The White House on Friday announced President Biden intends to nominate the next officers to serve as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Vice CNO, Commander of Indo-Pacific Command and Pacific Fleet, with current Vice CNO Adm. Lisa Franchetti as the pick to move up to the top job.
As Vice CNO, Franchetti is currently set to take over as acting CNO if not confirmed before current CNO Adm. Mike Gilday retires next month.
Notably, Franchetti would be the first woman to serve as CNO and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, if confirmed. Previously she served as Commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet; Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff; commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea, and Commander of Carrier Strike Group 9 and Carrier Strike Group 15.
Biden also intends to nominate Vice Adm. James Kilby, Deputy Commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, to succeed Franchetti as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Before serving at Fleet Forces Command, Kilby served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities, N-9, within the Office of the CNO. Earlier he served as Director, Warfare Integration (OPNAV N9I), commander of the Carl Vinson Strike Group and stood up the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC).
Biden plans to nominate Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, as commander of Indo-Pacific Command. The White House underscored he is a naval aviator with over 6,00 flying hours experience and 1,100 carrier landings. He previously served as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, and Commander of Naval Air Forces
The last nomination is Vice Adm. Stephen Koehler, current Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to succeed Paparo as commander of Pacific Fleet.
Earlier in his career, Koehler served as Commander of 3rd Fleet, Director of Fleet Training at U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and Deputy Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet.
In June, media reports said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin chose Paparo as his recommendation to Biden as the next CNO.
However, on Friday, Austin in a statement that he is “very proud that Admiral Franchetti has been nominated to be the first woman Chief of Naval Operations and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where she will continue to inspire all of us.”
Austin said all four soon-to-be-nominees are “highly-qualified, senior naval officers to key positions critical to the success of our formidable military power.”
He added that all four of them are highly decorated officers with “extensive operational and command experience. Indeed, I have seen firsthand how these highly-qualified officers have contributed to our national security.”