ensure a combat-ready fleet. The team, composed of approximately 27,000 personnel, 66 warships, and 31 shore commands, advances force generation and sustainment efforts to deliver ready naval power worldwide amidst sustained combat operations.
“Our mission is clear – generate the forces necessary, across time within the of context personnel, maintenance, and training readiness to employ the surface forces that are ready on arrival to fight and win,” said Rear Adm. Cahill. “It was a privilege to watch this team of Sailors and Civilians show up every day for that singular mission.
Refining force generation efforts drove significant achievements, including the deployment of four Carrier Strike Groups and three Amphibious Ready Groups, as well as the execution of Task Group Greyhound to counter threats in the Eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea, and the Caribbean. A commitment to data-enabled readiness and team cohesion underpinned these efforts.
A cornerstone of this success was the optimization of Readiness Operations Centers (ROC), established three years ago, which streamlined logistics and maintenance efforts to drive material readiness, guaranteeing that deployers possessed the sustained reliability required for mission success. The ROC also accelerated the generation of future forces by driving the material readiness necessary to clear rigorous training objectives and deploy on schedule.
Recognizing the need to equip warships with the latest tactical data following real-world combat operations, the SURFLANT team, alongside Missile Defense Agency, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren, NSWC Port Hueneme, and Surface and Mine Warfare Mine Warfare Development Center led the demand for rapid, actionable intelligence. The team successfully established a live feedback architecture that analyzes the adversary in real-time. By providing these adaptive insights directly to the fleet and future forces, the combined effort significantly amplified overall lethality and ensured the success of sustained combat operations.
Complementing these warfighting upgrades, SURFLANT spearheaded expeditionary ordnance reloading capabilities and a crisis-response training plan to enhance fleet resiliency and lethality. These initiatives deliver “combat potential” to forward commanders in support of global operations.
“It has been an absolute honor to serve alongside the dedicated warfighters of the Atlantic Surface Force,” said Rear Adm. Cahill. “As the global maritime arena evolves, I have no doubt that our teams, afloat and ashore, will align under the leadership of Rear Adm. Alexander to maintain a deliberate focus on team coordination and collaboration that produces the forces we need today and tomorrow.”
Rear Adm. Alexander most recently served as Special Assistant to the Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
“Thank you to Rear Adm. Joe Cahill for his leadership and tenacity for the overall combat readiness of the Atlantic Surface Force,” said Rear Adm. Alexander. “I am excited to join this high-performing team and continue to enable their efforts in accomplishing all assigned tasks towards mission accomplishment.”
Rear Adm. Alexander assumes command during a period of transformation for the Atlantic Surface Fleet, as new platforms, technologies, and warships enter service. SURFLANT forces remain critical to operations across U.S. 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.
COMNAVSURFLANT mans, trains and equips assigned surface forces and shore activities, ensuring a capable force for conducting prompt and sustained operations in support of United States national interests. The SURFLANT force is composed of 77 ships and 31 shore Commands.
For more COMNAVSURFLANT news and photos, visit http://www.surflant.usff.navy.milor Facebook.com/SURFLANT.
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2026 14:45 |
| Story ID: | 565168 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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