Change of leadership in the US Navy

The current Deputy Chief of Staff is to become Chief of Naval Operations. This will be the first time a woman has headed the US Navy.

On 21 July, US President Joe Biden nominated Admiral Lisa Franchetti to succeed Admiral Michael Gilday as Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). In principle, this decision was expected. At the time of her appointment as Vice CNO in September 2022, Franchetti, born in 1964, was already considered the favourite for the highest post in the US Navy. However, at the beginning of June, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin recommended the appointment of the current commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Samuel Paparo, for the CNO post. Paparo's committed leadership style in the face of the Chinese threat in the Western Pacific spoke in his favour; the admiral is regarded as an innovative thought leader with regard to the development of new strategies to contain China. Austin's personnel proposal signalled an intensification of the US Navy's focus on the Indo-Pacific region, which had long been on the cards.

Franchetti served as commander of the US 6th Fleet from 2018-2020. Here in February 2020 during a visit to the Italian frigate Alpino, photo: US Navy

The fact that President Biden ultimately opted for Franchetti points to a broader focus in the future. In contrast to Paparo, who is now to become commander of the joint Indo-Pacific Command of the US Armed Forces, Franchetti has completed responsible assignments both in the Pacific and in Europe. These include her tours of duty as Commander of the US 6th Fleet in Naples, as Deputy Commander of US Naval Forces in Europe and Africa in Naples, and as Commander of the multinational Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO Command in Oeiras, Portugal. Her deployment with the 6th Fleet was characterised by security tensions with both Russia and Syria. This experience and the personal contacts with her counterparts in the allied naval forces are considered particularly valuable in view of the current security situation.
In the Pacific, Franchetti led a destroyer squadron and two aircraft carrier groups, and commanded the US naval forces in Korea between 2013 and 2015. In addition to her operational commands, Franchetti completed senior assignments on the Navy's Joint Staff and on joint staffs, primarily in the areas of strategy, planning and concept development.

As Vice CNO, Franchetti has been responsible for key aspects of the modernisation, procurement, administration, personnel planning and training of the US Navy for the past year. Dealing with the defence policy committees in Congress - particularly with regard to justifying budget requests - and working with the top command staffs of the other branches of the armed forces are among the most important tasks of the Chiefs of Staff and their deputies. In this respect too, Franchetti's appointment is seen as a sign that the Biden administration is focussing on continuity in naval policy.

By law, the Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces must retire after four years. Mike Gilday took up his post on 21 August 2019; he must therefore take his leave by 21 August of this year at the latest (and therefore after the editorial deadline). Ideally, Admiral Franchetti would officially take over at the same time. However, a single senator, Republican Tommy Tuberville from Alabama, is currently blocking all promotions and transfers at the rank of general and admiral. The politician wants to force the US military to stop financial support for abortions by military personnel. If the blockade continues until 22 August, Admiral Franchetti will take over the CNO's duties on an interim basis until she can officially take up the post.

Sidney E. Dean