Fleet Commander

{{Short description|Royal Navy post, responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of vessels and people}}

{{Other uses}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Fleet Commander

| body =

| nativename =

| insignia = Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg

| insigniasize = 150px

| insigniacaption = Ensign of the Royal Navy

| image = Vice Admiral Andrew Burns.jpg

| imagesize =

| incumbent = Vice Admiral Andrew Burns

| incumbentsince = 24 September 2021

| department = Ministry of Defence
Royal Navy

| member_of = Admiralty Board, Navy Board, Navy Command

| reports_to = First Sea Lord

| nominator = Secretary of State for Defence, on advice from the Defence Council

| appointer = Prime Minister

| appointer_qualified = Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council

| termlength = Not fixed (typically 1–4 years)

| inaugural = Admiral George Zambellas

| formation = 2012

| website =

}}

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, submarines and aircraft ready for operations, and is based at Navy Command Headquarters.

The post was created in April 2012 following a reorganisation of the Royal Navy and a re-designation of the former role of Commander-in-Chief Fleet.{{Cite web|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/About-the-Royal-Navy/Organisation/Navy-Board|title=Navy Board}}

Responsibilities

The Fleet Commander's purpose is to provide ships, submarines and aircraft ready for any operations that the Government requires.

The Fleet Commander's major subordinates included as of September 2020:{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/920219/20200922-How_Defence_Works_V6.0_Sep_2020.pdf |title=How Defence Works Version 6.0 Sep2020 |author= |date=23 September 2020 |website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |publisher=UK MOD |access-date=3 November 2020 |quote=page 28}}

  • Commander Operations
  • Commander United Kingdom Strike Force
  • Director Force Generation - Commodore Steve Moorhouse was promoted to Rear Admiral and became Director 14 January 2022 on the promotion of Martin Connell to Vice Admiral and Connell's appointment as Second Sea Lord.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/smrmoorhouse/status/1481959961785774088|title=A real privilege to assume the role of Director Force Generation for the Royal Navy. I have the telescope!!}}
  • Commandant General Royal Marines{{cite web|url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/706860/response/1693242/attach/3/2020%2012677%20Davis%20Response.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1|title=Freedom of Information Response|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=17 December 2020}}

The previous post of Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Training)/Flag Officer Sea Training{{cite web |title=Navy Command senior, as of April 2017 - GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/676681/Navy_Apr_17_senior_data.csv/preview |website=www.gov.uk |publisher=MOD UK |access-date=9 August 2018 |language=en |date=30 April 2018}} was disestablished in May-June 2020. It was superseded by Commander Fleet Operational Sea Training, and in the process the senior Sea Training officer was regraded downwards from a Rear Admiral to a Commodore.{{cite web |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/657879/response/1564086/attach/2/2020%2004357%20Davis%20Response.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1 |title= Who is the new Flag Officer Sea Training |author= |date=27 April 2020 |website=whatdotheyknow.com |publisher=Whatdotheyknow |access-date=28 April 2020 |quote=In response to your request, I can advise you that the title Flag Officer Sea Training will cease to exist on 1 May 2020 and is replaced by the 1* post of Commander Fleet Operational Sea Training}}

The British Army equivalent is Commander Field Army. The RAF's Air and Space Commander is the close equivalent of the two positions.{{Cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49075/300912-Air-Govt-data-template-u-senior-data.csv/preview|title=Air Command senior, as of September 2012 - GOV.UK|website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk}}

List of Fleet Commanders

=Fleet Commander=

class="wikitable"

! colspan="5" | Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/355238/20140714-NAVY-SENIOR-organogram-April-2014.csv/preview|title=Navy Command senior, as of March 2014|access-date=26 November 2016}}

ImageRankNameTerm beganTerm ended
85pxAdmiralSir George Zambellas[http://www.defenceviewpoints.co.uk/defence-news/ups-and-outs-october-2012 Ups and outs: October 2012] Defence ViewpointsApril 2012December 2012
85pxVice AdmiralSir Philip JonesDecember 2012February 2016
colspan="5" | Fleet Commander and Chief Naval Warfare Officer
85pxVice AdmiralBen Key{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2016/february/10/160210-new-fleet-commander|title=Royal Navy appoints new Fleet Commander|publisher=Royal Navy|access-date=10 February 2016}}February 2016March 2019
85pxVice AdmiralJerry Kyd{{cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/news/royal-navy-appoints-new-senior-officers|title=Royal Navy Appoints New Senior Officers|date=18 February 2019|publisher=Forces.net|access-date=6 March 2019}}March 2019September 2021
85pxVice AdmiralAndrew Burns{{cite web|url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2021/september/24/20212409-fc-supersession|title=Royal Navy appoints new Fleet Commander|date=24 September 2021|publisher=Royal Navy|access-date=24 September 2021}}September 2021

=Deputy Fleet Commander=

  • April–December 2012: Vice Admiral Sir Philip Jones[http://subseaworldnews.com/2012/07/30/royal-navys-deputy-fleet-commander-visits-uk-hydrographic-office/ Royal Navy’s Deputy Fleet Commander Visits UK Hydrographic Office] Subsea World News, 30 July 2012
  • Position Vacant{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/230876/navy_senior_March_13.csv|title=Navy senior staff, March 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Peter |first1=Jeff |title=Fleet training |url=https://www.improvlearning.com/fleet-training/ |access-date=13 April 2024}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

  • {{cite web|title=Ministry of Defence Organogram|url=https://data.gov.uk/organogram/ministry-of-defence|website=data.gov.uk|publisher=MOD 31 March 2016|access-date=20 December 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808114101/https://data.gov.uk/organogram/ministry-of-defence|archive-date=8 August 2017|url-status=dead}}
  • {{cite web|title=Royal Navy Directory 2017|url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/documents/useful-resources/navy-list.pdf?la=en-gb|publisher=Royal Navy|access-date=8 August 2018|language=en}}