The United States Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the US Navy that operates in the Mediterranean Sea. It provides naval power projection, forward presence, and crisis response capability in the European and African theaters.
Organization
The Sixth Fleet is headquartered in Naples, Italy. It typically consists of a carrier strike group, amphibious ready group with embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and various support vessels. The fleet falls under the operational control of Naval Forces Europe.
Operations
The fleet has participated in numerous operations including Cold War Mediterranean deployments, the 1986 bombing of Libya, operations in the Balkans, and support for operations in the Middle East. The Sixth Fleet's amphibious forces maintain readiness to conduct evacuations, humanitarian assistance, and amphibious assault operations.