United States Sixth Fleet
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United States Sixth Fleet |
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|---|---|
 Association badge |
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| Lineup | February 12, 1950 |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Armed forces | United States Armed Forces |
| Armed forces | United States Navy |
| Type | fleet |
| Insinuation | United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa |
| Location | Naples , Italy |
| Commander | |
| Vice admiral | Lisa M. Franchetti |
The United States Sixth Fleet ( German 6th US fleet ) is the fleet of the US Navy responsible for the Mediterranean and the entire eastern Atlantic . She is one of the six active fleets of the United States Naval Forces. Its main base is in Gaeta and its headquarters are at Naples-Capodichino Airport (Naval Support Activity Naples) in Italy . It is part of the United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF). The fleet was originally only stationed in the Mediterranean , but from 2011 also partially took over the area of responsibility of the dissolved 2nd US fleet in the Atlantic .
The Sixth Fleet consists of several surface combat ships and aircraft in combat and support units, which are divided into at least one aircraft carrier combat group , an amphibious group, a naval expedition unit (MEU), a logistics group and a submarine group.
Area of responsibility
The area of responsibility of the 6th US fleet and thus also of the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa consists of almost half the Atlantic from the North Pole with the Barents Sea , the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as well as the Mediterranean Sea with the Adriatic and the Black Sea , to the south-east Atlantic with Antarctica and the south-west Indian Ocean .
organization
The US 6th Fleet is currently divided into the following task forces :
- Task Force 63 (CTF-63): Logistics forces, including supply ships, tankers and in collaboration with the Sealift Logistics Command (SEALOGEUR) of the Military Sealift Command .
- Task Force 64 (CTF-64): Air and missile defense including strategic ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) as well as the land-based Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System of the Naval Support Facility (NSF) in Devesulu , Romania
- Task Force 65 (CTF-65): At its core the Commander Destroyer Squadron (CDS-65) with several surface combat vessels. Until 2011 as Task Force 60 (CTF-60) always consisting of an aircraft carrier combat group .
- Task Force 67 (CTF-67): Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Defense
- Task Force 68 (CTF-68): Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
- Task Force 69 (CTF-69): Submarine Location and Anti-Submarine Defense
Before that, there was Task Force 61 (CTF-61) with the amphibious component, e.g. with helicopter carriers, dock landing ships and Task Force 62 (CTF-62) as landing component with a marine battalion and loaded tanks, artillery and pioneering equipment on amphibious landing ships.
history
The 6th US fleet was formed on February 12, 1950 from the United States Sixth Task Fleet, founded in 1948, which in turn was made up of the United States Naval Forces Mediterranean (NAVMED).
During the Cold War , the US 6th Fleet was the maritime backbone in NATO's Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH) command area to protect the southern flank against the Warsaw Pact and was part of the Defense Alliance of Naval Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe (STRIKEFORSOUTH), since 2004 to the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO). Geopolitically, the Mediterranean is the main supply route u. a. of petroleum and it was due to the activities of the Black Sea Fleet , the 5th Eskadra of the Soviet Navy and the Soviet merchant ships. The straits of the Bosporus , the Dardanelles , the Strait of Gibraltar , the Strait of Sicily and the Suez Canal were important . Monitoring, reconnaissance as well as containment and intervention in crises in Egypt, Libya and Lebanon have also been part of the fleet’s area of responsibility in the past decades.
From 1950 to 1980 there were in fact always two aircraft carrier combat groups in the fleet.
After France left the military organization of NATO in 1962, the home port of the fleet was moved from Villefranche-sur-Mer to Gaeta in Italy.
On September 20, 2005, the US Naval Forces Europe were merged with the 6th US fleet. The commander of the NAVEUR has commanded US Naval Forces Europe and JFC Naples since 2005 , with his deputy being in command of the 6th US fleet stationed in Gaeta , Italy. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) was established on October 1, 2007 and has been active since October 1, 2008. The United States Naval Forces Africa and the United States Naval Forces Europe share the structures and resources.
List of previous flagships of the 6th US fleet
- USS Newport News (CA-148)
- USS Salem (CA-139)
- USS Des Moines (CA-134)
- USS Columbus (CG-12)
- USS Northampton (CLC-1)
- USS Springfield (CL-66)
- USS Little Rock (CLG-4)
- USS Boston (CAG-1)
- USS Albany (CG-10)
- USS Puget Sound (AD-38)
- USS Coronado (AGF-11)
- USS Belknap (CG-26)
- USS La Salle (AGF-3)
- USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20)
Web links
- Official site of the US 6th Fleet (English)