Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic

Last updated
Naval Surface Force Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT)
COMNAVSURFLANT.png
Naval Surface Force Atlantic crest
Active1 July 1975 to date.
Country United States of America
Branch United States Navy
Type U.S. Navy type commands
RoleAdministrative control over certain assets
Part of United States Fleet Forces Command
Garrison/HQ Naval Station Norfolk
Website Official Website
Commanders
CommanderRDML Joseph F. Cahill III, USN [1]
Deputy CommanderRDML Marc S. Lederer, USN [2]
Force Master ChiefFORCM Jason Knupp, USN [3]

The 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, and the organization is often known as SURFLANT. Its headquarters are at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. [4] The current commander is Rear Admiral Brendan R. McLane. [5] COMNAVSURFLANT supervises all surface ships based on the Eastern United States and Gulf Coast of the United States, as well as ships forward deployed to Naval Station Rota, Spain.

Contents

Overview

Naval Surface Force Atlantic is one of the U.S. Navy type commands. It consists of more than 70 ships, 25 separate organizations, and 25,000 personnel. [6] The command was created on 1 July 1975 by the consolidation of the previous Commander, Amphibious Forces, Atlantic Fleet (COMPHIBLANT), Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Forces, Atlantic Fleet (COMCRUDESLANT), Commander, Service Forces, Atlantic Fleet (COMSERVLANT), and Commander, Minesweeping Force, Atlantic Fleet. [7]

The Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, was established after the First World War. The Force was redesignated as Destroyer Squadron, Atlantic, on October 1, 1921; later to be redesignated again as Destroyer Squadron, Scouting Fleet, U.S. Fleet, on December 8, 1922. With the change in designations in the Fleet, the destroyers were established as Destroyer Squadron, Scouting Force, U.S. Fleet. From October 1, 1937, to July 3, 1940, units of this squadron were transferred continually to the Pacific Fleet. The outbreak of war in Europe reversed this trend.

On July 3, 1940, there were again enough destroyers in the Atlantic to establish a type command, which became known as Destroyers, Atlantic Squadron, U.S. Fleet. When in November 1940, the Atlantic Squadron became the Patrol Force; the destroyer command was renamed Destroyers, Patrol Force, U.S. Fleet. On February 3, 1941, with the reorganization of the Navy and the dissolution of the Patrol Force; the U.S. Atlantic Fleet formed and Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet came into being. On 1 April 1962, the Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Atlantic (CruDesLant), was formed by the merger of the former cruiser and destroyer type commands. USS Yosemite (AD-19), the former DesLant flagship, became the CruDesLant flagship. COMCRUDESLANT was originally headquartered at Naval Station Newport, RI, but transferred to Norfolk in the early 1970s.

Previously, Commander, Service Forces, Atlantic Fleet (COMSERVLANT), referred to both the U.S. Navy officer serving in that appointment which was extant from before World War II to 1975, and the command he headed, Service Forces, Atlantic Fleet (SERVLANT). He was the commander of all Atlantic Fleet "service"-type ships, such as oilers, tankers, ammunition ships, reefer ships, cargo ships, supply ships, repair ships, and the like. These ships were non-combatant and were intended only to support the warships as they required supplies. ComServLant was a very large organization during World War II, and its sub-units were termed Service Squadrons (ServRons). From the late 1970s more and more service ships were transferred to Military Sealift Command; for example USS Truckee (AO-147) was transferred to MSC in January 1980.

Amphibious Forces, Atlantic Fleet (PHIBLANT), came under the command of Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright on November 24, 1948. He held it until November 1, 1950. [8] Based at the Norfolk Naval Station, Wright was responsible for three major subordinate commands, Amphibious Group 2, Amphibious Group 4 (commanded by Eugene B. Fluckey from October 1960 to November 1961) and the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek. COMPHIBLANT also included Amphibious Training, an Amphibious Air Control Group, a Naval Beach Group, a Detached Group, and a Mediterranean Group. Wright's flagship was the USS Taconic (AGC-17), an Adirondack-class amphibious force command ship. [9] The most significant accomplishment during Wright's tour of duty as COMPHIBLANT was PORTREX, a multi-service amphibious assault exercise held from February 25 to March 11, 1950. PORTREX was the largest peacetime amphibious exercise up to that time and it was staged to evaluate joint doctrine for combined operations, test new equipment under simulated combat conditions and provide training for the defense of the Caribbean. Amphibious Group 4 later took part in operations in the Dominican Republic in 1965. [10]

In April 1994, Commander, Destroyer Squadron 6 (COMDESRON 6) changed homeport to Pascagoula, Mississippi and subsequently was dual hatted as Commander, Naval Surface Group Pascagoula. In January 1996, as a result of an Atlantic Fleet reorganization, Commander, Naval Surface Group Pascagoula was renamed Commander, Regional Support Group Pascagoula.

As part of a reorganization announced in July 1995 of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's surface combatant ships into six core battle groups, nine destroyer squadrons, and a new Western Hemisphere Group, USS John Hancock (DD-981) was reassigned to Destroyer Squadron 24. The re-organization was to be phased in over the summer and take effect 31 August 1995, with homeport shifts occurring through 1998.

At the end of the transitional period, the following ship assignments were to apply:

Western Hemisphere Group (WESTHEMGRU) was established in September 1995 and eventually supervised Destroyer Squadron 6 and Destroyer Squadron 14 as well as a Coast Guard squadron.(FAS.org, GlobalSecurity.org) It was intended to build expertise on the Caribbean and Central/South America. In April 1998, as the result of yet another reorganization, COMDESRON 6 shifted operational control to Commander, Western Hemisphere Group, and was redesignated as a Tactical Squadron. Around 1998, the squadron included Hall, Ticonderoga, and Yorktown. In December 1999, COMDESRON 6 was redesignated as a Tactical/Readiness Squadron under the operational control of Commander, Naval Surface Group 2. [11] At one point, the composition of Destroyer Squadron 6 included FFG-16 at Mayport, FFG-22 at Charleston, SC, USS Samuel Eliot Morison (FFG-13) at Charleston, SC, FFG 15 at Norfolk, and FFG 20 and FFG 21 at Pascagoula.

Commander Naval Surface Group Two was established 18 February 2000 and Western Hemisphere Group was disestablished the same day.

Effective 1 October 2001, the U.S. Navy designated a "Lead-Follow" arrangement among its type commands wherein one type commander was designated the senior lead for the specific "type" of weapon system (i.e., naval aviation, submarine warfare, surface warships) throughout the entire operating U.S. Fleet as it pertains to modernization needs, training initiatives, and operational concept development. From that date, these designated fleet TYCOM commanders were to provide guidance to their respective "type" forces via the lead-follow TYCOM arrangement. [12]

The Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMNAVSURFPAC) was designated as the Commander, Naval Surface Forces (COMNAVSURFOR) for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, with the Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT), serving as his deputy. COMNAVSURFOR is responsible for modernization needs, training initiatives, and operational concept development for the surface warfare community throughout the U.S. Navy's operational fleet. [12] [13] It appears that as a result, the COMNAVSURFLANT post was lowered to a Rear Admiral's post instead of the previous Vice Admiral.

Force composition in 2010

  • Patrol Craft [14]
    • Patrol Craft Crew Alpha
    • Patrol Craft Crew Bravo
    • Patrol Craft Crew Charlie
    • Patrol Craft Crew Delta
    • Patrol Craft Crew Echo
    • Patrol Craft Crew Foxtrot
    • Patrol Craft Crew Golf
    • Patrol Craft Crew Hotel
    • Patrol Craft Crew India
    • Patrol Craft Crew Juliet
    • Patrol Craft Crew Kilo
    • Patrol Craft Crew Lima
    • Patrol Craft Crew Mike
  • Support Facilities and Activities [14]
  • Afloat Training Group, Atlantic [14]
    • Afloat Training Group Ingleside
    • Afloat Training Group Mayport

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Cole</i> (DDG-67) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Cole (DDG-67) is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis-equipped guided missile destroyer home-ported in Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Cole is named in honor of Marine Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, a machine-gunner killed in action on Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945, during World War II. Cole is one of 62 authorized Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, and one of 21 members of the Flight I-class that used the 5 in(127 mm)/54 caliber gun mounts found on the earliest of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The ship was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding and was delivered to the Navy on 11 March 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Fleet Forces Command</span> Service component command of the United States Navy

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 States Northern Command (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 to the South Pole, the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Central and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Sixth Fleet</span> Numbered fleet of the United States Navy

The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixth Fleet in 2011 is that it "conducts the full range of Maritime Operations and Theater Security Cooperation missions, in concert with coalition, joint, interagency, and other parties, in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa." The current commander of the Sixth Fleet is Vice Admiral Thomas E. Ishee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Seventh Fleet</span> Numbered fleet of the United States Navy

The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with 50 to 70 ships, 150 aircraft and 27,000 Sailors and Marines. Its principal responsibilities are to provide joint command in natural disaster or military operations and operational command of all US naval forces in the region.

USS <i>Merrill</i> (DD-976) Spruance-class destroyer

USS Merrill (DD-976), named for Rear Admiral Aaron Stanton Merrill USN (1890–1961), was a Spruance-class destroyer that entered service with the United States Navy in 1978. Merrill served as the US Navy's test platform for the Tomahawk cruise missile. In the 1980s, the destroyer took part in Operation Earnest Will in the Persian Gulf during heightened tensions with Iran. The destroyer was decommissioned in 1998. The vessel was used as a target ship in 2003 and sunk off Hawaii in 2003.

USS <i>Stump</i> Spruance-class destroyer

USS Stump (DD-978) was a Spruance-class destroyer built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. The USS Stump was decommissioned and stricken on 22 October 2004.

USS <i>Mahan</i> (DDG-72)

USS Mahan (DDG-72) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer currently in service with the United States Navy. This ship is the 22nd destroyer of her class. USS Mahan was the 12th ship of this class to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and construction began on 17 August 1995. She was launched and christened on 29 June 1996. On 14 February 1998 she was commissioned in Tampa, Florida. Mahan is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, and as of 2012 was attached to Destroyer Squadron 2. By 2016, the ship was part of Destroyer Squadron 22.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Station Norfolk</span> United States Navy base in Virginia

Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about 4 miles (6.4 km) of waterfront space and 11 miles (18 km) of pier and wharf space of the Hampton Roads peninsula known as Sewell's Point. It is the world's largest naval station, with the largest concentration of U.S. Navy forces through 75 ships alongside 14 piers and with 134 aircraft and 11 aircraft hangars at the adjacently operated Chambers Field. Port Services controls more than 3,100 ships' movements annually as they arrive and depart their berths.

A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels; both may be used for destroyer units. Similar formations are used in non-English-speaking countries, e.g., the "escadrille"—which would translate directly as "squadron"—in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Station Pascagoula</span> Base of the United States Navy, in Pascagoula, Mississippi

Naval Station Pascagoula was a base of the United States Navy, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The base officially closed 15 November 2006. The base's property, on Singing River Island in the Mississippi Sound at the mouth of the Pascagoula River, was formally transferred to the Mississippi Secretary of State's office 9 July 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka</span> United States Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan

United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka or Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka is a United States Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan. Its mission is to maintain and operate base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support and service of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan, Seventh Fleet and other operating forces assigned in the Western Pacific. CFAY is the largest strategically important U.S. naval installation in the western Pacific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroyer Squadron 23</span> Military unit

Destroyer Squadron 23 is a squadron of United States Navy destroyers based out of San Diego, California. The squadron is best known for its actions during World War II, most notably the Battle of Cape St. George, under the command of then-Commodore Arleigh Burke. Currently, the DESRON is assigned to Carrier Strike Group Nine, which includes USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), USS Chosin (CG-65), USS Lake Erie (CG-70), and Carrier Air Wing Eleven.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroyer Squadron 1</span> Military unit

Destroyer Squadron ONE, also known as Destroyer Squadron 1 and often abbreviated at DESRON ONE or DESRON 1, is a squadron of warships of the United States Navy. It is an operational component of Carrier Strike Group One and is administratively responsible to Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Perez Jr.</span> United States admiral

Samuel Perez Jr. is a retired rear admiral in the United States Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Navy type commands</span>

U.S. Navy type commands perform administrative, personnel, and operational training functions in the United States Navy for a "type" of weapon system within a fleet organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Strike Group 15</span> Military unit

Carrier Strike Group 15, is a training formation of the United States Navy. It trains and certifies Pacific Fleet Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, and independently deploying surface ships. It replaced Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific in a title change. Carrier Strike Group Four is the equivalent command for US Fleet Forces ships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroyer Squadron 2</span> Military unit

Destroyer Squadron 2 is a destroyer squadron of the United States Navy. It is administratively part of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic.. Destroyer Squadron 2 is assigned to Carrier Strike Group Twelve. As of 2023, the following destroyers are assigned to this squadron: USS Stout (DDG-55), USS McFaul (DDG-74), USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79), USS Bulkeley (DDG-84), USS Mason (DDG-87)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific</span> Type Command for U.S. Naval surface forces operating primarily in the Pacific

The Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is a senior command position in the United States Navy who leads the Naval Surface Force of the United States Pacific Fleet. The COMNAVSURFPAC also leads the Naval Surface Force (COMNAVSURFOR) and the Surface Warfare Enterprise. The position is typically held by a Vice-Admiral. From 1978 onwards, the headquarters has been located at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Coronado, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroyer Squadron 26</span> Military unit

Destroyer Squadron 26 (DESRON-26) is a destroyer squadron of the United States Navy. It was first created in 1950. It has seen action in the Korean War, service in the Atlantic, in the Vietnam War. From 1974 for a period it became the 'Mod Squad', trialling ships commanded by officers one rank junior to the usual appointment rank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroyer Squadron 60</span> Military unit

Destroyer Squadron 60 is a destroyer squadron of the United States Navy. Destroyer Squadron 60 is one of three U.S. Navy destroyer squadrons permanently based outside the continental United States.

References

  1. ↑ "REAR ADM. JOSEPH F. CAHILL". COMNAVSURFLANT. U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  2. ↑ "Chris DeGregory". COMNAVSURFLANT. U.S. Navy. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  3. ↑ "Jason Knupp". U.S. Navy. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. ↑ Command mailing address listed on the NavSurfLant site is 1430 Mitscher Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23551-2494
  5. ↑ Anthony, Wyatt (2020-05-03). "Naval Surface Force Atlantic Holds Change of Command Ceremony". dvidshub.net. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  6. ↑ ABOUT COMNAVSURFLANT Archived 2009-10-31 at the Wayback Machine , accessed August 2010
  7. ↑ David D. Bruhn, Wooden ships and iron men: the U.S. Navy's ocean minesweepers, 1953-1994, p.35, via Google Books, accessed August 2010
  8. ↑ List of Commanders of Amphibious Force, US Atlantic Fleet - Naval Historical Division - U.S. Department of the Navy
  9. ↑ Warrior among Diplomats, p. 240 - 24
  10. ↑ http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/PDF_Files/Pubs/U.S.%20Marine%20Corps%20Operations%20In%20The%20Dominican%20Republic%20April%20-%20June%201965.pdf%5B%5D
  11. ↑ GlobalSecurity.org
  12. 1 2 Lt. Brauna Carl, Navy Office of Information (2001-08-22). "CNO Announces Plans to Align the Fleet". NNS020724-59. U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  13. ↑ "Commander, Naval Surface Forces (COMNAVSURFOR)". Military-US Military Agencies-U.S. Navy. GlobalSecurity.org. 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Command Listing". COMNAVSURFLANT. U.S. Navy. 2010. Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  15. ↑ Standard Naval Distribution List, Admin Fleet Chain of Command, March 2010
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.