An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 81 prepares to launch in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from the flight deck aboard the carrier Harry S. Truman. (MC2 Thomas Gooley/U.S. Navy)
Reuters: With an eye on Russia, U.S. Navy re-establishing its Second Fleet
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States Navy is re-establishing its Second Fleet, responsible for the northern Atlantic Ocean, nearly seven years after it was disbanded as the Pentagon puts countering Russia at the heart of its military strategy.
“Our National Defense 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,” Chief of U.S. Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson said on Friday.
“Second Fleet will exercise operational and administrative authorities over assigned ships, aircraft and landing forces on the East Coast and northern Atlantic Ocean,” Richardson said.
A U.S. Navy official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said a number of decisions, like who would command Second Fleet and what assets it would include, had not yet been made and it was unclear when the fleet would be operational.
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Update: The US Navy’s new command puts Russia in the crosshairs (Defense News)
WNU Editor: In 2011, the fleet was disbanded for cost-saving and organizational structure reasons. No more now.
