March 5, 2026

Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle is outlining a new vision for how the Navy prepares for and delivers combat power. In a conversation with Francis Rose on Fed Gov Today during WEST 2026, Caudle explains that his newly released fighting instructions are designed to shift how the Navy thinks about readiness, operations and force deployment.

Caudle says the guidance begins with a simple goal: clearly explain what makes the Navy unique. For years, he says, the service has not always articulated the capabilities that set it apart. He highlights the Navy’s mobility, persistence and sustainability, along with its ability to launch forces from the sea at scale. Those capabilities, he says, allow the Navy to deliver sovereign power anywhere in the world.

That global demand for naval forces is one of the factors driving the new instructions. Caudle notes that the Navy is operating across a wide range of regions, from the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf to the Caribbean, the Western Pacific and the Arctic. With the fleet’s overall size unlikely to change significantly during his tenure, he says the Navy must find ways to operate more effectively with the force it already has.

To accomplish that, Caudle frames the document as a set of clear instructions rather than a conceptual strategy. He says success depends on accountability, which is why specific senior leaders are responsible for carrying out different elements of the guidance.

The development process involved close collaboration across the Navy’s leadership. Caudle says his immediate team and the Commander’s Action Group worked closely with four-star commands across the fleet. Those leaders provided feedback that helped shape the final product and ensure it reflects the realities of fleet operations.

Once implemented, progress on the instructions becomes part of Caudle’s regular leadership battle rhythm. Each week, the Navy’s senior leadership reviews four major focus areas: battle-ready sailors, a battle-ready force, the force of today and tomorrow, and global integration. Even when Caudle cannot attend, the vice chief chairs the meetings.

During those sessions, leaders review progress through dashboards that track action items tied to the fighting instructions. Caudle describes the discussions as direct and highly self-critical, with leaders openly evaluating where they stand and leaving with a shared plan for moving forward.

A central part of the effort is empowering senior leaders to take initiative. Caudle says he delegates authority deeply within the organization and expects three-star officers assigned to these roles to determine how best to execute the guidance. His role, he explains, is to help remove obstacles if they encounter barriers while implementing the plan.

Beyond organizational changes, Caudle says the most significant goal is a broader shift in how the Navy thinks about combat readiness and force employment. Traditionally, naval forces have been certified for operations through a largely “all or nothing” model. Under the new approach, Caudle wants the Navy to tailor naval combat power to the specific needs of combatant commanders.

That could include new force packages built around surface action groups or combinations of ships and unmanned systems. Caudle says the challenge is not only creating these tailored capabilities, but also integrating them into the broader global force management system so commanders know how to request and employ them.

Combatant commanders play an important role in that process. Caudle says the most useful feedback they can provide is identifying the operational problems they need solved. Once those needs are clear, the Navy can determine how best to package naval forces to meet them and how frequently it can deliver those capabilities.

At the same time, Caudle acknowledges that cultural change may be the hardest part of the effort. Shifting centuries of established practices is difficult, he says, and convincing people to think differently about readiness and force employment requires time and persistence.

Still, Caudle expresses confidence that the fleet will embrace the new direction. By keeping the instructions broadly applicable rather than tied to specific communities or platforms, he says sailors across the Navy can see how their roles contribute to the broader vision.

As that understanding spreads, Caudle believes the fighting instructions will help the Navy operate more effectively while preparing for the conflicts that may lie ahead.