Washington: Admiral Lisa Franchetti was nominated by President Joe Biden on Friday to lead the Navy, breaking a gender barrier in the US military by making her the first woman to command the Navy and join the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Biden's choice is unexpected. Pentagon officials widely anticipated Admiral Samuel Paparo, who commands the Navy in the Pacific and has experience dealing with the escalating Chinese threat, to receive the nomination.

Franchetti, who serves as the Navy's vice chief of operations at the moment, was one of the candidates thought to be vying for the job.

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Biden mentioned Franchetti's 38 years of expertise in a statement.

In a statement, Biden noted that Admiral Franchetti was only the second woman to hold the rank of four-star admiral in the US Navy. "Throughout her career, Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and policy arenas," Biden said.

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Franchetti is not the first female commander of a US military branch. Admiral Linda Fagan was chosen by Biden to lead the US Coast Guard last year.

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However, the coast guard officially belongs to the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense (DoD). As the DoD's chief, Franchetti would become the first woman to head a military service.