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
-
![Canada begins work on heavy polar icebreaker to protect its high-Arctic sovereignty]()
Canada begins work on heavy polar icebreaker to protect its high-Arctic sovereignty
The vessel, made under the auspices of the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, will be the first heavy icebreaker built in Canada for over six decades.
-
![Fincantieri begins steel-cutting on FREMM EVO frigates for the Italian Navy]()
Fincantieri begins steel-cutting on FREMM EVO frigates for the Italian Navy
The two new frigates are expected to enter service by 2030.
-
![BAE Systems to provide missile tubes to Block VI Virginia-class submarines]()
BAE Systems to provide missile tubes to Block VI Virginia-class submarines
The construction of the Block V submarines is still ongoing, with none of the ten boats yet commissioned.
-
![Desan Shipyard to build Malaysia’s largest ever coast guard vessel]()
Desan Shipyard to build Malaysia’s largest ever coast guard vessel
The vessel should join the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in 2017.
-
![US Navy tests Aegis combat system for hypersonic missile defence]()
US Navy tests Aegis combat system for hypersonic missile defence
The Arleigh Burke destroyer USS Pinckney undertook the tests against a simulated SM-6 missile.
-
![Royal Navy destroyer completes UAV live-fire exercise before heading to the Indo-Pacific]()
Royal Navy destroyer completes UAV live-fire exercise before heading to the Indo-Pacific
HMS Dauntless ran a full UAV test to mimic potential real-world threats.
