Daryl Caudle

Daryl Lane Caudle is an American admiral and naval engineer who assumed the role of Chief of Naval Operations in 2025, becoming the 34th officer to hold that position. His career spans decades of service within the United States Navy, culminating in the service’s top uniformed leadership post.

Caudle directed the establishment of the RASWDC, a dedicated warfighting development center in Virginia tasked with determining how the Navy will integrate and employ unmanned systems in future naval combat. His leadership sets the doctrinal and organizational direction for autonomous systems across the fleet.