| Commander-in-Chief Fleet | |
|---|---|
 Ensign of theRoyal Navy | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
| Member of | Admiralty Board |
| Reports to | First Sea Lord |
| Nominator | Secretary of State for Defence |
| Appointer | Prime Minister Subject to formal approval by theKing-in-Council |
| Term length | Not fixed (typically 2–4 years) |
| Inaugural holder | Admiral Edward Ashmore |
TheCommander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET) was theadmiral responsible for the operations of the ships, submarines and aircraft of theBritishRoyal Navy from 1971 until April 2012. The post was subordinate to theFirst Sea Lord, the professional head of theNaval Service. In its last years, as the Navy shrank, more administrative responsibilities were added.
In April 2012, the post was abolished, its rank downgraded from admiral to three-star vice admiral, and re-designatedFleet Commander and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.
Prior to 1964 responsibility for control and direction of British naval affairs lay with theAdmiralty, naval command lay with theAdmiralty Naval Staff. Following the merger of the Admiralty in 1964 into the newMinistry of Defence it became known as the Navy Department.[1][2]
In November 1971, force reductions resulted in theWestern Fleet being amalgamated with theFar East Fleet. It was to be commanded by afour star admiral who held the title Commander-in-Chief Fleet,[3] with his headquarters at theNorthwood Headquarters,Middlesex,England. Previous to November 1971, on 1 May 1971 CINCWF had already assumed responsibility for the administration of ships in theFar East Fleet. From 1971-72 CINCFLEET directedFlag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships;Flag Officer First Flotilla;Flag Officer, Second Flotilla;Flag Officer Submarines; theHydrographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral Geoffrey Hall (all survey vessels);Flag Officer Sea Training (all ships in workup at Portland); and Captain, Mine Countermeasures.[4] Operational control was delegated to FOSNI,Flag Officer Plymouth,Flag Officer Gibraltar,Flag Officer Malta,Senior Naval Officer West Indies, Commander,ANZUK Naval Forces, and Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong.
TheFlag Officer Gibraltar, and Gibraltar Naval Base Commander, aRear Admiral, double-hatted asNATO'sCommander Gibraltar Mediterranean (COMGIBMED).[5] In the late 1980s two small patrol craft,HMS Cormorant,HMS Hart, were reported as being attached to FO Gibraltar.
The post of CINCFLEET also was assigned the NATO appointments ofCommander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT) andCommander-in-Chief Channel (CINCHAN).[6] On 1 July 1994, the Channel Command was disestablished: however most of its subordinate commands remained in existence although reshuffled: most of the headquarters were absorbed withinAllied Command Europe particularly as part of the newAllied Forces Northwestern Europe.[7]
In 1992 Fleet Headquarters moved toPortsmouth. In 2005, theSecond Sea Lord, reduced in rank from full Admiral to Vice-Admiral, came under CINCFLEET's command, a situation that lasted until theLevene reforms of 2012.[8]
Full command of the Fleet and responsibility for the Fleet element of military operational capability including theRoyal Marines and theRoyal Fleet Auxiliary, was delegated to Commander-in-Chief Fleet, as is described in official descriptions circa 2010.[9] In 1971 after the amalgamation of the Western and Far East Fleets the headquarters was established at Northwood, in theLondon Borough of Hillingdon (HMS Warrior). Both the CINCFLEET and CINCEASTLANT staffs were co-located there.
By the early 21st century the headquarters was split. In 2002 a new Command Headquarters, theNavy Command Headquarters Building atHMSExcellent inPortsmouth[9][dead link] was completed. Thereafter the headquarters was split between the Command HQ and CINCFLEET's Operational Headquarters atNorthwood, co-located with thePermanent Joint Headquarters.[9][dead link]
By the 2010s, CINCFLEET was supported by:[9][dead link]
Collectively, COMUKMARFOR, COMUKAMPHIBFOR, Commander UK Task Group (COMUKTG), and the3 Commando Brigade Headquarters comprised the "Fleet Battle Staff".[14]
The Commanders-in-Chief were:[15]
Most are listed at their final service rank, not at their rank as CINCFLEET, an admiral's position.
Deputy Commanders have included:[15]
The Commander-in-Chief, Fleet's principal staff officer was the Chief of Staff, Fleet, responsible for coordinating the supporting staff of Fleet Headquarters from November 1971 to 2012.[18]
| # | post holder | dates | notes/ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chief of Staff Fleet | 1971–2012 | In 1990 became a joint title of the Deputy C-in-C[19] |
| 2. | Chief of Staff, (Warfare) Fleet | 2002–2006 | became CoS Capability[20] |
| 3. | Chief of Staff (Capability) Fleet | 2006–2012 | [21] |
| 4. | Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations | 1971–2010 | became ACOS Operations (Navy) in 2002[22] |
| 5. | Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans | 1971–2012 | [23] |
| 6. | Assistant Chief of Staff, Warfare | 1973–2012 | [24] |
| 7. | Command Secretary, Fleet | 1971–2012 | [25][26] |
At various times included:[27][28][29][30][31]
| # | post holder | see | dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chaplain of the Fleet and Director-General Naval Chaplaincy Services | Main article:Chaplain of the Fleet | 1971-2012 |
| 2. | Commandant General Royal Marines | Main article:Commandant General Royal Marines | 1971-2012 |
| 3. | Commander British Forces Gibraltar | Main article:Commander British Forces Gibraltar | 1992-2012 |
| 4. | Commander Operations | Main article:Commander Operations (Royal Navy) | 1993-2012 |
| 5. | Commander UK Amphibious Forces | Main article:Commander UK Amphibious Forces | 2001-2012 |
| 6. | Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces | Main article:Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces | 2001-2012 |
| 7. | Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships | Main article:Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships | 1971-1979 |
| 8. | Flag Officer First Flotilla | Main article:Flag Officer First Flotilla | 1971-1990 |
| 9. | Flag Officer Naval Air Command | Main article:Flag Officer Naval Air Command | 1971-2010 |
| 10. | Flag Officer Gibraltar and Gibraltar Naval Base Commander | Main article:Flag Officer Gibraltar | 1971-1992 |
| 11. | Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England, Northern Ireland | 1996-2012 | |
| 12. | Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland | Main article:Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland | 1971-1996 |
| 13. | Flag Officer Sea Training | Main article:Flag Officer Sea Training | 1971-2012 |
| 14. | Flag Officer, Second Flotilla | Main article:Flag Officer, Second Flotilla | 1971-1992 |
| 15. | Flag Officer Submarines | Main article:Commodore Submarine Service | 1971-1991 |
| 16. | Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla | Main article:Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla | 1990-2002 |
| 17. | Flag Officer, Third Flotilla | Main article:Flag Officer, Third Flotilla | 1979-1992 |
_entering_Hampton_Roads_1990.jpeg)
TheFlag Officer First Flotilla (FOF1) was arear admiral basedHMNB Portsmouth who commanded the navy'sFirst Flotilla.
TheFlag Officer, Second Flotilla was arear admiral basedHMNB Devonport who commanded the navy'sSecond Flotilla.
_Dragon_Hammer_90.jpg)
TheFlag Officer, Third Flotilla was arear admiral based atHMNB Portsmouth who doubled as NATO Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Striking Force. In 1989 Vice AdmiralAlan Grose held this appointment.
TheFlag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland (FOSNI) was avice admiral based atRAF Pitreavie Castle, who commanded the navy's units inScotland andNorthern Ireland and double-hatted as Naval Base Commander at Rosyth,NATOCommander Northern Sub-Area (NORLANT) andCommander Nore Sub-Area Channel (NORECHAN).[35] The main unit under his command was the Mine Countermeasures Flotilla based atRoyal Naval Dockyard Rosyth on theFirth of Forth, which was commanded by acommodore. Additionally the Second Flotilla's3rd Destroyer Squadron was based atRN Dockyard Rosyth. In war FOSNI would have been one of two naval operational commands, with the other beingFlag Officer Plymouth.
TheFlag Officer Plymouth was avice admiral based atAdmiralty House, who commanded the navy's units inEngland andWales and double-hatted asNaval Base Commander Devonport,NATOCommander Central Sub-Area (CENTLANT) andCommander Plymouth Sub-Area Channel (PLYMCHAN).[36][37] In war Flag Officer Plymouth would have been one of two naval operational commands, with the other beingFlag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland.
TheFlag Officer Submarines was arear admiral based atNorthwood Headquarters, who commanded theRoyal Navy Submarine Service and double-hatted asNATOCommander Submarine Force Eastern Atlantic (COMSUBEASTLANT).
TheFlag Officer Naval Air Command was arear admiral based atRNAS Yeovilton, who commanded theFleet Air Arm.
TheCommandant General Royal Marines, in 1989Lieutenant General SirMartin Garrod based atWhitehall, was the service head of theRoyal Marines. In 1991 their structure was described as "very top heavy. They have nearly 8,000 men to put 2,400 in the field...they have three 'tied' generals, the Commandant General, a major general as his chief of staff, and a major general commando forces."[39]
Note: "(V)" denotesBritish Army reserve units.
 Historic fleets and naval commands of theRoyal Navy | |
|---|---|
| North and Irish Seas and English Channel |
|
| Atlantic Ocean |
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| Baltic, Black, Caspian, and Mediterranean Seas | |
| Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean |
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