U.S. 5th Fleet

24th MEU, Iwo Jima ARG Arrive Home From Deployment

The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) arrives at its homeport of Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Oct. 11, 2021. US Navy Photo

The three ships that make up the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group pulled into their respective homeports the last few days, ending a deployment that supported the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) reached Naval Station Mayport, Fla., on Monday, while USS Carter Hall (LSD-50) arrived at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Va.,...

PACFLEET CO: Numbered Navy Fleets Don’t Need to be Tied to Geography

Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, addresses the crew of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG-70) following the completion of their maintenance availability on June 29, 2021. US Navy Photo

The U.S. Navy’s numbered fleets are by tradition tied to a specific geographical region, but that doesn’t mean commanders in California can’t command ships in the Western Pacific or any other part of the world, the new U.S. Pacific Fleet commander said on Wednesday.

The commanders...

https://news.usni.org/2021/06/30/pacfleet-co-numbered-navy-fleets-dont-need-to-be-tied-to-geography

Paparo Takes Command of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Cooper Now Leading U.S. 5th Fleet

Vice Adm. Sam Paparo, left, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), is relieved by Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, right, during a change of command ceremony presided over by Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, onboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain, on May 5, 2021. US NAvy Photo

The former commander of U.S. naval forces in the Middle East is now leading the U.S. Pacific Fleet, according to the Navy.

Adm. Samuel Paparo...

https://news.usni.org/2021/05/06/paparo-takes-command-of-u-s-pacific-fleet-cooper-now-leading-u-s-5th-fleet

CENTCOM Commander: U.S. ‘Completely Focused’ on Responsible Afghanistan Withdrawal

A U.S. Marine with Task Force Southwest (TFSW) provides security for Marine advisors during an advising mission with 1st Brigade, Afghan National Army (ANA) 215th Corps as the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces conduct Operation Maiwand 12 at Camp Shorserack, Afghanistan, March 12, 2018. US Marine Corps Photo

U.S. Central Command’s top officer stressed today that the military is “completely focused” on responsibly withdrawing from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of...

https://news.usni.org/2021/04/27/centcom-commander-u-s-completely-focused-on-responsible-afghanistan-withdrawal

CNO: Pentagon Force Posture Review Will Inform Future Carrier Missions, Arctic Presence

USS Toledo (SSN-769) surfaces at Ice Camp Seadragon on the Arctic Ocean for Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2020. US Navy Photo

The chief of naval operations said an ongoing Global Force Posture Review led by the defense secretary could bring about changes to how aircraft carriers and other in-demand naval assets should be deployed around the world in the future, as one deployed carrier strike group that trained for a range of new missions is now in the Middle East conducting the same old missions of land...

https://news.usni.org/2021/04/05/cno-pentagon-force-posture-review-will-inform-future-carrier-missions-arctic-presence

Pentagon Said it Was Ready for Extended Suez Canal Blockage

Maxar’s GeoEye 1 satellite took this picture of the Ever Given container ship in the Suez Canal at 11:52 a.m. local time in Egypt on Monday, March 29, 2021. Maxar Photo

After a container ship twice as heavy as a Ford-class carrier halted traffic through the Suez Canal for nearly a week, the Defense Department emphasized that it prepares for this type of scenario.

During a Monday press briefing, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said he could not discuss details on how container ship Ever Given‘s...

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/29/pentagon-said-it-was-ready-for-extended-suez-canal-blockage

Cruiser USS Philippine Sea Back at Sea After 20 Sailors Contracted COVID-19

Sailors assigned to guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) prepare to depart Manama, Bahrain, during a sea and anchor detail, March 21, 2021. Philippine Sea is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce. US Navy photo.

Cruiser USS Philippine Sea

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/22/cruiser-uss-philippine-sea-back-at-sea-after-20-sailors-contracted-covid-19

USS San Diego Back to Sea in 5th Fleet After Containing COVID-19 Spread Among Crew

Hospitalman Cheyenne Bostick, center, assigned to amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to Sailors assigned to guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) in Manama, Bahrain, March 2, 2021. US Navy photo.

An amphibious warship is back to sea in the Middle East after spending two weeks in Bahrain trying to contain the spread of COVID-19 among its crew.

USS San Diego (LPD-22), which is deployed to the region as part of the Makin...

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/12/uss-san-diego-back-to-sea-in-5th-fleet-after-containing-covid-19-spread-among-crew

Pentagon Announces Nominees to Lead INDO-PACOM, Pacific Fleet

Adm. John Aquilino, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet speaks during the 79th Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii. US Navy Photo

U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. John Aquilino is the Biden administration pick to be the next head of all U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific, the Pentagon announced on Saturday.

The announcement affirms the Trump administration’s December pick of Aquilino to take charge of the largest American combatant command,...

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/06/pentagon-announces-nominees-to-lead-indo-pacom-pacific-fleet

Photo Gallery: USS Nimitz Returns Home After 11 Months Total Away

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is now home, 331 days after sailors left their homes and families for a marathon of quarantines, training and a deployment to the Middle East and Pacific.

Nimitz pulled into Naval Base Kitsap on March 4, bringing sailors home after they first boarded the carrier on April 1, 2020, for a 27-day restriction of movement (ROM) period – the first such quarantine period for a carrier crew since the pandemic began in earnest in the U.S. the month before.

Sailors quarantined aboard the...

https://news.usni.org/2021/03/05/photo-gallery-uss-nimitz-returns-home-after-11-months-total-away

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