Overview

• Admiral Daryl Caudle won bipartisan support in his July 24 confirmation hearing, moving his CNO nomination forward to a full Senate vote.
• He committed to doubling Virginia-class submarine production to fulfill AUKUS obligations by driving a 100% increase in shipyard output.
• The nominee vowed to tackle persistent maintenance delays and on-time repair shortfalls that have eroded fleet readiness.
• Caudle pledged to prioritize shipboard integration of directed-energy weapons and expand investments in unmanned robotic systems.
• He highlighted the need to streamline munitions procurement and strengthen counter-drone defense at naval installations.