NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. —The former Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and Assistant Commander for Research and Engineering, Naval Air Systems Command, took the helm of the Program Executive Office for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault and Special Mission Programs (PEO(A)) March 31 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.
 
 With simply a handshake between them, Rear Adm. Dean Peters became the tenth program executive officer for PEO(A), relieving Rear Adm. CJ Jaynes.
 
 PEO(A) manages approximately $9 billion annually and oversees more than 30 type/model/series aircraft, which accounts for about 40 percent of the naval aviation aircraft inventory.
 
 Peters graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985, has earned post-graduate degrees in aeronautical engineering and telecommunications, and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Class 102. He has more than 3,800 flight hours in both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
 
 Jaynes, who took the helm at PEO(A) in July 2013, plans to retire.
 
 (U.S. Navy photo)