US Navy looks to re-establish North Atlantic fleet
The US Navy (USN) will re-establish its Second Fleet to conduct maritime operations in the North Atlantic, in a move that could be interpreted as intended to counter Russian naval movements.
In a release issued by the US Navy on 4 May, it was revealed that the fleet will exercise operational and administrative authorities over assigned ships, aircraft and landing forces on the US’ east coast and northern Atlantic Ocean.
‘Our National Defence Strategy makes clear that we're back in an era of great power competition as the security environment continues to grow more challenging and complex,’ said USN chief of naval operations, Adm John Richardson.
‘That's why today, we're standing up Second Fleet to address these changes, particularly in the North Atlantic.’
Second Fleet was disestablished in 2011 and many of its personnel, assets and responsibilities were merged into US Fleet Forces.
Meanwhile the US DoD announced on 4 May that it had officially offered to host the proposed NATO Joint Force Command (JFC) for the Atlantic at its naval facilities in Norfolk, Virginia. The naval base is the largest such facility in the world, hosting dozens of warships and support vessels.
The DoD said that JFC-Norfolk would ‘ensure that NATO can successfully conduct operations across the full spectrum of alliance missions in the trans-Atlantic region’.
A decision of the final location of the facility will be made in the summer.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Navantia combat systems selected for Chinese-built Thai LPD]()
Navantia combat systems selected for Chinese-built Thai LPD
The landing platform dock, believed to be the largest naval vessel that China has exported, will see the Chinese-built vessel embrace Western technology.
-
![Why USNORTHCOM would struggle to defeat China in the Arctic]()
Why USNORTHCOM would struggle to defeat China in the Arctic
Not having enough naval and C4ISR capabilities to patrol and monitor the region would the US at risk in a conflict with China in the Arctic region.
-
![How will NATO’s Baltic Sentry work to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea?]()
How will NATO’s Baltic Sentry work to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea?
The rise in incidents of damage to subsea cabling in the Baltic Seahas driven NATO to commit to bolstering the action of local navies. But how effective can it be?
-
![GAO recommends better oversight of support for shipyards in the face of capacity concerns]()
GAO recommends better oversight of support for shipyards in the face of capacity concerns
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) believes the US industrial base will struggle to meet US Navy (USN) requirements. This follows recent warnings from USN heads of a decline in resources and that the industrial base is under strain.
-
![Lockheed Martin wins three new DoD naval contracts including on Littoral Combat Ships]()
Lockheed Martin wins three new DoD naval contracts including on Littoral Combat Ships
Lockheed Martin has won contracts and contract modifications on systems and platforms ranging from missile systems and naval helicopters to Littoral Combat Ships.
