by Andrew Marshall

What is a Senior Officer Present Afloat?

Introduction Senior Officer Present Afloat, usually referred to as SOPA, is a US Navy term to indicate the US Navy officer, with the highest ranking by rank, or number in rank, present in a harbour occupied by more than one US Navy vessel. That officer is essentially commander of all US Navy operations afloat in… Read More

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by Andrew Marshall

What is an Officer in Tactical Command?

Introduction In NATO, the officer in tactical command (OTC) is the naval officer exercising tactical command of a group of ships in a tactical formation such as a task unit, task group, or task force. Outline Ships travelling together on a specific mission might have one of the commanding officers designated OTC. On occasion, an… Read More