Does 5th Fleet's budget and resources eclipse that of 6th, 4th, and 3rd? Some parts of the world get more attention than others. Right now, DOD prioritizes the Persian Gulf and 7th Fleet AOR as far as assets and budgets go. There are a lot more threats to global trade in places like the Straits of Hormuz and the Straits of Bab el-Mondeb, and the oil making its way from the Persian Gulf to either Asia, Europe, or the Americas is open to attack among multiple routes toward either of those destinations. DOD protects *all* trade on the ocean--effectively an energy subsidy for globalized trade--not just oil, but it prioritizes the Persian Gulf, the Straits of Bab el-Mondeb, and the East/South China Seas. If the pirates hijack a roll-on roll-off boat anywhere in the world, a USN DDG will be vectored to intercept it generally-speaking--especially if the ship has American hostages on board.
Okay, but how about all the other commodities that moved around the world by ship. Does the Navy and Marine Corp provide their security as well?
Does 5th Fleet's budget and resources eclipse that of 6th, 4th, and 3rd? Some parts of the world get more attention than others. Right now, DOD prioritizes the Persian Gulf and 7th Fleet AOR as far as assets and budgets go. There are a lot more threats to global trade in places like the Straits of Hormuz and the Straits of Bab el-Mondeb, and the oil making its way from the Persian Gulf to either Asia, Europe, or the Americas is open to attack among multiple routes toward either of those destinations. DOD protects *all* trade on the ocean--effectively an energy subsidy for globalized trade--not just oil, but it prioritizes the Persian Gulf, the Straits of Bab el-Mondeb, and the East/South China Seas. If the pirates hijack a roll-on roll-off boat anywhere in the world, a USN DDG will be vectored to intercept it generally-speaking--especially if the ship has American hostages on board.