US Navy

The first two helicopters squadrons, HU-1 and HU-2, were commissioned 1948 at NAS Lakehurst, NJ with HU-1 moving to North Island, CA and the first training unit, HTU-1, at Ellyson Field, FL. In the 1950s the HS (Anti-submarine) squadrons introduced new revolutionary helicopter types that changed for ever the war at sea. In 1965, HU were redesignated as HC ( Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ) reflecting the more complex missions assigned to them. By the 1970s , small helicopters became so sophisticated that allowed the creation of the HSL squadrons which embark on escort ships. With the new century there was a new redesignation of units after the introduction of the last variants of the SH-60 Seahawk.

The US Navy is organised globally by Fleet, around Areas of Operation.

• US 2nd Fleet - HQ Hampton Roads, Area of Operation: Western Atlantic
• US 3rd Fleet - HQ Point Loma, Area of Operation: Eastern Pacific
• US 4th Fleet - HQ Mayport, Area of Operation: Caribbean, South & Central America
• US 5th Fleet - HQ Bahrain, Area of Operation: Red Sea, Horn of Africa, Arabian Sea & Persian Gulf
• US 6th Fleet - HQ Naples, Area of Operation: Eastern Atlantic & Mediterranean
• US 7th Fleet - HQ Yokosuka, Area of Operation: Indian Ocean, China Seas & Western Pacific

In 2024, a proposal to reactivate the US 1st Fleet, to focus on the Indian Ocean was made.