The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as
United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protect ...
(USNORTHCOM) under the authority of the
Secretary of Defense. Originally formed as United States Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) in 1906, it has been an integral part of the defense of the United States of America since the early 20th century. In 2002, the Fleet comprised over 118,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel serving on 186 ships and in 1,300 aircraft, with an area of responsibility ranging over most of the Atlantic Ocean from the
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...
to the
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole, Terrestrial South Pole or 90th Parallel South, is one of the two points where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on Earth and lies antipod ...
, the
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
,
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
and South America (as far west as the
Galapagos Islands).
In 2006 the U.S. Atlantic Fleet was renamed United States Fleet Forces Command.
The command is based at
Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads
Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads (NSA HR) is a United States Navy Echelon 4 regional support commander that is responsible to Navy Region Mid-Atlantic for the operation and maintenance of the installation of the same name that it is headquarte ...
in
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
and is the Navy's service component to
U.S. Northern Command
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protect ...
and is the Joint Functional Maritime Component Command under the
U.S. Strategic Command.
The command's mission is to organize, man, train, and equip naval forces for assignment to Unified Command
Combatant commander
A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, ...
s; to deter, detect, and defend against homeland maritime threats; and to articulate Fleet warfighting and readiness requirements to the
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
.
History
Expansion and contraction
![President Theodore Roosevelt - NH 1836](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/President_Theodore_Roosevelt_-_NH_1836.jpg)
The Atlantic Fleet was established by President
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
in 1906, at the same time as the
Pacific Fleet, as protection for new bases in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
acquired as a result of the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
. The Fleet was a combination of the
North Atlantic Fleet
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the Nort ...
and the
South Atlantic Squadron
The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina. When th ...
.
The first commander of the fleet was
Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, who hoisted his flag in the
battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1880s to describe a type of ...
on 1 January 1906. The following year, he took his 16 battleships, now dubbed the
Great White Fleet, on a round-the-world cruise that lasted until 1909, a goodwill tour that also served the purpose of advertising the United States' naval strength and reach to all other nations of the globe.
In January 1913 the fleet consisted of six first-line divisions, a torpedo flotilla, submarines, and fleet auxiliaries. The fleet was under the command of Rear Admiral
Hugo Osterhaus
Hugo Osterhaus (15 June 1851 in Belleville, Illinois – 11 June 1927 in Castle Point, New York) was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. He was the son of Civil War Major General Peter J. Osterhaus (1823–1917) and father of Navy Admiral ...
.
* The First Division, under Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske, consisted of (flag), , and .
* The Second Division, under Rear Admiral Nathaniel R. Usher with his flag aboard the , consisted of , , , and .
* The Third Division, under Rear Admiral Cameron McR. Winslow, comprised (flag), , , , and .
* The Fourth Division, under Rear Admiral
Frank F. Fletcher, consisted of the , , , , and . (See
United States occupation of Veracruz
The United States occupation of Veracruz (April 21 to November 23, 1914) began with the Battle of Veracruz and lasted for seven months. The incident came in the midst of poor diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States, and was r ...
).
* Fifth and Sixth Divisions were made up of protected cruisers, , , , and , , , and .
The
Cruiser and Transport Force The Cruiser and Transport Service was a unit of the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet during World War I that was responsible for transporting American men and materiel to France.
Composition
On 1 July 1918, the Cruiser and Transport Force was ...
, under Rear Admiral
Albert Gleaves
Albert Gleaves (January 1, 1858 – January 6, 1937) was a decorated admiral in the United States Navy, also notable as a naval historian.
Biography
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Gleaves graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1877. A ...
served in Atlantic waters during World War I moving the
American Expeditionary Forces
The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...
to Europe.
United States Battleship Division Nine
United States Battleship Division Nine was a battleship division, division of four, later five, dreadnought battleships of the United States Navy's United States Fleet Forces Command, Atlantic Fleet that constituted the American contribution to t ...
joined the
Grand Fleet
The Grand Fleet was the main battlefleet of the Royal Navy during the First World War. It was established in August 1914 and disbanded in April 1919. Its main base was Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands.
History
Formed in August 1914 from the F ...
in the UK.
The Atlantic Fleet was reorganized into the
Scouting Force
The Scouting Fleet was created in 1922 as part of a major, post-World War I reorganization of the United States Navy. The Atlantic and Pacific fleets, which comprised a significant portion of the ships in the United States Navy, were combined into ...
in 1923, which was under the
United States Fleet
The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. The acronym CINCUS, pronounced "sink us", was used for Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. This was replaced by COMINCH in December 1941 ...
along with the Pacific Fleet. In January 1939 the Atlantic Squadron,
United States Fleet
The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. The acronym CINCUS, pronounced "sink us", was used for Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. This was replaced by COMINCH in December 1941 ...
, was formed,
with Vice Admiral
Alfred Wilkinson Johnson
Alfred Wilkinson Johnson (November 18, 1876 – December 5, 1963) was a career officer of the United States Navy who served in the Spanish–American War and World War I, commanded several ships, and served as Director of Naval Intelligence, reach ...
commanded. The aircraft carrier was transferred to the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
, to join three
battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1880s to describe a type of ...
s.
On 1 November 1940 the Atlantic Squadron was renamed the Patrol Force. The Patrol Force was organized into type commands: Battleships, Patrol Force; Cruisers, Patrol Force; Destroyers, Patrol Force; and, Train, Patrol Force (the logistics arms).
World War II
On 1 February 1941, the Atlantic Fleet was resurrected and organized from the
Patrol Force
The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Stat ...
. Along with the Pacific Fleet and
Asiatic Fleet
The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...
, the fleet was to be under the command of a full admiral, which jumped the fleet's commander
Ernest J. King
Ernest Joseph King (23 November 1878 – 25 June 1956) was an American naval officer who served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH-CNO, he directed the Un ...
from a two-star to a four-star. King's
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
was .
Subsequently, the headquarters was in a rather odd assortment of ships; the , then the old wooden ship , , and then . In 1948, the HQ moved into the former naval hospital at
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, and has remained there ever since.
In July 1942, eight months after the United States entered the war, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's
America and West Indies Station based at
Admiralty House, Bermuda
Admiralty House, Bermuda, was the official residence and offices for the senior officer of the Royal Navy in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, originally the Commander-in-Chief of the North America and West Indies Station.
Early Admiral ...
had his title changed to ''Senior British Naval Officer, Western Atlantic.'' visited Bermuda in September, 1941.
Composition of the Atlantic Fleet in December 1941
![USS Augusta (CA-31) underway at sea on 10 December 1942](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/USS_Augusta_%28CA-31%29_underway_at_sea_on_10_December_1942.jpg)
On 7 December 1941 the Fleet comprised a number of separate components:
*United States Atlantic Fleet - Commander:
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
Ernest J. King
Ernest Joseph King (23 November 1878 – 25 June 1956) was an American naval officer who served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH-CNO, he directed the Un ...
(Flagship: )
**Battleships, Atlantic Fleet (made up of three Battleship Divisions) - Commander:
Rear Admiral David M. LeBreton (Flagship: USS ''New York'')
**Aircraft, Atlantic Fleet (made up of one Carrier Division) - Commander: Rear Admiral Arthur B. Cook (Flagship: USS ''Yorktown'')
**Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet (made up of four Cruiser Divisions) - Commander: Rear Admiral
H. Kent Hewitt
Henry Kent Hewitt (February 11, 1887 – September 15, 1972) was the United States Navy commander of amphibious operations in north Africa and southern Europe through World War II. He was born in Hackensack, New Jersey and graduated from the Unit ...
(Flagship: USS ''Philadelphia'')
**Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet (made up of three Destroyer Flotillas) - Commander: Rear Admiral
Ferdinand L. Reichmuth
Vice Admiral Ferdinand Louis Reichmuth (April 11, 1881 – August 16, 1978) was an officer of the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II.
Biography
Reichmuth was born in Beloit, Kansas, the son of Ferdinand G. C. Reic ...
(Flagship: )
**Patrol Wings, Atlantic Fleet (made up of five Patrol Wings) - Commander: Rear Admiral Ernest McWhorter (Flagship: )
**Submarines, Atlantic Fleet (made up of four Submarine Squadrons) - Commander: Rear Admiral
Richard S. Edwards
Admiral Richard Stanislaus Edwards (18 February 1885 – 2 June 1956) served in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II.
Biography
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Edwards was appointed to the United States Naval Academy ...
(Flagship: )
§ = Divisional flagship
=Battleships, Atlantic Fleet
=
![USS Yorktown (CV-5) underway in April 1937 (80-G-1007384)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/USS_Yorktown_%28CV-5%29_underway_in_April_1937_%2880-G-1007384%29.jpg)
Battleships, Atlantic Fleet was made up of three
Battleship Divisions
*Battleship Division 3 (Rear Admiral
William R. Munroe
William Robert Munroe (April 8, 1886 – March 1, 1966) was a decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral. He trained as submarine commander and at the beginning of World War II, he served as Commander, Battleship D ...
)
**
**
** §
*Battleship Division 5 (Rear Admiral David M. LeBreton)
** §
**
**
*Battleship Division 6 (Rear Admiral
John W. Wilcox Jr.
John Walter Wilcox Jr. (22 March 1882 – 27 March 1942) was a rear admiral of the United States Navy. He saw service in World War I and in the opening weeks of United States involvement in World War II before being lost overboard from his fla ...
)
**
** §
Of these, Battleship Division 5 was a training unit consisting of the oldest remaining battleships in service, while Division 6 was responsible for working up the two most recently commissioned battleships, ''North Carolina'' and ''Washington''.
=Aircraft, Atlantic Fleet
=
*
*Carrier Division 3 (Rear Admiral Arthur B. Cook)
**
**
*
*
The aircraft carriers ''Yorktown'' and ''Long Island'' were directly attached to Aircraft, Atlantic Fleet, as was the newly commissioned ''Hornet'', which was in the process of working up.
=Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet
=
![USS Vincennes (CA-44) in Panama Canal 1938](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/USS_Vincennes_%28CA-44%29_in_Panama_Canal_1938.jpg)
*Cruiser Division 2 (Rear Admiral
Jonas H. Ingram
Admiral (United States), Admiral Jonas Howard Ingram (October 15, 1886 – September 9, 1952) was an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II. He commanded the United States Atlantic Fleet during World War II and was ...
)
**
**
**
** §
*Cruiser Division 7 (Rear Admiral
Robert C. Giffen)
**
**
**
** §
*Cruiser Division 8 (Rear Admiral H. Kent Hewitt)
**
** §
**
**
=Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet
=
*Destroyer Flotilla Three
**Destroyer Squadron 7
**Destroyer Squadron 9
**Destroyer Squadron 11
*Destroyer Flotilla Four
**Destroyer Squadron 2
**Destroyer Squadron 8
*Destroyer Flotilla Eight
**Destroyer Squadron 27
**Destroyer Squadron 30
**Destroyer Squadron 31
=Patrol Wings, Atlantic Fleet
=
*Patrol Wing Three
**
VP-31
(This article is about the 1960s-90s training squadron not the 1940s VPB-31 anti-submarine patrol squadron which operated from Key West)
VP-31, Patrol Squadron 31 was a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy. It was established on 30 ...
**
VP-32
VP-32 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 62 (VP-62) on 6 September 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 62 (VPB-62) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 62 (VP-62) on 15 May 19 ...
*Patrol Wing Five
**
VP-51
**
VP-52
VPB-52 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Torpedo Squadron 3D15 (VT-3D15) on 12 July 1928, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3-S (VP-3S) on 21 January 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 3 Base Force (VP-3F) ...
*Patrol Wing Seven
**
VP-71
**
VP-72
VP-7 was a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Bombing Squadron 119 (VB-119) on 15 August 1944, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 119 (VPB-119) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 119 (VP-119) on 15 Ma ...
**
VP-73
**
VP-74
*Patrol Wing Eight
**
VP-81
**
VP-82
=Submarines, Atlantic Fleet
=
*Submarine Squadron One
**Submarine Division 11
**Submarine Division 12
**Experimental Division 1
*Submarine Squadron Three
**Submarine Division 72
*Submarine Squadron Five
**Submarine Division 51
**Submarine Division 52
**Submarine Division 53
*Submarine Squadron Seven
**Submarine Division 31
**Submarine Division 4
**Submarine Division 71
=Other elements of the Atlantic Fleet
=
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
"Transports, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet" was part of this command (ComTransPhibLant). Smaller units included the Antisubmarine Development Detachment, Atlantic Fleet (ASDEVLANT) located at
Quonset Point, Rhode Island
Quonset Point (), also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Its name is widely known from the Quonset hut, which was first manufactured there. ''Quonset'' is an Algonq ...
. The detachment was responsible for the study and development of
antisubmarine
An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...
gear during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. The Commander of the detachment was known as COMASDEVLANT.
Admiral King was appointed Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, on 20 December 1941. Rear Admiral
Royal E. Ingersoll was designated, with the rank of vice admiral, to relieve him as Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet. He took command on 1 January 1942, and was advanced to the rank of admiral on 1 July 1942. To carry out this mission and other tasks CinCLant had in the meantime been reorganized, as of 1 March 1941, into ten task forces (commanded by flag officers) numbered from one to ten and named according to their intended employment.
Task Force One
Operation Sea Orbit was the 1964 around-the-world cruise of the United States Navy's Task Force One, consisting of USS ''Enterprise'' (CVAN-65), USS ''Long Beach'' (CGN-9), and USS ''Bainbridge'' (DLGN-25). This all-nuclear-powered unit steamed ...
was the Ocean Escort Force, TF2—Striking Force, TF3—Scouting Force, TF4—Support Force, TF5—Submarine Force, TF6—Naval Coastal Frontier Forces, TF7—Bermuda Force, TF8—Patrol Wings, TF9—Service Force, and
Task Force 10,
1st Marine Division (commanded by a Brigadier General).
Of many significant engagements,
Captain Daniel Gallery's capture of the
German submarine U-505
''U-505'' is a German Type IXC submarine built for Germany's ''Kriegsmarine'' during World War II. She was captured by the U.S. Navy on 4 June 1944.
In her uniquely unlucky career with the ''Kriegsmarine'', she had the distinction of being t ...
stands out. The capture was so top secret (because of the enigma code books captured) that the ship's flag was kept by the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet, and not handed over to Navy authorities until after the war.
Cold War
On 1 January 1946, Commander Minesweeping Forces, Atlantic Fleet (ComMinLant) was activated to command minesweepers assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. The Commander, Mine Forces, Atlantic was responsible for all Fleet minecraft operations. Units under his command were divided into Minesweeping Squadrons (MineRon)s.
Between 1947 and 1985, the fleet command was a concurrent appointment with the
United States Atlantic Command
United States Atlantic Command (acronym from 1947-1993 USLANTCOM, after 1993 USACOM) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United State ...
. The
Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) was traditionally a navy four-star admiral who also then held the positions of Commander-in-Chief
United States Atlantic Command
United States Atlantic Command (acronym from 1947-1993 USLANTCOM, after 1993 USACOM) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United State ...
(CINCLANT) and
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
's
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT). But after a major reorganization of the U.S. armed forces structure following the
Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986, CINCLANFLT was separated from the two other billets. The admiral commanding the Atlantic Fleet was designated as the Deputy Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Command until 1986.
Major crises the Atlantic Fleet was involved in during the Cold War included the 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...
and the
1965 United States occupation of the Dominican Republic.
The general purpose forces of the Army, Navy, and Air Force began to be reorganized in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis on 16 October 1962. The command organization, as finally developed, called for the Commander in Chief, Atlantic (CINCLANT), Admiral
Robert Dennison, to provide the unified command. He also retained control of all naval components involved in tactical operations, as the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet. The responsibility for Army and Air Force components was assigned to the Continental Army Command (CONARC) and the
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
under the designation of Army Forces, Atlantic (ARLANT), and Air Forces, Atlantic (AFLANT). The commander of the Army
XVIII Airborne Corps
The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America ...
was designated Joint Task Force Commander to plan for any joint operations that might become necessary. Over-all direction was exercised by the President and the Secretary of Defense through the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who named the
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
as their representative for the quarantine.
Major elements of the
Strategic Army Corps
The Strategic Army Corps (STRAC) was a command of the United States Army, with a mission of high readiness, active in the 1960s. In 1961 it was merged into the United States Strike Command (STRICOM). The word "STRAC" was also used to describe a w ...
were designated for use by ARLANT and placed in advanced alert status. Logistic support for the more than 100,000 men involved was directed by a newly established Peninsula Base Command. Preparatory steps were taken to make possible the immediate callup of high priority
Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
and
Army Reserve
A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...
units.
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
moved hundreds of tactical fighter, reconnaissance, and troop carrier aircraft to the southeast. To make room for all these units, the bombers, tankers, and other aircraft not required for the current operations were ordered to other bases in the United States.
From the late 1960s, nuclear ballistic missile submarines of the fleet began to make thousands of deterrent patrols. The first patrol in the Atlantic Fleet
area of operations In U.S. armed forces parlance, an area of operations (AO) is an operational area defined by the force commander for land, air, and naval forces conduct of combat and non-combat activities. Areas of operations do not typically encompass the entire ...
was made by .
In 1972, Commander, Anti-Submarine Warfare Force, Atlantic Fleet (Task Force 81) was headquartered at
Quonset Point Naval Air Station
Quonset Point Air National Guard Station is the home base of the Rhode Island Air National Guard 143d Airlift Wing. Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Point was a United States Navy, United States Naval Base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island that was de ...
. Under ASWFORLANTFLT was Hunter-Killer Force, Atlantic Fleet (Task Force 83), with
Carrier Divisions 14 and
16 (Wasp and Intrepid, respectively), as well as the Quonset ASW Group (TG 81.2) with
Fleet Air Wing 3
Fleet may refer to:
Vehicles
*Fishing fleet
*Naval fleet
*Fleet vehicles, a pool of motor vehicles
* Fleet Aircraft, the aircraft manufacturing company
Places
Canada
* Fleet, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet
England
* The Fleet Lagoon, at Chesil Beac ...
and surface units. More information on Anti-Submarine Warfare Force, Atlantic Fleet's, activities during the Cuban crisis can be found at the National Security Archive's document collections.
Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic
Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT) is a post within the United States Fleet Forces Command. As Naval Surface Force Atlantic, it is a military formation, but the organization is often known as SURFLANT. Its headquarters are ...
was formed on 1 July 1975, incorporating a number of previously separate smaller commands – mine warfare vessels/units, service vessels, and frigates, destroyers and cruisers, along with associated destroyer squadrons and cruiser/destroyer groups.
As part of a reorganization announced in July 1995 of the Atlantic Fleet's surface combatant ships into six core battle groups, nine destroyer squadrons, and a new Western Hemisphere Group, was reassigned to
Destroyer Squadron 24
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
. The re-organization was to be phased in over the summer and take effect 31 August 1995, with homeport shifts occurring through 1998. In September 1995 the following ship assignments were intended to apply at the end of the transitional period:
*
Western Hemisphere Group The Western Hemisphere Group was a United States Navy formation active from 1 September 1995 to 1999–2000. Headquarters was at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
In October 1996 Commander U.S. Second Fleet created Task Force 28, consisting of indepe ...
(to be homeported at
Naval Station Pascagoula and
Naval Station Mayport): , , (to move to Pascagoula in FY 98), , ''Conolly'', ''Scott,'' DDG-993, ''Moosebrugger'', ''Dewert'', ''McInerney'', ''Boone'', ''Doyle'', ''Aubrey Fitch'' and ''Stark.''
*Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2/Washington Battle Group: CGN-37, CG-60
*
Carrier Group 2/Stennis Joint Task Group: ,
*
Carrier Group 6
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second smal ...
/Kennedy/America Joint Task Group: , , and until ''Gates'' was transferred to the Western Hemisphere Group
*
Cruiser-Destroyer Group 8/Eisenhower Joint Task Group: ,
*
Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12/Enterprise Joint Task Group: ,
2000s
In February 2000,
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (also known as USNAVSO) is the naval element of United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). Its areas of operation include South America, Central America, the Caribbean and surrounding waters. Its headquarters ...
was established in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, and the Western Hemisphere Group became
Naval Surface Group 2
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...
.
On 1 October 2001, the
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
designated Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) as concurrent Commander, Fleet Forces Command (CFFC). In October–November 2002, the title of Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet was amended to Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMLANTFLT).
In the CNO Guidance for 2003, Admiral Vernon Clark stipulated that the terms
Carrier Battle Group
A carrier battle group (CVBG) is a naval fleet consisting of an aircraft carrier capital ship and its large number of escorts, together defining the group. The ''CV'' in ''CVBG'' is the United States Navy hull classification code for an ai ...
and
Amphibious Readiness Group
An amphibious ready group (ARG) of the United States Navy consists of a naval element—a group of warships known as an Amphibious Task Force (ATF)—and a landing force (LF) of U.S. Marines (and occasionally U.S. Army soldiers), in total about ...
would be replaced by
Carrier Strike Group
A carrier strike group (CSG) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least t ...
s (CSG) and
Expeditionary Strike Group
In the United States Navy, the expeditionary strike group (ESG) is a coordinated group of surface ships, aircraft, submarines, and other naval assets. In contrast to carrier strike groups (CSGs), which emphasize air power and are led by a super ...
s (ESGs), respectively, by March 2003. Cruiser-Destroyer (CRUDESGRU) and Carrier Groups (CARGRU) were also redesignated, as Carrier Strike Groups (CSG), and aligned directly under the numbered fleet commanders. CARGRU and CRUDESGRU staffs were formerly under the administrative authority of their respective air and surface
U.S. Navy type commands
U.S. Navy type commands perform administrative, personnel, and operational training functions in the United States Navy for a "type" of weapon system (e.g., naval aviation, submarine warfare, surface warships) within a fleet organization.
Aircraft ...
. This realignment allowed key operational leaders authority and direct access to the personnel required to more effectively accomplish the navy's mission.
The numbered fleet commanders are now responsible for the training and certification of the entire Strike Group. The organizational structure to support the carrier strike groups focuses more on placing Strike Group commanders under the authority of the certifying officer, or the numbered fleet commander. Under this new division of responsibility, the air-side type commander gains authority over the air wing, and the surface-side type commander gains authority over the carrier itself and the rest of the ships of the battle group.
On 23 May 2006, the Chief of Naval Operations renamed COMLANTFLT to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (COMUSFLTFORCOM or CUSFFC), ordered to carry out the missions currently performed by COMFLTFORCOM (CFFC) and serve as primary advocate for fleet personnel, training, requirements, maintenance, and operational issues, reporting administratively directly to the CNO as an Echelon 2 command. The previous title CFFC was disestablished at the same time. CUSFFC previously served as the Naval component of
US Joint Forces Command
United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond ...
(
USJFCOM) until the disestablishment of USJFCOM in August 2011. CFFC is also assigned as the supporting service component commander to Commander,
United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protect ...
(USNORTHCOM) as well as to Commander,
United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. Headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, USSTRATCOM is responsible for Strategic_nuclear_weapon, ...
(USSTRATCOM).
''Enterprise'' entered an ESRA in 2008, but the refit took longer than expected. Thus on 11 September 2009, it was announced that the carrier strike group deployment schedule would be changed to accommodate the delay in the return of the ''Enterprise'' from its current overhaul. This resulted in extending both
Carrier Strike Group Eleven
Carrier Strike Group 11 (CSG-11 or CARSTRKGRU 11) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.
The aircraft carrier is the strike group's current flagship. O ...
's 2009–2010 deployment and
Carrier Strike Group Ten
Carrier Strike Group 10, abbreviated as CSG-10 or CARSTRKGRU 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.
, CSG-10 consist of , the strike group's curre ...
's 2010 deployment to eight months. ''Enterprise'' returned to Naval Station Norfolk on 19 April 2010 after completing its post-overhaul sea trials, signifying the beginning of its pre-deployment training cycle.
On 24 July 2009, Admiral
John C. Harvey, Jr.
John Collins Harvey Jr. (born December 17, 1951) is a former United States Navy four-star admiral who last served as the 31st Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command from July 24, 2009 to September 14, 2012. He previously served as Director, ...
relieved Admiral
Jonathan W. Greenert as Commander.
2010s
News reports in July 2011 said that in connection with the disestablishment of the
United States Second Fleet
The United States Second Fleet is a numbered fleet in the United States Navy responsible for the East Coast and North Atlantic Ocean. The Fleet was established following World War II. In September 2011, Second Fleet was deactivated in view o ...
, Fleet Forces Command would take over Second Fleet's duties on 30 September 2011. Effectively this meant
Task Force 20
Task Force 20 is a temporary combat force designation that has been used several times and may still used by separate parts of the United States armed forces. The longer-established iteration was a part of the United States Second Fleet in the A ...
(TF 20), under a deputy commander of the fleet, took over that mission. Task Force 20 was succeeded by
Task Force 80
Task Force 80, abbreviated as TF-80, has been the designation of several U.S. Navy task forces, with its current use associated with the United States Fleet Forces Command headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
Historical antecedents ...
effective 1 October 2012, with TF-80 being under the command of the director of the Maritime Headquarters, Fleet Forces Command.
Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) provides worldwide meteorological and oceanographic data and analysis for the United States Navy and strategic allies of the United States. The center is based out of Monterey, Californi ...
(FNMOC),
United States Naval Observatory
United States Naval Observatory (USNO) is a scientific and military facility that produces geopositioning, navigation and timekeeping data for the United States Navy and the United States Department of Defense. Established in 1830 as the Depo ...
(USNO),
Naval Oceanographic Office
The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), located at John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi, comprises approximately 1,000 civilian, military and contract personnel responsible for providing oceanographic products and services to al ...
(NAVOCEANO), Naval Oceanography Operations Command, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Professional Development Center, were all realigned under
U.S. Navy Information Dominance Forces
Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) is an Echelon III command under US Fleet Forces Command, (USFLTFORCOM). It is the Type Command (TYCOM) for meteorology and oceanography, cryptology/SIGINT, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations, intel ...
on 1 October 2014.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015, the Optimized Fleet Response Plan will align carrier strike groups to a 36-month training and deployment cycle. All required maintenance, training, evaluations, plus a single eight-month overseas deployment, are scheduled throughout this 36-month cycle in order to reduce costs while increasing overall fleet readiness. This new plan streamlined the inspection and evaluation process while maintaining a surge capacity for emergency deployments. The ultimate objective is to reduce time at sea while increasing in-port time from 49% to 68%. While initially to be used by U.S. Navy carrier strike groups, the Optimized Fleet Response Plan will be adopted for all fleet operations.
Accordingly, the carrier will be the first carrier to deploy under this new O-FRP cycle, replacing the previously-scheduled ''Eisenhower'' in the deployment lineup. Additionally, the Carrier Strike Group Eight command staff will deploy with the ''Truman'' while the ''Eisenhower'' will serve as the new flagship for
Carrier Strike Group Ten
Carrier Strike Group 10, abbreviated as CSG-10 or CARSTRKGRU 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.
, CSG-10 consist of , the strike group's curre ...
.
On 2 December 2020, Secretary
Kenneth Braithwaite announced that U.S. Fleet Forces Command will be renamed back to United States Atlantic Fleet to focus more on the growing maritime threats coming from the Atlantic.
The renaming of the command has been placed on hold, pending further review of the U.S. military footprint, resources, strategy and missions, from the global force posture review.
Structure 2013
In accordance with the ''Navigation Plan 2013–2017'' guidance from the
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
, U.S. Fleet Forces Command was to be based upon the three tenets of war-fighting, forward operations, and readiness.
To achieve these objectives, Fleet Forces Command was realigned to a Maritime Operations Center (MOC) and Maritime Headquarters (MHQ) command structure. Additionally, the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (COMUSFLTFORCOM) is designated as the Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander North (JFMCC-N) to the
U.S. Northern Command
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protect ...
.
[ Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander North consists of two Maritime Command Elements (MCE), with Maritime Command Element-East (MCE-E) being ]Task Force 180
Task may refer to:
* Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context
* Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction
* Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplished ...
and Maritime Command Element-West (MCE-W) provided from units assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor†...
.
Effective 17 May 2013, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command was officially designated as the naval component commander for the U.S. Northern Command. In this new capacity, the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command is to contribute to the defense of North America through the coordination, collaboration, and communication with allied, coalition, and joint forces within the U.S. Northern Command's area of responsibility. Under this reorganization, the Commander, Navy Installations Command
Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) is an Echelon II shore command responsible for all shore installations under the control of the United States Navy. As an Echelon II command, it reports directly to the Chief of Naval Operations. It ...
is responsible for area coordination for U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command. Additionally, Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Navy Region Mid-Atlantic is one of eleven current naval regions responsible to Commander, Navy Installations Command for the operation and management of Naval shore installations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, K ...
is responsible for regional coordination for U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command.
Maritime Operations
The Maritime Operations directorate leads all phases of the pre-deployment fleet response training plan (FRTP) cycle involving those naval units assigned to the Fleet Forces Command. The directorate transitions all naval units from their operational phase to their tactical phase prior to their overseas deployment.[
The Director of Maritime Operations (DMO) is an active-duty two-star rear admiral in the ]U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
while the Deputy Director of Maritime Operations is a one-star rear admiral from the United States Naval Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Se ...
.[ As of 2013, the DMO was Rear Admiral Dan Cloyd. Maritime Operations is organized into the following directorates:][
* N2/39 – Intelligence and Information Warfare
* N3/N5 – Joint / Fleet Operations
** N31 – Maritime Operations Center (MOC)
* N041 – Global Force Management
* N042 – Force Protection
* N7 – Joint / Fleet Training
]
Maritime Headquarters
The Maritime Headquarters (MHQ) leads all phases prior to the pre-deployment training cycle, including resourcing, policy development, assessment, procurement, and pre-introduction of naval units assigned to the Fleet Forces Command. The MHQ transitions all naval units from their strategical phase to their operational phase prior to their pre-deployment training cycle, and in the capacity, it supports the Maritime Operations Center.[ The Director of Maritime Headquarters (DMHQ) is an active-duty two-star rear admiral in the ]U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
while the Deputy Director of Maritime Headquarters is a one-star rear admiral from the United States Naval Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Se ...
.[ As of July 2013, the DMHQ was Rear Admiral ]Bradley R. Gehrke
Bradley is an English surname derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "broad meadow" in Old English.
Like many English surnames Bradley can also be used as a given name and as such has become popular.
It is also an Anglicisation of t ...
. The Maritime Headquarters is organized into the following directorates:[
* N1 – Fleet Personnel Development and Allocation (including information architecture management and Navy Security Forces)
* N41 – Fleet Ordnance and Supply
* N43 – Fleet Maintenance
* N45/46 – Fleet Installations and Environment
* N6 – Fleet Communications and Information Systems
* N8/N9 – Fleet Capabilities, Requirements, Concepts, and Experimentation (including missile defense)
* N03FS – Fleet Safety and Occupational Health
* N03G – Fleet Religious Ministries
* N03H – Fleet Surgeon and Health Services
* N03M – Fleet Marine
]
Subordinate commands
U.S. Fleet Forces Subordinate Commands include the following:
, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Accessed 26 September 2012.
*U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command
**Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence
The Combined Joint Operations from the Sea - Centre of Excellence (CJOS COE) is a multinational military Centre of Excellence located in Norfolk, Virginia, accredited by NATO. The current director iVice Admiral Daniel Dwyerref> of the United Stat ...
(CJOS COE)
**President, Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV)
** Military Sealift Command (MSC)
** Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) (COMNAVMETOCCOM)
, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. Accessed 26 September 2012.
**Navy Munitions Command (NMC)
** Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC)
Type commands
All ships are organized into categories by type. Aircraft carriers, aircraft squadrons, and air stations are under the administrative control of the appropriate Commander Naval Air Force. Submarines come under the Commander Submarine Force. All other ships fall under Commander Naval Surface Force. Type commands for Fleet Forces Command include:
* Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet (AIRLANT)
* Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet (SUBLANT)
* Naval Surface Forces Atlantic (NAVSURFLANT)
* Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC)
* Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR)
Task forces
Functional mission task forces execute force-wide Fleet logistic functions as well as providing capabilities for Joint contingency operations. These functional mission task forces include:[
* ]Task Force 80
Task Force 80, abbreviated as TF-80, has been the designation of several U.S. Navy task forces, with its current use associated with the United States Fleet Forces Command headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
Historical antecedents ...
– Maritime Headquarters – Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (MHQ – COMUSFF)
* Task Force 83 – Logistics – Military Sealift Command Atlantic (LOG – MSCLANT)
* Task Force 84
Task may refer to:
* Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context
* Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction
* Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplished ...
– Theater Antisubmarine Warfare Commander – Commander Submarine Force (TASC – CSL)
* Task Force 85
Task may refer to:
* Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context
* Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction
* Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplished ...
– Mine Warfare – Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center – MIW Division (MIW – SMWDC MIW)
* Task Force 86
Task may refer to:
* Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context
* Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction
* Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplished ...
– Defense Support of Civil Authorities – Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) serves as the single functional command to centrally manage current and future readiness, resources, manning, training and equipping of the United States Navy's 21,000 expeditionary warfare, expeditionary ...
(DSCA – COMNECC)
* Task Force 87
Task may refer to:
* Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context
* Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction
* Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplished ...
– Reconnaissance – Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Group (RECON – CPRG)
* Task Force 89
Task may refer to:
* Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context
* Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction
* Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplish ...
– Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief – Expeditionary Strike Group Two (HADR – ESG 2)
* Task Force 883 – Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command
** Task Group 883.1 – Hampton Roads
** Task Group 883.2 – United States Fourth Fleet
The U.S. Fourth Fleet is a United States Navy numbered fleet. It is the Naval Component Command of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). The Fourth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. It is responsible for ...
** Task Group 883.5 – Military Sealift Command Atlantic (MSCLANT)
** Task Group 883.6 – Submarine Group 10
Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic (COMSUBLANT) is the Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet type commander under the United States Fleet Forces Command.
The principal responsibility of the Admiral commanding is to operate, maintain, train, and eq ...
(SUBGRU 10)
** Task Group 883.7 – Submarine Group 2 (SUBGRU 2)
** Task Group 883.8 – Naval aircraft – Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (a. k. a. COMNAVAIRLANT, AIRLANT, and CNAL) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. Type Co ...
** Task Group 883.9 – Naval Weapons Station Earle
Naval Weapons Station Earle is a United States Navy base in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Its distinguishing feature is a pier in Sandy Hook Bay where ammunition can be loaded and unloaded from warships at a safe distance from heavi ...
Joint operations task forces
When constituted as a joint-service task force for Joint warfare
Joint warfare is a military doctrine which places priority on the integration of the various service branches of a state's armed forces into one unified command. Joint warfare is in essence a form of combined arms warfare on a larger, national ...
operations, functional mission task forces for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command are given a 18X designation as shown below.[
* ]Task Force 180
Task may refer to:
* Task (computing), in computing, a program execution context
* Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction
* Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplished ...
– Maritime Headquarters – Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander North (MHQ – COMUSFF)
* Task Force 183 – Logistics – Military Sealift Command Atlantic (LOG – MSCLANT)
** Task Group 183.1 – Hampton Roads
** Task Group 183.2 – United States Fourth Fleet
The U.S. Fourth Fleet is a United States Navy numbered fleet. It is the Naval Component Command of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). The Fourth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. It is responsible for ...
** Task Group 183.5 – Military Sealift Command Atlantic (MSCLANT)
** Task Group 183.6 – Submarine Group Ten (SUBGRU 10)
** Task Group 183.7 – Submarine Group Two (SUBGRU 2)
** Task Group 183.8 – Naval aircraft – Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
** Task Group 183.9 – Naval Weapons Station Earle
Naval Weapons Station Earle is a United States Navy base in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Its distinguishing feature is a pier in Sandy Hook Bay where ammunition can be loaded and unloaded from warships at a safe distance from heavi ...
* Task Force 184 – Theater Antisubmarine Warfare Commander – Commander Submarine Force (TASC – COMNAVSUBFOR)
* Task Force 185 – Mine Warfare – Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center – MIW Division (MIW – SMWDC MIW)
* Task Force 186 – Defense Support of Civil Authorities – Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) serves as the single functional command to centrally manage current and future readiness, resources, manning, training and equipping of the United States Navy's 21,000 expeditionary warfare, expeditionary ...
(DSCA – COMNECC)
* Task Force 187 – Reconnaissance – Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Group (RECON – CPRG)
* Task Force 189 – Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief – Expeditionary Strike Group Two (HADR – ESG 2)
List of commanders
See also
*List of units of the United States Navy
This article is a list of commands of the United States Navy.
The list is organized along administrative chains of command (CoC), and does not include the CNO's office or shore establishments.
Deployable/operational U.S. Navy units typically ...
*United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harborâ ...
U.S. Armed Forces operations commands
*United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) is the largest United States Army command. It provides expeditionary, regionally engaged, campaign-capable land forces to combatant commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM con ...
*United States Marine Corps Forces Command
Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (COMMARFORCOM), headquartered at the Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads in Norfolk, Virginia, commands service retained-operating forces; executes force sourcing and synchronization to affect force ge ...
*Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
* Air Force Global Strike Command
*Space Operations Command
Space Operations Command (SpOC) is the United States Space Force's space operations, cyber operations, and intelligence field command. It is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado and serves as the U.S. Space Force's service ...
Notes
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
U.S. Fleet Forces Command
official website
U.S. Fleet Forces Command website
Former commanders of U.S. Fleet Forces Command
History
(U.S. Fleet Forces Command website)
{{US Navy navbox
Commands of the United States Navy
Organizations based in Norfolk, Virginia
Military in Norfolk, Virginia
Military units and formations established in 1906
1906 establishments in the United States