3 - Geographic Baseline

Maritime choke points

know all except for Turkish and Danish

Panama Canal

• Connects Atlantic and Pacific oceans

• Saves 8,000nm of travel for ships moving from one US coast to another

• Strategic importance: allows naval vessels to transit from one coast to another

Suez Canal

• Runs north/south through Egypt and connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea

• Shortest maritime route between Europe and Indian Ocean

• Strategic importance: fuel for Europe, European access to Asia and Middle East, US access to the Middle East

Bab el Mandeb

• Between Arabia and Africa, connects Red Sea with the Indian Ocean

• Known as the “Gate of Tears”

• Strategic importance: access to the Middle East from Europe and the east coast. Can be used by China as a staging ground for power projection into Middle East, Africa, and Europe

Strait of Hormuz

• Connects the Persian gulf with international trade routes

• Oil and gas shipping

• Strategic significance: only maritime access to the Middle East. Military access is less important but countering Iran is still a major US initiative. Access to the Persian Gulf allows US to act as a stabilizing presence in the region and reassure our allies that we will counter Iranian aggression.

Strait of Malacca

• Connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean

• Shortest sea route between India and China

• Vital link for trade and is used to move oil

• Busiest strait in the world

• Strategic significance: major shipping route in China’s backyard. Drastically reduces shipping costs for goods moving between South Asia, China, and the US

What is the range of territorial sea and national airspace?

12nm

What is the range of the contiguous zone?

24nm

What is the range of the exclusive economic zone?

200nm

What is the range of the high seas?

Beyond 200nm, all parts of ocean beyond EEZ

What are some of the conditions of innocent passage?

• Passing through another nation’s territorial sea

• “Hands behind back, head down”

• May not exercise or practice weapons of any kind

• Subs must surface and show flag

What are some of the conditions of transit passage?

• Continuous and expeditious transit through a strait

• Must proceed without delay and must not threaten

• Unimpeded passage

What is a FONOP?

Freedom of Navigation Operation

Where is 2nd fleet HQ and AOR?

• HQ: Norfolk, VA

• AOR: North Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean

Where is 3rd fleet HQ and AOR?

• HQ: San Diego, CA

• AOR: East Pacific

Where is 4th fleet HQ and AOR?

• HQ: Mayport, FL

• AOR: South Atlantic

Where is 5th fleet HQ and AOR?

• HQ: Manama, Bahrain

• AOR: Middle East

Where is 6th fleet HQ and AOR?

• HQ: Naples, Italy

• AOR: Europe, including Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea

Where is 7th fleet HQ and AOR?

• HQ: Yokosuka, Japan

• AOR: West Pacific

Where is 10th fleet HQ and AOR?

• HQ: Fort Meade, MD

• AOR: Fleet Cyber Command

USAFRICOM HQ

Stuttgart, Germany

UCCENTCOM HQ

MacDill AFB in Tampa FL

ESEUCOM HQ

Stuttgart, Germany

USINDOPACOM HQ

Camp HM Smith in Hawaii

USNORTHCOM HQ

Peterson AFB in Colorado

USSOUTHCOM HQ

Miami, FL

USSPACECOM HQ

Colorado Springs, CO

USSOCOM HQ

MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL

USSTRATCOM HQ

Offutt AFB in Nebraska

USTRANSCOM HQ

Scott AFB in Illinois