Groton — The Navy has relieved the commanding officer of one of 16 submarines homeported at the Naval Submarine Base for performance-related issues, the service announced in a press release Wednesday.  

He is the third commanding officer of a submarine to be relieved this year.

Cmdr. Edward Byers, of the Los Angeles attack submarine the USS Dallas, was informed Tuesday of his removal, which was effective immediately.

Capt. Oliver Lewis, who recently became commander of Submarine Squadron 12, headquartered at the base, removed Byers from his position.

"The actions taken to relieve Commander Byers was based on longterm professional performance shortfalls, and not due to any acts of personal misconduct or any singular event," said Cmdr. Tommy Crosby, spokesman for Submarine Force Atlantic.

Byers has been administratively reassigned to the staff of the Undersea Warfare Development Center, which became headquartered at the base last fall.

The command is intended to train the submarine force in advanced tactics, techniques and procedures for anti-submarine warfare.

 Capt. Jack Houdeshell, deputy commander at Submarine Squadron 4, who previously served as CO of the Dallas, has been assigned as commanding officer. 

On Jan. 4, Capt. Dave Adams, the CO of the Kings Bay, Ga.-based guided missile submarine USS Georgia, was relieved of duty based on an investigation into a Nov. 25, 2015, incident "in which Georgia was returning to port, struck a channel buoy and then grounded," the Navy said.

Two days later, on Jan. 6, Cmdr. Mike Conner, of the Guam-based attack submarine Oklahoma City was relieved of duty for leadership and proficiency deficiencies.