Fleet Commander
British Royal Navy post
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council
| Fleet Commander | |
|---|---|
Ensign of the Royal Navy | |
| 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 Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council |
| Term length | Not fixed (typically 1–4 years) |
| Inaugural holder | Admiral George Zambellas |
| Formation | 2012 |
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.[1]
Responsibilities
The fleet commander's purpose is to provide ships, submarines and aircraft ready for any operations that the government requires.[1]
The fleet commander's major subordinates included as of September 2020:[2]
- 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.[3]
- Commandant General Royal Marines[4]
The previous post of Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Training)/Flag Officer Sea Training[5] 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 It was superseded by Commander Fleet Operational Sea Training, and in the process the senior Sea Training officer was regraded downwards from a rear admiral to a commodore.[6]
The British Army equivalent is Commander Field Army. The RAF's Air and Space Commander is the close equivalent of the two positions.[7]
List of fleet commanders
Fleet Commander
| Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff[8] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Rank | Name | Term began | Term ended |
.jpg) | Admiral | Sir George Zambellas[9] | April 2012 | December 2012 |
.jpg) | Vice Admiral | Sir Philip Jones | December 2012 | February 2016 |
| Fleet Commander and Chief Naval Warfare Officer[10] | ||||
 | Vice Admiral | Ben Key[10] | February 2016 | March 2019 |
_(Jerry_Kyd_cropped).jpg) | Vice Admiral | Jerry Kyd[11] | March 2019 | September 2021 |
.jpg) | Vice Admiral | Andrew Burns[12] | September 2021 |
September 2025 |
.jpg) | Vice Admiral | Steve Moorhouse[13] | September 2025 | |
Deputy Fleet Commander
- April–December 2012: Vice Admiral Sir Philip Jones[14]
- Position Vacant[15][16]