Navy Command (Ministry of Defence)
Navy Command is the current headquarters body of the Royal Navy, and its major organisational grouping. It is a hybrid, neither a command, nor simply an installation. Royal Navy official writings describe Navy Command Headquarters both as a physical site, on Whale Island, a collective formed of the most senior RN officers, and as a budgetary grouping. On 1 April 2006 the Fleet Top Level Budget was established. A Top Level Budget (TLB) is the major financial accounting group of the MOD. On 1 April 2010 the Fleet TLB was renamed Navy Command following the  merger of the Commander-in-Chief Fleet and the Chief-of-Naval Personnel/ Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command. Thus Navy Command is the Top Level Budget (holder) for the RN. Navy Command supports the First Sea Lord in the management of the Command, and delivers the Service's current and future outputs as articulated in the Command Plan. History. Prior to 1964 responsibility for control and direction of the British Naval Affairs lay with Admiralty, naval command lay with the Admiralty Naval Staff. Following the merger of the Admiralty in 1964 into the new Ministry of Defence it became  known as the Navy Department. The Royal Navy was historically divided into a number of fleets and ashore commands, prominent examples being the Home Fleet and Portsmouth Command. By the 1960s a system was introduced to change the previous, globally dispersed assets, the fleet system was replaced at first by a Western Fleet and Eastern Fleet. However these were also eventually abolished and their units amalgamated into CINCFLEET. At the same time, the commands established to manage individuals naval bases were replaced in 1969 after the post of Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was merged with that of Commander-in-Chief , Portsmouth to form Naval Home Command. As overseas bases continued to be reduced, the Navy's shore establishments became more concentrated in the UK, under Naval Home Command. Navy Command Headquarters. The Navy Command Headquarters is based at Whale Island, Portsmouth, it also includes the Command Centre in Northwood, and also has support staff in Portsmouth Naval Base. The purpose-built Headquarters at Whale Island was opened in 2002 was named after Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach, the First Sea Lord during the Falklands War. The purpose of the NCHQ, as the higher echelon of Navy Command, is  the carry out three main tasks: Force Generation, Planning for the future and Advice, Assurance and Accountability. Structure of the Navy Command. The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, is the Royal Navy's professional head and chairman of the Navy Board. He is responsible to the secretary of state for the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale of the Naval Service, and supports the Secretary of State for Defence in the management and direction of the Armed Forces. The Fleet Commander exercises Full Command, on behalf of the First Sea Lord, over all Fleet Units, Battlestaffs, the Fleet  Air Arm, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Royal Marines. He is responsible for the generation of units for tasking, and the operation of the Fleet in meeting standing commitments, conduct of current operations, and maintaining their contingent capability, as directed by Head Office and articulated in the Navy Command Plan. The Second Sea Lord (2SL) leads Navy Command HQ and is responsible for the Development and Delivery of future and current capability in support of the Fleet Commander, as detailed in the Navy Command Plan. Office of the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff. As of 6 April  2017: Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. As of 31 March 2016: Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy). As of 31 March 2016: Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Submarines). - post removed under the Navy Command Transformation Programme, April 2020 Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, (FO S&NI) – also (ACNS Submarines) is the senior Royal Navy Representative within Scotland and Northern Ireland liaising with the Scottish government and NI Assembly on Naval issues.- post removed under the Navy Command Transformation Programme, April 2020. Fleet Commander. As of 23 September  2020:* Office of the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Director People and Training). - now Director People and Training, merged with Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Personnel)/Naval Secretary Finance Director Navy. As of 31 March 2016: Other organisations. Fleet Battle Staff. Based in two locations (Portsmouth and Plymouth), the Fleet Battle Staff is the operational planning department, that plans exercises and operations for large multinational naval and marine task groups across the globe. The actual conduct of naval operations is generally the responsibility of the Joint Forces Command. Maritime Warfare Centre. The Maritime Warfare Centre is an Operational Knowledge -Centered Support service allows the Royal Navy the ability to observe and process all aspects of operational experience to learn lessons from previous operations and enhance fighting power. Royal Naval Chaplaincy Service. The Royal Naval Chaplaincy Service is responsible to the First Sea Lord for provision of pastoral support, ensuring the spiritual and pastoral needs of all Service personnel the service is superintended by the Chaplain of the Fleet.