US Navy formally re-establishes 2nd Fleet

The US Navy re-established the 2nd Fleet in a ceremony (CVN 77) at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, Aug. 24.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson presided over the ceremony aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.

Vice Adm. Andrew “Woody” Lewis will be in charge of ships, aircraft and landing forces that will be tasked with protecting the East Coast and patrolling the northern Atlantic Ocean.

“Although deeply consequential, the meaning of this establishment can be summarized simply as a dynamic response to a dynamic security environment — a security environment clearly articulated in the National Defense Strategy,” said Richardson.

“We first need to understand this competitive security environment and why it demands every ounce of our tenacity, ingenuity and fighting spirit. Then we can focus on the mission and how best to accomplish it; 2nd Fleet will enhance our capacity to maneuver and fight in the Atlantic, and as a result, help to maintain America’s maritime superiority that will lead to security, influence and prosperity for our nation.”

Lewis assumed command as the first commander of the re-established C2F, after his confirmation by the Senate June 28.

US 2nd Fleet will be headquartered in Norfolk. All of Lewis’s operational command tours have been on the East Coast making him intimately familiar with operations in the Atlantic. Most recently, he commanded Carrier Strike Group 12 and deployed with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) to the U.S. 6th and 5th Fleet areas of operation.

“I am truly honored to lead this fleet. US 2nd Fleet has a storied history, and we will honor that legacy,” said Lewis. “However, we will not simply pick up where we left off. We are going to aggressively and quickly build this command into an organization with operational capability. We will challenge our assumptions, recognize biases, learn and adapt from failures so as to innovate in order to build a fleet that is ready to fight. Ready to fight – so we don’t have to.”

US 2nd Fleet will fall under operational control of US Fleet Forces Command. The fleet had previously been disestablished in 2011.

U.S. 2nd Fleet to Disestablish Sept. 30

From U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet will hold a disestablishment ceremony here, Sept. 30, marking the end of 65 years of the organization's service to the fleet.

The ceremony is scheduled to be held outside of 2nd Fleet's maritime headquarters at Naval Station Norfolk, at 10:00 a.m., as the commander's flag is lowered for a final time.

U.S. 2nd Fleet's focus has been on safe fleet operations to achieve its mission in the C2F area of responsibility, providing trained and certified maritime forces for global assignment and teaming with allied and partner navies to execute the nation's maritime strategy.

The disestablishment of U.S. 2nd Fleet was announced Jan. 6, and is aligned with Department of Defense efforts to reduce overhead expenditures to protect force structure and invest in modernization. As U.S. 2nd Fleet disestablishes and merges with U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF), USFF will continue to provide the same level of performance and forces ready for tasking to combatant commanders.

U.S. 2nd Fleet traces its origin to the reorganization of the Navy following World War II and the creation of U.S. 8th Fleet headquartered in Norfolk, Va. Officially established March 1, 1946, the command was renamed 2nd Task Fleet in January 1947, and re-designated U.S. 2nd Fleet in February 1950.

U.S. 2nd Fleet Ships Complete Successful Ballistic Missile Defense Tracking Exercise

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Three Commander, U.S. Second Fleet ships successfully completed a tracking exercise Jan. 22, off the coast of Virginia using the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system during Atlantic Trident 2011.

USS Monterey (CG 61), USS Ramage (DDG 61) and USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) all successfully tracked the short-range ballistic missile target that was launched from NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va. The target missile fell harmlessly into the Atlantic Ocean.

Monterey, an Aegis cruiser, and Ramage, an Aegis destroyer, took turns tracking and simulating engagement of the target while Gonzalez, a guided-missile destroyer, participated by tracking the target.

All three ships were able to successfully track the target, with Monterey and Ramage providing simulated target solutions that would have resulted in a successful intercept. No missiles were fired from the ships as it was a tracking exercise.

Ballistic missile defense is a Navy core mission. The Missile Defense Agency and the Navy have modified 21 Aegis BMD combatants (5 cruisers and 16 destroyers). Of the 21 ships, 16 are assigned to the Pacific Fleet and five to the Atlantic Fleet. The Secretary of Defense announced in 2010 that six more destroyers would be upgraded to the Aegis BMD capability.

Atlantic Trident 2011 is the first live Fleet Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) exercise to take place in the Atlantic.

U.S. 2nd Fleet Contributes to Global Operations

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Tyler J. Wilson, U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The U.S. 2nd Fleet contributes to global operations and the maritime strategy with more than 90,000 Sailors and Marines operating, defending and training within U.S. 2nd Fleet's Area of Responsibility.

"Our people are doing a remarkable job in execution of the Maritime Strategy," said Vice Adm. Mel Williams Jr., commander of 2nd Fleet.

"That said, we must remain vigilant as we assess our performance, and we must be adaptive in our training, readiness and mission execution as conditions change across the range of military operations for maritime forces."

The maritime strategy is a mission statement which includes six core competencies: power projection, forward presence, sea control, maritime security, deterrence and humanitarian assistance/disaster response.

To execute the maritime strategy, 2nd Fleet maintains a commitment to three focus areas: maintaining safe and effective fleet operations to achieve mission success in the 2nd Fleet Area of Operations; providing ready maritime forces for global assignment; and teaming with allies and partners in execution of the maritime strategy.

Within the power projection and forward presence categories of the maritime strategy, 2nd Fleet works as a force provider, training and certifying carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups and independent deployers for power projection and presence missions in Central, European, African and Southern Commands.

Additionally, 2nd Fleet leverages the benefits of Fleet Synthetic Training to maintain readiness while conserving energy.

Maritime forces receive training from 2nd Fleet on anti-submarine, surface and mine warfare.

Dedicated to executing sea control, improvements in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) knowledge, experience and proficiency have been instituted to include a semi-annual ASW exercise series and an ASW continuum, which transcends type commander and fleet commander boundaries.

In support of maritime security, 2nd Fleet continues to support NATO's transformation as director of the Combined Joint Operations From the Sea Centre of Excellence, a multi-national military body that provides a focus for 13 sponsoring nations and NATO to improve allied joint maritime operations. Thirty-five foreign nation officers work within the 2nd Fleet maritime headquarters.

The maritime operations center (MOC) at 2nd Fleet supports naval and joint operations and provides commanders with people and processes which are flexible, scalable and can be tailored to enhance global maritime capabilities.

The MOC significantly expands maritime domain awareness by globally networking with other services, coalitions and allies, federal, state, local agencies and non-government organizations. The MOC provides more efficient and effective command and control of forces, globally and regionally.

In addition to the MOC, 2nd Fleet's constituency includes four carrier strike groups, one carrier in maintenance, five amphibious ready groups and three marine expeditionary units.

Finally, 2nd Fleet executes the maritime strategy through realistic, repeatable and adaptive fleet training focused at the unit commander level. Second Fleet is working to enhance fleet irregular warfare training to better prepare forces to operate in irregular warfare environments.

Second Fleet continues to work with like-minded nations to deter, detect and deny terrorist activities and enhance maritime security.

To better execute maritime homeland defense responsibilities in support of U.S. Joint Forces Command and U.S. Northern Command, in December 2008, 2nd Fleet established flexible deterrent options aligned with U.S. Northern Command's Maritime Homeland Defense Maritime Activity Postures.

The Navy continues to work with partners to deter aggressors, protect the right to operate freely at sea and provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief around the world.

As a forward presence in humanitarian assistance/disaster response efforts, in September 2008, 2nd Fleet supported efforts in Texas and Haiti. The amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4) supported disaster response for local, state and federal authorities in Galveston, Texas, after the devastation left by Hurricane Ike. Additionally, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster response in Haiti following devastating hurricanes.

"As the mission continues to grow, 2nd Fleet continues to press forward in safe and effective fleet operations as they defend the homeland and prepare our people and forces for global assignment," said one member of the staff.

"Second Fleet will accomplish its mission with excellence as the standard, today and in the future, in the Atlantic and globally as directed, because our nation requires this from us as we continually improve all that we do."

Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Shifts Flag to Iwo Jima

The commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet shifted his flag from the amphibious assault ship USS USS Bataan (LHD 5) to his new flagship, USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), in a ceremony at Pier 10 on Naval Station Norfolk April 27.

Vice Adm. Mel Williams Jr.'s three-starred flag was hauled down on board Bataan, which has served as the 2nd Fleet flagship since July 2008.

During Bataan's tenure as U.S. 2nd Fleet's flagship, the staff embarked the ship on two occasions, during Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4 in July 2008 to direct ready-for-deployment certification events for the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TR CSG) and the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group (IWO ESG), and during the Eisenhower CSG's Composite Unit Training Exercise in January 2009.

Additionally, 2nd Fleet ordered Bataan to get underway in September 2008 to demonstrate at-sea readiness during the active hurricane season.

During the ceremony, Williams praised the crew of Bataan for their accomplishments, and thanked them for their hard work.

"You've displayed outstanding pride and professionalism," said Williams, "from the engineers who work in the plants, to the crew who work on the flight deck, to the fantail watchstanders to the crew on the mess decks."

Williams' flag was then raised on Iwo Jima, which returned from deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet Areas of Operation as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (IWO ARG) March 27.

"Although day to day, the Second Fleet staff performs operational level command and control ashore from its Maritime Operations Center," said Williams, "there is also an operational imperative for the headquarters staff to be responsive at sea. The designated Second Fleet flagship supports this mission need."

The practice of naval commanders choosing a flagship, from which to command their fleet, from among the ships at their disposal is a tradition that dates back to the days of sail. More recently, paragraph 312 of the 1909 version of the U.S. Navy regulations directed that the fleet commander "shall select one of the heaviest and most powerful vessels of his command as his permanent flagship and may, at his discretion, shift his flag temporarily to any other ship under his command."

USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), considered by some to be the most sophisticated command, control, communications, computer, and intelligence (C4I) ship ever commissioned, served as 2nd Fleet's flagship from 1981 until 2002, when the staff disembarked to allow the ship to the deploy to the Horn of Africa region in support of the global war on terrorism.

Since that time, Norfolk-based amphibious assault ships have served as the 2nd Fleet flagship on a rotating basis.