Capt. Sarah Abbott assumed command of the Navy's Precision Strike Weapons Program Office (PMA-201) from Capt. Richard Gensley during a formal change of command ceremony held Feb. 27 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO (U&W)), presided over the ceremony, which was attended by military personnel, civilian employees, industry partners, and family members.

"Under Capt. Gensley’s exceptional leadership, PMA-201 has delivered critical strike capabilities to our warfighters while maintaining the highest standards of program management," said Tedford. “His perseverance and steadfast devotion to the mission has never wavered."

Gensley, who led the program office for four years, oversaw significant advancements in the Navy's precision-guided munitions portfolio, including accelerated deployment of the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) and hypersonic weapons. He led a team of over 700 military and civilian personnel, covering 19 Programs of Record with a budget of over $4 billion in the Future Years Defense Plan FYDP. He also oversaw the largest NAVAIR FMS team of 40 countries and 233 cases, valuing more than $13 billion.

He thanked his combined military, civilian and contractor team for their dedication and technical excellence in delivering advanced weapon capabilities around the world.

"Capt. Abbott brings the perfect combination of operational experience and acquisition expertise to lead this vital program office into its next chapter," said Tedford. “With command comes the responsibility, authority, and accountability to lead this team into the future. Focus on the capabilities the fleet needs, without looking past the people that constitute this amazing team.”

Abbott, a U.S. Naval Academy alumni, who most recently served as the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet principle assistant program manager for PMA-265 participated in significant development, production, and sustainment activities for the platform, most notably the final production contract for the Super Hornet, the service life modification program to extend platform hours, and the agile transformation of mission systems software delivery.

"I am excited by the opportunity to lead PMA-201 during this critical time," said Abbott. "As our strategic competitors continue to advance their capabilities, our mission to develop and deliver precision strike weapons remains essential to national security."

Abbott’s top priorities include accelerating the fielding of next-generation hypersonic weapons, enhancing digital engineering practices, and fostering innovation through strengthened industry partnerships.

PMA-201 manages the Navy's air-to-ground precision strike weapons from development through deployment and sustainment. The program office oversees several critical weapons systems including LRASM, JSOW, Harpoon, Small Diameter Bomb II and CAD/PAD.