Admiral Samuel Paparo recently took over as head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom), with responsibility for addressing growing challenges in the region. At the inauguration ceremony, which was held in Hawaii, he called China’s intrusive and expansionist claims in the Indo-Pacific “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive”, updating the definition of the South China Sea as a “grey” zone. “Russia, North Korea and violent extremist organizations” also fall into the category, according to Paparo, nicknamed “Pappy.”
“We will strive for the peaceful resolution of any crisis or conflict, but make no mistake… we will be ready to fight any adversary that threatens the peace, security, stability and well-being of the nation and our allies and partners,” he added during the handover with the outgoing commander, John Aquilino. Who, moved, said, “I will sleep peacefully, in fact, it will be the first time I have slept for three years, knowing that Pappy is at the controls”.
During the ceremony, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin added that China “is the only country with the will and ability to dominate the Indo-Pacific,” and “is engaging in increasingly coercive behavior.”
Paparo for the past three years has led the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, which has accelerated experiments with unmanned systems. In 2022 he established the Navy’s first unmanned vessel division; a second one will be established this month. More recently, he has called for the creation of a force of hundreds or thousands of small drones – a “hellscape” – that could help repel a Chinese invasion force from Taiwan.
Originally from Morton, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Villanova University and was commissioned as an officer in 1987. He is the son of a former enlisted Marine and grandson of a sailor who fought in World War II. He holds a Master of Arts in International Studies from Old Dominion University and a Master of Science in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, the Naval War College and the Joint and Combined Warfighting School. A US Naval Aviator, he is a Top Gun graduate and has flown over 6,000 hours in F-14s, F-15s and F/A-18s and 1,100 carrier landings. 37 years in the Navy, he also worked with the Air Force and operated in Saudi Arabia and Iceland.
Admiral Paparo has Italian-American origins, just like Lisa Franchetti, head of the US Navy, the first woman to hold this role.
