United States Navy

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

For civilian military department for naval forces, seeUnited States Department of the Navy.

TheUnited States Navy(USN) is themaritimeservice branchof theUnited States Armed Forcesand one of the eightuniformed services of the United States.It is the world's most powerfulnavyand the largest by tonnage, at 4.5 million tons in 2021and in 2009 an estimated battle fleet tonnage that exceeded the next 13 navies combined.It has the world's largestaircraft carrierfleet, with11 in service,one undergoing trials, two new carriers under construction, and six other carriers planned as of 2024. With 336,978 personnel onactive dutyand 101,583 in theReady Reserve,the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 299 deployable combat vessels and about 4,012 operational aircraft as of July 18, 2023.

United States Navy
Emblem of the United States Navy
Founded	27 March 1794 (230 years, 8 months) (in current form) 13 October 1775 (249 years, 1 month) (as theContinental Navy)
Country	United States
Type	Navy
Size	334,896 active duty personnel 54,741 Navy Reserve personnel 387,637 total uniformed personnel (official data as of July 31, 2023) 279,471 civilian employees (As of 2018) 480ships total,of which 300 are deployable (As of 2019) 2,623 aircraft (As of 2018)
Part of	United States Armed Forces Department of the Navy
Headquarters	The Pentagon Arlington County, Virginia,U.S.
Motto(s)	Semper Fortis('Always Courageous'), (unofficial). Non sibi sed patriae('Not for self but for country') (unofficial)
Colors	Blue and gold
March	"Anchors Aweigh"
Anniversaries	13 October
Equipment	List of equipment of the United States Navy
Engagements	See list American Revolutionary War Quasi-War First Barbary War War of 1812 Second Barbary War West Indies Anti-Piracy Operations Seminole Wars African Anti-Slavery Operations Aegean Sea Anti-Piracy Operations First Sumatran expedition United States exploration expedition Patriot War Second Sumatran expedition Ivory Coast Expedition Capture of Monterey Mexican–American War Bombardment of Greytown Battle of Ty-ho Bay First Fiji Expedition Filibuster War Second Opium War Second Fiji Expedition Reform War Paraguay expedition American Civil War Bombardment of Qui Nhon Shimonoseki Campaign Formosa Expedition United States expedition to Korea Egyptian Expedition (1882) Bering Sea Anti-Poaching Operations Kingdom of Hawaii overthrowal Second Samoan Civil War Banana Wars Spanish–American War Negro Rebellion Occupation of Nicaragua Occupation of Haiti Occupation of the Dominican Republic (1916) Philippine–American War Boxer Rebellion World War I Bombardment of Samsun World War II Korean War First Taiwan Strait Crisis 1958 Lebanon crisis 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis Vietnam War Occupation of the Dominican Republic (1965) Iranian Hostage Rescue Gulf of Sidra incident (1981) Multinational Force in Lebanon Invasion of Grenada Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986) Bombing of Libya (1986) Tanker War Earnest Will Prime Chance Eager Glacier Nimble Archer Praying Mantis 1989 air battle near Tobruk Invasion of Panama Gulf War Iraqi no-fly zones Somali Civil War Bosnian War Third Taiwan Strait Crisis Kosovo War International Force for East Timor Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan (2001–2014) Philippines Horn of Africa Pankisi Gorge Trans Sahara Caribbean and Central America Iraq War Operation Burnt Frost Operation Ocean Shield Operation Odyssey Dawn 2014 Intervention against ISIL Operation Inherent Resolve War in Afghanistan (2015–2021) 2017 Shayrat missile strike Operation Prosperity Guardian 2024 missile strikes in Yemen
Website	navy.mil navy
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	PresidentJoe Biden
Secretary of Defense	Lloyd Austin
Secretary of the Navy	Carlos Del Toro
Chief of Naval Operations	ADMLisa Franchetti
Vice Chief of Naval Operations	ADMJames W. Kilby
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy	MCPONJames Honea
Insignia
Flag
Ensign
Jack
Pennant
Logo

Ships of the United States Navy
Ships in current service
Current ships
Ships grouped Alpha betically
A–B C D–F G–H I–K L M N–O P Q–R S T–V W–Z
Ships grouped by type
Aircraft carriers Airships Amphibious warfare ships Auxiliaries Battlecruisers Battleships Cruisers Destroyers Destroyer escorts Destroyer leaders Escort carriers Frigates Hospital ships Littoral combat ships Mine warfare vessels Monitors Oilers Patrol vessels Registered civilian vessels Sailing frigates Steam frigates Steam gunboats Ships of the line Sloops of war Submarines Torpedo boats Torpedo retrievers Unclassified miscellaneous Yard and district craft

The United States Navy traces its origins to theContinental Navy,which was established during theAmerican Revolutionary Warand was effectively disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter. After suffering significant loss of goods and personnel at the hands of theBarbary piratesfromAlgiers,theUnited States Congresspassed theNaval Act of 1794for the construction ofsix heavy frigates,the first ships of the Navy. The United States Navy played a major role in theAmerican Civil WarbyblockadingtheConfederacyand seizing control of its rivers. It played the central role in theWorld War IIdefeat ofImperial Japan.The United States Navy emerged from World War II as the most powerful navy in the world. The modern United States Navy maintains a sizable global presence, deploying in strength in such areas as the WesternPacific,theMediterranean,and the Indian Ocean. It is ablue-water navywith the ability toproject forceonto thelittoral regionsof the world, engage in forward deployments during peacetime and rapidly respond to regional crises, making it a frequent actor in American foreign and military policy.

The United States Navy is part of theDepartment of the Navy,alongside theUnited States Marine Corps,which is its coequal sister service. The Department of the Navy is headed by the civiliansecretary of the Navy.The Department of the Navy is itself a military department of theDepartment of Defense,which is headed by thesecretary of defense.Thechief of naval operations(CNO) is the most senior Navy officer serving in the Department of the Navy.

Mission

To recruit, train, equip, and organize to deliver combat ready Naval forces to win conflicts and wars while maintaining security and deterrence through sustained forward presence.

— Mission statement of the United States Navy.

The U.S. Navy is a seaborne branch of themilitary of the United States.The Navy's three primary areas of responsibility:

• The preparation of naval forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war.
• The maintenance of naval aviation, including land-based naval aviation, air transport essential for naval operations, and all air weapons and air techniques involved in the operations and activities of the Navy.
• The development of aircraft, weapons,military tactics,technique, organization, and equipment ofnaval combatand service elements.

U.S. Navy training manuals state that the mission of the U.S. Armed Forces is "to be prepared to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations in support of the national interest." The Navy's five enduring functions are:sea control,power projection,deterrence,maritime security,andsealift.

History

Main article:History of the United States Navy

Origins

It follows then as certain as that night succeeds the day, that without a decisive naval force we can do nothing definitive, and with it, everything honorable and glorious.

— George Washington15 November 1781, toMarquis de Lafayette

Would to Heaven we had a navy able to reform those enemies to mankind or crush them into non-existence.

— George Washington 15 August 1786, to Marquis de Lafayette

Naval power... is the natural defense of the United States.

— John Adams

The Navy was rooted in the colonial seafaring tradition, which produced a large community of sailors, captains, and shipbuilders.In the early stages of theAmerican Revolutionary War,Massachusettshad its ownMassachusetts Naval Militia.The rationale for establishing a national navy was debated in theSecondContinental Congress.Supporters argued that a navy would protect shipping, defend the coast, and make it easier to seek support from foreign countries. Detractors countered that challenging the BritishRoyal Navy,then the world's preeminent naval power, was a foolish undertaking. Commander in ChiefGeorge Washingtonresolved the debate when he commissioned the ocean-goingschoonerUSSHannahto interdict British merchantmen and reported the captures to the Congress. On 13 October 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the purchase of two vessels to be armed for a cruise against British merchantmen; this resolution created theContinental Navyand is considered the first establishment of the U.S. Navy.The Continental Navy achieved mixed results; it was successful in a number of engagements and raided many British merchant vessels, but it lost twenty-four of its vesselsand at one point was reduced to two in active service.In August 1785, after the Revolutionary War had drawn to a close,Congresshad soldAlliance,the last ship remaining in the Continental Navy due to a lack of funds to maintain the ship or support a navy.

In 1972, the Chief of Naval Operations, AdmiralElmo Zumwalt,authorized the Navy to celebrate its birthday on 13 October to honor the establishment of the Continental Navy in 1775.

From re-establishment to the Civil War

See also:Union Navy

The United States was without a navy for nearly a decade, a state of affairs that exposed U.S. maritime merchant ships to a series of attacks by theBarbary pirates.The sole armed maritime presence between 1790 and the launching of the U.S. Navy's first warships in 1797 was theU.S. Revenue-Marine,the primary predecessor of theU.S. Coast Guard.Although the United States Revenue Cutter Service conducted operations against the pirates, the pirates' depredations far outstripped its abilities and Congress passed theNaval Act of 1794that established a permanent standing navy on 27 March 1794.The Naval Act ordered the construction and manning ofsix frigatesand, by October 1797,the first three were brought into service:USSUnited States,USSConstellation,andUSSConstitution.Due to his strong posture on having a strong standing Navy during this period,John Adamsis "often called the father of the American Navy".In 1798–99 the Navy was involved in an undeclaredQuasi-Warwith France.From 1801 to 1805, in theFirst Barbary War,the U.S. Navy defended U.S. ships from the Barbary pirates, blockaded the Barbary ports and executed attacks against the Barbary' fleets.

The U.S. Navy saw substantial action in theWar of 1812,where it was victorious in eleven single-ship duels with the Royal Navy. It proved victorious in theBattle of Lake Erieand prevented the region from becoming a threat to American operations in the area. The result was a major victory for the U.S. Army at theNiagara Frontierof the war, and the defeat of the Native American allies of the British at theBattle of the Thames.Despite this, the U.S. Navy could not prevent the British from blockading its ports and landing troops.But after the War of 1812 ended in 1815, the U.S. Navy primarily focused its attention on protecting American shipping assets, sending squadrons to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, where it participated in theSecond Barbary Warthat ended piracy in the region, South America, Africa, and the Pacific.From 1819 to the outbreak of the Civil War, theAfrica Squadronoperated to suppress theslave trade,seizing 36 slave ships, although its contribution was smaller than that of the much larger British Royal Navy. After 1840 severalsecretaries of the navywere southerners who advocated for strengthening southern naval defenses, expanding the fleet, and making naval technological improvements.

USSConstitutionvs HMSGuerriereduring theWar of 1812

During theMexican–American Warthe U.S. Navy blockaded Mexican ports, capturing or burning the Mexican fleet in theGulf of Californiaand capturing all major cities inBaja Californiapeninsula. In 1846–1848 the Navy successfully used thePacific Squadronunder CommodoreRobert F. Stocktonand its marines and blue-jackets to facilitate the capture of California with large-scale land operations coordinated with the local militia organized in theCalifornia Battalion.The Navy conducted the U.S. military's first large-scale amphibious joint operation by successfully landing 12,000 army troops with their equipment in one day atVeracruz,Mexico. When larger guns were needed to bombard Veracruz, Navy volunteers landed large guns and manned them in the successful bombardment and capture of the city. This successful landing and capture of Veracruz opened the way for the capture of Mexico City and the end of the war.The U.S. Navy established itself as a player inUnited States foreign policythrough the actions ofCommodoreMatthew C. Perryin Japan, which resulted in theConvention of Kanagawain 1854.

Naval power played a significant role during theAmerican Civil War,in which theUnionhad a distinct advantage over theConfederacyon the seas.AUnion blockadeon all major ports shut down exports and the coastal trade, but blockade runners provided a thin lifeline. TheBrown-water navycomponents of the U.S. navy control of the river systems made internal travel difficult for Confederates and easy for the Union. The war sawironclad warshipsin combat for the first time at theBattle of Hampton Roadsin 1862, which pittedUSSMonitoragainstCSSVirginia.For two decades after the war, however, the U.S. Navy's fleet was neglected and becametechnologically obsolete.

20th century

TheGreat White Fleetdemonstrating U.S. naval power in 1907; it was proof that the U.S. Navy hadblue-water capability.

A modernization program beginning in the 1880s when the first steel-hulled warships stimulated the American steel industry, and "the new steel navy" was born.This rapid expansion of the U.S. Navy and its decisive victory over the outdatedSpanish Navyin 1898 brought a new respect for American technical quality. Rapid building of at first pre-dreadnoughts, thendreadnoughtsbrought the U.S. in line with the navies of countries such as Britain and Germany. In 1907, most of the Navy's battleships, with several support vessels, dubbed theGreat White Fleet,were showcased in a 14-month circumnavigation of the world. Ordered by PresidentTheodore Roosevelt,it was a mission designed to demonstrate the Navy's capability to extend to the global theater.By 1911, the U.S. had begun building the super-dreadnoughts at a pace to eventually become competitive with Britain.The 1911 also saw the first naval aircraft with the navywhich would lead to the informal establishment ofUnited States Naval Flying Corpsto protect shore bases. It was not until 1921US naval aviationtruly commenced.

World War I and interwar years

DuringWorld War I,the U.S. Navy spent much of its resources protecting and shipping hundreds of thousands of soldiers and marines of theAmerican Expeditionary Forceand war supplies across the Atlantic inU-boatinfested waters with theCruiser and Transport Force.It also concentrated on laying theNorth Sea Mine Barrage.Hesitation by the senior command meant that naval forces were not contributed until late 1917.Battleship Division Ninewas dispatched to Britain and served as the Sixth Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet. Its presence allowed the British to decommission some older ships and reuse the crews on smaller vessels. Destroyers and U.S. Naval Air Force units like theNorthern Bombing Groupcontributed to the anti-submarine operations. The strength of the United States Navy grew under an ambitious ship building program associated with theNaval Act of 1916.

Naval construction, especially of battleships, was limited by theWashington Naval Conferenceof 1921–22, the first arms control conference in history. The aircraft carriersUSSSaratoga(CV-3)andUSSLe xing ton(CV-2)were built on the hulls of partially built battle cruisers that had been canceled by the treaty. TheNew DealusedPublic Works Administrationfunds to build warships, such asUSSYorktown(CV-5)andUSSEnterprise(CV-6).By 1936, with the completion ofUSSWasp(CV-7),the U.S. Navy possessed a carrier fleet of 165,000 tonnesdisplacement,although this figure was nominally recorded as 135,000 tonnes to comply with treaty limitations.Franklin Roosevelt,the number two official in the Navy Department during World War I, appreciated the Navy and gave it strong support. In return, senior leaders were eager for innovation and experimented with new technologies, such as magnetic torpedoes, and developed a strategy calledWar Plan Orangefor victory in the Pacific in a hypothetical war with Japan that would eventually become reality.

World War II

Main articles:United States Navy in World War IIandNaval history of World War II

BattleshipUSSIdahoshelling Okinawaon 1 April 1945

The U.S. Navy grew into a formidable force in the years prior toWorld War II,with battleship production being restarted in 1937, commencing withUSSNorth Carolina(BB-55).Though ultimately unsuccessful, Japan tried to neutralize this strategic threat with the surpriseattack on Pearl Harboron 7 December 1941. FollowingAmerican 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 thePacific Theater,where it was instrumental to the Allies' successful "island hopping"campaign.The U.S. Navy participated in many significant battles, including theBattle of the Coral Sea,theBattle of Midway,theSolomon Islands Campaign,theBattle of the Philippine Sea,theBattle of Leyte Gulf,and theBattle of Okinawa.By 1943, the navy's size was larger than the combined fleets of all the other combatant nations in World War II.By war's end in 1945, the U.S. Navy had added hundreds of new ships, including 18 aircraft carriers and 8 battleships, and had over 70% of the world's total numbers and total tonnage of naval vessels of 1,000 tons or greater.At its peak, the U.S. Navy was operating 6,768 ships onV-J Dayin August 1945.

OnNavy Day,October 27, 1945, the U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative stamp in honor of the Navy and the end of WW2.

Doctrine had significantly shifted by the end of the war. The U.S. Navy had followed in the footsteps of the navies of Great Britain and Germany which favored concentrated groups of battleships as their main offensive naval weapons.The development of the aircraft carrier and its devastating use by the Japanese against the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, however, shifted U.S. thinking. The Pearl Harbor attack destroyed or took out of action a significant number of U.S. Navy battleships. This placed much of the burden of retaliating against the Japanese on the small number of aircraft carriers.During World War II some 4,000,000 Americans served in the United States Navy.

Cold War and 1990s

See also:1989 United States Navy order of battle

USSGeorge Washington,a ballistic missile submarine

The potential for armed conflict with theSoviet Unionduring theCold Warpushed the U.S. Navy to continue its technological advancement by developing new weapons systems, ships, and aircraft. U.S. naval strategy changed to that of forward deployment in support of U.S. allies with an emphasis on carrier battle groups.

The navy was a major participant in theKoreanandVietnam Wars,blockaded Cuba during theCuban Missile Crisis,and, through the use ofballistic missile submarines,became an important aspect of the United States'nuclear strategic deterrencepolicy. The U.S. Navy conducted various combat operations in the Persian Gulf against Iran in 1987 and 1988, most notablyOperation Praying Mantis.The Navy was extensively involved inOperation Urgent Fury,Operation Desert Shield,Operation Desert Storm,Operation Deliberate Force,Operation Allied Force,Operation Desert FoxandOperation Southern Watch.

The U.S. Navy has also been involved in search and rescue/search and salvage operations, sometimes in conjunction with vessels of other countries as well as with U.S. Coast Guard ships. Two examples are the1966 Palomares B-52 crashincident and the subsequent search for missing hydrogen bombs, and Task Force 71 of the Seventh Fleet's operation in search forKorean Air Lines Flight 007,shot down by the Soviets on 1 September 1983.

21st century

U.S. Navy officers aboard the aircraft carrierUSSAbraham Lincolnmonitor defense systems during early 2010smaritime security operationsexercises.

The U.S. Navy continues to be a major support to U.S. interests in the 21st century. Since the end of the Cold War, it has shifted its focus from preparations for large-scale war with the Soviet Union to special operations and strike missions in regional conflicts.The navy participated inOperation Enduring Freedom,Operation Iraqi Freedom,and is a major participant in the ongoingWar on Terror,largely in this capacity. Development continues on new ships and weapons, including theGerald R. Ford-classaircraft carrier and theLittoral combat ship.Because of its size, weapons technology, and ability to project force far from U.S. shores, the current U.S. Navy remains an asset for the United States. Moreover, it is the principal means through which the U.S. maintains international global order, namely by safeguarding global trade and protecting allied nations.

In 2007, the U.S. Navy joined with theU.S. Marine Corpsand U.S. Coast Guard to adopt a new maritime strategy calledA Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapowerthat raises the notion of prevention of war to the same philosophical level as the conduct of war. The strategy was presented by theChief of Naval Operations,theCommandant of the Marine Corps,andCommandant of the Coast Guardat the International Sea Power Symposium inNewport, Rhode Islandon 17 October 2007.

The strategy recognized the economic links of the global system and how any disruption due to regional crises (man-made or natural) can adversely impact the U.S. economy and quality of life. This new strategy charts a course for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps to work collectively with each other and international partners to prevent these crises from occurring or reacting quickly should one occur to prevent negative impacts on the U.S.

In 2010, Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, noted that demands on the Navy have grown as the fleet has shrunk and that in the face of declining budgets in the future, the U.S. Navy must rely even more on international partnerships.

In its 2013 budget request, the navy focused on retaining all eleven big deck carriers, at the expense of cutting numbers of smaller ships and delaying the SSBN replacement.By the next year the USN found itself unable to maintain eleven aircraft carriers in the face of the expiration of budget relief offered by theBipartisan Budget Act of 2013and CNOJonathan Greenertsaid that a ten ship carrier fleet would not be able to sustainably support military requirements.The BritishFirst Sea LordGeorge Zambellassaid thatthe USN had switched from "outcome-led to resource-led" planning.

One significant change in U.S. policymaking that is having a major effect on naval planning is thePivot to East Asia.In response, theSecretary of the NavyRay Mabusstated in 2015 that 60 percent of the total U.S. fleet will be deployed to thePacificby 2020.The Navy's most recent 30-year shipbuilding plan, published in 2016, calls for a future fleet of 350 ships to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive international environment.A provision of the 2018National Defense Authorization Actcalled for expanding the naval fleet to 355 ships "as soon as practicable", but did not establish additional funding nor a timeline.

Organization

Main article:Structure of the United States Navy

Organization of the United States Navy within the Department of Defense

The U.S. Navy falls under the administration of theDepartment of the Navy,under civilian leadership of the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior naval officer is the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), a four-star admiral who is immediately under and reports to the Secretary of the Navy. At the same time, the Chief of Naval Operations is a member of theJoint Chiefs of Staff,which is the second-highest deliberative body of the armed forces after theUnited States National Security Council,although it plays only an advisory role to the President and does not nominally form part of thechain of command.The Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations are responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Navy so that it is ready for operation under the commanders of theunified combatant commands.

Operating forces

Main article:List of units of the United States Navy

Further information:Structure of the United States Navy § Numbered fleets

Areas of responsibility for each of the United States Navy fleets.Tenth Fleetserves as the numbered fleet forU.S. Fleet Cyber Commandand therefore is not shown.

There are nine components in the operating forces of the U.S. Navy: theUnited States Fleet Forces Command(formerly United States Atlantic Fleet),United States Pacific Fleet,United States Naval Forces Central Command,United States Naval Forces Europe,Naval Network Warfare Command,Navy Reserve,United States Naval Special Warfare Command,andOperational Test and Evaluation Force.Fleet Forces Command controls a number of unique capabilities, includingMilitary Sealift Command,Naval Expeditionary Combat Command,andNaval Information Forces.

The United States Navy has seven active numbered fleets –Second,Third,Fifth,Sixth,SeventhandTenth Fleetsare each led by avice admiral,and theFourth Fleetis led by arear admiral.These seven fleets are further grouped under Fleet Forces Command (the former Atlantic Fleet), Pacific Fleet, Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and Naval Forces Central Command, whose commander also doubles as Commander Fifth Fleet; the first three commands being led by four-star admirals. TheUnited States First Fleetexisted after World War II from 1947, but it was redesignated the Third Fleet in early 1973. The Second Fleet was deactivated in September 2011 but reestablished in August 2018 amid heightened tensions with Russia.It is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, with responsibility over the East Coast and North Atlantic.In early 2008, the Navy reactivated the Fourth Fleet to control operations in the area controlled by Southern Command, which consists of US assets in and around Central and South America.Other number fleets were activated during World War II and later deactivated, renumbered, or merged.

Shore establishments

USSKitty Hawkdocking at the U.S. Navy base inYokosuka,Japan

Shore establishments exist to support the mission of the fleet through the use of facilities on land. Among the commands of the shore establishment, as of April 2011,are theNaval Education and Training Command,theNavy Installations Command,theNaval Meteorology and Oceanography Command,theNaval Information Warfare Systems Command,theNaval Facilities Engineering Command,theNaval Supply Systems Command,theNaval Air Systems Command,theNaval Sea Systems Command,theBureau of Medicine and Surgery,theBureau of Naval Personnel,theOffice of Naval Research,theOffice of Naval Intelligence,theUnited States Naval Academy,theNaval Safety Command,theNaval Aviation Warfighting Development Center,and theUnited States Naval Observatory.Official Navy websites list theOffice of the Chief of Naval Operationsand the Chief of Naval Operations as part of the shore establishment, but these two entities effectively sit superior to the other organizations, playing a coordinating role.

Relationships with other service branches

United States Marine Corps

Main article:United States Marine Corps

AMarineF/A-18fromVMFA-451preparing to launch fromUSSCoral Sea

In 1834, theUnited States Marine Corpscame under the Department of the Navy.Historically, the Navy has had a unique relationship with the USMC, partly because they both specialize in seaborne operations. Together the Navy and Marine Corps form the Department of the Navy and report to the Secretary of the Navy. However, the Marine Corps is a distinct, separate service branchwith its own uniformed service chief – the Commandant of the Marine Corps, a four-star general.

The Marine Corps depends on the Navy for medical support (dentists,doctors,nurses, medical technicians known ascorpsmen) and religious support (chaplains). Thus, Navy officers and enlisted sailors fulfill these roles. When attached to Marine Corps units deployed to an operational environment they generally wear Marine camouflage uniforms, but otherwise, they wear Navydress uniformsunless they opt to conform to Marine Corps grooming standards.

In the operational environment, as an expeditionary force specializing in amphibious operations, Marines often embark on Navy ships to conduct operations from beyond territorial waters. Marine units deploying as part of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) operate under the command of the existing Marine chain of command. Although Marine units routinely operate from amphibious assault ships, the relationship has evolved over the years much as the Commander of the Carrier Air Group/Wing (CAG) does not work for the carrier commanding officer, but coordinates with the ship's CO and staff. Some Marine aviation squadrons, usually fixed-wing assigned to carrier air wings train and operate alongside Navy squadrons; they fly similar missions and often fly sorties together under the cognizance of the CAG. Aviation is where the Navy and Marines share the most common ground since aircrews are guided in their use of aircraft by standard procedures outlined in a series of publications known asNATOPSmanuals.

United States Coast Guard

Main article:United States Coast Guard

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter preparing to land on the flight deck of the amphibious assault shipUSSWasp

TheUnited States Coast Guard,in its peacetime role with theDepartment of Homeland Security,fulfills its law enforcement and rescue role in the maritime environment. It providesLaw Enforcement Detachments(LEDETs) to Navy vessels, where they perform arrests and other law enforcement duties during naval boarding and interdiction missions. In times of war, the Coast Guard may be called upon to operate as a service within the Navy.At other times, Coast GuardPort Security Unitsare sent overseas to guard the security of ports and other assets. The Coast Guard also jointly staffs the Navy's naval coastal warfare groups and squadrons (the latter of which were known as harbor defense commands until late-2004), which oversee defense efforts in foreign littoral combat and inshore areas.

Personnel

Main article:Personnel of the United States Navy

Navy SEALsat one of the entrances to theZhawar Kilicave complex

The United States Navy has over 400,000 personnel, approximately a quarter of whom are in ready reserve. Of those on active duty, more than eighty percent areenlistedsailors and around fifteen percent arecommissioned officers;the rest aremidshipmenof the United States Naval Academy and midshipmen of theNaval Reserve Officer Training Corpsat over 180 universities around the country and officer candidates at the Navy'sOfficer Candidate School.

Enlisted sailors complete basic military training atboot campand then are sent to complete training for their individualcareers.

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 Surface Warfare, Aviation Warfare, Information Dominance Warfare, Naval Aircrew, Special Warfare, Seabee Warfare, Submarine Warfare or Expeditionary Warfare. Many qualifications are denoted on a sailor's uniform withU.S. Navy badges and insignia.

Uniforms

See also:Uniforms of the United States Navy

The uniforms of the U.S. Navy have evolved gradually since the first uniform regulations forofficerswere issued in 1802 on the formation of the Navy Department. The predominant colors of U.S. Navy uniforms are navy blue and white. U.S. Navy uniforms were based on Royal Navy uniforms of the time and have tended to follow that template.

Commissioned officers

Main article:United States Navy officer rank insignia

US DoD pay grade	Special grade	O-10	O-9	O-8	O-7	O-6	O-5	O-4	O-3	O-2	O-1
NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Insignia
Uniform insignia
Title	Fleet admiral	Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Rear admiral (lower half)	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)	Ensign
Abbreviation	FADM	ADM	VADM	RADM	RDML	CAPT	CDR	LCDR	LT	LTJG	ENS

Navy officers serve either as aline officeror as astaff corps officer.Line officers wear an embroidered gold star above their rank of the naval service dress uniform while staff corps officers and commissioned warrant officers wear uniquedesignatorinsignias that denotes their occupational specialty.

Type	Line officer	Medical Corps	Dental Corps	Nurse Corps	Medical Service Corps	Judge Advocate General's Corps
Insignia
Designator1	1XXX	210X	220X	290X	230X	250X
Chaplain Corps (Christian Faith)	Chaplain Corps (Jewish Faith)	Chaplain Corps (Muslim Faith)	Chaplain Corps (Buddhist Faith)	Supply Corps	Civil Engineer Corps	Law Community (Limited Duty Officer)
410X	410X	410X	410X	310X	510X	655X

Warrant officers

Main article:Warrant officer (United States)

US DoD pay grade	W-5	W-4	W-3	W-2	W-1
NATO code	WO-5	WO-4	WO-3	WO-2	WO-1
Insignia
Title	Chief warrant officer 5	Chief warrant officer 4	Chief warrant officer 3	Chief warrant officer2	Warrant officer1
Abbreviation	CWO-5	CWO-4	CWO-3	CWO-2	WO-1

Warrant and chief warrant officer ranks are held by technical specialists who direct specific activities essential to the proper operation of the ship, which also require commissioned officer authority.Navy warrant officers serve in 30 specialties covering five categories. Warrant officers should not be confused with thelimited duty officer(LDO) in the Navy. Warrant officers perform duties that are directly related to their previous enlisted service and specialized training. This allows the Navy to capitalize on the experience of warrant officers without having to frequently transition them to other duty assignments for advancement.Most Navy warrant officers are accessed from thechief petty officerpay grades, E-7 through E-9, analogous to a senior non-commissioned officer in the other services, and must have a minimum 14 years in service.

Enlisted

See also:List of United States Navy enlisted rates,Ranks and insignia of NATO navies enlisted,andList of United States Navy ratings

Sailors in pay grades E-1 through E-3 are considered to be in apprenticeships.They are divided into five definable groups, with colored group rate marks designating the group to which they belong: Seaman, Fireman, Airman, Constructionman, and Hospitalman.E-4toE-6arenon-commissioned officers(NCOs), and are specifically calledPetty officersin the Navy.Petty Officers perform not only the duties of their specific career field but also serve as leaders to junior enlisted personnel. E-7 to E-9 are still considered Petty Officers, but are considered a separate community within the Navy. They have separate berthing and dining facilities (where feasible), wear separate uniforms, and perform separate duties.

After attaining the rate of Master Chief Petty Officer, a service member may choose to further their career by becoming aCommand Master Chief Petty Officer(CMC). A CMC is considered to be the senior-most enlisted service member within a command, and is the special assistant to theCommanding Officerin all matters pertaining to the health, welfare, job satisfaction, morale, use, advancement and training of the command's enlisted personnel.CMCs can be Command level (within a single unit, such as a ship or shore station), Fleet level (squadrons consisting of multiple operational units, headed by a flag officer or commodore), or Force level (consisting of a separate community within the Navy, such as Subsurface, Air, Reserves).

CMC insignia are similar to the insignia for Master Chief, except that the rating symbol is replaced by an inverted five-point star, reflecting a change in their rating from their previous rating (i.e., MMCM) to CMDCM. The stars for Command Master Chief are silver, while stars for Fleet, and gold stars for Force. Additionally, CMCs wear a badge, worn on their left breast pocket, denoting their title (Command/Fleet/Force).

US DoD pay grade	Special		E-9			E-8		E-7	E-6	E-5	E-4	E-3	E-2	E-1
NATO code	OR-9					OR-8		OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Sleeve insignia														No insignia
Title	Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy	Fleet/force master chief petty officer	Command master chief petty officer	Master chief petty officer	Command senior chief petty officer	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class	Petty officer third class	Seaman	Seaman apprentice	Seaman recruit
Abbreviation	SEAC	MCPON	FLTCM/FORCM	CMDCM	MCPO	CMDCS	SCPO	CPO	PO1	PO2	PO3	SN	SA	SR

Badges of the United States Navy

See also:Badges of the United States Navy

Insignia and badges of the United States Navy are military "badges" issued by the Department of the Navy to naval service members who achieve certain qualifications and accomplishments while serving on both active and reserve duty in the United States Navy. Most naval aviation insignia are also permitted for wear on uniforms of theUnited States Marine Corps.

As described in Chapter 5 of U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations,"badges" are categorized asbreast insignia(usually worn immediately above and below ribbons) andidentification badges(usually worn at breast pocket level).Breast insignia are further divided betweencommandandwarfare and other qualification.

Insignia come in the form of metal "pin-on devices" worn on formal uniforms and embroidered "tape strips" worn on work uniforms. For the purpose of this article, the general term "insignia" shall be used to describe both, as it is done in Navy Uniform Regulations. The term "badge", although used ambiguously in other military branches and in informal speak to describe any pin, patch, or tab, is exclusive toidentification badgesand authorizedmarksmanship awardsaccording to the language in Navy Uniform Regulations, Chapter 5. Below are just a few of the many badges maintained by the Navy. The rest can be seen in the article cited at the top of this section:

• 
  Naval Aviator Badge
• 
  Submarine Officer badge
• 
  Surface Warfare Officer Insignia

Bases

Main article:List of United States Navy installations

Map of naval bases in the United States

The size, complexity, and international presence of the United States Navy requires a large number of navy installations to support its operations. While the majority of bases are located inside the United States itself, the Navy maintains a significant number of facilities abroad, either in U.S.-controlled territories or in foreign countries under aStatus of Forces Agreement(SOFA).

Eastern United States

The second largest concentration of installations is atHampton Roads,Virginia,where the navy occupies over 36,000 acres (15,000 ha) of land. Located at Hampton Roads areNaval Station Norfolk,homeport of the Atlantic Fleet;Naval Air Station Oceana,aMaster Jet Base;Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek;andTraining Support Center Hampton Roadsas well as a number of Navy and commercial shipyards that service navy vessels. The Aegis Training and Readiness Center is located at theNaval Support Activity South PotomacinDahlgren, Virginia.Maryland is home toNAS Patuxent River,which houses the Navy'sTest Pilot School.Also located in Maryland is the United States Naval Academy, situated inAnnapolis.NS Newportin Newport, Rhode Island is home to many schools and tenant commands, including theOfficer Candidate School,Naval Undersea Warfare Center,and more, and also maintains inactive ships.

There is also a naval base in Charleston, South Carolina. This is home to the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, under which reside the Nuclear Field "A" Schools (for Machinist Mates (Nuclear), Electrician Mates (Nuclear), and Electronics Technicians (Nuclear)), Nuclear Power School (Officer and Enlisted); and one of two Nuclear Power Training Unit 'Prototype' schools. The state of Florida is the location of three major bases,NS Mayport,the Navy's fourth largest, inJacksonville, Florida;NAS Jacksonville,a Master Air Anti-submarine Warfare base; andNAS Pensacola;home of the Naval Education and Training Command, the Naval Air Technical Training Center that provides specialty training for enlisted aviation personnel and is the primary flight training base for Navy and Marine CorpsNaval Flight Officersand enlistedNaval Aircrewmen.There is alsoNSA Panama City,Florida which is home to the Center for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Diving (CENEODIVE) and the Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center andNSA Orlando,Florida, which home to the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD).

The main U.S. Navysubmarine baseson the east coast are located inNaval Submarine Base New LondoninGroton, ConnecticutandNSB Kings BayinKings Bay, Georgia.ThePortsmouth Naval ShipyardnearPortsmouth, New Hampshire,which repairs naval submarines.NS Great Lakes,north of Chicago, Illinois is the home of the Navy'sboot campfor enlisted sailors.

TheWashington Navy Yardin Washington, DC is the Navy's oldest shore establishment and serves as a ceremonial and administrative center for the U.S. Navy, home to the Chief of Naval Operations and numerous commands.

Western United States and Hawaii

Underwater Demolition Teammembers using the casting technique from a speeding boat

The U.S. Navy's largest complex isNaval Air Weapons Station China Lake,California, which covers 1.1 million acres (4,500 km²) of land, or approximately one-third of the U.S. Navy's total land holdings.

Naval Base San Diego,California is the main homeport of the Pacific Fleet, although its headquarters is located inPearl Harbor,Hawaii.NAS North Islandis located on the north side ofCoronado, California,and is home to Headquarters for Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force Pacific, the bulk of the Pacific Fleet's helicopter squadrons, and part of the West Coastaircraft carrierfleet.NAB Coronadois located on the southern end of the Coronado Island and is home to the navy's west coast SEAL teams and special boat units. NAB Coronado is also home to theNaval Special Warfare Center,the primary training center for SEALs.

The other major collection of naval bases on the west coast is inPuget Sound,Washington.Among them,NS Everettis one of the newer bases and the navy states that it is its most modern facility.

NAS Fallon,Nevada serves as the primary training ground for navy strike aircrews and is home to theNaval Strike Air Warfare Center.Master Jet Bases are also located atNAS Lemoore,California, andNAS Whidbey Island,Washington, while the carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft community and major air test activities are located atNAS Point Mugu,California. The naval presence in Hawaii is centered onNS Pearl Harbor,which hosts the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet and many of its subordinate commands.

United States territories

USSCarl Vinsonpier side inApra Harbor,Guam

Guam, an island strategically located in the Western Pacific Ocean, maintains a sizable U.S. Navy presence, includingNB Guam.The westernmost U.S. territory, it contains a natural Deepwater harbor capable of harboring aircraft carriers in emergencies.Its naval air station was deactivatedin 1995 and its flight activities transferred to nearbyAndersen Air Force Base.

Puerto Ricoin the Caribbean formerly housedNS Roosevelt Roads,which was shut down in 2004 shortly after the controversial closure of the live ordnance training area on nearbyVieques Island.

Foreign countries

The largest overseas base is theUnited States Fleet Activities Yokosuka,Japan, which serves as the home port for the navy's largest forward-deployed fleet and is a significant base of operations in the Western Pacific.

European operations revolve around facilities in Italy (NAS SigonellaandNaval Computer and Telecommunications Station Naples) withNSA Naplesas the homeport for the Sixth Fleet and Command Naval Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia (CNREURAFSWA), and additional facilities in nearbyGaeta.There is alsoNS Rotain Spain andNSA Souda Bayin Greece.

In the Middle East, naval facilities are located almost exclusively in countries bordering thePersian Gulf,withNSA Bahrainserving as the headquarters ofU.S. Naval Forces Central CommandandU.S. Fifth Fleet.

NS Guantanamo Bayin Cuba is the oldest overseas facility and has become known in recent years as the location of adetention campfor suspectedal-Qaedaoperatives.

Equipment

Main article:Equipment of the United States Navy

USSGeorge Washingtoncarrier strike groupsails in formation, 29 April 2006.

As of 2018,the navy operates over 460 ships (including vessels operated by theMilitary Sealift Command), 3,650+ aircraft, 50,000 non-combat vehicles and owns 75,200 buildings on 3,300,000 acres (13,000 km²).

Ships

Main articles:United States Navy shipsandFuture of the United States Navy

See also:List of current ships of the United States Navy,List of currently active United States military watercraft,andUnited States ship naming conventions

The names of commissioned ships of the U.S. Navy are prefixed with the letters "USS", designating "United States Ship".Non-commissioned, civilian-manned vessels of the navy have names that begin with "USNS", standing for "United States Naval Ship". The names of ships are officially selected by the secretary of the navy, often to honor important people or places.Additionally, each ship is given a letter-basedhull classification symbol(for example, CVN or DDG) to indicate the vessel's type and number. All ships in the navy inventory are placed in theNaval Vessel Register,which is part of "the Navy List" (required by article 29 of theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).The register 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 bestrickenfrom the register. The navy also maintains areserve fleetof inactive vessels that are maintained for reactivation in times of need.

The U.S. Navy was one of the first to installnuclear reactors aboard naval vessels.Today,nuclear energypowers all active U.S. aircraft carriers andsubmarines.

In early 2010, the U.S. Navy had identified a need for 313 combat ships but could only afford 232 to 243 ships.In March 2014, the Navy started counting self-deployable support ships such as minesweepers, surveillance craft, and tugs in the "battle fleet" to reach a count of 272 as of October 2016,and it includes ships that have been put in "shrink wrap".The number of ships generally ranged between 270 and 300 throughout the late 2010s.As of February 2022, the Navy has 296 battle force ships, however analyses state the Navy needs a fleet of more than 500 to meet its commitments.

Aircraft carriers

Main article:List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy

Aerial view ofUSSGerald R. Ford(bottom), a ship of the newGerald R. Fordclass,alongsideUSSHarry S. Truman(top), a ship of the previousNimitzclass

Aircraft carriersact asairbasesforcarrier-based aircraft.They are the largest vessels in the Navy fleet and all are nuclear-powered.An aircraft carrier is typically deployed along with a host of additional vessels, forming acarrier strike group.The supporting ships, which usually include three or fourAegis-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. Modern carriers arenamedafter American admirals and politicians, usually presidents.

The Navy has a statutory requirement for a minimum of 11 aircraft carriers.All 11 carriers are currently active, tenNimitz-classand oneGerald R. Ford-class.

Aircraft Carrier Capacity

Aircraft Carriers have the ability to house 5,000 people. This is the size of a small town floating in the ocean. Aircraft carriers also have up to 90 aircraft on the ship at one time.

Amphibious warfare ships

Main article:List of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships

USSBataan,aWasp-classamphibious assault ship

Amphibious assault shipsare the centerpieces of US amphibious warfare and fulfill the same power projection role as aircraft carriers except that their striking force centers on land forces instead of aircraft. They deliver, command, coordinate, and fully support all elements of a 2,200-strongMarine Expeditionary Unitin an amphibious assault using both air and amphibious vehicles. Resembling small aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships are capable ofV/STOL,STOVL,VTOL,tiltrotor, and rotary wing aircraft operations. They also contain awell deckto support the use ofLanding Craft Air Cushion(LCAC) and other amphibious assault watercraft. Recently, amphibious assault ships have begun to be deployed as the core of anexpeditionary strike group,which usually consists of an additionalamphibious transport dockanddock landing shipfor 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.

Amphibious transport docksare 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 newerSan Antonioclass of ships has been explicitly designed to operate all three elements of the Marines' "mobility triad":Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles(EFVs), theV-22 Ospreytiltrotor aircraft, and LCACs. Amphibious transport docks are typically named after U.S. cities.

The dock landing ship is a medium amphibious transport that is designed specifically to support and operate LCACs, 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 cities or important places in U.S. and U.S. Naval history.

The Navy operates 32 amphibious warfare ships, eightWaspclassand twoAmericaclassamphibious assault ships, fourHarpers Ferryclassand sixWhidbey Islandclassdock landing ships, and 12San Antonioclassamphibious transport dock ships.

Cruisers

Main article:List of cruisers of the United States Navy

USSPort Royal,aTiconderoga-classcruiser

Cruisersare large surface combat vessels that conduct anti-air/anti-missile warfare, surface warfare, anti-submarine 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 theanti-ship missilethreat facing the United States Navy. This led to the development of theAN/SPY-1phased array radar and theRIM-67 Standardmissile with the Aegis combat system coordinating the two.Ticonderoga-classcruisers were the first to be equipped with Aegis and were put to use primarily as anti-air and anti-missile defense in a battle force protection role. Later developments ofvertical launch systemsand theTomahawk missilegave cruisers additional long-range land and sea strike capability, making them capable of both offensive and defensive battle operations. TheTiconderogaclass is the only active class of cruiser. All cruisers in this class are named after battles.

Destroyers

Main article:List of destroyers of the United States Navy

USSJack H. Lucas,aArleigh Burke-class destroyer

Destroyersare multi-mission medium surface ships capable of sustained performance in anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-ship, and offensive strike operations. Like cruisers, guided missile destroyers 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 withVLA rocketsandLAMPS Mk III Sea Hawkhelicopters 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. With very few exceptions, destroyers are named after U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard heroes.

The U.S. Navy currently has 75 destroyers, 73Arleigh Burke-classdestroyers and twoZumwalt-classstealth destroyers, with a third (theUSSLyndon B. Johnson) expected to enter service sometime in 2024.

Frigates and Littoral combat ships

Main articles:List of frigates of the United States NavyandLittoral combat ship

USSIndependence,alittoral combat ship

Modern U.S.frigatesmainly perform anti-submarine warfare for carrier and expeditionary strike 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. Independently, frigates are able to conduct counterdrug missions and other maritime interception operations. As in the case of destroyers, frigates are named after U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard heroes.

In late 2015, the U.S. Navy retired its most recent class of traditional frigates in favor of the littoral combat ship (LCS), relatively small vessels designed for near-shore operations that was expected to assume many of the duties the frigate had with the fleet. The LCS was "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeatinganti-accessandasymmetric threatsin thelittorals",although their ability to perform these missions in practice has been called into question.The Navy has announced it plans to reduce procurement of the LCS and retire early examples of the type.

In the future, the Navy plans to purchase up to 20 of theConstellation-class frigate,based on theFREMM multipurpose frigate,already in service with European navies.

The U.S. Navy currently has 23 littoral combat ships, eightFreedom-classand 15Independence-classships.

USSConstitution,firing a 17-gun salute in 2014

Mine countermeasures ships

Main article:List of mine warfare vessels of the United States Navy

Mine countermeasures vesselsare a combination ofminehunters,a naval vessel that actively detects and destroys individualnaval mines,andminesweepers,which clear mined areas as a whole, without prior detection of the mines. MCM vessels have mostly legacy names of previous US Navy ships, especially World War II-era minesweepers.

The Navy operates eightAvenger-class mine countermeasures ships,with four expected to be retired in 2024.

Submarines

Main article:Submarines in the United States Navy

USSKentucky,anOhio-classballistic missile submarine

The U.S. Navy operates three types of submarines:attack submarines,ballistic missile submarinesandguided missile submarines.All current and planned U.S. Navy submarines are nuclear-powered, as nuclear propulsion allows for a combination of stealth and long-duration, high-speed, sustained underwater movement.

Attack submarines typically operate as part of acarrier battle group,whileguided missile submarinesgenerally operate independently and carry larger quantities of cruise missiles. Both types have several tactical missions, including sinking ships and other subs, launchingcruise missiles,gathering intelligence, and assisting in special operations. Ballistic missile submarines operate independently with only one mission: to carry and, if called upon, to launch theTrident nuclear missile.

The Navy operates 69 submarines, 29Los Angelesclassattack submarines (with two more in reserve), 18Ohioclasssubmarines with 14 configured as ballistic missile submarines and four configured as guided missile submarines, threeSeawolfclassattack submarines, and 19Virginiaclassattack submarines.

Other

A special case is theUSSConstitution,commissioned in 1797 as one of the original six frigates of the United States Navy and which remains in commission at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. She occasionally sails for commemorative events such asIndependence Day.

Aircraft

Main article:List of active United States naval aircraft

See also:List of United States Navy aircraft squadronsandList of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962)

Four NavyF/A-18E/F Super Hornets

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 conductsearch and rescue,special operations,anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-surface warfare, including the U.S. Navy's premier Maritime Strike and only organic ASW aircraft, the venerable Sikorsky MH-60R operated byHelicopter Maritime Strike Wing.

The U.S. Navy began to research the use of aircraft at sea in the 1910s, with Lieutenant Theodore G. "Spuds" Ellyson becoming the first naval aviator on 28 January 1911, and commissioned its first aircraft carrier,USSLangley(CV-1),in 1922.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. Leading navy aircraft in World War II included theGrumman F4F Wildcat,theGrumman F6F Hellcat,the ChanceVought F4U Corsair,theDouglas SBD Dauntless,and theGrumman TBF Avenger.Navy aircraft also played a significant role in conflicts during the following Cold War years, with theF-4 Phantom IIand theF-14 Tomcatbecoming military icons of the era. The navy's current primary fighter-attack airplane is the multi-missionF/A-18E/F Super Hornet.TheF-35Centered service in 2019.The Navy is also looking to eventually replace its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets with theF/A-XXprogram.

The Aircraft Investment Plan sees naval aviation growing from 30 percent of current aviation forces to half of all procurement funding over the next three decades.

Weapons

Main article:List of United States Navy weapons

Aviation Ordnancemen loadingGBU-12bombs in 2005

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 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. For anti-ship strikes, the navy's dedicated missile is theHarpoon 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 thePhalanx CIWSand the more recently developedRIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.In addition to missiles, the navy employsMark 46,Mark 48,andMark 50torpedoesand various types of naval mines.

Naval fixed-wing aircraft employ much of the same weapons as theUnited States Air Forcefor both air-to-air and air-to-surface combat. Air engagements are handled by the heat-seekingSidewinderand the radar guidedAMRAAMmissiles along with theM61 Vulcancannon for close range dogfighting. For surface strikes, navy aircraft use a combination of missiles, smart bombs, and dumb bombs. On the list of available missiles are theMaverick,SLAM-ERandJSOW.Smart bombs include the GPS-guidedJDAMand the laser-guidedPavewayseries. Unguided munitions such as dumb bombs andcluster bombsmake up the rest of the weapons deployed by fixed-wing aircraft.

Rotary aircraft weapons are focused on 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 useHellfireandPenguinair to surface missiles. Helicopters also employ various types of mounted anti-personnel machine guns, including theM60,M240,GAU-16/A, andGAU-17/A.

Nuclear weapons in the U.S. Navy arsenal are deployed through ballistic missile submarines and aircraft. TheOhio-class submarine carries the latest iteration of theTrident missile,a three-stage,submarine-launched ballistic missile(SLBM) withMIRVcapability; the current Trident II (D5) version is expected to be in service past 2020.The navy's other nuclear weapon is the air-deployedB61 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. It can be released through free-fall or parachute and can be set to detonate in the air or on the ground.

Naval jack

U.S. naval jack

First navy jack

The currentnaval jackof the United States is theUnion Jack,a small blue flag emblazoned with the stars of the 50 states. The Union Jack was not flown for the duration of the War on Terror, during which Secretary of the NavyGordon R. Englanddirected all U.S. naval ships to fly theFirst Navy Jack.While Secretary England directed the change on 31 May 2002, many ships chose to shift colors later that year in remembrance of the first anniversary of theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks.The Union Jack, however, remained in use with vessels of the U.S. Coast Guard andNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.A jack of similar design to the Union Jack was used in 1794, with 13 stars arranged in a 3–2–3–2–3 pattern. When a ship is moored or anchored, the jack is flown from thebowof the ship while the ensign is flown from thestern.When underway, the ensign is raised on the mainmast. Before the decision for all ships to fly the First Navy Jack, it was flown only on the oldest ship in the active American fleet, which is currentlyUSSBlue Ridge.U.S. Navy ships and craft returned to flying the Union Jack effective 4 June 2019. The date for reintroduction of the jack commemorates the Battle of Midway, which began on 4 June 1942.

Notable sailors

For a more comprehensive list, seeList of United States Navy people.

Many past and present United States historical figures have served in the U.S. Navy.

Officers

Notable officers include:

• John P. Jones
• John Barry(Continental Navy officer and first flag officer of the United States Navy),
• Edward Preble
• James Lawrence(whoselast words"don't give up the ship" are memorialized inBancroft Hallat the United States Naval Academy)
• Stephen Decatur Jr.,David Farragut,David D. Porter,Oliver H. Perry,
• CommodoreMatthew C. Perry(who, under the direction of President Millard Fillmore, forced the opening of Japan
• George Dewey(the only person in U.S. history to have attained the rank ofAdmiral of the Navy
• William D. Leahy
• Ernest J. King
• Chester W. Nimitz
• William F. Halsey Jr.

Presidents

The first American President who served in the U.S. Navy wasJohn F. Kennedy(who commanded the famousPT-109in World War II); he was then followed byLyndon B. Johnson,Richard Nixon,Gerald Ford,Jimmy Carter,andGeorge H. W. Bush.

Government officials

Some notable former members of the Navy includeU.S. Senators,Bob Kerrey,John McCain,andJohn Kerry,along withRon DeSantis,Governorof Florida, andJesse Ventura,Governor ofMinnesota.

Others

Notable former members of the U.S. Navy include; astronauts (Alan B. Shepard,Walter M. Schirra,Neil Armstrong,John Young,Michael J. Smith,Scott Kelly), entertainers (Johnny Carson,Mike Douglas,Paul Newman,Robert Stack,Humphrey Bogart,Tony Curtis,Jack Lemmon,Jack Benny,Don Rickles,Ernest Borgnine,Harry Belafonte,Henry Fonda,Fred Gwynne), authors (Robert Heinlein,Marcus Luttrell,Thomas Pynchon,Brandon Webb), musicians, (John Philip Sousa,MC Hammer,John Coltrane,Zach Bryan,Fred Durst), professional athletes (David Robinson,Bill Sharman,Roger Staubach,Joe Bellino,Bob Kuberski,Nile Kinnick,Bob Feller,Yogi Berra,Larry Doby,Stan Musial,Pee Wee Reese,Phil Rizzuto,Jack Taylor), business people (John S. Barry,Jack C. Taylor,Paul A. Sperry), and computer scientists (Grace Hopper).

Naval post offices

During World War I the first U.S. government post offices were established aboard Navy ships, managed by a Navy postal clerk. Prior to this, mail from crew members was collected and at the first opportunity was dropped off at a port of call where it was processed at a US Post Office. Before the arrival of email and the internet, hand stamped mail was the only way Navy crew members at sea could communicate with their family, friends and others. Mail was considered almost as valuable to crew members as food and ammunition.Sometimes mail from various crew members (referred to by historians and collectors aspostal history), is directly associated with naval history.Letters and other correspondence sent by commanders, officers and crew members can include names, ranks, signatures, addresses, and ship's postmarks which can often confirm dates and locations of naval ships and crew members during various battles or other naval operations. As such, naval mail can serve as a source of information to naval historians and biographers. Among the more notable examples of Naval postal history include letters sent from theUSSArizona,before and on December 7, 1941.

Cover mailed from USSArizona,10 October, 1941, 30 days before theattack on Pearl Harbor

Cover mailed from USSOklahoma,signed by Admiral John Wainwright, US Navy, postmarked 5 March 1932

There is a US naval post office aboard nearly every US Navy ship, each with its own postal officer and postmark bearing the ship's name.

See also

• Bibliography of early United States naval history
• List of undesignated military aircraft of the United States
• List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962)
• List of United States Navy ships
• Lists of military aircraft of the United States
• Modern United States Navy carrier air operations
• Naval militia
• Spearhead-classexpeditionary fast transport
• Women in the United States Navy

Sources

• "Navy aircraft inventory by type U.S. 2024".Statista.Archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2023.Retrieved14 October2023.
• "Navy Raises Battle Force Goal to 381 Ships in Classified Report to Congress".United States Naval Institute.18 July 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 15 November 2023.Retrieved13 October2023.
• "Responsibilities".Chief of Naval Operations.United States Navy.Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2013.Retrieved15 June2013.
• "America's Navy".navy.Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2019.Retrieved25 June2019.
• Miller, Rick (29 April 2021)."Modern Military Postal History".Linn's Stamp News.Retrieved6 May2024.
• "USS Arizona Postal Cover - December 7, 1941 KIA".Ephemera, Photographs & Military Artwork. 7 December 1941.Retrieved6 May2024.
• "1941 letter from a USS Arizona crewman".Ephemera, Photographs & Military Artwork. 7 December 1941.Retrieved6 May2024.
• Graham, Richard B (1992).United States Postal History, sampler.Sidney, Ohio: Linn's Stamp News. p. 125.ISBN978-0-94040-3307.

External links

• Official website
• "Photographic History of The U.S. Navy".Naval History.NavSource.
• "Naval History and Photography".Haze Gray & Underway – HazeGray.org.
• U.S. Navy during the Cold Warfrom theDean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives
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