United States Navy

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United States Navy

Major Commands U.S. Pacific Fleet U.S. Fleet Forces Command U.S. Naval Forces Europe U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Military Sealift Command Naval Special Warfare Command Naval Reserve Force Structure Bases Aircraft squadrons Active units Current Fleet Equipment Full U.S. Navy ship list Naval aircraft Weapons systems Personnel Department of the Navy Chief of Naval Operations Admirals Officer insignia Enlisted insignia Ratings Badges Awards History and traditions History of the United States Navy Navy Hymn Navy Band Fleet week

"USN" redirects here. For other uses, see USN (disambiguation).

The United States Navy (also known as USN or the U.S. Navy) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas."^[1] The U.S. Navy currently has nearly 345,000 personnel on active duty and 145,000 in the Navy Reserve and operates 278 ships in active service and more than 4,000 aircraft.^[2]

The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was disbanded in 1790. The United States Constitution, though, provided the legal basis for a seaborne military force by giving Congress the power "to provide and maintain a navy."^[3] Depredations against American shipping by Barbary Coast corsairs spurred Congress to employ this power in 1794^[4] by passing the Naval Act of 1794 ordering the construction and manning of six frigates. The U.S. Navy came into international prominence in the 20th century, especially during World War II. Operating in both the European and Pacific theatres, it was a part of the conflict from the onset of American military involvement — the Attack on Pearl Harbor — to Japan's official surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri. The U.S. Navy had a role in the subsequent Cold War, in which it evolved into a nuclear deterrent and crisis response force while preparing for a possible global war with the Soviet Union.

The 21st century United States Navy maintains a sizeable presence in the world, deploying in such areas as East Asia, Southern Europe, and the Middle East. Its ability to project force onto the littoral regions of the world, engage in forward areas during peacetime, and rapidly respond to regional crises makes it an active player in American foreign and defence policy.^[5] Despite decreases in ships and personnel following the Cold War, the U.S. Navy has continued to spend more on technology development than any other and is the world’s largest navy with a tonnage greater than that of the next 17 largest combined.^[6]

Contents 1 History 2 Personnel 2.1 Commissioned officer 2.2 Chief Warrant Officer 2.3 Enlisted 2.4 Uniforms and appearance 3 Major naval installations 4 Ships 4.1 Aircraft carriers 4.2 Amphibious warfare vessels 4.3 Surface vessels 4.4 Submarines 4.5 Historically significant vessels 5 Aircraft 6 Weapons systems 7 Special warfare 7.1 SEALs 7.2 SWCC's 7.3 Naval special operations groups 8 Coastal warfare 9 Naval culture 10 Notable sailors 11 Notes 12 References 13 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of the United States Navy

In the early stages of the American Revolutionary War, the establishment of an official navy was an issue of debate among the members of the Continental Congress. Supporters argued that a navy would protect shipping, defend the coast, and make it easier to seek out support from foreign countries. Detractors countered that challenging the British Royal Navy, then the world's preeminent naval power, was a foolish undertaking.^[4]

While Congress deliberated, it received word that two unarmed British supply ships from England were heading towards Quebec without escort. A plan was drawn up to intercept the ships, but the armed vessels to be used were owned not by Congress, but by individual colonies. Of greater significance, then, was an additional plan to equip two ships that would operate under the direct authority of Congress to capture British supply transports. This was not carried out until October 13, 1775, when George Washington announced that he had taken command of three armed schooners under Continental authority to intercept any British supply ships near Massachusetts. With the revelation that vessels were already sailing under Continental control, the decision to add two more was made easier;^[7] the resolution was adopted and October 13 would later become known as the United States Navy's official birthday.^[8]

The Continental Navy achieved mixed results; it was successful in a few individual engagements and raided many British merchant ships, but it lost 24 ships^[9]and at one point was reduced to two active vessels.^[10] As Congress turned its attention after the conflict towards securing the western border of the new United States, a standing navy was considered to be dispensable because of its high operating costs and its limited number of national roles.^[4] Within a span of two years, Congress sold the surviving ships and released the seamen and officers.

The United States would be without a navy for nearly a decade, a state of affairs that exposed its merchant ships to a series of attacks by Barbary pirates. In response to these depredations, Congress ordered the construction and manning of six frigates on March 27, 1794; ^[9] three years later the first three were welcomed into service: the USS United States, USS Constellation and USS Constitution.

Following an undeclared Quasi-War with France, the U.S. Navy saw substantial action in the War of 1812, where it defeated rival British frigates on more than one occasion and emerged victorious in freshwater battles at Lake Champlain and Lake Erie. However, the U.S. Navy was not strong enough to prevent the British from blockading American ports and landing troops at will.^[4] After the war, the U.S. Navy again focused its attention on protecting American shipping assets, sending squadrons to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, South America, Africa, and the Pacific.^[9] The United States went to war in 1846 against Mexico and the Navy contributed by instituting a blockade, assisting the American takeover of California, and participating in the U.S. military's first large-scale amphibious operation at Vera Cruz.^[4] The United States Navy established itself as a player in American foreign policy through the actions of Commodore Matthew Perry in Japan, which resulted in the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854.

Naval power would play a significant role during the Civil War, where the Union had a distinct advantage over the Confederacy on the seas.^[4] A Union blockade on shipping handicapped the Southern effort throughout the conflict. The two American navies would help usher in a new era in world naval history by putting ironclad warships into combat for the first time. The Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862, which pitted USS Monitor against CSS Virginia, became the first engagement between two steam-powered ironclads.^[10] Soon after the war, however, the U.S. Navy slipped into obsolescence because of neglect.

A modernization program beginning in the 1880s brought the U.S. into the first rank of the world's navies by the end of the century. In 1907, several of the Navy's ships, dubbed the Great White Fleet, were showcased in a 14-month circumnavigation of the world. Ordered by President Theodore Roosevelt, it was a mission designed to demonstrate the Navy's capability to extend to the global theater.^[9]

The Navy saw little action during World War I, but grew into a formidable force in the years before World War II. Japan unsuccessfully attempted to allay this strategic threat with a late-1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Following American entry into the war, the U.S. Navy grew tremendously as the United States was faced with a two-front war on the seas. It achieved notable acclaim in the Pacific Theater in particular, where it was instrumental to the Allies' successful "island hopping" campaign.^[10] The U.S. Navy participated in many significant battles, including the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the Battle of Okinawa. By war's end in 1945, the United States Navy had added hundreds of new ships, including 18 aircraft carriers and 8 battleships.^[11]

With the potential for armed conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the U.S. Navy continued to advance technologically by developing new weapons systems, ships, and aircraft. United States naval strategy changed to that of forward deployment in support of U.S. allies with an emphasis on carrier battle groups.^[12] The Navy was a major participant in the Vietnam War, blockaded Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and through the use of ballistic missile submarines, became an important aspect of the United States' nuclear strategic deterrence policy.

The United States Navy continues to be a major support to American interests in the 21st century. Since the end of the Cold War, it has shifted its focus from a large-scale war with the Soviet Union to special operations and strike missions in regional conflicts.^[5] The Navy participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, the Iraq War, and the ongoing War on Terrorism largely in this capacity. Development continues on new ships and weapons, including the CVN-21 aircraft carrier and the Littoral combat ship. Because of its size, weapons technology, and ability to project force far from American shores, the current U.S. Navy remains a potent asset for the United States Commander-in-Chief.

[edit] Personnel

The United States Navy has nearly 500,000 personnel, approximately a quarter of whom are in ready reserve. Of those on active duty, more than eighty percent are enlisted sailors while commissioned officers make up around fifteen percent; the rest are midshipmen of the Naval Academy and NROTC Units at 159 Universities around the country including Penn State, Villanova, University of Notre Dame, UNC Chapel Hill, Cornell, Harvard, and UPenn.^[2]

Sailors prove they have mastered skills and deserve responsibilities by completing Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS) tasks and examinations. Among the most important is the "warfare qualification," which denotes a journeyman level of capability in Aviation Warfare, Special Warfare, Surface Warfare, or Submarine Warfare. Many qualifications are denoted on a sailor's uniform with U.S. Navy badges and insignia.

[edit] Commissioned officer

See also: U.S. Navy officer rank insignia

Commissioned officers in the Navy have pay grades ranging from O-1 to O-10, with O-10 being the highest; those with paygrades between O-1 and O-4 are designated junior officers, those between O-5 and O-6 are dubbed senior officers, and officers in the O-7 to O-10 range are called flag officers. In the event that officers demonstrate superior performance, they are given an increase in paygrade; the official Navy term for this occasion is to be promoted. Above the rank of Admiral is the rank of Fleet Admiral, which was given to a select few in World War II, but has not been held by any officer since and is reserved for wartime use. Even higher than Fleet Admiral was the special rank of Admiral of the Navy, which was awarded to only one person, George Dewey, in 1899. Efforts to resurrect the rank in the 20th century failed, making it very unlikely that it will be used again. Commissioned officers originate from the United States Naval Academy, Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), Officer Candidate School (OCS), and a host of other commissioning programs such as the Seaman to Admiral-21 program and the Limited Duty Officer Selection Program.

Commissioned officers can generally be divided into line officers and staff corps; line officers can be further split into unrestricted and restricted communities. Unrestricted Line Officers are the most visible and well-known, due to their role as the warfighting command element in the U.S. Navy. They receive training in tactics, strategy, command and control, and actual combat and are considered unrestricted because they are authorized to command ships, aviation squadrons, and special operations units. Restricted Line Officers, on the other hand, concentrate on non-combat related fields, which include engineering, maintenance, meteorology and oceanography, and intelligence; they are not qualified to command combat units. Staff Corps officers are specialists in fields that are themselves professional careers and not exclusive to the military, for example medicine, law, and civil engineering. They exist to augment the line communities and are able to be assigned to both line and staff commands.

The term "line" is a carryover from the 18th century British tactic of employing warships in a straight line to take advantage of cannons on each side of the ship. These vessels were dubbed "ships of the line" and those who commanded them were likewise called "line officers." Today, all United States Navy line officers denote their status with a star located above their rank devices on the shoulder boards and sleeves of their uniforms. Officers of the Staff Corps replace the star with different insignias to indicate their field of specialty.^[13]

Commissioned Officer Rank Structure of the United States Navy
Fleet Admiral	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral (Upper Half)	Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
special	O-10	O-9	O-8	O-7

Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade	Ensign
O-6	O-5	O-4	O-3	O-2	O-1

[edit] Chief Warrant Officer

Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) pay grades range from CWO2 to the highest rank of CWO5. United States Navy CWOs are commissioned officers whose role is to provide leadership and skills for the most difficult and demanding operations in a particular technical specialty. They occupy a niche that is not as well served by the line officer community, which tends to have a broader focus. CWOs come from the senior non-commissioned officer ranks of the enlisted and receive their commission after completing the appropriately named Chief Warrant Officer Program. They typically become CWOs in specialties that are most related to their previous enlisted rating. Like Staff Corps officers, CWOs wear special insignia above the rank devices on their shoulder boards and sleeves to indicate their field of expertise.

Chief Warrant Officer Rank Structure of the United States Navy
CWO5	CWO4	CWO3	CWO2

[edit] Enlisted

See also: U.S. Navy enlisted rate insignia

Enlisted members of the Navy have pay grades from E-1 to E-9, with E-9 being the highest. All enlisted sailors with paygrades of E-4 and higher are considered non-commissioned officers (NCOs) while those at E-7 and higher are further named chief petty officers. Unlike commissioned officers, who are given authority by the government, NCOs are promoted through the ranks of the enlisted. Those who demonstrate superior performance are given an increase in paygrade; the official Navy term is to be advanced. Two notable advancements are from Seaman to Petty Officer Third Class (E-3 to E-4) and from Petty Officer First Class to Chief Petty Officer (E-6 to E-7). Advancement to Chief Petty Officer is especially significant and is marked by a special initiation ceremony.

Enlisted members of pay grades E-4 and above are said to be "rated," meaning that they possess a rating, or occupational specialty. Members of grades E-1 to E-3 can also be rated, but do not necessarily have to be. There are more than 50 ratings covering a broad range of skills and subspecialties; examples include Engineman, Photographer's Mate, Gunner's Mate, Information Systems Technician, Culinary Specialist, and Missile Technician. Ratings are earned through "A" schools, which are attended before deployment and after undergoing initial basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. Those who do not attend an "A" school go into the fleet to learn on the job and later strike for a rating. Some members may undergo additional training in a "C" school either before or after a tour of duty; upon completion, they are assigned a four-digit Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) code, which identifies a skill that is outside of their standard rating. An example is NEC 2780, which shows that the sailor is qualified as a Network Security Vulnerablity Technician.

Rating badges and stripes are normally scarlet red or navy blue, depending on the color of the uniform. Those who demonstrate 12 or more years of good conduct, meaning they have not been subjected to non-judicial punishment or court martial, are authorized to wear with gold rating badges and service stripes on the dress blue uniform and on their coveralls. Once qualified, they must maintain their good conduct status or risk having the right removed.

Non-Commissioned Officer and Enlisted Rank Structure of the United States Navy
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy	Master Chief Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer	Petty Officer First Class
E-9	E-9	E-8	E-7	E-6

Petty Officer Second Class	Petty Officer Third Class	Seaman	Seaman Apprentice	Seaman Recruit
E-5	E-4	E-3	E-2	E-1
				no insignia

[edit] Uniforms and appearance

Main article: Uniforms of the United States Navy

The uniforms of the United States Navy are designed to combine professionalism and naval heritage with versatility, safety, and comfort.^[14] The Navy currently incorporates many different styles that are specific for a variety of uses and occasions. In most cases, distinctions are made to distinguish officers and enlisted men in their uniformed appearance. U.S. Navy uniforms can generally be divided into three categories: dress uniforms, service uniforms, and working uniforms.

• Dress uniforms are worn during military-related formal occasions, such as ceremonies and other official functions. Many types of dress uniforms are used in the Navy with the full range of formal requirements represented. Service dress is the least formal dress uniform, full dress is one step higher in formality, and mess dress is the most formal dress available.

• Service uniforms are designed for daily wear and are most often worn in office or classroom-type settings, as well as other occasions in which physical activity is at a minimum.^[15] The most visible distinction between officers and enlisted personnel are the color of the service uniform. Only officers and chief petty officers are authorized to wear service khaki; all other personnel must wear winter blue or summer white.
• Working uniforms prioritize comfort and safety first and thus are the least attractive of the Navy uniforms. They are intended for use in underway ships and in occasions that involve dirty, physical labor. Many working uniforms are variations of the service uniforms except with less formal requirements. This category includes Navy coveralls, which are authorized to be worn by members of all ranks.

Recently, the Navy completed a project named "Task Force Uniform" to streamline Navy uniforms. Among the changes are that enlisted personnel from Seaman Recruit to Petty Officer First Class (E1-E6) will have one year-round service uniform instead of Winter Blues and Summer Whites. All personnel from Seaman Recruit to Admiral will also have new working uniforms dubbed Navy Working Uniform (NWU) to replace the wash khakis, coveralls, dungarees, and aviation working greens currently in use. The uniform is a digital patterned camouflage in predominantly haze gray and blue hues.

Grooming for both male and female sailors is regulated to a high degree, with exact standards in regards to hair, facial hair, use of cosmetics, and jewelry. New male recruits are given the military crew cut and are prohibited from having hair longer than four inches while in the service. Men are required to be clean shaven at all times, although mustaches are allowed. Women do not have a hair length regulation, however hair cannot fall past the bottom edge of the uniform collar and the style of hair is strictly controlled. Multicolored hair, body piercing, and tattoos on the head are banned for both sexes.^[16]

[edit] Major naval installations

See also: List of United States Navy installations

The size, complexity, and international presence of the United States Navy require a large number of naval installations to support its operations. While the majority of bases are located on the West and East coasts of the United States, the Navy maintains a significant number of naval facilities farther inland and abroad, either in U.S.-controlled territories or in foreign countries under a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

• Hampton Roads, Virginia — The world’s largest naval base, Hampton Roads consists of a significant number of Navy installations spread over 36,000 acres (146 km²) of land in southeastern Virginia. These include Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Naval Air Station Oceana, and Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. Hampton Roads is also the homeport of the Atlantic Fleet and the location of Northrop Grumman Newport News, a privately owned company that builds the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
• San Diego, California — The second largest U.S. Navy base, San Diego hosts a large complex of facilities, including Naval Station San Diego and Naval Air Station North Island. The Naval Special Warfare Center, the main training center for SEALs, is also located here.
• Jacksonville, Florida — The third-largest naval base in the country, it contains Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport, among others. Jacksonville has had a long tradition in naval aviation and trained the first jet carrier air groups.^[17]
• Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — Located on the south end of the island of Oahu, Pearl Harbor is the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet and a large number of its subordinate commands.
• Puget Sound, Washington — The collection of naval installations in the Puget Sound area include Naval Station Everett, Naval Base Kitsap, and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Completed in 1994, Naval Station Everett is one of the newer Navy bases in operation and the Navy states that it is its most modern facility.^[18]
• Yokosuka, Japan — Yokosuka was a major United States base of operations during the Korean War. Since then it has become the homeport for the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed fleet and is the largest overseas U.S. naval installation.^[19]
• Guantanamo Bay, Cuba — Leased by the United States in 1903, Guantanamo Bay is the oldest overseas U.S. military installation. It is currently the location of Camp Delta, a detention facility for members of Al Qaeda, The Taliban, and other detainees captured during the War on Terrorism.
• Pensacola, Florida — This base in northwestern Florida is the primary site for training Navy and Marine aviators. Because of its long history in advancing Navy flight, it has been dubbed “the Cradle of Navy Aviation.”^[20]

[edit] Ships

Main article: United States Navy ships

See also: List of ships of the United States Navy

The names of commissioned ships of the U.S. Navy start with "USS", designating 'United States Ship'. Non-commissioned, civilian-manned vessels of the U.S. Navy have names that begin with "USNS", standing for 'United States Naval Ship'. Additionally, each ship is given a letter-based hull classification symbol (for example CVN and DDG) to indicate the vessel's type and a hull number. The names of ships are officially selected by the Secretary of the Navy and are usually those of U.S. states, cities, towns, important people, famous battles, fish, or ideals. All ships in the U.S. Navy inventory are placed in the Naval Vessel Register, which tracks data such as the current status of a ship, the date of its commissioning, and the date of its decommissioning. Vessels that are removed from the register prior to disposal are said to be stricken from the register.

The U.S. Navy pioneered the use of nuclear reactors aboard naval vessels. Today, nuclear energy powers most U.S. aircraft carriers and submarines. In the case of a Nimitz-class carrier, two naval reactors give the ship almost unlimited range and provide enough electrical energy to power a city of 100,000 people.^[21] The U.S. Navy previously operated nuclear-powered cruisers and destroyers as well, but all have been decommissioned.

[edit] Aircraft carriers

Aircraft carriers are regarded as the most important and most powerful warships in the United States Navy.^[22] Their ability to put most nations within striking distance of U.S. air power makes carriers the cornerstones of the United States’ forward deployment and deterrence strategy. Multiple carriers are deployed around the world at any given time to provide military presence, respond quickly to crises, and participate in joint exercises with allied forces; this has led the Navy to refer to their Nimitz-class carriers as "4.5 acres of sovereign and mobile American territory."^[23] Former President Bill Clinton summed up the importance of the aircraft carrier by stating that "when word of crisis breaks out in Washington, it's no accident the first question that comes to everyone's lips is; where is the nearest carrier?"^[24] The power and operational flexibility of a carrier naturally lie in the aircraft of its carrier air wing. Made up of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, a carrier air wing is able to perform over 150 strike missions, hitting over 700 targets a day,^[25] protect friendly forces, conduct electronic warfare, assist in special operations, and carry out search and rescue missions. In addition to their airborne capabilities, carriers are important as command platforms for large battle groups or multinational task forces. Compared to the United States Navy, most foreign navies operate smaller carriers that typically displace between 15,000 to 30,000 tons and carry a complement of helicopters and/or derivatives of the British Harrier aircraft.

A carrier is typically deployed along with a host of additional vessels, forming a carrier strike group. The supporting ships, which usually include three or four Aegis-equipped cruisers and destroyers, a frigate, and two attack submarines, are tasked with protecting the carrier from air, missile, sea, and undersea threats as well as providing additional strike capabilities themselves. Ready logistics support for the group is provided by a combined ammunition, oiler, and supply ship. Aircraft carriers beginning with USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), but with the exception of USS Nimitz (CVN-68), are named for living or deceased politicians important to the Navy or United States history. Previous aircraft carriers were generally named for battles and past famous fighting ships of the Navy.

• Kitty Hawk class (1 in commission, 2 decommissioned)
• Enterprise class (1 in commission)
• John F. Kennedy class (1 in commission)
• Nimitz class (9 in commission, 1 under construction)

[edit] Amphibious warfare vessels

Amphibious assault ships are the centerpieces of U.S. amphibious warfare and fulfill the same power projection role as aircraft carriers except that their striking force is comprised of land forces instead of aircraft. They deliver, command, coordinate, and fully support all elements of a 2000-strong Marine Expeditionary Unit in an amphibious assault using air and amphibious vehicles. Resembling small aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships are capable of V/STOL, STOVL, VTOL, tiltrotor, and rotary wing aircraft operations. They also contain a welldeck to support the use of Landing Craft Air Cushion and other amphibious assault watercraft. Recently, amphibious assault ships have begun to be deployed as the core of an expeditionary strike group, which usually consists of an additional amphibious transport dock and dock landing ship for amphibious warfare and an Aegis-equipped cruiser and destroyer, frigate, and attack submarine for group defense. Amphibious assault ships are typically named after World War II aircraft carriers, a name source carried over from the earliest assault ships which actually were converted WWII carriers.

• Tarawa class (4 in commission, 1 decommissioned)
• Wasp class (7 in commission, 1 under construction)

Amphibious transport docks are warships that embark, transport, and land Marines, supplies, and equipment in a supporting role during amphibious warfare missions. With a landing platform, amphibious transport docks also have the capability to serve as secondary aviation support for an expeditionary group. All amphibious transport docks can operate helicopters, LCACs, and other conventional amphibious vehicles while the newer San Antonio class of ships has been explicitly designed to operate all three elements of the Marines' "mobility triad": Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles (EFVs), the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, and the previously mentioned LCACs. Amphibious transport docks are named for cities, except for USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19), named for Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, and two of the three ships named in memory of the September 11, 2001 attacks: USS New York (LPD-21), for the state of New York, and USS Somerset (LPD-25) for Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

• Austin class (9 in commission, 2 decommissioned, 1 converted to an auxiliary command ship)
• San Antonio class (1 in commission, 4 under construction, 4 more planned)

The dock landing ship is a medium amphibious transport that is designed specifically to support and operate Landing Craft Air Cushions, though it is able to operate other amphibious assault vehicles in the United States inventory as well. Dock landing ships are normally deployed as a component of an expeditionary strike group's amphibious assault contingent, operating as a secondary launch platform for LCACs. All dock landing ships are named after locations in the United States.

• Whidbey Island class (8 in commission)
• Harpers Ferry class (4 in commission)

[edit] Surface vessels

Cruisers are large surface combat vessels that conduct anti-air/anti-missile warfare, surface warfare, undersea warfare, and strike operations independently or as members of a larger task force. Modern guided missile cruisers were developed out of a need to counter the anti-ship missile threat facing the United States Navy. This led to the development of the AN/SPY-1 phased array radar and the Standard Missile 2 with the Aegis combat system coordinating the two. Ticonderoga-class cruisers became the first to equip Aegis and were put to use primarily as anti-air and anti-missile defense in a battle force protection role. Later developments of vertical launch systems and the Tomahawk missile gave cruisers additional long-range land and sea strike capability, making them capable of both offensive and defensive battle operations. All cruisers since CG-47 have been named for famous battles with USS Thomas S. Gates (CG-51) as the only exception. Previously, cruisers were either named for cities (until CG-12), former important navy figures (CG-15 to CG-35), or states (CG-36 to CG-42).

• Ticonderoga class (22 in commission, 5 decommissioned)

Destroyers are multi-mission medium surface ships capable of sustained performance in anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-ship, and offensive strike operations. Like cruisers, the guided missile destroyers of the Navy are primarily focused on surface strikes using Tomahawk missiles and fleet defense through Aegis and the Standard missile. Destroyers additionally specialize in anti-submarine warfare and are equipped with VLA rockets and LAMPS Mk III Sea Hawk helicopters to deal with underwater threats. When deployed with a carrier strike group or expeditionary strike group, destroyers and their fellow Aegis-equipped cruisers are primarily tasked with defending the fleet while providing secondary strike capabilities. Destroyers have been named for important navy personnel and heroes since the USS Bainbridge (DD-1).

• Arleigh Burke class (50 in commission, 6 under construction, 7 more planned)

Modern U.S. frigates mainly perform undersea warfare for carrier strike groups and amphibious expeditionary groups and provide armed escort for supply convoys and merchant shipping. They are designed to protect friendly ships against hostile submarines in low to medium threat environments using torpedoes and LAMPS helicopters. Frigates are also able to launch Standard missiles to supply limited protection against anti-ship missiles. Independently, frigates are able to conduct counterdrug missions and other maritime interception operations. The U.S. Navy expects to retire its current class of frigates by 2020.^[26] As in the case of destroyers, frigates are named after naval heroes.

• Oliver Hazard Perry class (30 in commission, 20 decommissioned)

All U.S. battleships have been decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. Designed to engage other capital ships in open sea warfare, battleships were the Navy's largest and most important vessels until the mid-20th century. The rise of aircraft carriers in World War II led to the declining importance of battleships and the Navy relegated them to the roles of fire support and escort. Following a long period of inactivity, the Iowa class battleships were recommissioned in the 1980s to augment the Navy's size and were upgraded with Tomahawk cruise missile capability. They were decommissioned for the final time in the early 1990s due in part to their high maintenance costs and the Cold War's end. All battleships except USS Kearsarge (BB-5) were named for states.

[edit] Submarines

Main article: Submarines in the United States Navy

The primary missions of submarines in the U.S. Navy are peacetime engagement, surveillance and intelligence, special operations, precision strikes, battlegroup operations, and denial of the seas.^[27] The U.S. Navy operates two types: ballistic submarines and attack submarines. Ballistic submarines have only one mission: to carry and launch the nuclear Trident missile. Attack submarines have several tactical missions, including sinking ships and subs, launching cruise missiles, gathering intelligence, and assisting in special operations. Sea attack submarines are typically named for cities while land attack submarines (Virginia- and converted Ohio-class boats) are typically named for states. Earlier attack submarines were named for "denizens of the deep", while earlier ballistic missile submarines were named for "famous Americans" (although many of them were actually foreigners).

• Ohio class (18 in commission) — ballistic missile submarines with four to be converted into guided missile submarines
• Los Angeles class (49 in commission, 13 decommissioned) — attack submarines
• Seawolf class (3 in commission) — attack submarines
• Virginia class (2 in commission, 2 under construction, 7 more planned) — attack submarines

[edit] Historically significant vessels

The U.S. Navy has operated a number of vessels important to both United States and world naval history. USS Constitution, nicknamed "Old Ironsides", is the only surviving vessel of the original six frigates authorized by Congress when they re-established the United States Navy in 1794. It served with distinction in the War of 1812 and is currently docked in Charlestown, Massachusetts, as the oldest commissioned warship afloat. USS Monitor and CSS Virginia are together known for participating in the first engagement between two steam-powered ironclads, known as the Battle of Hampton Roads. USS Monitor was the first ironclad built by the U.S. Navy and its design introduced the rotating gun turret to naval warfare. The first submarine built by the U.S. Navy was USS Alligator, which sank in 1863 while being towed during a storm and never saw combat. The H.L. Hunley, although technically never a part of the U.S. Navy, was the first submarine to sink a ship in a combat engagement by hitting the USS Housatonic with a spar-mounted torpedo in 1864; however, the H.L. Hunley itself was lost during the operation. It was built by Confederate inventor Horace L. Hunley, who lost his life while operating the ship during a trial run. USS Nautilus (SSN-571), commissioned in 1954, was the first nuclear-powered warship in the world. It demonstrated its capabilities by traveling 62,562 miles, more than half of which was submerged, in two years before having to refuel while breaking the record for longest submerged voyage.^[28] USS Long Beach (CGN-9) was the first nuclear-powered surface warship in the world and signaled a new era of United States naval weaponry by being the first large ship in the Navy to have guided missiles as its main battery.

[edit] Aircraft

Main article: List of US Naval aircraft

Aircraft are an essential component of the U.S. Navy's fighting capacity. Carrier-based aircraft are able to strike air, sea, and land targets far from a carrier strike group while protecting friendly forces from enemy aircraft, ships, and submarines. In peacetime, aircraft's ability to project the threat of sustained attack from a mobile platform on the seas gives United States leaders significant diplomatic and crisis-management options. Aircraft additionally provide logistics support to maintain the Navy’s readiness and, through helicopters, supply platforms with which to conduct search and rescue, special operations, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-surface warfare (ASuW).

The U.S. Navy began to research the use of aircraft at sea in the 1910s and commissioned its first aircraft carrier, USS Langley, in 1922.^[29] United States naval aviation fully came of age in World War II, when it became clear following the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the Battle of Midway that aircraft carriers and the planes that they carried had replaced the battleship as the greatest weapon on the seas. Navy aircraft also played a significant role in conflicts during the following Cold War years, with the F-4 Phantom II and the F-14 Tomcat becoming military icons of the era. The Navy's current primary fighter and attack airplanes are the multi-mission F/A-18C/D Hornet and its newer cousin, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The F-35 Lightning II is presently under development and is scheduled to replace the C and D versions of the Hornet in 2012.^[30]

[edit] Weapons systems

Main article: List of US Navy weapons

Current U.S. Navy shipboard weapons systems are almost entirely focused on missiles, both as a weapon and as a threat. In an offensive role, missiles are intended to strike targets at long distances with accuracy and precision. Because they are unmanned weapons, missiles allow for attacks on heavily defended targets without risk to human pilots. Land and sea strikes are the domain of the BGM-109 Tomahawk, which was first deployed in the 1980s and is continually being updated to increase its capabilities. While the Tomahawk can be used in an anti-ship capacity^{[citation needed]}, the Navy's dedicated missile for this role is the Harpoon missile. To defend against enemy missile attack, the Navy operates a number of systems that are all coordinated by the Aegis combat system. Medium-long range defense is provided by the Standard Missile 2, which has been deployed since the 1980s. The Standard missile doubles as the primary shipboard anti-aircraft weapon and is undergoing development for use in theater ballistic missile defense. Short range defense against missiles is provided by the Phalanx CIWS and the more recently developed RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile. In addition to missiles, the Navy also employs Mark 46 and Mark 50 torpedoes and various types of mines. The ships defense also relies upon the use of advanced detection systems including IFF(Idendification Friend or Foe) Antennas and SSR(Secondary Surveillance Radar) Systems

Naval fixed-wing aircraft employ much of the same weapons as the United States Air Force for both air-to-air and air-to-surface combat. Air engagements are handled by the heat-seeking Sidewinder and the radar guided AMRAAM missiles along with the M61 Vulcan for close range dogfighting. For surface strikes, Navy aircraft utilize a combination of missiles, smart bombs, and dumb bombs. On the list of available missiles are the Maverick, SLAM-ER, and JSOW. Smart bombs include the GPS-guided JDAM and the laser-guided Paveway series. Unguided munitions such as dumb bombs and cluster bombs round out the rest of the weapons deployed by fixed-wing aircraft.

Rotary aircraft weapons revolve around anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and light to medium surface engagements. To combat submarines, helicopters use Mark 46 and Mark 50 torpedoes. Against small watercraft, they utilize Hellfire and Penguin air to surface missiles. Helicopters also employ various types of mounted anti-personnel machine guns, including the M60D, M240, GAU-16, and GAU-17.

Nuclear weapons in the U.S. Navy arsenal are deployed through ballistic missile submarines and aircraft. The Ohio-class submarine carries the latest iteration of the Trident missile, a three stage, underwater launched, nuclear ICBM with MIRV capability; the current Trident II (D5) version is expected to be in service past 2020.^[31] The Navy’s other nuclear weapon is the aircraft-deployed B61 nuclear bomb. The B61 is a thermonuclear device that can be dropped by strike aircraft such as the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet at high speed from a large range of altitudes. They can be released through free-fall or parachute and can be set to detonate in the air or on the ground.

[edit] Special warfare

The major players in U.S. Navy special operations are:-

[edit] SEALs

The United States Navy SEALS (SEALs). Their name comes from the environments in and from which they can operate: Sea, Air, and Land. They are a flexible group of naval Special Forces trained to conduct clandestine warfare in any setting, most often in small-unit actions. They specialize in maritime operations; striking from and returning to the sea.^[32]

[edit] SWCC's

The Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCCs, pronounced "swicks"). They work with the SEALs. The SWCC's are trained in small ship and watercraft operations in the Navy. Organized into Special Boat Teams, SWCCs specialize in inserting and extracting SEALs in hostile territory, coastal patrol, and surveillance, and boarding and searching vessels.^[33]

[edit] Naval special operations groups

Navy special operations fall under the jurisdiction of Naval Special Warfare Command, the Navy branch of United States Special Operations Command. Within Naval Special Warfare Command are six operational entities: four Special Warfare Groups, the Special Warfare Development Group, and the Special Warfare Center.

• Naval Special Warfare Group ONE and Group TWO each consist of four teams of Navy SEALs and a few Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Units. NSW units are charged with overall command and control and planning of special operations within their geographic jurisdiction.

• Group THREE is made up of SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Teams and one Special Boat Team that is shared with Group FOUR. SEALs who are assigned to SDV teams specialize in the use of Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (known as "SEAL Delivery Vehicles" in American service) and Advanced SEAL Delivery Systems (ASDSs). These watercraft are submersibles that are designed to insert SEAL operators underwater, from long distances offshore.

• Group FOUR is comprised of all of the Navy's Special Boat Teams.^[34]

• The Navy Special Warfare Development Group, also known as Dev Group or DEVGRU, is the United States military's premier Maritime Counter-Terrorism unit. While the Navy confirms the existence of the unit, it merely states that the role of Dev Group is to test, evaluate, and develop technology and maritime, ground and airborne tactics for Navy Special Warfare.^[35] No official mention of Counter-Terrorism concerning DEVGRU is made. Though much of the information regarding this unit is classified, it is estimated that the group consists of approximately 200 active operators.^[36]

• The Naval Special Warfare Center, located in Coronado, California, is the main training center for Navy special operations personnel including the United States Navy SEALs's.

Although not under the jurisdiction of NSW Command, Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Units often work closely with special operations teams. Trained to be combat-ready and highly mobile, EOD units are entrusted with nullifying hazardous ordnance in a number of different maritime environments.^[37] They are also able to conduct underwater anti-mine operations using marine mammals.^[38]

[edit] Coastal warfare

Coastal and harbor defense and protection of naval assets are placed under the jurisdiction of two Naval Coastal Warfare Groups: one for the Pacific Fleet and one for the Atlantic Fleet. Within these groups are Mobile Security Squadrons and Naval Coastal Warfare Squadrons. MSSs deploy Mobile Security Detachments that protect high value naval targets from terrorist attacks in ports and harbors where U.S. shore infrastructure is limited or does not exist. Naval Coastal Warfare Squadrons provide surveillance and security in harbors, coasts, and inshore areas. They are comprised of Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Units (MIUWUs) and Inshore Boat Units (IBUs). MIUWUs are charged with security, observation, and communications support for commanders operating in an inshore/coast environment, including anchorages and harbors. In the same operating environment, IBUs manage water craft for security, interdiction and surveillance.

[edit] Naval culture

The current naval jack of the United States is the First Navy Jack, which was used during the American Revolutionary War. On May 31, 2002, Secretary of the Navy Gordon England directed all U.S. naval ships to fly the First Navy Jack for the duration of the War on Terrorism. Many ships chose to shift colors later that year on the first anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The previous naval jack was a blue field with 50 white stars, identical to the canton of the ensign (the Flag of the United States) both in appearance and size. A jack of similar design was used in 1794, though with 13 stars arranged in a 3–2–3–2–3 pattern. When a ship is moored or anchored, the jack is flown from the bow of the ship while the ensign is flown from the stern. When underway, the ensign is raised on the mainmast. The First Naval Jack, however, has always been flown on the oldest ship in the American fleet.

Over the course of the United States Navy's 200-year existence, a distinct jargon has evolved among American sailors and has become a normal part of their everyday speech. Modern U.S. Navy slang draws from a number of varied sources. It includes traditional sailing terms, archaic English words, and a plethora of acronyms, joke phrases, crude expressions, and abbreviations that have been created within the past hundred years.

[edit] Notable sailors

Main article: List of United States Navy people

Many past and present United States historical figures have served in the Navy. Notable officers include Oliver Hazard Perry, Jeremy Michael Boorda, Gerald F. DeConto, Commodore Matthew Perry, who fully opened Tokugawa-era Japan to the West, and Chester Nimitz, Admiral of the Pacific Fleet in World War II, Rodger W. Simpson World War II Hero. A number of former Presidents were in the Navy as well, including John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush. Jeremy Michael Boorda was 25th Chief of Naval Operations. Some members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, for example John McCain and John Kerry, have also seen Navy service. Other notable former members of the U.S. Navy include astronauts, entertainers, authors, and professional athletes such as David Robinson.

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official site
• Navy.com Official recruitment site
• Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding the U.S. Navy
• NavSource Naval History - Photographic History Of The U.S. Navy
• U.S. WW II Newsmap, "Our Fighting Ships", hosted by the UNT Libraries Digital Collections
• The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy In World War II
• Guide to US Navy ships
• Haze Grey.org Navy history and phtography

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