Navy Says Aviators Can No Longer Command Amphibious Warships
1st May 2026
In a major break with tradition, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle has directed that the Navy ships that transport Marines into war zones be commanded by surface warfare officers instead of aviators.
The change applies to amphibious assault ships, transport docks, and dock landing ships, Caudle wrote in an April 24 memo that has been shared on Reddit. The Navy confirmed to Task & Purpose that the memo is authentic.
The Navy currently has a total of 32 amphibious warfare ships, including nine big deck amphibious assault ships, which carry Marines and vertical-take off aircraft like the MV-22B Osprey, helicopters and F-35 fighters.
In the memo, Caudle wrote that his decision is tied to Navy efforts to improve amphibious warfare ships’ readiness.