Naval Air Article Index : Current 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
 Latest
 News 		  Most
 Read 		  Most
 Commented		  Hot
 Topics

October 28, 2004

The U.S. Navy is reorganizing its carrier groups, and those who run them, in a way thats obvious and long overdue. The twelve carrier groups each consist of a carrier, several destroyers and cruisers, a nuclear submarine and a supply ship or two. In the past, each carrier group was commanded by a two star admiral, and if the admiral was an aviation officer, the carrier group was called, a Carrier Group. But if the commanding admiral was a surface warfare guy, the carrier group was called a Cruiser-Destroyer Group. Tradition, and all that. Now, all carrier groups will be called Carrier Group, no matter what the background of the admiral commanding. More importantly, the admiral in charge of each Carrier Group will have control of his ships year round. In the past, each ship belonged to another organization (cruiser, destroyer or submarine squadron, Etc.), and was put under the command of the Carrier Group commander just before the group set out to sea. Again, tradition. Now the admiral will have his ships all the time, particularly during the long periods of training and maintenance between times the group sets out to sea. This change has been demanded for a long time. But, well, tradition