US Navy re-launches 2nd Fleet in response to Russia expansion
- 6 years ago
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA — The U.S. Navy has officially reactivated the Cold War-era Second Fleet in response to increased Russian military expansion.
The fleet was originally set up in the beginning of the Cold War, with the main objective of supporting NATO against the Soviet Union.
According to Politico, the move comes amid a recent surge in Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic.
According to CNN, NATO and U.S. officials have said that Russian naval activity is at its highest since the end of the Cold War.
The 2nd Fleet located in Norfolk, Virginia, which was deactivated in 2011, will be assigned ships, aircraft and Marine landing forces that can be deployed along the East Coast and in the North Atlantic.
Vice Adm. Andrew "Woody" Lewis, who took command of the new headquarters last Friday, said he and his staff will "aggressively and quickly rebuild this command into an operational warfighting organization.
According to CNN, officials say the Atlantic fleet will work with naval units like Naval Forces Europe and the Fourth and Sixth Fleets while focusing on joint, integrated training and operations in "high-end of naval warfare."
The fleet will once again support NATO and the NATO Joint Force Command for the Atlantic which will be located in Norfolk as well.
The fleet was originally set up in the beginning of the Cold War, with the main objective of supporting NATO against the Soviet Union.
According to Politico, the move comes amid a recent surge in Russian submarine activity in the Atlantic.
According to CNN, NATO and U.S. officials have said that Russian naval activity is at its highest since the end of the Cold War.
The 2nd Fleet located in Norfolk, Virginia, which was deactivated in 2011, will be assigned ships, aircraft and Marine landing forces that can be deployed along the East Coast and in the North Atlantic.
Vice Adm. Andrew "Woody" Lewis, who took command of the new headquarters last Friday, said he and his staff will "aggressively and quickly rebuild this command into an operational warfighting organization.
According to CNN, officials say the Atlantic fleet will work with naval units like Naval Forces Europe and the Fourth and Sixth Fleets while focusing on joint, integrated training and operations in "high-end of naval warfare."
The fleet will once again support NATO and the NATO Joint Force Command for the Atlantic which will be located in Norfolk as well.