Career Submariner Takes Helm as Navy's New Top Officer
Adm. Daryl Caudle has been sworn in as the Navy's newly-confirmed Chief of Naval Operations, taking over from Vice CNO Adm. Jim Kilby, who has been in the top post in an acting capacity since the dismissal of Adm. Lisa Franchetti in February.
Caudle is a chemical engineer by training, and he commissioned into the Navy after graduating from North Carolina State; he holds a masters in physics and another in engineering management, plus a doctorate in organizational leadership. He has run Fleet Forces Command, the Navy's training and sustainment arm, since 2021; before that, he was a career submarine officer, culminating in an appointment as Commander, Submarine Forces - the Navy's top undersea domain officer.
"The sailor will be front and center in my vision throughout my tenure as CNO — hands down, no exception," Caudle said at his change of command ceremony. "To ensure that they are ready to fight and win decisively — today, tomorrow and well into the future — we will view everything we do we through an operational lens focused on three priorities: the foundry, the fleet and the way we fight."
The new CNO also emphasized that the Navy must transform itself with AI, robotics, autonomous systems, hypersonics and other advanced technologies in order to maintain deterrence. "The way we fight today will not be the way we fight tomorrow," Caudle said.
Caudle has a reputation as a persistent solver of technical and organizational problems. He was selected at a time of pressing need: all of the Navy's new construction programs are behind schedule, and existing surface combatants, subs, amphibs and carriers face delays at repair yards, reducing availability. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan made clear that Caudle's troubleshooting skills were valued.
"Admiral Caudle, 'the honey badger,' is the right man for the job," Phelan said. "He has a reputation for challenging the status quo, demanding results and refusing to accept excuses. I look forward to seeing that relentlessness pursuit of excellence and persistence pervade the halls of the Pentagon."
Caudle takes the helm at a time of rapid change for the Navy, both in personnel and in structure. Last week, Navy Reserve chief Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore and Navy Special Warfare commander Rear Adm. Jamie Sands were both dismissed from their posts. The Navy has not provided a reason for the dismissals; both leaders had been promoted to their positions in August 2024.
In addition, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has decided to pull responsibility for sub procurement out of the Navy's command structure and put it directly under the deputy secretary of defense, according to USNI. A new three-star "submarine czar" in the Pentagon will have budget control over sub maintenance, oversee the multibillion-dollar industry-boosting program for the sub supply chain, and work with the Navy to set requirements for new submarines - all functions that previously existed within Naval Sea Systems Command.