The Biden Administration selected Adm. Jon Aquilino to be the nominee to lead U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDO-PACOM), the Defense Department said March 6.
Aquilino currently serves as the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which he began in May 2020. He previously served as the commander of U.S. 5th Fleet; deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy (N3/N5); and director of maritime operations for U.S. Pacific Fleet (N04).
Aquilino will succeed current INDO-PACOM commander Adm. Phil Davidson, who is expected to retire. Davidson has served in this role since May 2018.
The Pentagon also announced the administration is appointing Vice Adm. Samuel Paparo to be admiral and assigned to succeed Aquilino as commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Paparo currently serves as commander of U.S. 5th Fleet/ U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Combined Maritime Forces as Manama, Bahrain, a job he started in August 2020. Paparo previously served as director of operations, J3, at U.S. Central Command from April 2018 to July 2020.
Both positions serve in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.