Samuel Paparo

Strike Fighter Squadron 195 — Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Japan

From 2004 to 2006, Paparo commanded Strike Fighter Squadron 195 (VFA-195), the “Dambusters,” stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, as part of the Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed carrier air wing.^[4][7] The Dambusters, named for their destruction of the Hwacheon Dam in the Korean War, deployed with the USS Kitty Hawk Strike Group, maintaining a rapid-response posture across the Western Pacific.^[7]

Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nuristan, Afghanistan

In a highly unusual assignment for a naval aviator, Paparo commanded the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, from 2007 to 2008, serving alongside the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade.^[4][8] Nuristan was among the most remote and contested regions of the Afghan theater, bordering Pakistan’s tribal areas.^[3] Paparo led a joint force of over 100 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and civilians, overseeing counterinsurgency and development operations in terrain so austere that resupply was often possible only by helicopter.^[8]

Under his command, the PRT supervised construction of the Titin Bridge linking Nuristan’s western and central valleys, executed an unprecedented intra-theater relocation to establish the province’s first permanent PRT presence, and developed a Small Rewards Program that resulted in the collection of heavy weapons, small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, and a shoulder-fired thermobaric weapon.^[8] Paparo’s approach emphasized engagement with local tribal leaders and a patient counterinsurgency philosophy focused on winning the trust of the population.^[3]

The assignment later drew attention in Jake Tapper’s book The Outpost (2012), an account of Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan, where Paparo is portrayed navigating the complex tribal dynamics of the province, mediating between warring local factions, and working to establish enough stability for civilian development organizations to operate.^[3] Tapper’s account depicts Paparo as deeply committed to the counterinsurgency model, wary of heavy-handed actions that risked alienating the population the coalition was trying to protect.^[3]

Carrier Air Wing

Paparo served as deputy commander and then commander of Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW-7) from 2009 to 2012, embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. ^[7] The air wing comprised eight squadrons with approximately 1,500 personnel, operating F/A-18C/E/F Hornets and Super Hornets, E-2C Hawkeye airborne command and control, EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare, and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. Rear Admiral Michael Manazir, in remarks at the change of command, praised Paparo’s ability to “grab a hold of an entire ship and infuse his passion, not only into his aviators but his maintainers and leaders.” ^[9]

Carrier Strike Group 10

From 2017 to 2018, Paparo commanded Carrier Strike Group 10, built around USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing 3, guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto, USS Vella Gulf, and USS Monterey, and a destroyer squadron including USS Stout, USS Oscar Austin, and USS McFaul. ^[10][11] In September 2017, following Hurricane Irma’s devastation of the Florida Keys, Paparo directed the strike group’s task force in Defense Support of Civil Authorities operations, clearing roads, restoring flight operations at Naval Air Station Key West, and coordinating restoration of critical utilities alongside the Florida National Guard and FEMA.^[11]

Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command

Paparo served as the Director of Operations (J3) at United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, where he oversaw operational planning across the Middle East theater. He also served as Battle Director at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. ^[4][11]

Commander, Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces

Promoted to Vice Admiral, Paparo commanded United States Naval Forces Central Command, the United States Fifth Fleet, and Combined Maritime Forces from August 2020 to May 2021, headquartered in Bahrain. ^[12][13] In this capacity, he directed all U.S. naval forces in the Middle East and coordinated a 33-nation international naval coalition responsible for maritime security operations supporting stability in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean, including operations in support of the conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.

Commander, United States Pacific Fleet

On May 5, 2021, Paparo assumed command of the United States Pacific Fleet, the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing approximately 200 ships, 150,000 sailors and civilians, and an area of operations spanning 100 million square miles from the Arctic to Antarctica and from the U.S. West Coast to the Indian Ocean. ^[14] In March 2023, Paparo gained widespread public recognition through a double-length segment on CBS’s 60 Minutes, in which correspondent Norah O’Donnell interviewed him aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Western Pacific. [17]^[15] In the interview, Paparo framed the strategic challenge posed by China’s rapid naval expansion, noting that the People’s Republic of China Navy had grown from roughly 37 vessels in the early 2000s to 350. Asked whether the U.S. Navy was prepared to defend Taiwan, Paparo responded: “We’re ready, yes. I’ll never admit to being ready enough.” The segment drew praise from the naval affairs community for presenting the service’s posture with candor and nuance.^[16] Paparo’s TOPGUN background drew additional media attention, with 60 Minutes noting he discussed the realism of flight sequences in Top Gun: Maverick with his children. ^[17]

Commander, United States Indo-Pacific Command

Nominated in July 2023 and confirmed by the Senate in February 2024, Paparo assumed command of United States Indo-Pacific Command on May 3, 2024, in a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam attended by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr., and ambassadors from allied nations. ^[2][18] He succeeded Admiral John C. Aquilino as the 27th commander of the combatant command. ^[6]

Chief of Naval Operations consideration

In 2023, Paparo was among the candidates considered for the position of Chief of Naval Operations, though Admiral Lisa Franchetti was ultimately selected. ^[19] Following Franchetti’s removal by President Donald Trump in February 2025, Paparo was again reported as a leading contender for the post but reportedly declined consideration, choosing to remain focused on the Indo-Pacific Command.^[20]