DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
2000 NAVY PENTAGON
WASHINGTON DC 20350-2000
OPNAVINST 3121.1F
N3/N5
15 Oct 2020
OPNAV INSTRUCTION 3121.1F
From: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj: DISTRIBUTION OF OPERATION ORDERS AND PLANS OF NAVY COMPONENT
COMMANDERS
1. Purpose. To standardize the distribution of Operation Orders (OPORD) and Operation Plans
(OPLAN) of Navy component commanders to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). This
instruction is being reissued with a new date, updated version and signature authority to comply
with NAVADMIN 268/18, which requires Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV)
instructions be less than than 10 years old.
2. Cancellation. OPNAVINST 3121.1E.
3. Scope and Applicability. All Navy component commanders shall ensure links to the current
revision of all orders and plans listed in paragraph 4 are available on their Secret Internet
Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET) or Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network
(NIPRNET) as appropriate.
4. Action. Navy component commanders shall make the following orders and plans available
to the CNO via SIPRNET or NIPRNET.
a. Standing OPORDs and OPLANs of fleet and task force commanders in operational
control of important phases of major fleet exercises.
b. OPORDs and OPLANs other than those above are at the discretion of the commanders
concerned. OPORDs concerning routine movements, type, and refresher or shakedown training
exercises are not required.
5. Records Management. Records created as a result of this instruction, regardless of media and
format, shall be managed per Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Manual 5210.1 of September
2019.
6. Review and Effective Date. Per OPNAVINST 5215.17A, Director for Operations and Plans
(N3) will review this instruction annually on the anniversary of its issuance date to ensure
applicability, currency, and consistency with Federal, Department of Defense, SECNAV, and
Navy policy and statutory authority using OPNAV 5215/40 Review of Instruction. This
instruction will be in effect for ten years, unless revised or cancelled in the interim, and will be
reissued by the ten-year anniversary date if it is still required, unless it meets one of the
exceptions in OPNAVINST 5215.17A, paragraph 9.
