The Pentagon has announced it is re-establishing a naval fleet that will bolster the US and Nato presence in the Atlantic Ocean, amid rising tensions with Russia.
Outlines of the plan were approved at the February meeting of Nato defence ministers, as part of a broader effort to insure the security of the sea lanes and lines of communication between Europe and North America.
"The return to great power competition and a resurgent Russia demands that Nato refocus on the Atlantic to ensure dedicated reinforcement of the continent and demonstrate a capable and credible deterrence effect," said Johnny Michael, a Pentagon spokesman. He said the new command "will be the linchpin of trans-Atlantic security."
The decision reflects escalating worries across Europe and within Nato over Russia’s increased military presence and patrols in the Atlantic region. Under the new plan, the US will set up Nato’s new Atlantic Command headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in February that "we have seen a much more assertive Russia, we have seen a Russia which has over many years invested heavily in their military capabilities, modernised their military capabilities, which are exercising not only conventional forces but also nuclear forces."
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He said the new Atlantic Command will be vital for the alliance to be able to respond. Nato also created a new logistics command, which is expected to be located in Germany.
At the same time, the US Navy is re-establishing its 2nd Fleet command, which was eliminated in 2011 in a move to save costs. It was merged with the navy’s Fleet Forces Command.
HMS Queen Elizabeth – on board the Royal Navy's new warship: in pictures
Admiral John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, said the move comes as the security environment "continues to grow more challenging and complex."
The command will oversee ships, aircraft and landing forces on the East Coast and northern Atlantic Ocean, and will be responsible for training forces and conducting maritime operations in the region.
HMS Queen Elizabeth – on board the Royal Navy's new warship: in pictures
Restarting the command was recommended in the Navy study done following the two deadly ship collisions last year that killed a total of 17 sailors.
The destroyer USS Fitzgerald struck a commercial ship off the waters of Japan in June, killing seven American sailors. The destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker in coastal waters off Singapore in August, killing 10 US sailors.
The Navy concluded that the two crashes, as well as a third collision in May and a ship grounding, were all avoidable, and resulted from widespread failures by the crews and commanders, who didn’t quickly recognise and respond to unfolding emergencies.
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A report called for about 60 recommended changes to address the problems. They ranged from improved training on seamanship, navigation and the use of ship equipment to more basic changes to improve sleep and stress management for sailors.
The command will begin operations July 1. It will report to US Fleet Forces, and will initially include 11 officers and 4 enlisted personnel. Those numbers will eventually increase to more than 250 personnel.
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