AREAS OF INTEREST

We will conclude with a brief discussion of some of the more important U.S. Navy operating areas. These include the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East/Persian Gulf area, and the Western Pacific.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

The nearly landlocked Mediterranean Sea has been an influential factor in world affairs throughout history. The Navy's Sixth Fleet operates from the Strait of Gibraltar at the western end of the Mediterranean, to the shores of Israel, Lebanon, and Syria at the eastern end. See figure 3-12. The Strait of Gibraltar is a vital choke point between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, as is the Suez Canal, which provides access from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean beyond.

MIDDLE EAST/PERSIAN GULF

The U.S. Navy has significantly increased its role in this volatile area. The Commander, Joint Task Force Middle East, located at Bahrain, is augmented by ships of both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. Atlantic Fleet ships enter the Red Sea via the Suez Canal and then proceed through the Gulf of Aden to the North

Figure 3-14.-Western Pacific.

Arabian Sea/Gulf of Oman. To enter the Persian Gulf (also referred to as the Arabian Gulf), ships must navigate another strategic choke point, the Strait of Hormuz. See figure 3-13.

WESTERN PACIFIC

The U.S. Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan, is responsible for this

large area. See figure 3-14. A carrier battle group is homeported in Yokosuka to quickly respond to any regional tensions. Our naval presence in the Southeast Asia area is changed somewhat now with the loss of our base in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. Many of those support activities have relocated to Guam. Continued presence in the area is important to protect the Strait of Malacca, the passage between the South China

Sea, and the Indian Ocean. Pacific Fleet ships enroute to the Arabian Sea/Persian Gulf transit this strait. It is also an important commercial route. Most of the tankers carrying Mideast oil pass through it on their way to Pacific ports.

REFERENCE

Analysis and Reporting Analysis Tools, NSGTP 683-14-44-90, Naval Education and Training Program Management Support Activity, Pensacola, Florida, 1990.

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