Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (
French: ''Commandant de la Marine royale canadienne'') is the title of the institutional head of the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; , ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 s, 12 s, 4 s, 4 s, 8 s, and several auxiliary ...
. This appointment also includes the title of Chief of the Naval Staff and is based at
National Defence Headquarters in
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
. This individual reports to the
Chief of the Defence Staff, who then responds to the
Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces.
History of the position
The appointment was entitled Director of the Naval Service from 1910 to 1928 and then Chief of the Naval Staff from 1928 to 1964. In August 1964 the position of Chief of the Naval Staff was abolished. Responsibility for naval matters was split between the newly established Defence Staff in Ottawa and operational headquarters in Halifax (for
Flag Officer Atlantic Coast) and Esquimalt (for
Flag Officer Pacific Coast). The appointment was entitled Commander of Maritime Command from 1966 to 1997 and Chief of the Maritime Staff from 1997 to 2011. In 2011 Maritime Command was renamed the Royal Canadian Navy at which time the appointment was renamed to its present incarnation.
Insignia and flag
File:Canada-Navy-OF-8-collected.svg, Vice-Admiral's insignia
File:Canada OF-9 OF-8 flag.svg, Vice-Admiral's flag
Appointees
The following table lists all those who have held the post of Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy or its preceding positions. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure:
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Director of the Naval Service
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Chief of the Naval Staff
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Principal Naval Adviser
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Commander of Maritime Command
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Chief of the Maritime Staff
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
See also
*
Chief of the Defence Staff, the second most senior member of the Canadian Armed Forces after the
Commander-in-Chief
*
Commander of the Canadian Army
Commander of the Canadian Army () is the title of the institutional head of the Canadian Army. This appointment also includes the title of Chief of the Army Staff () and is based at National Defence Headquarters (Canada), National Defence Headqua ...
, the institutional head of the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...
*
Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, the institutional head of the
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Chief of the navy by country
Military appointments of Canada
Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
Naval appointments