U.S. Navy type commands perform administrative, personnel, and operational training functions in the United States Navy for a "type" of weapon system (e.g., naval aviation, submarine warfare, surface warships) within a fleet organization.
Aircraft carriers, carrier airwings, aircraft squadrons, and naval air stations are under the administrative control of the appropriate Commander Naval Air Force. Ballistic missile submarines, attack submarines, and submarine tenders come under the administrative control of the appropriate Commander Submarine Force. All other surface warships (i.e., cruisers, destroyers, frigates, littoral combat ships, patrol vessels, and amphibious warfare vessels) fall under the administrative control of the appropriate Commander Naval Surface Force. This type command structure is mirrored in United States Fleet Forces Command and the United States Pacific Fleet. Normally, the type command controls the ship during its primary and intermediate training cycles, and then the warship moves under the operational control of the respective fleet command once it is ready for deployment. [1]
The two previous submarine type commands supervised Submarine Groups, Submarine Squadrons, and other units. The Commander of a Submarine Group is known, in official Navy communications, as COMSUBGRU (followed by a number), such as COMSUBGRU ONE.
Effective 1 October 2001, the U.S. Navy developed a "Lead-Follow" arrangement among its type commands wherein one type commander is 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. These fleet TYCOM commanders will provide guidance to their respective "type" forces via the existing lead-follow TYCOM arrangement. [2]
The Commander, U.S. Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet (COMNAVAIRPAC) is designated as the Commander, Naval Air Forces (COMNAVAIRFOR) for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, with the Commander, U.S. Naval Air Forces, Atlantic Fleet (COMNAVAIRLANT) as his deputy. COMNAVAIRFOR is responsible for modernization needs, training initiatives, and operational concept development for the naval aviation community throughout the U.S. Navy's operational fleet. [2] [3] [4]
The Commander, Submarine Force, US Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT) was designated as the Commander, Naval Submarine Forces (COMNAVSUBFOR) for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, with the Commander, U.S. Submarine Forces, Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) as his deputy. COMNAVSUBFOR is responsible for modernization needs, training initiatives, and operational concept development for submarine warfare community throughout the U.S. Navy's operational fleet. [2] [5]
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, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (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. [2] [6]
The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii, with large secondary facilities at Naval Air Station North Island, California.
The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) 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.
The Royal Canadian Navy is the naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 Halifax-class frigates, 12 Kingston-class coastal defence vessels, 4 Victoria-class submarines, 4 Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessels, 8 Orca-class patrol vessels, and several auxiliary vessels. The RCN consists of 8,400 Regular Force and 4,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by 3,800 civilians. Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee is the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and chief of the Naval Staff.
USS Tang (SS/AGSS-563), the lead ship of her class, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tang.
The Republic of Korea Navy, also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which functions as a branch of the Navy. The ROK Navy has about 70,000 regular personnel including 29,000 Republic of Korea Marines. There are about 140 commissioned ships in the ROK Navy. The naval aviation force consists of about 70 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The ROK Marine Corps has about 300 tracked vehicles including assault amphibious vehicles.
The United StatesFleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general and special forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Fleet Marine Forces provide the National Command Authority (NCA) with a responsive force that can conduct operations in any spectrum of conflict around the globe.
A carrier strike group (CSG) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers or frigates, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft. A carrier strike group also, on occasion, includes submarines, attached logistics ships and a supply ship. The carrier strike group commander operationally reports to the commander of the numbered fleet, who is operationally responsible for the area of waters in which the carrier strike group is operating.
The structure of the United States Navy consists of four main bodies: the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, the operating forces, and the Shore Establishment.
The Commander, Naval Submarine Forces is the Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet type commander under the United States Fleet Forces Command.
Service Force, United States Pacific Fleet, usually known as COMSERVPAC, was a service support command of the United States Pacific Fleet from 1942 until 1973. It was the reincarnation of the former Base Force. The Service Force comprised the supply train of the fleet which includes Oilers (AO), Gasoline Tanker (AOG), Repair Ships (AR), Ammunition Ships (AE), Destroyer Tenders (AD) and Submarine tenders (AS).
The Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT) is the Surface Force Type Commander (TYCOM) under 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. The current commander is Rear Admiral Joseph F. Cahill III. 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.
The U.S. Tenth Fleet is a functional formation and a numbered fleet in the United States Navy. It was first created as an anti-submarine warfare coordinating organization during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. It was reactivated as a force provider for Fleet Cyber Command on 29 January 2010. U.S. Tenth Fleet serves as the numbered fleet for U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and exercises operational control of assigned naval forces to coordinate with other naval, coalition and Joint Task Forces to execute the full spectrum of cyber, electronic warfare, information operations, and signal intelligence capabilities and missions across the cyber, electromagnetic, and space domains.
The Operational Test and Evaluation Force (OPTEVFOR) is an independent and objective agency within the United States Navy for the operational testing and evaluation (OT&E) of naval aviation, surface warfare, submarine warfare, C4I, cryptologic, and space systems in support Navy and Department of Defense acquisition programs.
The Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. Type Commanders are in administrative control (ADCON), and in some cases operational control (OPCON) of certain types of assets assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRLANT is responsible for the material readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.
The Commander, Naval Air Forces is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for all United States Navy naval aviation units. Type Commanders are in Administrative Control (ADCON), and in some cases Operational Control (OPCON) of certain types of assets assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRFOR is responsible for the materiel readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.
The Navy Cyber Forces (CYBERFOR) was the Type Command (TYCOM) for the U.S. Navy's global cyber workforce. The headquarters was located at 115 Lake View Parkway in Suffolk, Virginia. CYBERFOR provided forces and equipment in cryptology/signals intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations, intelligence, networks, and space. Navy Cyber Forces was an operational component of the U.S. Navy Information Dominance Corps. CYBERFOR has been absorbed into the Naval Information Forces command.
The Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is the type commander for the Surface Force under 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.
Kenneth Ray Whitesell is a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy, and the past Commander, Naval Air Forces. He retired on September 7, 2023.
Daryl Lane Caudle is a United States Navy admiral who is the 35th commander of United States Fleet Forces Command since December 7, 2021. He most recently served as commander of Naval Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR), Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic (COMSUBLANT) and Commander, Allied Submarine Command (ASC). As COMSUBFOR, he was the undersea domain lead, and is responsible for the submarine force's strategic vision. As COMSUBLANT, he commanded all Atlantic-based U.S. submarines, their crews and supporting shore activities. These responsibilities also include duties as commander, Task Force (CTF) 114, CTF 88, and CTF 46. As commander, Allied Submarine Command, he was the principal undersea warfare advisor to all North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) strategic commanders.