Admiral Samuel Paparo

Force in Play

As of June 2026: Leads interdictions reaching into the Indian Ocean

On June 8, a US Navy F/A-18 from USS Abraham Lincoln disabled the Palau-flagged tanker Marivex in the Gulf of Oman, the seventh vessel put out of action since April 13. The next day, a US Army Apache went down near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's IRGC Navy claimed a speedboat shot it down; CENTCOM's investigation remains open.

Updated Jun 9

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Directing US bomber presence and allied drills across the Western Pacific

What began with Chinese carrier fighters lighting up Japanese jets with radar near Okinawa has mushroomed into a full-spectrum crisis. After China and Russia sent bombers circling Japan, the US flew B-52s with Japanese fighters over the Sea of Japan.

Updated May 11