The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Darryl Caudle, is rolling out new fighting instructions designed to reshape how the Navy prepares for combat and delivers naval power around the world. On this episode of Fed Gov Today, Admiral Caudle joins Francis Rose to explain the thinking behind the guidance and why he believes it represents a fundamental paradigm shift for the fleet. Rather than relying on an “all-or-nothing” approach to combat certification, Caudle wants the Navy to tailor naval forces to specific operational problems and deliver the right capability at the right time. He describes how his team developed the instructions, the role of single accountable officials in implementing them, and how the Navy will measure progress through existing leadership battle rhythm meetings. Caudle also discusses the cultural challenge of shifting centuries-old practices and why empowering leaders across the fleet will be critical to making the vision a reality.

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On this episode of Fed Gov Today, Francis Rose speaks with Samdesk Founder and CEO James Neufeld about how the Air Force and other agencies are adapting to a rapidly evolving information landscape. Neufeld explains why modernization and readiness are now inseparable, highlighting the need for a “resilience stack” built around frameworks like OODA and Samdesk’s ADAR model—anticipate, detect, analyze, and resolve. The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence is becoming core infrastructure and why agencies must break complex problems into targeted AI applications to improve decision-making speed and mission success.

This episode of Fed Gov Today dives into a provocative question shaking the intelligence community: Are battlefield secrets a thing of the past? Former NGA Director Vice Admiral Trey Whitworth (US Navy, Ret.) joins Francis Rose to unpack the rise of open-source intelligence (OSINT), the balance between speed and accuracy, and why corroboration remains the “coin of the realm.”

Whitworth challenges the idea that traditional analysts resist OSINT, emphasizing instead that leaders want “everything”—but validated and decision-ready. From social media’s role in military operations to the evolving definition of open source, the conversation explores how AI is transforming validation, accelerating analysis, and reshaping national security tradecraft.

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