America's newest carrier, Ford, sailed in the Mediterranean Sea under full publicity. Once, Sixth Fleet was focused on the Mediterranean Sea. That fleet is long gone. But it is convenient to reinforce the idea that the phantom fleet still exists.
The USS Ford is operating on deployment in support of the US Navy's 6th-Fleet Command, a division which oversees US Naval activity in many parts of Europe. Interestingly, however, by operating in Mediterranean waters near Greece, the USS Ford places itself with an ability to project power into critical parts of the Middle East and even the Black Sea.
I noted long ago that the Sixth Fleet is gone. Well, Sixth Fleet is now the fleet that covers all European waters rather than only the Mediterranean Sea. And African waters in the west, I think. If it wasn't for missile defense destroyers assigned to the fleet it would be pretty scant. The Mediterranean Sixth Fleet exists mostly by assigning to it transiting warships going elsewhere.
This high profile sailing by Ford maintains the illusion that the mighty Sixth Fleet is over the horizon patrolling those waters:
After the Cold War, the once massive American 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea disappeared. Except for a command ship the fleet just had transiting warships on the way to CENTCOM or on the way home. Their presence kept alive the image of a powerful fleet. And when Sixth Fleet was expanded to cover all of European waters, the small American naval presence even outside of the Mediterranean enhanced that image whenever the fleet number was mentioned.
But really, local European NATO states are sufficient to control the sea.
And let's not even delve into the question of whether Ford is a waste of resources.
Anyway, when someone tells you that America should demote Europe to focus on Asia, tell them, "Your wish is granted!"
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
