Thomas releases command vision at U.S. Fleet Forces Command Commander’s Conference 

By U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs, May 13, 2026 

SUFFOLK, Va. — U.S. Fleet Forces Command concluded its annual Commander’s Conference May 7, bringing together senior military leaders to ensure the delivery of the world’s most ready, capable, and adaptive force—one fully integrated across all domains and prepared to deter, fight, and win in a dynamic battlespace. 
  
Hosted by Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the two-day event centered on the theme “Bridging the Foundry to the Fight.” The discussions focused on strengthening our capabilities by restoring readiness and building a powerful Fleet from a resilient industrial base to maintain a decisive global warfighting advantage. During the event Thomas released his vision for the command, addressing how the Fleet should generate global warfighting advantages to drive his vision into execution and lethal performance: 
  
To deliver the world’s most ready, capable, and adaptive force that is integrated across domains, driven by innovation, and prepared to deter, fight, and win in a dynamic battlespace. 
  
“Our charge is to ensure the Navy remains the world’s most ready Fleet,” said Thomas. “That means transforming our processes into a world-class foundry where data-centric decision-making and innovation accelerate our ability to deliver combat-ready Sailors and ships to the point of need.” 
  
Throughout the conference, Thomas emphasized high-end warfighting through the “Foundry and Fleet” lens. This approach ensures that every aspect of force generation—from maintenance and modernization to advanced training—aligns to the demands of a contested environment. His vision is meant to achieve four Overarching Objectives: 
  
•    Forging the Total Sailor: A better-supported Sailor is a more lethal Sailor. Investing in our Sailors as warfighters, maintainers, individuals, and providers for their families; commending their willingness to sacrifice in the defense of our nation. 
•    Rehearsing the Fleet: Recognizing that platforms and supporting systems are becoming more complex, we must provide the doctrine, training, and protection, and rehearsal necessary across domains to ensure a ready Fleet capable of responding when our Nation demands. 
•    Optimizing Force Generation Readiness: Our Fleet must stand ready. We must maximize the number of trained, rehearsed, and certified personnel, platforms, and payloads when our Nation calls. 
•    Preparing for a Global Fight: Our goal is to deter by being better prepared and by presenting unsolvable dilemmas to our adversaries. Should deterrence fail, we will be ready to fight a high-end war and provide a range of military capabilities from restrained show of force, to surgical strikes, to sourcing overwhelming firepower. 
  
Additionally, Thomas outlines that this will all be built upon three underlying principles: 
  
•    High-End Warfighting: utilizing and embracing technologies to best see and sense the battlespace, confuse the adversary’s understanding, quickly promulgate orders to forces, aggregate firepower across domains at critical points, then maneuver in time and space to resupply and reattack, all while actively preventing the adversary from attempting the same. 
•    The Bedrock of Sailors and Families: Our advantage comes from the men and women we recruit, train, and retain. We must understand and support their needs and provide the tools, support, and time to ensure they are prepared to do our Nation’s bidding. 
•    Data-Centric Decision Making: The speed and scale of warfare is expanding and accelerating. This transformation requires more informed and quicker thinking leveraging authoritative data sources compiled to enhance evaluation, assessment, and speed of decision. 
  
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle addressed conference attendees and reinforced U.S. Fleet Forces Command’s role as both a force provider and as a critical driver in ensuring that today’s force is ready to fight and decisively win. 
  
“U.S. Fleet Forces Command is not just a force provider; it is the engine of our naval power,” said Caudle. “In today’s security environment, U.S. Fleet Forces Command sits at the center of how we generate combat power, allocate it across global demands, and manage risk to ensure our force remains the bedrock of national security.” 
  
A parallel spouse program focused on the bedrock of the force: Sailors and their families. Spouses from across the Fleet engaged with leadership on quality-of-life initiatives, cyber awareness, and the resources essential to maintaining family readiness during increased operational tempos. 
  
The conference reinforced the imperative to adapt how the Navy mans, trains, equips, and sustains the force to ensure it remains adaptive and capable of prevailing in any conflict. 
  
“This period for the Navy is unique at multiple levels,” said Thomas. “It is a unique time filled with opportunity to impact the Fleet for decades to come. Our senior leadership has provided clear, aligned guidance and this vision provides the guidance with which U.S. Fleet Forces Command will lead the way at seizing this opportunity.” 
  
U.S. Fleet Forces Command trains, certifies, and provides combat-ready naval forces to combatant commanders worldwide to conduct prompt, sustained operations at sea in support of national security objectives.