The Navy Command is the current headquarters body of the Royal Navy, and as of 2012 its major organisational grouping.[1] It is a hybrid, neither a command, nor simply an installation. Royal Navy official writings describe Navy Command Headquarters both as a physical site, on Whale Island, Hampshire, a collective formed of the most senior RN officers,[2] and as a budgetary grouping.
On 1 April 2006 the Fleet Top Level Budget was established.[3] 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.[4] Navy Command supports the First Sea Lord in the management of the Command, and delivers the Service's current and future outputs as articulated in the Command Plan.[5]
The Royal Navy was historically divided into a number of fleets and ashore commands, prominent examples being the Home Fleet; Mediterranean Fleet; East Indies Station; and Far East Fleet. 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.[6] At the same time, the post of Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth 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.
Henry Leach Building, Whale IslandWest Battery, Whale Island
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.[7]
As of 2017 it included:
Henry Leach Building and West Battery Building, HMS Excellent, Portsmouth – Senior Naval staff
[edit]Office of the Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Royal Navy, Hierarchy Chart, 31 March 2016
The First Sea Lord 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 in the management and direction of the Armed Forces.
The Fleet Commander 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.[8]
The Second Sea Lord 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.[8]
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.[11] 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 Headquarters.[12]
Office of the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
Commodore Paul S. Beattie, Director Naval Staff leads the Naval Staff Directorate in providing support to the First Sea Lord, ACNS (Policy) and the Navy Board; including the development of strategy and policy, and the delivery of strategic level engagement across Defence, including internationally.[13] Beattie was posted in as of 26 May 2021.[15]
Head of Royal Navy Communications is the principal Navy Command advisor on RN communications and communications strategy.[13]
Naval Regional Commander Eastern England (NRC EE)[13]
Naval Regional Commander, Northern England (NRC NE)[13]
Naval Regional Commander, Wales & Western England (NRC WWE)[13]
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.[13]
Deputy Director Future Training,[19] formerly known as Assistant Chief of Staff Training/Deputy Flag Officer, Sea Training,[9] also formerly had the separate post of Commander Core Naval Training.[9]
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.[19]
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.[13]
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.[13]
Finance Director (Navy)[9] is the chief financial officer of Navy Command's delegated budget and superintends the Command Secretariat, under the First Sea Lord & CNS.[14]
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.[9]
The Command Secretary is the senior civilian in Navy Command Headquarters responsible for civilian personnel, external accountability, resource management and certain aspects of planning.[9]
The Head of Navy Effectiveness and Strategy [9] superintends multidisciplinary project teams, specializing in policy, commercial and financial expertise he reports back to both the (FD(N) and ACNS(Pol).
^Office, Cabinet (January 2012). "Top Level Budgets(TLB): Navy Command: Major organisational grouping of the MOD.". The Civil Service Yearbook (48 ed.). Norwich, England: The Stationery Office Ltd. p. 108. ISBN9781905262496.
^ abParliament United Kingdom (26 April 2018). "Defence Operating Model"(PDF). data.parliament.uk. London UK: Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
^ abcdefghijklmnoGovernment, H.M. "The Navy List"(PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. H.M. Stationery Office, January, 2017, pp.6-9. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
^ abRoyal Navy (18 May 2020). "Royal Navy Training Appointments"(PDF). whatdotheyknow.com/. Whatdotheyknow. Retrieved 20 May 2020. In response to all parts of your request, the post of Assistant Chief of Staff Training has ceased to exist... has endured in the new Position of Deputy Director Future Training
^Mackie, Colin (20 May 2020). "Admirals Current May 2020"(PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Retrieved 23 May 2020. Commodore Craig Wood: Commander, Surface Flotilla, April 2020
^Mackie, Colin (29 May 2020). "Admirals May 2020"(PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Retrieved 30 May 2020. Commodore James Le S. Perks: Commander, Submarine Flotilla, April 2020
United Kingdom
