U.S. Navy's 2nd Fleet reaches full operational capability

Jan. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy announced this week that its 2nd Fleet has reached full operational capability.

That announcement comes seven months after the branch announced the fleet had reached initial operational capability and a little more than a year after it was reestablished.

The Navy's newest numbered fleet is responsible for overseeing ships, aircraft and landing forces on the east coast and the north Atlantic and the Arctic.

The Navy has not released detailed information about the purpose of the missions, but USNI News reports the focus is to provide command control for anti-submarine warfare targeting Russia.

The branch also anticipates the potential for new shipping lanes in the region and greater competition for resources between allies and Russia as ice melts.

"Within an increasingly complex global security environment, our allies and competitors alike are well aware that many of the world's most active shipping lanes lie within the North Atlantic," said Vice Admiral Andrew Lewis said in a statement. "Combined with the opening of waterways in the Arctic, this competitive space will only grow, and 2nd Fleet's devotion to the development and employment of capable forces will ensure that our nation is both present and ready to fight in the region if and when called upon."

The 2nd fleet is headquartered in Norfolk, Va. It was active from 1950 to 2011, and was reactivated in August 2018.