The Navy Organization is organized into two district branches. The administrative side essentially organizes, equips and trains forces and provides them to the operational side of the Navy.
The Administrative side is organized to equip and train forces in the following manner:
Commander of Naval Air Forces Atlantic and Pacific (COMNAVAIRLANT and COMNAVAIRPAC) equip and train the Navy air forces both land and sea based. All of the large aircraft carriers and ships, these commanders own them.
Commander of Naval Surface Forces Atlantic and Pacific (COMNAVSURFLANT and COMNAVSUBPAC) equip and train the Navy surface forces.
Commander Naval Submarine Forces Atlantic and Pacific (COMNAVSUBLANT and COMNAVSUBPAC) equip and train the Navy submarine forces.
The operational side of the Navy is organized into numbered fleets covering geographical areas.
Commander-in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Atlantic
Second Fleet, located in Norfolk Virginia and covers the Atlantic region.
Commaner-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe
Sixth Fleet, located in Italy and covers the European area.
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
Fifth Fleet, is located in Bahrain and covers the Middle East.
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Pacific
Third Fleet, located in San Diego and covers the Eastern Pacific region
Seventh Fleet, located in Yokosuka, Japan and covers the Western Pacific region from Hawii to the Persion Gulf.
Units in numbered fleets are assembled in what are referred to as Task forces. A Task force is assembled to conduct missions and the make up of the Task force can be tailored to do a specific operation. For example, a Strike Task Force may consist of an aircraft carrier with associated cruisers, destroyers, a submarine and amphibious forces consisting of a helicopter assault carrier and associated ships with support ships for fuel and stores.