The Navy's authorization to command and direct operations is referred to as what?

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Command authority is the formal power to command and direct forces to accomplish missions. In Navy doctrine, this authorized power comes from higher authority and covers organizing units, assigning missions, directing actions, and controlling resources so that operations unfold with a unified purpose. It goes beyond simply telling forces what to do in a single operation; it provides the overarching legal and operational basis to shape the force, reassign assets, and make long-term decisions about how to mount an effort.

Operational Control, by contrast, is more focused on directing the execution of specific tasks within a given operation. It governs how a commander uses forces to achieve a mission, but it doesn't automatically confer the broad authority to reorganize forces or set overall strategy. The term that fits the description of authorization to command and direct operations is command authority.