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Operational Commands
Notes:
-
Approximately correct as at 1 April 2006.
-
The RN has recently made major changes to its
operational organisation, has organised a new Battle Staff and also disbanded the
old squadron system for major warships (both surface and submarines) and
moved to a base orientated flotilla system for support and
administrative purposes.
-
It excludes details about Naval Aviation. A
majority of naval air squadrons are now assigned to operational
commands not listed here such as Joint Force Harrier, which in turn
is part of No.1 Group, RAF Strike Command.
-
All operational Royal Navy ships and those engaged
in trails or training are always ultimately
under the 4* (i.e. Admiral) command of Commander in Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET),
whose staff are at the impressive new Fleet Headquarters (Fleet HQ) at
Whale Island, Portsmouth.
-
The table includes all CINCFLEET controlled ships.
It usually excludes ships undergoing major refit or at low
availability (i.e. "extended readiness", aka reserve) as these are
controlled by the Defence Logistics Organisation, but information on
about these is
inadequate. Strength is thus overstated.
-
The Royal Navy has two deployable 2* (i.e. Rear
Admiral or Major General) commanders - Commander UK Maritime Forces
(COMUKMARFOR) who commands major naval forces put together for
deployments, exercises or operations - and Commander UK Amphibious
Forces (COMUKAMPHIBFOR). Both are based at Whale Island in the
same building along with their battle staffs, but either can command
from sea or ashore. As examples, during 2006 COMUKMARFOR
commanded a major Indian Ocean deployment from an aircraft carrier,
and COMAMPHIBFOR (a Royal Marine officer who also has a tribal
chiefly role as Commandant General Royal Marines) commanded all
British Forces in SE Iraq, from his HQ in Basra.
-
COMUKAMPHIBFOR is also
Commandant General Royal Marine (CGRM) and Head of Service, Royal
Marine Corps.
-
Beneath the two 2* commanders are three permanent 1*
(i.e. Commodore or Brigadier) commanders. Commander United Kingdom
Task Group (COMUKTG) commands smaller groups of naval forces,
Commander Amphibious Task Group (COMATG) commands specialist
amphibious naval units usually flying fly his flag in a LPD (HMS
Albion or HMS Bulwark), as well as smaller groups of
naval forces, and Commander 3 Commando Brigade who commands the
Royal Navy's marines (usually alongside COMATG) but also
independently if required.
-
Its expected that in the near future (written April
2006), an additional permanent 1* command post will be created, to
support the Royal Navy's emerging responsibilities in the new strike
carrier concept.
-
Other temporary 1* commands are created by the Royal
Navy to meet temporary command needs within national, NATO or
coalition operations, such as those ongoing in the Gulf.
-
The deployable 2* (i.e. Rear Admiral) Commander UK Maritime Forces (COMUKMARFOR) commands at
sea major naval forces put together for deployments, exercises or
operations. While normally based at Whale Island, at sea will normally fly his flag in an aircraft
carrier.
His staff is known as UKMARBATSTAFF.
-
The UK provides a NATO High Readiness Force
(Maritime) - HRF(M). The HRF(M) HQ staff are headquartered at
the COMUKMARFOR base but are at seven days notice to commence
operational planning and 20 days’ notice to deploy for a NATO
operation.
-
RN and RM units are now frequently assigned to the
UK Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF), and under the operational
command of the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) and the
Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ), 3 Commando Brigade RM
is a permanent component of the JRRF. Assets may also be
assigned to other national, NATO or UN commands not listed here.
|
Commander-in-Chief
Fleet (CINCFLEET)
****
Deputy
Commander-in-Chief Fleet (DCINCINFLEET)
*** |
|
Fleet Flag Officers
Flag
Officer Sea Training (FOST) ** |
|
Maritime
Operational Commanders
Commander
UK Maritime Forces (COMUKMARFOR) **
Commander UK Amphibious Forces (COMUKAMPHIBFOR) **
Commander UK Task Group (COMUKTG) *
Commander Amphibious Task Group (COMATG) *
Commander UK Maritime Component (COMUKMARCOMP) *
Commander 3 Commando Brigade (3 CDO BDE) * |
|
Heads
of Fighting Arms
Rear
Admiral Surface Ships **
Rear Admiral Submarines **
Commandant General Royal Marines **
Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm **
Commodore of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary * |
|
Portsmouth
Flotilla |
Aircraft
Carriers
CVS:
HMS Ark Royal
HMS Illustrious
(HMS Invincible - decommissioned)Antarctic Patrol:
HMS Endurance
Destroyer, Guided
Missile:
HMS Edinburgh
HMS Exeter
HMS Gloucester
HMS Liverpool
HMS Manchester
HMS Nottingham
HMS Southampton
HMS York
Frigate, Guided Missile
Type 23
HMS Grafton
HMS Iron Duke
HMS Kent
HMS Lancaster
HMS Marlborough
HMS Richmond
HMS St Albans
HMS Westminster
Fishery
Protection Squadron
Offshore Patrol Vessels:
HMS Mersey
HMS Severn
HMS Tyne
Falkland Island's Patrol Ship:
HMS Dumbarton Castle |
1st
Mine Countermeasures Squadron
Hunt Class MCMV:
HMS Chiddingfold
HMS Ledbury
HMS Quorn
Sandown Class MCMV:
HMS Bangor
2nd Mine
Countermeasures Squadron
Hunt Class MCMV:
HMS Cattistock
HMS Hurworth
HMS Middleton (fishery protection)
HMS Atherstone
Sandown Class MCMV:
HMS Walney
1st Patrol Boat
Squadron:
14 x P2000 Archer Class Patrol Boats assigned to URNU's
Training Ships/Fleet
Tenders
HMS Loyal Chancellor
HMS Loyal Watcher
HMS Express
HMS Example
HMS Explorer
HMS Exploit
Fleet Diving
Squadron
Fleet Diving Squadron (Portsmouth)
Northern Diving Group (Faslane)
Southern Diving Group
(Portsmouth/Devonport) |
|
Devonport
Flotilla |
Landing
Platform Helicopter:
HMS OceanFrigate, Guided
Missile:
Type 22
HMS Cornwall
HMS Cumberland
HMS Campbeltown
HMS Chatham
Type 23
HMS Argyll
HMS Monmouth
HMS Montrose
HMS Portland
HMS Northumberland
HMS Somerset
HMS Sutherland |
Landing
Platform Dock:
HMS Albion
HMS Bulwark
SSN:
HMS
Trafalgar
HMS Trenchant
(HMS Triumph)
(HMS Talent)
HMS Tireless
HMS Turbulent
HMS Torbay
Surveying
Squadron:
HMS Scott
HMS Roebuck
HMS Echo
HMS Enterprise
HMS Gleaner
NP 1016 (embarked on MV Confidante) |
|
Faslane
Flotilla |
|
SSBNs:
HMS Vanguard
HMS Vengeance
(HMS Victorious)
HMS Vigilant
SSNs:
HMS Sceptre
HMS Sovereign
HMS Superb
|
3rd MCM
Squadron
Sandown Class MCMV:
HMS Blyth
HMS Penzance
HMS Ramsey
HMS Shoreham
HMS Grimsby
HMS Pembroke
Hunt
Class MCMV:
HMS Brocklesby
|
|
Other
Squadrons |
Gibraltar
Squadron
Lifespan Patrol
Vessels:
HMS Sabre
HMS Scimitar
|
Cyprus
Squadron
P2000 Fast Patrol Boats:
HMS Dasher
HMS Pursuer |
|
Hydrographer
of the Royal Navy
[Tasks the Surveying Squadron] |
|
Royal
Fleet Auxiliary |
RFA Argus
RFA Bayleaf
RFA Black Rover
RFA Brambleleaf
RFA Diligence
RFA Fort Austin
RFA Fort George
RFA Fort Rosalie
RFA Fort Victoria
RFA Gold Rover |
RFA Grey Rover
RFA Oakleaf
RFA Orangeleaf
RFA Sir Bedivere
RFA Sir Galahad
RFA Sir Tristram
RFA Wave Knight
RFA Wave Ruler
RFA Mounts Bay
plus 6 contracted Point Class Ro-Ro's |
|
Commandant
General Royal Marines |
| 3 Commando
Brigade RM
Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade RM
UKLF Command Support Group
40 Commando RM
42 Commando RM
45 Commando RM
539 Assault Squadron RM
Commando Logistics Regiment RM
|
3 Co Bde
Assigned Army units:
29 Commando Regiment RA (Army)
20
Commando Air Defence Battery RA
59 Independent Commando Squadron RE (Army)
[Additional Army
and Reserve units are assigned and activated as required]
Other RM Units
Special Boat
Service RM
Fleet Protection Group RM |
|
Naval
Air Commands |
|
Captain
HMS Sea Hawk
(RNAS
Culdrose):
Naval Air Squadrons 814, 820, 824, 829, 849, 700M, 750,
792 |
Commodore HMS Heron (RNAS
Yeovilton):
Naval Air Squadrons 815, 702, 727
CO Commando Helicopter Force (RNAS Yeovilton):
Naval Air Squadrons 845, 846, 847, 848 |
|
Training
Commands |
|
Commodore
Royal Naval Reserve
Captain
Initial Sea Training
Britannia
Royal Naval College
HMS
Sultan |
HMS
Raleigh
Maritime
Warfare School
Commando
Training Centre Lympstone
|
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