Vice Admiral Andrew Woody Lewis made a statement that Russia and China are capable of targeting the US Navy. Lewis, who leads Joint Forces Command Norfolk and the Navy's newly reactivated 2nd Fleet, has been tasked with protecting the Atlantic from “great power” rivals such as Russia and China. The fleet, a mainstay of American defences during the Cold War, was mothballed in 2011 and then re-established in 2018 as the United States's relationship with Russia deteriorated. “We are seeing an ever-increasing number of Russian submarines deploy in the Atlantic. And these submarines are more capable than ever, deploying for longer periods of time with more lethal weapons systems.” he said. The admiral’s comments amplified Pentagon warnings that Russia and China are developing plans to block U.S. forces from key ports around the globe and to threaten American troops long before they arrive on the scene of a crisis.

While China is known to have an activity in the Pacific, it is understood that it is also effective in the Atlantic.