Rear Adm. Richard T. Brophy
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic
A native of Carmel, California, Rear Adm. Richard T. Brophy received his commission in 1991 from the U.S. Naval Academy, and in 1994 was designated a Naval Aviator. He is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), Troy State University, U.S. Naval War College, and was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Seminar XXI fellow.
Brophy’s operational assignments include tours with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 and VFA-81. He has completed deployments on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS George Washington (CVN 73), USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).
His shore assignments include an instructor tour with VFA-106; aide/flag lieutenant to the commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command; Sea Strike branch head to OPNAV Analysis and Assessment Division (N81); deputy executive assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations; head, Carrier Strike Aircraft and Programs (N98) and executive assistant to OPNAV N3N5.
Command tours include Chief of Naval Air Training; Carrier Strike Group 4; Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center; Carrier Air Wing 9 and VFA-115.
Brophy assumed the duties and responsibilities as Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic in September 2025.
Brophy has logged over 4,300 flight hours, 100 combat missions, and accumulated over 1,000 carrier-arrested landings. He was the 2017 “Tailhooker of the Year” awarded by the Tailhook Association. His decorations include the Legion of Merit (six awards), Bronze Star, Joint Meritorious Service Award, Meritorious Service Award, individual Air Medal with Combat “V.” Strike/Flight Air Medals (five awards), and other personal, campaign, and service ribbons.