Vice Adm. Charles Bradford “Brad” Cooper II is set to become the next commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), overseeing American military operations across the Middle East, including against Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
The appointment, pending Senate confirmation, will elevate the 58-year-old officer to the rank of full admiral (four-star general). He is expected to replace Gen. Michael Kurilla, whose term will conclude this summer.
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Vice Adm. Brad Cooper (right) visits Israel's Nevatim Airbase with IDF Deputy Chief of General Maj. Gen. Amir Baram
(Photo: IDF)
A seasoned naval warfare officer, Cooper has served as CENTCOM’s deputy commander since February. Before that, he led U.S. naval forces in the Middle East for three years, commanding the Fifth Fleet and spearheading multinational maritime cooperation. His career includes key leadership roles across U.S. Pacific and Africa Commands, the Pentagon and the White House. He also served in combat operations in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and the Red Sea, and as a senior adviser to the Afghan government.
During his time in naval command, Cooper directed maritime operations against Iran and the Houthis, including the campaign launched in December to secure commercial shipping in the Gulf and Red Sea. He described it in February as “the largest and most intense operation by the U.S. Navy since World War II.” He also initiated the Navy’s first task force integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.
Behind the polished image of a three-star Navy officer lies a man raised across military bases worldwide as the son of a career Army officer. Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1967, Cooper grew up immersed in military life, which he carried into a 30-year career from the Caribbean to the Red Sea.
He is married to Susan, a speech therapist he met in high school. Together, they raised two children through nine operational deployments, including missions off South America, over Bosnia and in Afghanistan’s ground campaign, where he served as a senior adviser. Cooper is known as a well-liked commander who regularly credits his team for their achievements.
Cooper is regarded as a close ally of Israel and is highly familiar with the regional landscape. In early 2025, he visited Israel at the invitation of then-IDF deputy chief of staff Amir Baram, toured Air Force bases, attended operational briefings in the north and south and held discussions with senior IDF officials on confronting the Houthi threat. He also participated in strategic assessments and air drills involving Israeli F-35s and American F-15s and was involved in planning the humanitarian aid pier for Gaza, ensuring Israel’s security needs were taken into account.
CENTCOM’s increasing focus on Israel
The choice of a Navy admiral over Army Gen. James Mingus, initially seen as the frontrunner, raised eyebrows at the Pentagon amid a broader reshuffle of senior leadership under the Trump administration. Mingus had ties to former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, a known adversary of Trump, and served in senior roles during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan—factors seen as political liabilities by current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has replaced much of the Pentagon’s Biden-era leadership.
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Cooper’s appointment comes as Israel remains a central focus of CENTCOM following its official move from U.S. European Command in January 2021. This shift, partly driven by the Abraham Accords, aimed to foster greater security collaboration among the U.S., Israel and moderate Arab states against Iran and its proxies. Cooper played a key role in developing these new frameworks.
His predecessor, Kurilla, is ending a notably active tenure that began in April 2022 and included unprecedented support for Israel since the start of the war. Kurilla visited Israel more than 15 times in two years, including during and before the current war. Israeli defense officials credit him with key Pentagon decisions, such as deploying U.S. aircraft carriers to the region.
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Defense Minister Israel Katz, CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir
(Photo: Ariel Hermoni/Ministry of Defense)
A recent New York Times report revealed Kurilla as a leading advocate within the U.S. defense establishment for a joint strike with Israel against Iran’s nuclear facilities, opposing voices in the Trump administration who favored continued diplomacy with Tehran. According to the report, Israel hoped to strike Iran before Kurilla's departure.
Kurilla’s final year also included a controversial incident: an investigation was launched after he allegedly shoved an aircrew member during a flight to Israel over logistical issues. Although the standard practice is to suspend officers under investigation, Kurilla remained in his post.
CENTCOM denied any knowledge of a formal investigation, and Israeli defense officials say the incident did not affect their high regard for Kurilla, praising his hands-on involvement, pragmatic approach and consistent advocacy for Israel’s needs at the highest levels in Washington.