United States 7th Fleet

Joint Task Force command in a Natural Disaster or joint military operation,

Operational command of all naval forces in the region, and

Defense of the Korean Peninsula .

HISTORY

The 7th Fleet was formed on March 15 , 1943 in Brisbane, Australia , during World War II . It served in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) under General Douglas MacArthur , and the 7th Fleet commander also served as commander of Allied naval forces in the SWPA.
(CVL-23) of the 3rd Fleet on fire east of Luzon at the Battle Of Leyte Gulf .]]
Most of the ships of the Royal Australian Navy were also part of the fleet during 1943–45. The 7th Fleet formed a large part of the Allied forces at the Battle Of Leyte Gulf , October 1944 , which is often said to have been the Largest Naval Battle In History . After the end of the war, the 7th Fleet relocated to Japan.

The fleet also participated in the Korean and Vietnam War s, and afterwards conducted operations near North Vietnam . Following this, its next major combat action was in the Persian Gulf War , wherein it was placed under the command of NAVCENT (Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command). After the war ended, it was returned to the Pacific Fleet.

Following the end of the Cold War , the two major military scenarios in which the 7th Fleet would be used would be in case of conflict in Korea or a conflict between The People's Republic Of China and Taiwan in the Taiwan Straits .

OPERATIONS

Of the 50–60 ships typically assigned to Seventh Fleet, 18 operate from U.S. facilities in Japan and Guam . These forward-deployed units represent the heart of Seventh Fleet. The 18 permanently forward-deployed ships of the US 7th Fleet are the centerpieces of American forward presence in Asia. They are 17 steaming days closer to locations in Asia than their counterparts based in the continental United States. It would take three to five times the number of rotationally-based ships in the United States to equal the same presence and crisis response capability as these 18 forward deployed ships. On any given day, about 50 percent of Seventh Fleet forces are deployed at sea throughout the area of responsibility. The Seventh Fleet Command Ship is the USS ''Blue Ridge'' , forward deployed to Yokosuka , Japan. In 2004 , ''Blue Ridge'' entered dry dock and command responsibility was transferred temporarily to USS ''Coronado'' (AGF-11). ''Blue Ridge'' returned to duty 27 September 2004.

FLEET ORGANIZATION

For operational and administrative purposes the United States Seventh Fleet, as with other numbered fleets, is organized into several specialized task forces.
(CV-63), center of Task Force 70 of the United States 7th Fleet]]

Task Force 70 — TF 70 the Battle Force of 7th Fleet and is actually made up of two distinct components: Surface Combatant Force 7th Fleet, composed of Cruiser s and Destroyer s, and Carrier Strike Force 7th Fleet, made up of at least one Aircraft Carrier and its embarked Air Wing . The Battle Force is currently centered around the carrier USS ''Kitty Hawk'' (CV-63) and Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5).

Task Force 72 — TF 72 is the Patrol-Reconnaissance Force of the Seventh Fleet. It is mainly composed of Anti-submarine Warfare ( ASW ) aircraft and maritime airborne surveillance platforms such as P-3 Orion and EP-3 reconnaissance planes operating on land bases.

Task Force 73 — 7th Fleet's Logistics Force composed of supply ships and other fleet support vessels.

Task Force 74 — Fleet Submarine Force responsible for planning and coordinating submarine operations within 7th Fleet's area of operations.

Task Force 75 — Designation of the Surface Combatant Force assigned to Seventh Fleet responsible for the cruisers and destroyers.

Task Force 76 — Amphibious Assault task force mainly responsible for supporting Marine landing operations. It is composed of units capable of delivering ship-to-shore assault troops, such as ''Tarawa''-class and Wasp''-class Amphibious Assault Ship s, and Landing Craft .

Task Force 77 — Another designation for the Carrier Strike Force of the 7th Fleet. This, however, refers specifically only to the aircraft carrier(s) assigned to the fleet and its associated air wing.

Task Force 79 — The Marine Expeditionary Unit or Landing Force assigned to the fleet, consisting of at least a reinforced Marine battalion and its equipment.

FORWARD-DEPLOYED 7TH FLEET SHIPS

U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka , Japan