USVRON 3 Holds Change of Command

by Courtesy Story Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

03 July 2025
SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

SAN DIEGO (July 3, 2025) – Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron Three (USVRON 3) held a
change of command at the Roncador Memorial on Naval Base Point Loma on Thursday, July 3,
2025 with Rear Admiral Justin Kubu, commander, Unmanned Task Force, as the guest speaker
and Capt. Garrett Miller, Commodore, Surface Development Group One, as the presiding
Officer.

USVRON 3 bid farewell to Capt. Derek Alan Rader and welcomed CDR Sophia Haberman to
take charge of USVRON 3.

“Captain Rader, as you relinquish command today, you should be justifiably proud of this team
you created and the proud legacy you leave to your successor, Commander Sophia Haberman.
Sophia, you are the right officer for this command. I know you will leverage the experience,
insight, and expertise you developed while commanding USVRON 1, and I have no doubt you
will continue to lead USVRON 3 with the same professionalism, character, and enthusiasm
taking them to even higher levels of excellence and success,” said Kubu.

Rader, a native of Kansas, assumed command of USVRON 3 in May 2024 and is going on to
serve as Chief of Staff at Afloat Training Group Pacific.

He continued, “as the Navy continues to transform to a more distributed, data-driven battlespace,
we are investing in autonomous platforms, artificial intelligence, and unmanned systems that
extend our reach, reduce risk to Sailors, and fundamentally changes how we fight. You, the
Sailors of the USVRONs are on the front lines of that transformation. You’re not just employing
technology - you’re developing tactics. You are integrating sensors and platforms that will allow
us to detect, deter, and if necessary, decisively defeat any threat. And you're doing all this while
helping define policy, acquisition pathways, and command-and-control structures for the Fleet of
the future.”

Haberman, a native of Honolulu, Hawaii, is coming from her position as Commanding Officer,
USVRON 1 based in Naval Base Ventura County, California.

“Today, I am both honored and humbled to take command of a squadron that’s not just a part of
Naval History - we’re writing the next chapter. We will own the future and lead from the front,”
said Haberman. “Our Mission is clear: deliver formidable, unmanned platforms, develop the
tactics, techniques, and procedures that drive success, and help shape the future fleet into a
warfighting force.”

For more news from USVRON 3, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/usvron3/