United States Navy

The **United States Navy** **(USN)** is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of eight uniformed services of the United States. The US Navy is the largest and most powerful navy in the world; its total battle fleet tonnage is greater than those of the next 13 largest navies combined. The US Navy also has the world's largest carrier fleet, with 11 in service, two being constructed, five planned, and at least one in reserve. It has nearly 300 combat capable vessels and more than 2,600 operational aircraft as of 2019.

The US Navy is a major faction in the *Foxtrot: Foxes in Arms* series, where many of the main characters are commissioned naval officers, despite their relatively young ages. Particularly to the series, the 1st Transglobal Fleet is of notoriety and participates in many of the battles within the Urocyan War.

## History

### Early History

The US Navy originated as the Continental Navy, formed during the American Revolutionary War, though effectively dispended shortly thereafter. In 1794, Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794, authorizing the construction of the first six heavy frigates of the future US Navy, the first ships of the Navy. The USS *Constitution*, nicknamed *Old Ironsides*, was one of these frigates, and still exists today and is ceremoniously in commission with the US Navy.

The Navy would then go on to play a major role in the American Civil War, blockading the Confederacy and sizing control of the rivers. It would go on to play the central role in the World War II defeat of the Japanese Empire. The *Iowa*-class battleship USS *Missouri* and her sister ships were built during the Second World War. The US Navy emerges from World War II as the most powerful navy in the world.

During the Cold War that followed, the US Navy continued developing new technologies, as well as playing roles in several conflicts such as the war in Vietnam. Navy ships and aircraft also saw service in the Persian Gulf throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including the likes of the 1991 Gulf War among other actions.

The US Navy continues to be a major support to US interests in the 21st century. Since the end of the Cold War, it has shifted its focus from preparations for large-scale war with the Soviet Union to special operations and strike missions in regional conflicts. The navy participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and is a major participant in the ongoing War on Terror, largely in this capacity. Development continues on new ships and weapons, including the *Gerald R. Ford*-class aircraft carrier and the Littoral combat ship.

### War with the Urocyan Empire

By the late 2010s, the United States had been growing weary of the growing threat of the Urocyan Empire under the rule of Arian Torres. The Imperial military had been building up substantially, and the Urocyan Navy was even considered to be on par with the US Navy. As such, Congress authorized a massive fleet build up program, which included trying to complete as many ships under construction at the time, but also bringing older ships out of retirement and refurbishing them to get as many fleet units ready to face the Urocyan Navy head on.

After the latest in a series of attacks by Urociya, the United States Navy launched a task force built around two aircraft carriers to attack a Urocyan combined base before it could launch an other assault, having the authorization of Congress to do so to send a message to Arian and the Empire. The recommissioned battleship *Missouri*, under the command of then Commander Arthur Snow, was a part of the task force. Navy warships and aircraft launched from carriers pounded the combined base, subduing any Imperial activity in the region. This starts a conflict between the US and Urocyia that would last for quite some time before escalating in the winter of 2020-2021.

Sometime after this initial attack and several more run-ins with Urocyan forces, the US Navy faced the largest attack it had seen in its history. Their power projection capabilities were limited after many of their aircraft carriers and other ships were rendered inoperable as Urocyan drones and manned aircraft attacked dozens of American bases around the world. Though some of America's navy was able to survive and put up a fight, such as Arthur aboard the *Missouri* and Justin Redding flying with VFA-242, who'd coordinated a counterattack with several other naval officers. Several American carriers that survived the attacks attempted retaliatory strikes against the Empire as it began its mass blitz across the world. These attacks had been met with varying success, though mostly not that much, as they appeared to be playing catch up with the Urocyan Navy.

The losses the Navy suffered during these attacks had to be supplemented, and this led to the increased production rate of new ships or the refurbishment of older vessels. This could also be applied to aircraft, as these efforts, as well as the war with Urocyia, are ongoing.

## Rank Structure

### Officers

In the USN, officer ranks go from grades O-1 to O-10, plus an additional special grade, as far as US Department of Defense (DoD) pay grades. They are as follows:

1. Ensign (O-1)
2. Lieutenant (junior grade) (O-2)
3. Lieutenant (O-3)
4. Lieutenant Commander (O-4)
5. Commander (O-5)
6. Captain (O-6)
7. Rear Admiral (lower half) (O-7)
8. Rear Admiral (upper half) (O-8)
9. Vice Admiral (O-9)
10. Admiral (O-10)
11. Fleet Admiral (Special Grade)

### Warrant Officers

Highly specialized warrant officers go by W-1 to W-5 in the US DoD pay grade system. They go as follows:

1. Warrant Officer 1 (W-1)
2. Chief Warrant Officer 2 (W-2)
3. Chief Warrant Officer 3 (W-3)
4. Chief Warrant Officer 4 (W-4)
5. Chief Warrant Officer 5 (W-5)

### Enlisted

Enlisted ranks, plus non-commissioned officers, go from E-1 to E-9 plus special grades, though exact titles can vary depending on department. General enlisted ranks go as follows:

1. Seaman Recruit (E-1)
2. Seaman Apprentice (E-2)
3. Seaman (E-3)
4. Petty Officer Third Class (E-4)
5. Petty Officer Second Class (E-5)
6. Petty Officer First Class (E-6)
7. Chief Petty Officer (E-7)
8. Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8)
9. Command Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8)
10. Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9)
11. Command Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9)
12. Fleet/Force Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9)
13. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (Special grade)
14. Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (Special grade)

## Equipment

### Ships

The US Navy operates some of the world's most modern warships, though prior to, and during, the war with the Urocyan Empire, older ships were pulled out of retirement to bolster fleet numbers since the Navy felt construction of new vessels would take too long, and wouldn't be able to replace losses, despite ramped up production.

* *Nimitz*-class aircraft carrier
	+ USS *Nimitz* (CVN-68)
	+ USS *Theodore Roosevelt* (CVN-71)
* *Gerald R. Ford*-class aircraft carrier
* *Iowa*-class battleship (recommissioned)
	+ USS *Missouri* (BB-63)
	+ USS *Wisconsin* (BB-64) (undergoing modernization)
* *Ticonderoga*-class guided-missile cruiser
	+ USS *Leyte Gulf* (CG-55)
	+ USS *Princeton* (CG-59)
	+ USS *Cape St. George* (CG-71)
* *Zumwalt*-class stealth destroyer
* *Arleigh Burke*-class guided-missile destroyer
	+ USS *Russell* (DDG-59)
	+ USS *Mahan* (DDG-72)
	+ USS *Preble* (DDG-88)
	+ USS *Pinckney* (DDG-91)
	+ USS *Kidd* (DDG-100)
* *Oliver Hazard Perry*-class frigate (recommissioned)
	+ USS *Curts* (FFG-38)
	+ USS *Klakring* (FFG-42)
	+ USS *De Wert* (FFG-45)
	+ USS *Nicholas* (FFG-47)
	+ USS *Vandegrift* (FFG-48)
	+ USS *Robert G. Bradley* (FFG-49)
	+ USS *Kauffman* (FFG-59)
	+ USS *Rodney M. Davis* (FFG-60)
* *Freedom*-class littoral combat ship
* *Independence*-class littoral combat ship
* *San Antonio*-class amphibious transport dock
* *Wasp*-class amphibious assault ship
	+ USS *Essex* (LHD-2)
* *America*-class amphibious assault ship
* *Tarawa*-class amphibious assault ship (recommissioned)
	+ USS *Tarawa* (LHA-1)
	+ USS *Peleliu* (LHA-5)
* *Avenger*-class mine countermeasures ship
* *Cyclone*-class patrol ship
* *Virginia*-class nuclear attack submarine
	+ USS *North Carolina* (SSN-777)
* *Seawolf*-class nuclear attack submarine
	+ USS *Seawolf* (SSN-21)
* *Los Angeles*-class attack submarine
	+ USS *Santa Fe* (SSN-763)
* *Ohio*-class nuclear ballistic missile/guided-missile submarine
* *Supply*-class fast combat support ship
	+ USNS *Rainier* (T-AOE-7)
	+ USNS *Arctic* (T-AOE-8)
* *Lewis and Clark*-class dry cargo ship

### Aircraft

* F/A-18C Hornet
* F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
* F-35C Lighting II
* EA-6B Prowler
* EA-18G Growler
* E-2 Hawkeye
* C-2A Greyhound
* MH-53E Sea Dragon
* MH-60R Seahawk
* MH-60S Knighthawk
* CMV-22B Osprey
* P-3C Orion
* P-8A Poseidon
* C-130J Super Hercules
* C-139N Stratocruiser II
* C-40A Clipper
* MQ-8 Fire Scout

## Trivia

* Much of the equipment seen being used by the US Navy is a combination of the early 2000s up until the 2020s.
* Historically, reactivating old ships was actually something put forward and either acted on or rejected.
	+ In the 1980s, the *Iowa*-class battleships were reactivated as a part of a 600-ship Navy plan during the Cold War, and in the series, a couple of the *Iowa*-class are being reactivated again to counter the Urocyan Navy's *Athena*-class battleships.
	+ In 2017, the US Navy's Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and other naval officials were looking into reactivating several *Oliver Hazard Perry*-class frigates as a part of a proposed 355-ship Navy plan. Unfortunately, the Navy decided against it in real life. However, in the series, the growing threat of the Urocyan military caused the Navy to go forward with the plans, reactivating a number of the older *Perry*-class ships as seen in the series.

## References

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United\_States\_Navy
* https://www.navy.mil/