Commanding Officer
Cmdr. Brian X. Conlan
Cmdr. Brian X. Conlan is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and received his commission through Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL and was designated a naval aviator in 2006.
Operationally, Conlan has deployed to the CENTCOM, INDOPACOM, EUCOM, AFRICOM, and SOUTHCOM areas of responsibility. At Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 10 he served as pilot training officer and assistant operations officer. During his department head tour at VP-45 he served as tactics officer, safety-Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) officer, training officer, and maintenance officer. He qualified as a functional check flight pilot, instructor pilot, mission commander, and special mission aircraft commander. Afloat, he served as aide-de-camp to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 aboard both the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69).
His shore tours include Commander, Task Force 67 Turkey as levant desk officer and assistant officer-in-charge of tactical operations center, Naval Air Station Sigonella; military advisor to the US State Department; and member of the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Strategic Innovation Group.
He has more than 2,000 flight hours in various aircraft and is entitled to wear the Air Medal (1st Strike/Flight Award) and other personal, unit, and service awards.
In May 2021, Conlan assumed the duties as commanding officer of Unmanned Patrol Squadron (VUP) 19.