Caudle sworn in as 34th CNO

Adm. Daryl Caudle has officially taken the helm as chief of naval operations after an assumption-of-office ceremony held this morning in Washington.

Caudle becomes the 34th CNO, filling the Navy’s top-ranking uniformed officer position, which has stood vacant for six months since previous CNO Adm. Lisa Franchetti was fired without explanation in February. Vice CNO Adm. James Kilby has been performing the duties of the office in the interim.

Caudle is a career submariner who most recently led U.S. Fleet Forces Command and has in the past served as the head of Naval Submarine Forces and Naval Submarine Force Atlantic. He was nominated for the CNO post in June and sailed through a non-contentious Senate confirmation hearing last month.

In a video message posted today and addressed to the fleet, Caudle outlined several of his day-one priorities including ensuring operational readiness, improving shipbuilding and maintenance performance and adopting technologies like artificial intelligence and uncrewed systems.