Moore Assumes Command of NAVSEA

Vice Adm. Thomas J. Moore relieved Vice Adm. William H. Hilarides as commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) during a June 10 ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard.

Moore graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in math and operations analysis. He holds a degree in information systems management from The George Washington University as well as a Master of Science and an engineer's degree in nuclear engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Since 2011, Moore has headed Program Executive Office Carriers where he led the Ford-class aircraft carrier program, as well as the maintenance, modernization and inactivation of carriers in fleet service. Other assignments include serving as director, Fleet Readiness and as major program manager for In-Service Aircraft Carriers. At the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Newport News, Virginia, Moore served as the overhaul project officer where he led the refueling and complex overhaul of aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and the first year of the overhaul of USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

"I am honored and humbled to be taking command of such a dynamic, diverse and innovative workforce," said Moore. "There is no other organization in the world that does what the Naval Sea Systems Command does and I'm excited for the challenges and opportunities that are ahead of us."

Following the ceremony, Hilarides retired from the Navy after serving 39 years, including three as NAVSEA commander.

"Serving and leading the men and women of the Naval Sea Systems Command has been the single most rewarding experience of my life," said Hilarides. "Without ships we don't have a Navy, and without the people who build them, repair them and man them, those ships would be lifeless hunks of metal. I wish our entire country knew what you all do for them every day."

Over Hilarides' three-year tour, NAVSEA delivered a total of 19 ships to the fleet including the revolutionary USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), the first of the redesigned Virginia-class attack submarines and dozens of ships out of maintenance availabilities. From June 2013 to June 2016, NAVSEA executed 153,495 separate contracting actions totaling more than $88 billion.

The largest of the Navy's five systems commands, NAVSEA's workforce engineers, designs, build, buys and maintains ships, submarines and combat systems that meet the fleet's current and future operational requirements. NAVSEA's workforce consists of 70,000 civilian, military and contract support personnel at 33 field activities across 16 states.