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Navy Command is the current headquarters body of the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
, and as of 2012 its major organisational grouping. It is a hybrid, neither a
command Command may refer to: Computing * Command (computing), a statement in a computer language * COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS * Command key, a modifier key on Apple Macintosh computer keyboards * ...
, nor simply an installation. Royal Navy official writings describe Navy Command Headquarters both as a physical site, on
Whale Island, Hampshire Whale Island is a small island in Portsmouth Harbour, close by Portsea Island. It is home to HMS ''Excellent'', the oldest shore training establishment within the Royal Navy, and the location of the Navy Command Headquarters. The island is li ...
, a collective formed of the most senior RN officers, and as a budgetary grouping. On 1 April 2006 the Fleet Top Level Budget was established. A Top Level Budget (TLB) is the major financial accounting group of the MOD. On 1 April 2010 the Fleet TLB was renamed Navy Command. Navy Command is the Top Level Budget (holder) for the RN. Navy Command supports the
First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed F ...
in the management of the Command, and delivers the Service's current and future outputs as articulated in the Command Plan.


History

The Royal Navy was historically divided into a number of fleets and ashore commands, prominent examples being the
Home Fleet The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy that operated from the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967. In 1967, it was merged with the Mediterranean Fleet creating the new Western Fleet. Before the Firs ...
;
Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between ...
;
East Indies Station The East Indies Station was a formation and command of the British Royal Navy. Created in 1744 by the Admiralty, it was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies. Even in official documents, the term ''East Indies Station'' wa ...
; and
Far East Fleet The Far East Fleet (also called the Far East Station) was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed between 1952 and 1971. During the Second World War, the Eastern Fleet included many ships and personnel from other navies, including those of the ...
. In the late 1960s the Home Fleet and Mediterranean Fleet were amalgamated into Western Fleet. In the 1970s Western Fleet and Far East Fleet were amalgamated into CINCFLEET. At the same time, the post of
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. Between 1845 and 1896, this offic ...
was merged with that of Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth to form Naval Home Command. As overseas bases continued to be reduced, the Navy's shore establishments became more concentrated in the UK, under Naval Home Command. The purpose-built Headquarters at
Whale Island, Portsmouth Whale Island is a small island in Portsmouth Harbour, close by Portsea Island. It is home to HMS ''Excellent'', the oldest shore training establishment within the Royal Navy, and the location of the Navy Command Headquarters. The island is lin ...
was opened in 2002 was named after Admiral of the Fleet Sir
Henry Leach Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Conyers Leach, (18 November 1923 – 26 April 2011) was a Royal Navy officer who, as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff during the early 1980s, was instrumental in convincing the British prime minister, ...
, the
First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed F ...
during the
Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial d ...
. As of 2017 official descriptions said that the headquarters was based at Whale Island, but also includes the Command Centre in Northwood, and support staff in Portsmouth Naval Base. As of 2017 it included: * Henry Leach Building and West Battery Building, HMS ''Excellent'',
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dense ...
– Senior Naval staff * Moore Building, HMS ''Excellent'' – Fleet Battle Staff. * Command Centre, Northwood – Maritime operations staff. *
HMNB Portsmouth His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is lo ...
: – Support Staff *
Maritime Warfare Centre Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Princ ...
* Flag Officer Sea Training – training of warships for combat preparatory to deployments *
Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service The Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service provides chaplains to the Royal Navy. The chaplains are commissioned by the Sovereign but do not hold military rank other than that of "Chaplain Royal Navy". They are usually addressed as Padre, Reverend or more ...
– provision of religious ministry.


Structure

The
First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed F ...
and Chief of Naval Staff, is the Royal Navy's professional head and chairman of the Navy Board. He is responsible to the secretary of state for the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale of the Naval Service, and supports the
Secretary of State for Defence The secretary of state for defence, also referred to as the defence secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the business of the Ministry of Defence. The incumbent is a membe ...
in the management and direction of the Armed Forces. The
Fleet Commander The Fleet Commander is a senior Royal Navy post, responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of the ships, submarines and aircraft, and personnel, of the Naval Service. The Vice-Admiral incumbent is required to provide ships, submarin ...
exercises Full Command, on behalf of the First Sea Lord, over all Fleet Units, Battle Staffs, the Fleet Air Arm, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Royal Marines. He is responsible for the generation of units for tasking, and the operation of the Fleet in meeting standing commitments, conduct of current operations, and maintaining their contingent capability, as directed by Head Office and articulated in the Navy Command Plan. The
Second Sea Lord The Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (formerly Second Sea Lord) is deputy to the First Sea Lord and the second highest-ranking officer to currently serve in the Royal Navy and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establish ...
leads Navy Command HQ and is responsible for the Development and Delivery of future and current capability in support of the Fleet Commander, as detailed in the Navy Command Plan. The previous office of the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Submarines) and Deputy Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, as of January 2017, was disestablished under the Navy Command Transformation Programme, April 2020. Changes by 2020-2021 saw the Commander, UK Strike Force, take up command of the UKSTRKFOR Enterprise, including the Maritime Battle Staff. ** The Maritime Battle Staff appears to be a change of name for the previous Fleet Battle Staff. The Fleet Battle Staff, based in two locations (Portsmouth and Plymouth), was the operational planning department, that planned exercises and operations for large multinational naval and marine task groups across the globe. But in actuality the Fleet Battle Staff was merely a collective name for the COMUKMARFOR, COMUKAMPHIBFOR, Commander UK Task Group (COMUKTG), and the
3 Commando Brigade 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde), previously called the 3rd Special Service Brigade, is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces. It is composed of the Royal Marine Commandos, alongside commando qualified sailors, soldiers and airmen from ...
Headquarters.


Office of the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff

Updated where possible to 2020-2021: *
First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed F ...
– based at the
Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
in London as part of the Chiefs of the Defence Staff. ** Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff **
Fleet Commander The Fleet Commander is a senior Royal Navy post, responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of the ships, submarines and aircraft, and personnel, of the Naval Service. The Vice-Admiral incumbent is required to provide ships, submarin ...
** Rear Admiral
Iain Lower Rear Admiral Iain Stuart Lower, is a senior Royal Navy officer. He was Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy) 2020-2022. Naval career Lower joined the Royal Navy on 1 May 1992. He became commanding officer of the destroyer in 2009 and, i ...
, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy), directs and develops naval strategic policy and strategy for the Royal Navy. *** Commodore Paul S. Beattie, Director Naval Staff leads the
Naval Staff Directorate The Naval Staff Directorate is a military staff directorate created in 1985 as the Directorate of Naval Staff Duties. The directorate was originally part of the British Ministry of Defence (Navy Department) and is now under the Ministry of De ...
in providing support to the First Sea Lord, ACNS (Policy) and the
Navy Board The Navy Board (formerly known as the Council of the Marine or Council of the Marine Causes) was the commission responsible for the day-to-day civil administration of the Royal Navy between 1546 and 1832. The board was headquartered within the ...
; including the development of strategy and policy, and the delivery of strategic level engagement across Defence, including internationally. Beattie was posted in as of 26 May 2021. *** Head of Royal Navy Communications is the principal Navy Command advisor on RN communications and communications strategy. ** Naval Regional Commander Eastern England (NRC EE) ** Naval Regional Commander, Northern England (NRC NE) ** Naval Regional Commander, Wales & Western England (NRC WWE) **
Finance Director (Navy) Finance Director (Navy), according to gov.uk, is responsible for management and decision support relating to Navy Command's delegated budget; delivery of the programming function and Portfolio Office; implementation of civilian HR policy and re ...


Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff

*Responsible for Chief of Staff HQ; * Chief Technical Officer; Chief Digital and Information Officer (all Commodores); * Director Force Generation, a Rear Admiral; * the three Naval Base Commanders; * Assistant Chief of Staff Support; * Assistant Chief of Staff Carrier Strike and Aviation; * Commanding Officer RNAS Yeovilton; * Deputy Director Maritime Warfare; * Assistant Chief of Staff Land and Deputy
Commandant General Royal Marines The Commandant General Royal Marines is the professional head of the Royal Marines. The title has existed since 1943. The role is held by a General who is assisted by a Deputy Commandant General, with the rank of brigadier. This position is not t ...
; * Surface Flotilla; * Deputy Director/Assistant Chief of Staff Ships; * DDAS & Commodore
Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by ...
; * Director Develop; * Assistant Chief of Staff Maritime Capability; * Deputy Director Navy Capability Sponsor; * Director People and Training and Naval Secretary; * Deputy Director Navy Transformation (SCS1); * the Naval Assistant, Commodore Naval Legal Services (both Commodores); * Commander Maritime Reserves; * Assistant Chief of Staff Medical; reportedly ACOS Training/DFOST; * Deputy Director People; * Head of Nuclear Department (SCS1); * Director Navy Acquisition; * Assistant Chief of Staff Future Support and Engineering; * Type 26 Frigate Programme Director and Head of Ship Acquisition. *Fleet Commander **and subordinate senior officers


Director Navy Acquisition

* Director Navy Acquisition


Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Capability)/Director Develop

* Rear Admiral James Parkin,
Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Capability) The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Capability) is a senior Royal Navy appointment responsible he is accountable for planning and delivering the larger part of future maritime effectiveness; he does this on behalf of the First Sea Lord. Hist ...
/Director Develop ** Assistant Chief of Staff Maritime Capability (COS Mar Cap) ** Deputy Director Navy Capability Sponsor


Director Naval (Support)

* Director Naval (Support) ( Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Support)) ** Assistant Chief of Staff Logistics and Infrastructure, (COS Logs & Infra) ** Assistant Chief of Staff Engineering Support (COS Eng Sup)


Director Force Generation

''Responsible for the Royal Navy’s Scheduling Authority, In-Service Capability Management, Intelligent Customer function and, discharging legislative Duty Holding Responsibilities/Risk to Life management.Director Force Generation’s Portfolio includes Deputy Director Ships, Deputy Director Submarines, Deputy Director Naval Aviation, Deputy Director Logistics, Deputy Director LS. Naval Bases Clyde, Devonport and Portsmouth; Air stations Yeovilton and Culdrose, AFSUP and Logistics policy and wider.'' * Director Force Generation ** Assistant Chief of Staff Carrier Strike and Aviation ** Assistant Chief of Staff Land and Deputy
Commandant General Royal Marines The Commandant General Royal Marines is the professional head of the Royal Marines. The title has existed since 1943. The role is held by a General who is assisted by a Deputy Commandant General, with the rank of brigadier. This position is not t ...
** Commanding Officer Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton ** Commanding Officer, Culdrose ** Naval Base Commander, Portsmouth ** Naval Base Commander, Clyde ** Naval Base Commander, Devonport


Director People and Training and Naval Secretary

* Director People and Training and Naval Secretary ( Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Personnel) merged into post of DP&T) ** Naval Assistant (Previously titled Naval Assistant to the Naval Secretary) ** Surgeon-Commodore Fleur Marshall, Assistant Chief of Staff (Medical), Navy Command, Head of the
Royal Navy Medical Service The Royal Navy Medical Service is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for medical care. It works closely with Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service. History The history of the service can be traced back to 1692 when treatment for ...
. Marshall was in post as of 26 February 2019 ** Commodore Naval Legal Services ** Deputy Director People ** Commander Maritime Reserves ** Deputy Director Future Training, formerly known as Assistant Chief of Staff Training/Deputy Flag Officer, Sea Training, also formerly had the separate post of Commander Core Naval Training. ** Commanding Officer Maritime Warfare School - under a Navy captain, not a Commodore. Commanding Officer Operational Training, (COM OT) replaced by Commander Fleet Operational Sea Training.


Fleet Commander The Fleet Commander is a senior Royal Navy post, responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of the ships, submarines and aircraft, and personnel, of the Naval Service. The Vice-Admiral incumbent is required to provide ships, submarin ...


Chaplain of the Fleet

*
Chaplain of the Fleet The Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service provides chaplains to the Royal Navy. The chaplains are commissioned by the Sovereign but do not hold military rank other than that of "Chaplain Royal Navy". They are usually addressed as Padre, Reverend or more ...


Commander Operations

* Commander Operations ** Deputy Commander Operations, a Commodore responsible for ensuring the Royal Navy has the ability to observe and process all aspects of operational experience to learn lessons from previous operations and enhance fighting power. ** Commander Surface Flotilla – merger of Commander Portsmouth Flotilla (COMPORFLOT) and Commander Devonport Flotilla, (COMDEVFLOT) ** Commander Submarine Flotilla


Commander United Kingdom Strike Force

*
Commander United Kingdom Strike Force Commander United Kingdom Strike Force (COMUKSTRKFOR or CSF) and Rear Admiral Surface Ships (RASS) is a senior post in the Royal Navy. The post is the highest seagoing command in the Royal Navy. Its role is to direct UK, Allied or Coalition mar ...
(COMUKSTRKFOR or CSF) ** Commander Littoral Strike Group ** Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group and Deputy Commander UK Maritime Forces ** Assistant Chief of Staff, Maritime Warfare (this function did supervise the Maritime Warfare Centre). Responsible for the setting, maintenance and monitoring of warfighting standards, policy and operational capability. ** Commander 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines **
Commander Fleet Operational Sea Training Fleet Operational Sea Training (FOST) is a Royal Navy training organisation. Up until May 2020, the Flag Officer Sea Training led a training organisation responsible for ensuring that Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels were fit to join ...


Finance Director Navy

*
Finance Director (Navy) Finance Director (Navy), according to gov.uk, is responsible for management and decision support relating to Navy Command's delegated budget; delivery of the programming function and Portfolio Office; implementation of civilian HR policy and re ...
is the chief financial officer of Navy Command's delegated budget and superintends the Command Secretariat, under the First Sea Lord & CNS.


Assistant Chief of Staff Resources and Plans

* The Assistant Chief of Staff Resources and Plans supports the Finance Director Navy in delivering financial objectives and adhering to the framework of legal, political, financial and regulatory authorities.


Command Secretary

* The Command Secretary is the senior civilian in Navy Command Headquarters responsible for civilian personnel, external accountability, resource management and certain aspects of planning.


Deputy Finance Director, Navy

* The Deputy Finance Director is responsible overall financially managing Navy Command and the head of the Navy Command Finance department.


Head of Navy Effectiveness and Strategy

* The Head of Navy Effectiveness and Strategy superintends multidisciplinary project teams, specializing in policy, commercial and financial expertise he reports back to both the (FD(N) and ACNS(Pol).


Notes


References

* * Government, H.M. "The Navy List" (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. H.M. Stationery Office, January 2017. * * * * The current appointment of Commodore Ahlgren is Deputy Commander Operations. * * Royal Navy, "Navy Command HQ, Royal Navy". royalnavy.mod.uk. Royal Navy. Retrieved 7 August 2017. * *


Further reading

* Grove. D. Philip and Redford. Duncan. (2014). "The Royal Navy: A History Since 1900". I.B.Tauris. IBAN: 9780857735072.


External links


Navy Command Headquarters Website
{{Naval Service (British), state=collapsed Military headquarters in the United Kingdom Organisations based in Portsmouth Royal Navy shore establishments Naval headquarters