Current U.S. 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Karl Thomas was tapped to be the next deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare (OPNAV N2/N6) and director of naval intelligence, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.
Vice Adm. Karl Thomas was also nominated for reappointment to vice admiral, according to the Pentagon flag officer announcement.
Thomas began serving as commander of U.S. 7th Fleet in July 2021, according to his Navy biography. He previously served as the Task Force 70 commander for Carrier Strike Group 5 and assistant deputy chief of naval operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy.
Thomas received his naval commission in 1986 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
He previously served on USS New Orleans (LPH-11) and USS Essex (LHD-2), as well as was the executive officer aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and USS George Washington (CVN-73).
He previously commanded USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70).
Vice Adm. Jeffrey Trussler is the current director of naval intelligence and has served in the position since 2020.
