Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (aka COMNAVAIRLANT, AIRLANT, CNAL) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Atlantic Fleet naval aviation units. Type Commanders are in administrative control (ADCON), and in some cases operational control (OPCON) of certain types of assets (ships, submarines, aircraft, and fleet marines) assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRLANT is responsible for the material readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.
COMNAVAIRLANT is headquartered at NAS Norfolk. The staff is made up of approximately 515 officer, enlisted, civilian and contractor personnel.
"Support COMLANTFLT and other commanders by providing combat ready/sustainable naval air forces, trained and equipped in an environment which emphasizes safety, interoperability and efficient resource management."
Naval Air Force, US Atlantic Fleet was established on 1 January 1943, at NAS Norfolk, Virginia. The command was initially called Air Force, Atlantic Fleet and replaced three older organizations: Commander Carriers, Atlantic Fleet; Carrier Replacement Squadron, Atlantic Fleet; and Fleet Air Wings, Atlantic. AIRLANT's mission was to oversee logistics, maintenance and training of east coast aviation units, and to direct all World War II Atlantic operations not assigned to specific task forces. The combat mission consisted primarily of combating German U-boats, which were wreaking havoc on U.S. shipping support for the war effort in Europe. AIRLANT also contributed heavily to war in the Pacific by training Pacific Fleet units and deploying east coast units to the Pacific. In 1944 AIRLANT deployed 16 carriers, 20 carrier air groups, 67 carrier-based squadrons, 21 patrol squadrons and 18 aviation units to the Pacific.[1]
On 30 July 1957, the command added "Naval" to its title. In October 2001, the Chief of Naval Operations placed Type Commanders in a "Lead-Follow" arrangement. Under this arrangement, COMNAVAIRPAC (AIRLANT's west coast counterpart) became TYCOM for all Naval Aviation, and assumed the additional title of Commander, Naval Air Forces (COMNAVAIRFOR). At that time, command of AIRLANT went from a 3-star/Vice Admiral to a 2-star Rear Admiral.
| Dates | Commander |
|---|---|
| 1943 | RADM Alva D. Bernhard |
| 1943–1946 | VADM Patrick N. Bellinger |
| 1946–1948 | VADM Gerald F. Bogan |
| 1948–1951 | VADM Felix B. Stump |
| 1951–1954 | VADM John J. Ballentine |
| 1954–1956 | VADM Frederick W. McMahon |
| 1956–1960 | VADM William L. Rees |
| 1960–1963 | VADM Frank O'Beirne |
| 1963–1965 | VADM Paul H. Ramsey |
| 1965–1969 | VADM Charles T. Booth II |
| 1969–1972 | VADM Robert L. Townsend |
| 1972–1975 | VADM Frederick H. Michaelis |
| 1975–1978 | VADM Howard E. Greer |
| 1978–1981 | VADM George E. Kinnear II |
| 1981–1983 | VADM Thomas J. Kilcline |
| 1983-1983 | VADM Carol C. Smith, Jr. |
| 1983–1986 | VADM Robert F. Dunn |
| 1986–1989 | VADM Richard M. Dunleavy |
| 1989–1991 | VADM John K. Ready |
| 1991–1994 | VADM Anthony A. Less |
| 1994–1996 | VADM Richard C. Allen |
| 1996–1998 | VADM John J. Mazach |
| 1998–2001 | VADM Joseph S. Mobley |
| 2001–2002 | RADM Michael D. Malone |
| 2002–2004 | RADM James M. Zortman |
| 2004–2006 | RADM Harold D. Starling II |
| 2006–2008 | RADM John W. Goodwin |
| 2009-2010 | RADM Richard J. O'Hanlon |
Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet is composed of more than 40,000 men and women who maintain and operate the aircraft carriers, aircraft squadrons and aircraft of the Atlantic Fleet. It provides combat-ready air forces to fleet commanders operating around the globe.
There are six Carrier Strike Group commanders who, although not under operational control of COMNAVAIRLANT, work very closely with the staff. CSG commanders are operationally responsible for the carrier, the embarked airwing and the cruisers that make up the battle group.
The nucleus of the naval battle group is the aircraft carrier. In the Atlantic Fleet, COMNAVAIRLANT has five carriers assigned to carry out the mission of COMLANTFLT and other commanders. One or two of these carriers are usually deployed with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea or with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf in support of U.S. Central Command. When not deployed or undergoing periodic maintenance/overhaul, or refresher training, these ships operate with U.S. Second Fleet in the Western Atlantic or U.S. Fourth Fleet in the Caribbean.
The carrier air wing commander is responsible for a number of squadrons whose missions include attack, fighter, patrol, reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare and logistic support.
Type wing commanders are individually responsible for major categories of aircraft squadrons.