New US Navy chief of naval operations sworn in after long delay
Photo: Adm Lisa Franchetti during her confirmation hearing in September 2023 where she warned of problems caused by delays in appointments. (Photo: US Navy)
After months of delays Adm Lisa Franchetti was sworn in as chief of naval operations for the US Navy on 2 November following a career of high-profile roles withing the service, including commander of US Naval Forces in Korea, commander of Carrier Strike Group 9, commander of Carrier Strike Group 15 and vice-chief of Naval Operations.
Adm Franchetti, the first woman to hold the position, has been double-jobbing as both the vice-chief of naval operations and acting chief, a situation caused by delays to the promotion system arising from a roadblock in the US Senate.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee Nomination Hearing in September, Senator Elizabeth Warren said: ‘The services are telling me that even after the holds are lifted, the promotion system will be tangled up for months or years to come.
‘So, what is your best estimate of how long it will take the Navy's promotion system to recover?’
Adm Franciettie said: ‘It will take years to recover from the … promotion delays that we would see forward.’
Gen David Allvin was appointed to be the USAF chief of staff and Lt Gen Chris Mahoney was also confirmed to be the USMC assistant commandant. Despite the senior roles being confirmed, hundreds of other roles remain in limbo for service.
More from Naval Warfare
-
Latest Virginia-class submarine, USS Iowa, commissioned
SSN-797 was commissioned as USS Iowa, the first Virginia-class submarine of the second Trump administration. It was described as “just the beginning” of a revitalisation of US naval shipbuilding by Secretary of the Navy John Phelan.
-
Horizon-class vessels complete critical design review in mid-life upgrade
The critical design review puts the vessels on course to be fully upgraded by the end of 2030.
-
Canada begins work on heavy polar icebreaker to protect its high-Arctic sovereignty
The vessel, made under the auspices of the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, will be the first heavy icebreaker built in Canada for over six decades.
-
Fincantieri begins steel-cutting on FREMM EVO frigates for the Italian Navy
The two new frigates are expected to enter service by 2030.
-
BAE Systems to provide missile tubes to Block VI Virginia-class submarines
The construction of the Block V submarines is still ongoing, with none of the ten boats yet commissioned.