Royal Navy Surface Fleet

Surface Fleet
Active 2002-current
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
Type Military branch
Size Command
Garrison/HQ Portsmouth, England
Commanders
Current
commander		 Rear-Admiral TBD

The Surface Fleet [1][2][3][4] is one of the five fighting arms or branches of the Royal Navy.[5] It consists of a collection of surface vessels (as opposed to submarines or aircraft). The surface fleet is administered by Rear-Admiral Paul Bennett[6] who is the current Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships.[7] Thus Rear Admiral Bennett both oversees RN surface ships, and has an additional operational role as Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces, a sea-going combatant command appointment.

RN surface ships current consist of two flotillas based at HMNB Portsmouth and HMNB Devonport, both located on the south coast of England, and a flotilla based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, Scotland. Surface combatants range from aircraft carriers to mine countermeasures vessels to offshore patrol vessels, but the backbone of the fleet consists of destroyers (Type 45) and frigates (Type 23).

The surface fleet has several permanent Standing Royal Navy deployments. Closer to home, the surface fleet also conducts Fishery Protection Patrols around UK waters, in a formal agreement with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The Fishery Protection Squadron is the largest front line squadron in the Royal Navy.

History

Organisational changes with the Royal Navy between 1990 and 1992 resulted in the Third Flotilla being abolished, the remaining First and Second Flotillas were then re-designated under a new name known as the Surface Flotilla under the Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla (FOSF) who was responsible for operational readiness and training;[8] and the other the Commander, UK Task Group who would command any deployed task group.[9]

In 2001 both of these commands were unified into a single command appointment known as Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces (COMUKMARFOR) reporting to CINCFLEET. He administered three sub-commands called Amphibious Task Group, UK Task Group, Carrier Strike Group each of these being commanded by a Commodore. These three commodores' positions directed operational, deployed, seagoing groups of warships. In 2002 the term Surface Flotilla was re-styled Surface Fleet.

In January 2011 the UK Task Group Commander is renamed Deputy Commander UK Maritime Forces. In 2012 The higher four-star commands and administrative structures were also consolidated that included the posts of CINCNAVHOME and CINCFLEET which were abolished,this led to the creation of the new appointment of Fleet Commander, holding the rank of Vice-Admiral, who is currently based at headquarters Navy Command in Portsmouth, England.[10] In 2015 Faslane Flotilla came under the command of the re-established post of Rear-Admiral Submarines who reports to the Fleet Commander. The Devonport and Portsmouth Flotillas are currently administered by the Commander Operations.[11]

Administration of the surface fleet 2002-current

Included:[13]

Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships, (2001-current) - reporting to Commander-in-Chief Fleet till 2012 then Fleet Commander
Note the post holders formal title is Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships.[14]

Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear-Admiral Surface Ships

Sub-commands

Commander Amphibious Task Group
Deputy Commander UK Maritime Forces

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Changes to Royal Navy's surface fleet announced". GOV.UK. HM Government UK. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "BBC Academy - Journalism - Royal Navy's size and structure". bbc.co.uk. BBC UK. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "Join the Surface Fleet - Explore Roles | Royal Navy Jobs". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. MOD UK. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  4. ↑ "Warship REVEALED: Michael Fallon unveils first in new fleet of Royal Navy frigates". Express.co.uk. Daily Express Newpaper. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  5. ↑ "THE ROYAL NAVY'S SURFACE FLEET" (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. MOD UK. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. ↑ "Surface fleet: Royal Navy". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. MOD UK. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  7. ↑ "Rear Admiral P M Bennett (Paul) CB OBE Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships" (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. MOD United Kingdom, 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  8. ↑ Smith.2015.
  9. ↑ Smith.2015.
  10. ↑ "New Fleet Commander appointed to Royal Navy - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. MOD 5 December 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "The Navy Directory 2017 Containing Lists of Ships, Establishments and Officers of the Fleet" (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. MOD UK. 2017. p. 7. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  12. ↑ Smith.2015.
  13. ↑ "The Navy Directory: KEY PERSONNEL COMMANDER OPERATIONS" (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. p.13, MOD, 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  14. ↑ "Rear Admiral P M Bennett (Paul) CB OBE Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships" (PDF). www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Ministry of Defence UK 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.

Sources

  • Brown, David (1987). The Royal Navy and Falklands War. Barsley, England: Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473817791.
  • Mackie, Colin (August 2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin. C. Mackie.
  • MOD "Surface fleet: (2017) Royal Navy". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Ministry of Defence, London, England.
  • Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781848320437.
  • Smith, Gordon. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013: * Smith, Gordon. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013: FLEET ORGANISATION 1955-1971". www.naval-history.net.
  • Smith, Gordon. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013: Summary of Fleet Organisation 1972-1981". www.naval-history.net.
  • Smith, Gordon. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013: FLEET ORGANISATION, 1981-2002". www.naval-history.net.
  • Treacher, Sir John (2004). Life at Full Throttle. Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781844151349.
  • The Navy Directory: (2017) KEY PERSONNEL: Seniority Lists of Officers on the Active List. (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. MOD, UK.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.