Headquarters Organisation

The chart below shows the RN's command organisation in early 2005.  It is basically  taken from the official Royal Navy website and is included only for completeness. :

Elements

The Fleet Headquarters comprises: Fleet HQ Portsmouth; Northwood Command Centre; Waterfront organisations – Devonport, Faslane, Portsmouth;Air Stations – Culdrose, Prestwick, Yeovilton; Fleet Air Arm; Royal Marines; and Maritime Warfare Centre.

Roles

The headquarters has three main roles:

Force Generation - the generation of forces at the appropriate level of readiness to meet the required outputs. This includes manpower, equipment, training and sustainability.

Resource Management - financial management of the Fleet HQ, programming, planning, corporate communications, civilian management, corporate governance and performance management.

Force Deployment - the Commander Operations manages maritime operations from the Northwood command centre; operational command and operational control of the great majority of Fleet units is delegated to him by the Commander in Chief, Fleet.

Appointments

The Commander in Chief, Fleet, exercises full command of the Fleet and is fully responsible for the Fleet element of military operational capability.

The Deputy Commander in Chief, Fleet, through his staff, directs the work of the Fleet Headquarters, deputises for the Commander in Chief, Fleet, resources the Fleet programme, controls Fleet expenditure and is a member of the sub-navy board committee

The Chief of Staff (Warfare) is responsible for the delivery of operational capability,including the long term operational programme.

The Chief of Staff (Support) is responsible for the management of Fleet availability and sustainability. He is also responsible for the provision of communications systems, engineering, elements of the Naval Air Command, the Maritime Warfare Centre and the administration of service personnel.

The Command Secretary is responsible for planning, resource management and external accountability.

The Commander (Operations) is responsible for the conduct of Fleet operations. He is Head of the submarine arm, directs forces under the operational command or operational control of Fleet, exercises operational command of all national maritime operations on behalf of the Commander in Chief Fleet, holds the following NATO posts – Commander Submarines East Atlantic, Commander Submarine Allied Naval Forces North.

The Commander UK Amphibious Forces is Head of Service for the Royal Marines, Commandant General Royal Marines and commander of 3 Commando Brigade.

The Commander UK Maritime Forces is commander of the UK Task Group and commander of the Amphibious Task Group

The Flag Officer Sea Training is responsible for training all RN ships and submarines and ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

New Headquarters Building The aim of the New HQ Building and Infrastructure Programme is to deliver a modern Headquarters in a new building which substantially improves the quality of our output, operation and ability to respond to change, and which provides a high quality working environment for all staff.

Additional Notes

1. 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), based at the impressive new Fleet Headquarters (Fleet HQ) at Whale Island, Portsmouth.

2. There is also a Headquarters Royal Marine (HQRM).

3. COMUKMARFOR and COMUKAMPHIBFOR share command of the Battle Staff plot at Whale Island in Portsmouth.  Their staffs are collectively named FLEET BATTLE STAFF HQ.

4. COMUKMARFOR, COMAMPHIBFOR, COMUKTG and their respective staffs, together with Commander Amphibious Task Group (COMATG) and Commander 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde), are collectively named FLEET BATTLE STAFF.

5. 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.

6. 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),