Status of the United States Navy in 2005, Part 1

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Sources include the 18th Edition, The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet’ by Norman Polmar and ‘The Naval Institute’s Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 2000-2001’ by A. D. Baker III.

Following the end of the Cold War, the USN’s fleet organization continues to change in the wake of the reduction in air, surface and submarine forces and the shifts in deployments initiated under the “Sea Power 21” concepts.

Sea Power 21’s latest changes were announced in September 2004, when the Cruiser-Destroyer Groups and the Carrier Groups were redesignated as Carrier Strike Groups (CSG). Accordingly, there are now fourteen CSGS---numbered 1 through 12, 14 and 15.

The CSG organization moves group commanders to positions more closely aligned with the manner in which their forces train and deploy. The CSG’s commanders and staffs are now under their numbered fleet commanders, as well as their type commanders. However, the change causes some confusions as not all CSGs will include aircraft carriers.

Similarly, in 2003, Amphibious Groups were redesignated as Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs). The ESGs will include surface combatants and, possibly, attack submarines as well as amphibious ships.

Each CSG nominally consists of an aircraft carrier and two missile cruisers. All located at the same base when possible. This has been done less frequently as the size of the fleet has been reduced and with the limited number of ports at which carriers are based.

As of 2004, the USN is organized as follows:
PACIFIC FLEET TF 10 Temporary Operations Force TF 11 Training Force TF 12 Anti Submarine Force TF 14 Submarine Force TF 15 Surface Force TF 16 Maritime Defense Zone (commanded by a Coast Guard officer) TF 17 Naval Air Force TF 18 Sealift Forces TF 19 Fleet Marine Force (commanded by a Marine officer) TF 91 Naval Forces Alaska

THIRD FLEET TF 30 Battle Force TF 31 Command and Coordination Force TF 32 Ready Force TF 33 Combat Logistics Support Force TF 34 Submarine Force TF 35 Surface Combatant Force TF 36 Amphibious Force TF 37 Carrier Strike Force TF 39 Landing Force (commanded by a Marine officer) TF 150 Maritime Interception Operations (multi-national force that patrols the Arabian Sea)

SEVENTH FLEET TF 70 Battle Force TF 71 Command and Coordination Force TF 72 Patrol and Reconnaissance Force TF 74 Submarine Force TF 75 Surface Combatant Force TF 76 Amphibious Force TF 79 Landing Force (commanded by a Marine officer)

CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS Carrier Strike Group 1, Homeport: North Island, California Carrier Strike Group 3 (USS Carl Vinson), Homeport: Alameda, California Carrier Strike Group 5 (USS Kitty Hawk), Homeport: Bremerton, Washington Carrier Strike Group 7 (USS John C. Stennis), Homeport: North Island, California
Carrier Strike Group 9 (USS Abraham Lincoln), Homeport: San Diego, California
Carrier Strike Group 11 (USS Nimitz), Homeport: San Diego, California Carrier Strike Group 15 (USS Ronald Regan), Homeport: San Diego, California

ATLANTIC FLEET TF 40 Naval Surface Force TF 41 Naval Air Force TF 42 Submarine Force TF 43 Training Command TF 44 Coast Guard Force (commanded by a Coast Guard officer) TF 45 Marine Force (commanded by a Marine officer) TF 46 Mine Warfare Force TF 47 Naval Construction Battalions TF 49 Poseidon Operational Test Force TF 80 Naval Patrol and Protection of Shipping TF 81 Sea Control and Surveillance Force TF 82 Amphibious Task Force TF 83 Landing Force (commanded by a Marine officer) TF 84 ASW Task Force TF 85 Mobile Logistic Support Force TF 86 Patrol Air Task Force TF 87 Tactical Development and Evaluation and Transit Force TF 88 Training Force TF 89 Maritime Defense Zone (commanded by a Coast Guard officer) TF 134 Naval Forces Caribbean TF 137 Eastern Atlantic TF 138 South Atlantic Force TF 139 Multilateral Special Operations Forces TF 142 Operational Test and Evaluation Force

SECOND FLEET TF 20 Battle Force TF 21 Sea Control and Surveillance Force TF 22 Amphibious Force TF 23 Landing Force (commanded by Marine officer) TF 24 ASW Task Force TF 25 Mobile Logistics Support Force TF 26 Patrol Air Force TF 28 Caribbean Contingency Force

CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS Carrier Strike Group 2 (USS Harry S. Truman), Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia Carrier Strike Group 4 (USS Theodore Roosevelt), Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia
Carrier Strike Group 6 (USS John F. Kennedy), Homeport: Mayport, Florida Carrier Strike Group 8, Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia Carrier Strike Group 10 (USS George Washington), Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia
Carrier Strike Group 12 (USS Dwight D. Eisenhower), Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia
Carrier Strike Group 14 (USS Enterprise), Homeport: Mayport, Florida

FIFTH FLEET (Bahrain) TF 50 Naval Expeditionary Force TF 51 Amphibious Force TF 53 Logistics Force Destroyer Squadron 50 (Middle East Force Surface Action Group)

SIXTH FLEET (Gaeta, Italy) TF 60 Battle Force TF 60.1 Battle Group TF 60.2 Battle Group (commanded by a Marine officer) TF 61 Amphibious Force TF 62 Landing Force (commanded by a Marine officer) TF 63 Service Force TF 66 ASW Force TF 67 Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force TF 68 Special Operations Force TF 69 Attack Submarine Force

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UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
The Marine Corps is a separate service within the Department of the Navy. Its primary mission is to provide the unified combatant commanders and the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets with combat ready air-ground task forces to conduct amphibious operations.

The Marine Corps’ operating forces consist of:
1) Marine Corps Forces

2) Marine Corps Security Forces at naval installations in the United States and aboard

3) Security guard detachments at U.S. embassies and consulates

4) Counterterrorist forces

The commanders of Marine Corps Forces (MATFOR) Atlantic and Pacific serve as the Marine Corps component commanders to their respective combat commanders and also may serve as commanding generals of Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) Atlantic or Pacific.

As of June 2004, the Marine Corps strength stands at:
Officers/Enlisted/Total
Active Duty 19,050/157,150/172,200
Reserve Units 3,470/36,190/39,660
Individual Reserves 3,410/55,885/59,295

SECURITY AND COUNTERTERRORISM
The Marine Corps provides security force detachments at various ammunition storage sites, major bases in the United States and overseas, the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
In 2001, the Marine Corps has been assigned increasing roles in security and counterterrorism operations. It has activated the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism)---designated 4th MAB(AT)---to coordinate its efforts to deter, detect, defend against and respond to acts of domestic and international terrorism. Beyond normal security and force protection, the brigade provides unified commands with specialized anti-terrorist forces, as appropriate.

Headquarters at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina , with almost 5,000 Marines and sailors assigned, the brigade’s components include:

Marine Corps Security Guard Battalion. Headquarters at Quantico, Virginia, provides security services at some 140 U.S. embassies, consulates and missions in more than 100 countries. The battalion is organized into a headquarters company, nine “line” companies and a security guard school. The line companies have regional responsibilities:

Company A, Headquarters: Frankfurt, Germany. Responsible for former Soviet bloc countries

Company B, Headquarters: Nicosia, Cyprus. Responsible for North Africa and the Middle East.

Company C, Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand. Responsible for Far East, Asia, Australia.

Company D, Headquarters: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Responsible for South America.

Company E, Headquarters: Frankfurt Germany. Responsible for Western Europe.

Company F, Headquarters: Pretoria, South Africa. Responsible for Sub-Sahara Africa.

Company G, Headquarters: Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Responsible for Western Africa.

Company H, Headquarters: Frankfurt Germany. Responsible for Eastern Europe.

Company I, Headquarters: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Responsible for Central America, Caribbean, Canada.

More than 1,100 men and women are assigned to the battalion.

Marine Corps Security Force Battalion. Headquartered at Norfolk, Virginia, this unit provides security companies for U.S. naval facilities and supports two Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) companies. The latter units, established in 1987, provides specially trained security/anti-terrorism teams to forward areas or locations within the United States as directed by the Commander, Fleet Forces Command, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

The 1st FAST Company is based at Norfolk and the 2nd FAST Company is at nearby Yorktown, Virginia. (There have been references to a 3rd FAST Company, but no information on the unit is available publicly). Each company has a personnel strength of 321 organized into a headquarters, a weapons platoon and seven guard platoons.

The security companies are located at

Bangor, Washington

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Keflavik, Iceland

Kings Bay, Georgia

London, England

Manama, Bahrain

Naples, Italy

Patuxent River, Maryland

Rota, Spain

In addition, security detachments are located at a number of “barracks” in the United States and overseas. The Marine barracks in Washington also provides security and honor guards for the White House, provides parades and music for Washington area events, provides security for the nearby Washington Navy Yard, and supports the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico.

There is also a security force training company at Chesapeake, Virginia.

The battalion has more than 2,300 Marines and sailors assigned.

(A Pacific Security Force Battalion had been established with its headquarters at Mare Island, California. That unit has been disestablished, with the Atlantic battalion now having world-wide responsibilities).

Chemical, Biological Incident Response Force. Established in 1996, the personnel of this unit are specially trained to respond to terrorist use of chemical or biological weapons. The unit is the Department of Defense’s premier complete incident response force; it is capable fo providing agent detection and identification, casualty search and rescue, personnel decontamination, emergency medical care and stabilization of contaminated personnel.

Anti-Terrorism Battalion. This is the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, which has undergone specialized training , including urban conflict and enhanced marksmanship. The battalion, based at Camp Lejeune, has more than 700 Marine and sailors assigned.

One other specialized Marine organization warrants attention here: Marine Corps Detachment 1, which was established in 2003 as a “proof of concept” for Marine special operations forces. The detachment initially had 86 personnel assigned.

Previously, the Marine Corps has shunned the formation of a special operations component, believing that all Marine units were capable of such operations. Indeed, all deploying MEUs are Special Operations Capable (SOC), having undergone specialized security, hostage rescue, and anti-terrorism training prior to forward deployment.

Detachment 1 was stood up at Camp Pendleton, California and was transferred to the operational control of U.S. Special Operations Command in December, 2003.

The Marine Corps no longer provides Marine security detachments on board U.S. Navy ships. The last detachment sailed in the carrier George Washington in April 1998.

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The Marine Forces (MARFOR) Atlantic and Pacific are organized as Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) and are employed either as a component of naval expeditionary forces or as part of joint or combined forces.

From 1933 to 1994, the Marines assigned to fleets were designated the Fleet Marine Force (FMF); they provided the tactical and support organizations for amphibious operations. Following Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the term FMF was replaced by Marine Forces.

The Marine Corps is a “combined arms” force possessing armor and heavy artillery, infantry units, and a large tactical air arm, including fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. It is the only such service with its own air arm, except for a small number of helicopters and light fixed-wing aircraft flown by the British and Russian marines.

The Marine Corps is organized into three ground divisions and three aircraft wings (this strength is specified in legislation, the only service with this peculiarity), with a large combat support force formed into three service support groups. The Marine Corps Reserve consists of an additional divisional, aircraft wing and support group. Since the start of World War Two, the USMC has followed a basic triangular organization, with each division having three infantry regiments, plus and artillery regiment; each infantry regiment having three battalions and each battalion having three rifle companies and a weapons company.

A “typical” Marine Division has three infantry regiments (each with 3,747 USMC/272 USN). Each of the three battalions has a strength of 903 Marines and 69 sailors. The artillery regiment has 3,168 Marines and 88 sailors divided into four artillery battalions (588 USMC/18 USN ea). Supporting forces consist of an tank battalion (801 USMC/32 USN), a assault amphibian battalion (1,410 USMC/24 USN), a combat engineer battalion (860 USMC/28 USN), a light armored reconnaissance battalion (763 USMC/69 USN) and a headquarters battalion (1,348 USMC/49 USN).

The three Marine artillery regiments were reorganized in late 1992, with each regiment assigned three or four direct support battalions, and each battalion having three batteries, each of six M-198 155mm towed howitzers. In the mid-1990s, the regiments were reorganized to better support MEU deployments; two regiments having four battalions each and the third with only two battalions.

In addition to the 155mm howitzers, each MEF has available 48 M-101A1 105mm towed howitzers for use in special contingencies where the 16,000-pound (7,258kg) M-198s are not suitable. Currently, the Marines retain the M-198 howitzer until they receive the M-777 155mm lightweight howitzer, which weighs less than 9,000-pounds (4,082kg).

In addition, the Marines are acquiring the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). This consists of a five-ton truck and carries a six pack of Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) rockets. The HIMARS system was originally deployed in 1983 with the U.S. Army and several other nations. The Marine Corps, which earlier rejected the MLRS, will field one battery in 2006, with one active battalion and one reserve battalion planned to enter service in 2007.

Today, Marine divisions and air wings are considered primarily as an administrative structure, as Marine units deploy in MAGTF formations.
Marine divisions have minimal organic combat support. What they have is provided by a Force Service Support Group (FSSG) assigned to each division/wing MEF or to four MEUs simultaneously. Each FSSG has a nominal strength of 7,951 Marines and 1,208 Navy personnel. The Marine Corps does not have medical, dental or chaplain personnel, but relies on the Navy to provide these services. Navy personnel are fully integrated into Marine units and, when in the field, dress in Marine Uniform.

The FSSG consists of a headquarters & service battalion (1,503 USMC/115 USN), a maintenance battalion (1,666 USMC/4 USN), a supply battalion (1,262 USMC/87 USN), a motor transport battalion (944 USMC), a engineer support battalion (1,452 USMC, 23 USN, a landing support battalion (909 USMC/2 USN), a medical battalion (211 USMC, 761 USN) and a dental battalion (6 USMC, 228 USN).

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The Marine Forces are the amphibious assault component of what now are called Naval Expeditionary Forces---Marine assault units, amphibious ships, supporting carrier task forces, and other forces required to project U.S. military power by sea.

The combined arms MAGTF---pronounced “MAG-taf”---can be tailored to the size and composition required to meet a broad range of operational requirements and for transport by various methods.

There are three generic types of MAGTFs:

Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU): Total personnel: 30-60,000. Commander: Lieutenant General. Ground combat element: one or more divisions. Aviation combat element: aircraft wing. Combat service support group: force service support group. Self-sustainment capability: 60 days. Amphibious lift: approx. 50 ships. Major equipment: 70 tanks, 108 155mm howitzers, 12 203mm howitzers, 72 81mm mortars, 81 60mm mortars, 288 Dragon ATGM, 144 TOW ATGM, 208 assault amphibian vehicles, 147 light armored vehicles, 24 HAWK SAMS, 72 Stinger MANPADS, approx.150 fixed-wing aircraft. Approx. 150 helicopters

Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB): Total personnel 4/18,000. Commander: Brigadier General Ground combat element: infantry regiment. Aviation combat element: aircraft group. Combat service support group: brigade service support group. Self-sustainment capability: 30 days. Amphibious lift: 21-26 ships. Major equipment: 17 tanks, 24 155mm howitzers, 6 203mm howitzers, 24 81mm mortars, 27 60mm mortars, 96 Dragon ATGM, 48 TOW ATGM, 47 assault amphibian vehicles, 36 light armored vehicles, 6 HAWK SAMs, 15 Stinger MANPADs, approx. 75 fixed-wing aircraft, approx. 100 helicopters.

Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF): Total personnel: 1-4,000. Commander: Colonel. Ground combat element: infantry battalion. Aviation combat element: composite squadron (helicopters + STOVL). Combat service support group: MEU service support group, Self-sustainment capability: 15 days. Amphibious lift: 4-6 ships. Major equipment: 5 tanks, 8 155mm howitzers, 8 81mm mortars, 9 60mm mortars, 32 Dragon ATGM, 8 TOW ATGM, 12 assault amphibian vehicles, 5 Stiner MANPADS, 6 fixed-wing aircraft (STOVL), approx. 20 helicopters.

MEUs are now special operations qualified and are considered capable of carrying out six missions: amphibious raids, security operations, noncombatant evacuation operations, direct action, humanitarian/civic assistance and tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel.

The buildup of MAGTFs from the is not linear. For example, while a Marine regiment and aircraft group are the ground and air elements of a MEB, a division-wing team cannot form three MEBs, because of the shortfall of command and support units. Thus, the Marine Corps---with three divisions and three wings---can effectively deploy two MEFs or perhaps four MEBs plus some smaller units.

MAGTFs are not intended to be permanent organizations, but are to be “task organized for a specific mission and, after completion of that mission, dissolved.” Because of commitments to “marry” Marine combat units with weapons and material in Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) deployed in various ocean areas and prepositioned ashore in Norway has led to the reduction in the flexibility of Marine units.

Currently, there are 14 permanent MAGTF command elements---3 MEFs, 4 MEBs and 7 MEUs including the 4th MEB(AT), which is not a “line” organization.

The MEUs are sized to be carried by a Navy Amphibious Squadron (PhibRon) which, when combined with the Meu and other naval forces, forms an ESG.

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Mobility is a principle of naval operations and is a key characteristic of the FMF. There are several aspects to FMF mobility.

Forward afloat forces: Marine units normally are afloat in amphibious ships in forward areas---one in the Mediterranean area and one in the Pacific-Indian Ocean area. At times, additional MEUs or larger formations are at sea, in transit to relieve forward-deployed MEUs or for exercises. As a crisis beings to evolve, the afloat MEUs, like other naval forces, can be dispatched to the problem area without intruding on foreign territory or air space.

Amphibious assaults: The Marines have a significant amphibious assault capability employing helicopters, landing craft and vehicles from the Navy’s amphibious ships.. The existing amphibious force has a theoretical lift capacity of approximately one MEF, i.e. a reinforced division and the helicopters and STOVL portions of an aircraft wing. (The “assault echelon” is the portion of the force that makes the actual landing---roughly two-thirds of the troops, one half of the vehicles and one quarter of the cargo of the unit.)
Recent reductions in the fleet have meant a decline in lift capacity to only 2 ½ MEBs, i.e. reinforced regiments.

Maritime prepositioning: Three squadrons of maritime prepositioning ships are forward employed, one in the Atlantic, one off Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and one off the Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific. Each carries weapons, vehicles, equipment, munitions and provisions for an MEB. These ships can be moved to a port to be “married” with Marines flown into the air by transport aircraft. While this force does not have the ability to make a forcible entry---it requires a friendly port or sheltered unloading area and nearby airfield(s)---the viability of the MPS concept was demonstrated in Operation Desert Shield in 1991 and in the buildup for the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Airlift: Marines, like other light combat forces, can be airlifted into an area by transport aircraft. The Marine Corps has a small force of KC-130 Hercules transport-tanker aircraft, but any sizable troop commitment would require the use of U.S. Air Force transport aircraft.

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The Marine Corps has a large aviation component, with some 900 aircraft in the active force, most in three aircraft wings, and some 200 aircraft in the reserve force, assigned to a single aircraft wing.

All Marine aviators are trained by the Naval Air Training Command, a joint Navy---Marine Corps organization.

There is an increasing move to merge Navy and Marine Corps aviation on an operational basis. For example, most aircraft carriers are being provided with a Marine F/A-18 Hornet squadron, and a Navy F/A-18 squadron normally is forward deployed with Marine Aircraft Group 12 at Iwakuni, Japan.

The interchange of Navy---Marine F/A-18 squadrons is in part in compensation for the reduction in total Navy and Marine F/A-18 units from the current 64 to 59 within the next few years. Some analysts, however, question the efficacy of this interchange, as Navy and Marine aviation units have some different roles and missions, although their weapons and aircraft are similar. There are concerns that the Naval squadrons will not be able to practice carrier landings and completing air wing training.