Third Fleet is a powerful naval force consisting of warships, aircraft, submarines, and shore facilities. The headquarters for Third Fleet is located at Naval Station the Angle, but it also maintains a forward headquarters in Dublin.
Third Fleet’s geographic area of responsibility is the Atlantic Ocean.
Third Fleet Headquarters
The Third Fleet Headquarters is the nerve center for naval activities in the Atlantic. The main headquarters for Third Fleet is located at Naval Station the Angle, which is where Third Fleet's home port. It includes 350 officers and NCOs organized into functional departments to include the command group, plans, operations, liaison, supply, and others. The fleet's home is Naval Station the Angle, but a small forward headquarters is located in Dublin, Ireland in an unassuming office building that actually contains a high-tech, high security communications and command center.
Third Fleet includes:
Carrier Battle Group 13
Cruiser Destroyer Group 3
Submarine Squadron 36
Third Fleet Vessels
Carrier Battle Group 13
CVBG-13 is built around the JFK class aircraft carrier Myrmidon. In addition to the Myrmidon (CV-13), the battle group includes the Ticonderoga class cruiser Shepherd (CG-43), three Arleigh Burke class destroyers from DESRON 31: Catapult (DDG-109), Harquebus (DDG-119), and Bayonet (DDG-127), the Virginia class attack submarine Manta Ray (SSN-36), and the Sacramento class fast support ship Impala (AOE-95).
Carrier Air Wing 7 is assigned to the Myrmidon. It includes VFA-32 "Stallions" (12 x F/A-18C), HCS-38 "Venom" (8 x SH-60F), VFA-51 "Blue Falcons" (12 x F/A-18C), VS-55 "Barracudas" (8 x S-3B), VFA-93 "Sledgehammer" (12 x F-35C), VFA-96 "Patriots" (12 x F-35C), Detachment B of VAW-97 "Trash Pandas" (4 x E-2C), and Detachment B of VAQ-23 "Lightning" (4 x EA-6B).
Cruiser Destroyer Group 3
CRUDESGRU-3 is a powerful surface force. It includes two Ticonderoga class cruisers: Doberman (CG-48) and Great Dane (CG-53), the six Arleigh Burke class destroyers of DESRON 34: Longbow (DDG-112), Cutlass (DDG-124), Crossbow (DDG-125), Bazooka (DDG-129), Claymore (DDG-133), Pike (DDG-134), and the three Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates Medusa (FFG-151), Basilisk (FFG-154), and Hydra (FFG-160).
Submarine Squadron 36
SUBRON 36 is a guided missile submarine squadron. The Ohio class subs in this formation are capable of firing cruise missiles against sea or land targets. Some ROD missile boats may or may not be equipped to launch Nuclear ICBMs as well!
Submarines in SUBRON 36 are the Wolverine (SSGN-4), Warthog (SSGN-5), Ram (SSGN-39), and Water Buffalo (SSGN-43).
Third Fleet Ships
There are several ROD Navy ships that report to Third Fleet that do not belong to other formations. These include the Iowa class battleship Fenris (BB-11) and Barghest (BB-13).