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Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic
Current AIRLANT insignia
Active1 January 1943 (1943-01)
Country United States
Branch United States Navy
TypeType Commander
RoleResponsible for the administration and training and readiness of Atlantic Naval aviation units
Part ofCommander, Naval Air Forces
United States Fleet Forces
HQNaval Station Norfolk
Nickname(s)AIRLANT
DecorationsMeritorious Unit Award
Commanders
Current
commander
Rear Admiral John R. Haley
Chief of StaffCaptain William Ewald
Force Master ChiefFORCM (AW/SW) William Smalts
Notable
commanders

Naval Air Force Atlantic (AIRLANT) is the aviation type command (TYCOM) for the Atlantic fleet naval aviation units under the command of United States Fleet Forces

Command. Headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk, AIRLANT has a staff of approximately 515 officer, enlisted, civilian and contractor personnel 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.

As a TYCOM, AIRLANT is a "non-operational" unit with control over subordinate units when they are not in a deployed status. Once deployed, operational control (OPCON) is shifted to the respective combatant command through the assigned strike group.

History

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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.

An important subordinate command for a long period was Commander, Fleet Air Keflavik, at what was Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland.[2] Naval aviation has always played a large role in the operations at Keflavik, especially with regard to the enormous build-up of the Soviet Navy. Deployment of patrol squadron detachments, and later entire squadrons, started as early as 1951, with the P-2 "Neptune" maritime patrol aircraft succeeded by the Lockheed P-3 "Orion" in the mid-1960s. In 1955, Barrier Force, Atlantic had been established in Argentia, Newfoundland, flying radar early-warning missions using the WV-2 (EC-121 Warning Star aircraft in the North Atlantic from 1957. These aircraft made frequent deployments to Keflavik. On July 1, 1961, Commander Barrier Force, Atlantic moved from Argentia to Keflavik. The duties of Commander, Iceland Defense Force were assumed by the rear admiral commanding Barrier Force Atlantic.

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.

Subordinate Commands

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Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic is an Echelon III commander, responsible to Commander, Naval Air Forces for the training and administration of the following units

Aircraft Carriers & Embarked Air Wings

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The nucleus of the surface battle group is the aircraft carrier. In the Atlantic Fleet, COMNAVAIRLANT has four 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. Each carrier is assigned a carrier air wing that is responsible for a number of squadrons whose missions include attack, fighter, patrol, reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare and logistic support. When not deployed or undergoing periodic maintenance/overhaul, or refresher training, these ships operate with United States Fleet Forces Command Task Force 80 in the Western Atlantic or U.S. Fourth Fleet in the Caribbean.

When combined, the carrier and its carrier air wing are then assigned to a Carrier Strike Group for operational control during deployment.

Assigned Air Wing Air Wing HQ Carrier Assigned Squadrons Assigned
Carrier Air Wing One Naval Air Station Oceana Carrier Strike Group 8

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

Carrier Air Wing Three Carrier Strike Group 2

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)

Carrier Air Wing Seven Carrier Strike Group 10

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)

Carrier Air Wing Eight Carrier Strike Group 12

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)

Type Wings

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Type Wing commanders (TYCOM) are individually responsible for major categories of aircraft squadrons. There are four single Navy wide Type Wing commanders for the Airborne Command & Control and Logistics (E-2C,D and C-2A), Electronic Attack (EA-18G), Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) and Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission (CMV-22B) communities which report to Commander, Naval Air Forces who is dual hatted as Commander, Naval Air Forces U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Commander, Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing Detachment Norfolk (COMACCLOGWING DET Norfolk)[3]

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Squadron Squadron Homeport Type Aircraft
VAW-120 Greyhawks (FRS) Chambers Field E-2 Hawkeye

C-2 Greyhound

VAW-121 Bluetails Chambers Field E-2D Hawkeye
VAW-123 Screwtops Chambers Field E-2 Hawkeye
VAW-124 Bear Aces Chambers Field E-2 Hawkeye
VAW-125 Tigertails Chambers Field E-2 Hawkeye
VAW-126Seahawks Chambers Field E-2 Hawkeye
VRC-40 Rawhides Chambers Field E-2 Hawkeye

Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic Fleet (COMSTRKFIGHTWINGLANT)

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Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, Atlantic Fleet (COMHSMWINGLANT)

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  • HSM-40 Airwolves
  • HSL-42 Proud Warriors
  • HSM-46 Grandmasters
  • HSM-48 Vipers
  • HSL-60 Jaguars
  • HSM-70 Spartans
  • HSM-72 Proud Warriors
  • HSM-74 Swamp Fox
  • Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School, Atlantic (HELMARSTRIKEWEPSCOLANT)
  • Naval Surface Rescue Swimmer School, NAS Jacksonville, FL
  • Aircraft Carrier Tactical Support Center (CV-TSC), NAS Jacksonville, FL
  • Aviation Support Detachment (ASD) Mayport, FL

Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing, Atlantic Fleet (COMHELSEACOMBATWINGLANT)

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  • HM-14 Vanguard
  • HM-15 Blackhawks
  • HS-5 Nightdippers
  • HSC-7 Dusty Dogs
  • HSC-9 Tridents
  • HS-11 Dragonslayers
  • HS-15 Red Lions
  • HSC-2 Fleet Angels
  • HSC-22 Sea Knights
  • HSC-26 Chargers
  • HSC-28 Dragon Whales
  • HSC-84 Red Wolves
  • Helicopter Sea Combat Weapons School, Atlantic (HSCWSL)
  • Airborne Mine Countermeasures Weapons System Training School (AWSTS)
  • AIMD - Corpus Christi, TX

Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, Atlantic (COMPATRECONFORLANT)

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  • (PATRECONFORLANT DET AMPO Jacksonville)
  • Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Five

Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven (COMPATRECONWING ELEVEN DET AIMD)

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Previous commanders

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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.R. 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 H. Denby Starling II
2006–2008 RADM John W. Goodwin
2009–2010 RADM Richard J. O'Hanlon
2010-2013 RADM Ted N. Branch
2013-Now RADM Troy M. Shoemaker

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Naval Aviation News January–February 1994
  2. ^ GlobalSecurity.org, Commander Fleet Air Keflavik
  3. ^ Atlantic, This story was written by Journalist 3rd Class John Michael Cokos, Fleet Public Affairs Center. "AEW 12/AEWWINGLANT Commodores Mark Wing Disestablishment". Retrieved 2016-07-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)