Photo from Ukrinform–UATV
The United States Navy will soon increase its presence in the Atlantic Ocean and rebuild military command structures in response to the growing Russian military activity, Voice of America reported.
Russia has increased its patrols in the Baltic Sea, the North Atlantic and the Arctic, NATO officials say, although the size of its navy is smaller now than during the Cold War era.
“This is a dynamic response to a dynamic security environment. So as we’ve seen this great-power competition emerge, the Atlantic Ocean is as dynamic a theater as any and particular the North Atlantic, so as we consider high-end naval warfare, fighting in the Atlantic, that will be the second fleet’s responsibility,” said chief of naval operations admiral, John Richardson, onboard the carrier George H.W.Bush.
The second fleet, based in Norfolk, Virginia, resumes operations on July 1. This fleet was deactivated in 2011 for reasons of cost savings and organizational restrucructing.