Carrier battle group at the Battle of Midway. In contrast, the United States Navy deployed its large carriers in separate formations, with each carrier assigned its own cruiser and destroyer escorts. These single-carrier formations would often be paired or grouped together for certain assignments, most notably the Battle of the Coral Sea and Midway. By 1943, however, large numbers of fleet and light carriers became available, which required larger formations of three or four carriers. These groups eventually formed the Fast Carrier Task Force, which became the primary battle unit of the U.S. Fifth and Third Fleets. With the construction of the large
Task Force 57 was little publicised. From 1995, it has been part of the United States Fifth Fleet. It appears to be now the Fleet's Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, under the operational control of Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, Fifth Fleet. Task Force 57 has had Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft stationed at Masirah Island, Oman, and Diego Garcia. Through Naval Forces Central Command's Combined Maritime Forces, Japanese, German, Australian, and New Zealand aircraft have also formed part of the task force. According to the Task Force's official website, it normally comprises five squadrons or detachments of Lockheed P-3C Orion and