05-04-2018, 08:07 PM
Quote:Faced with a more active Russian fleet and increasing military competition across the world, the Navy has elected to reestablish U.S. 2nd Fleet to manage assets closer to the homeland, according to a memo announcing the command obtained by USNI News.
The memo, signed by Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer earlier this week, approved reestablishing the command in Norfolk, Va., based on a recommendation of outgoing U.S. Fleet Forces Command commander Adm. Phil Davidson and endorsed by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson.
“As previously briefed to you by the CNO, the re-establishment of SECOND Fleet was directed to better respond to the changing security environment,” reads the memo.
“Commander, SECOND Fleet will exercise training and operational authorities over assigned ships, aircraft, and landing forces in conducting maritime, joint and combined operations in support of designated Unified and Allied Commanders.”
The command will stand up July 1 and will have an initial manning of 11 officers and four enlisted personnel. The staff will eventually grow to 85 officers, 164 enlisted and seven civilians.
“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,” Richardson said Friday during the Fleet Forces change of command ceremony in Norfolk.
“That’s why today, we’re standing up 2nd Fleet to address these changes, particularly in the North Atlantic.”
While the command now exists on paper, the service still needs to work through specifics such as the rank of the commander and how the command and control relationships will work with the joint combatant commands. In its last iteration, a three-star oversaw 2nd Fleet before the command merged with U.S. Fleet Forces in 2011.
Link