| United States Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1983-present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Website | www.cusnc.navy.mil |
| Commanders | |
| Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command; Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander | Vice Admiral Mark I. Fox |
| Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command | Rear Admiral Charles M. Gaouette |
| Vice Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command | Rear Admiral John Joliffe |
| United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander. | Commodore Tim Fraser, Royal Navy |
United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) is the United States Navy element of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM). Its area of responsibility includes the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea. It consists of the United States Fifth Fleet and several other subordinate task forces, including Combined Task Force 150, Combined Task Force 158 and others.
The command was established on 1 January 1983 along with the rest of U.S. Central Command, and command of NAVCENT was initially given to a flag officer selectee based at Pearl Harbor and tasked with coordinating administrative and logistical support for U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf. An actual flag officer deployed to the region known as Commander, Middle East Force (COMMIDEASTFOR), retained operational control of U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf and effectively served as USCENTCOM's de facto naval component commander.[1]
The Navy's post-World War II operations in the Persian Gulf began in 1948 when a series of U.S. task groups, led by the USS Valley Forge (CV-45), the USS Rendova (CVE-114), and Task Force 128 led by the USS Pocono (AGC-16) visited the Persian Gulf.[2] On 20 January 1948, Commander-in-Chief, Northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, Admiral Conolly, created Task Force 126 to supervise the large number of Navy fleet oilers and chartered tankers picking up oil in the Persian Gulf. By June 1949, the Task Force had become Persian Gulf Forces and on 16 August 1949 Persian Gulf Forces became Middle East Force.
In October 1948, Hydrographic Survey Group 1 arrived to help map the Persian Gulf's waters. Consisting of USS Maury, USS Dutton, USS John Blish, and USS Littlehales, the Group remained in the Persian Gulf until April 1949, but their efforts were limited by weather, logistics support and upkeep.
In 1971, when Bahrain achieved full independence, the U.S. Navy leased part of the former British base HMS Juffair, originally established in 1935. It was renamed it Administrative Support Unit, Bahrain. The name was changed to Naval Support Activity, Bahrain in 1999, to reflect its broader support role.
Following the initial establishment of U.S. Central Command, the boundary between USCENTCOM and U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) was the Strait of Hormuz. To direct forces of multiple services operating over the boundary, Joint Task Force Middle East was established on 20 September 1987. It was soon obvious that JTF-ME and the Middle East Force were directing much the same operations, and a single dual-hatted naval commander was appointed by February 1988. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command took part in Operation Earnest Will in 1986-1987 and supported Army special operations helicopters conducting Operation Prime Chance. Operation Praying Mantis followed later.
Prior to the first Gulf War in 1990-1991, U.S. naval operations in the Persian Gulf region continued to be directed by the two star Rear Admiral who was Commander, Middle Eastern Force (COMMIDEASTFOR). Since this organization was considered insufficiently equipped to manage large scale combat operations during the Gulf War, the three star Vice Admiral who was Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet (COMSEVENTHFLT), a U.S. Pacific Fleet organization normally based in Japan, was given the temporary task of managing the naval forces during the period, reporting to the Commander of USCENTCOM, who acted as the Combined Force Commander during the first Gulf War.
From 1 Januaruy 1991, the six carriers deployed were divided into Battle Force Yankee (two carriers, including Saratoga, in the Red Sea under Rear Admiral Riley Mixson) and Task Force 154, Battle Force Zulu (four carriers in the AS/PG under Rear Admiral Daniel March). TF 150 was Vice Admiral Henry H. Mauz, Jr. himself, TF 151 the Middle East Force, TG 150.3 Naval Logistics Suppoert Force (Rear Admiral Bob Sutton), and TF 156 the amphibious force.[3]
Although COMSEVENTHFLT held command responsibility during this period, no numbered fleet existed permanently within the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR) during the first Gulf War and for the next four years thereafter. By July 1995, a new numbered fleet was deemed necessary by the senior U.S. Navy leadership, and after a 48-year hiatus, the U.S. Fifth Fleet was reactivated, replacing COMMIDEASTFOR.[4] Dual-hatted as COMUSNAVCENT as the naval component command of USCENTCOM, the same Vice Admiral (and his staff) as Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet (COMFIFTHFLT) now directs naval operations in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and the Arabian Sea. The combined COMUSNAVCENT/COMFIFTHFLT headquarters is located at NSA Bahrain in Manama, Bahrain. The command oversees both afloat and shore-based units that rotationally deploy or surge from the United States, plus a few smaller surface ships that are based in the Gulf for longer periods. Ships rotationally deploy to the U.S. Fifth Fleet from the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets.[5]
| Australia Bahrain |
In February 2002 the Combined Maritime Forces was also established as an embedded activity with COMUSNAVCENT/COMFIFTHFLT to provide coordinated Coalition operations in the area of operations. It is an international naval partnership that provides security for civilian maritime traffic by conducting counter-piracy and counter-terrorism missions in the heavily-trafficked waters of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, including the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean.[6]
CMF is commanded by the U.S. Navy Vice Admiral who is also the Commander NAVCENT and the United States Fifth Fleet. CMF's Deputy Commander is a UK Royal Navy Commodore. CMF Headquarters are located with the US Naval Central Command at Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
The present commander of CMF is Vice Admiral Mark I. Fox, USN. Current Deputy Commander is Commodore Tim Fraser, Royal Navy.[7]
CMF's personnel and ships are drawn from 25 nations and are organized into three principle task forces:
After the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Commander, Task Force 150, previously a single-nation U.S. formation, was made into a multinational effort as Combined Task Force 150 and was given a renewed focus on maritime security and counter-terrorism. It was established on February 3, 2002, by Vice Admiral Charles W. Moore.[11] Over time, it became increasingly involved in combating the rising incidence of piracy in Somalia.
Combined Task Force 151 was established in January 2009 by Vice Admiral William E. Gortney specifically to address counter-piracy operations.[12]
Operating alongside CTF 151 and Operation Ocean Shield are other national deployments such as the People's Liberation Army Navy, most recently with CTF 526 aboard the Type 054 frigate Wenzhou.