A Pittsburgh native and seasoned submariner is the new commander of the U.S. submarine force in the Pacific.

Rear Adm. Richard Seif relieved his predecessor, Rear Adm. Jeff Jablon, during a June 15 ceremony aboard the USS Missouri, a Virginia-class attack submarine, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

As commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force, Seif has charge of two submarine tenders and 35 submarines, more than half the Navy’s submarines, according to a Navy news release.

The strong undersea presence in the Indo-Pacific indicates the area’s strategic importance, according to the Navy.

During his tenure, Jablon, a native of Frostburg, Md., among his accomplishments deployed all Pacific submarines at or above minimum manning levels, oversaw the transition of Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron One to a major command and overhauled the fleet’s deployment process to ensure its submarines are prepared to “conduct high-end combat missions,” according to the Navy.

Under Jablon, Pacific attack and guided-missile submarines deployed 27 times and strategic ballistic missile vessels deployed 31 times.

“Our standard has been to create combat readiness in every submarine that pulls away from the pier, and I can assure you that each and every commanding officer on the waterfront thinks about that each time they get underway,” Jablon said during the handover ceremony.

Adm. Samuel Paparo, Pacific Fleet commander, presided over the command change, according to the release.

“Our Submarine Force is the best in the world and under Jeff’s inspirational leadership, perseverance, keen foresight, and superb judgement, the Pacific Submarine Force has tremendously improved in the material, operational and war-fighting readiness,” Paparo said during the ceremony.

Seif has logged significant career milestones in the Pacific, including a stint as commander of the attack submarine USS Buffalo, chief of staff to the Pacific submarine fleet commander and as commander of Submarine Group 7, headquartered at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan.

In May, Seif went to sea aboard the USS Maine, another ballistic-missile submarine, for a tour along with Japan’s Vice Adm. Tateki Tawara and South Korea’s Rear Adm. Su Youl Lee, the commanders of their respective countries’ submarine fleets, according to a Navy release. The tour was the first aboard a ballistic-missile submarine involving senior commanders of the three nations’ submarine fleets.