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43-569: 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 . The Fleet Commander's purpose is to provide ships, submarines and aircraft ready for any operations that the Government requires. The Fleet Commander's major subordinates included as of September 2020: The previous post of Assistant Chief of

86-644: A 2008 article, retired General Bernard E. Trainor , USMC , noted the success of this maritime strategy: By going on the immediate offensive in the high north and putting the Soviets on the defensive in their home waters, the Maritime Strategy not only served to defend Scandinavia , but also served to mitigate the SLOC problem. The likelihood of timely reinforcement of NATO from the United States

129-615: A group. It also participated in NATO and national naval exercises designed to promote readiness and interoperability. The Maritime Strategy was published in 1984, championed by Secretary of the Navy John Lehman and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James D. Watkins , USN , during the Reagan Administration , and practiced in NATO naval exercises such as Ocean Safari '85 and Northern Wedding '86 . In

172-799: The 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. In November 1971, force reductions resulted in the Western Fleet being amalgamated with the Far East Fleet . It was to be commanded by a four star admiral who held the title Commander-in-Chief Fleet, with his headquarters at

215-753: The American Forces Information Service listed its components as the Carrier Striking Force consisting of Carrier Striking Groups One and Two. The Carrier Striking Force appears to have been Task Force 401. The Carrier Striking Force appears to have had an American nucleus, built around Carrier Group Four , and Carrier Striking Group Two appears to have had a British nucleus, later, it seems, becoming Anti-Submarine Group Two. When HMS Ark Royal took part in Exercise Royal Knight circa 1972, she formed

258-748: The Northwood Headquarters , Middlesex , England . Previous to November 1971, on 1 May 1971 CINCWF had already assumed responsibility for the administration of ships in the Far East Fleet . From 1971-72 CINCFLEET directed Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships ; Flag Officer First Flotilla ; Flag Officer, Second Flotilla ; Flag Officer Submarines ; the Hydrographer of the Navy , Rear Admiral Geoffrey Hall (all survey vessels); Flag Officer Sea Training (all ships in workup at Portland); and Captain, Mine Countermeasures. Operational control

301-746: The Second Sea Lord , reduced in rank from full Admiral to Vice-Admiral, came under CINCFLEET's command, a situation that lasted until the Levene reforms of 2012. Full command of the Fleet and responsibility for the Fleet element of military operational capability including the Royal Marines and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary , was delegated to Commander-in-Chief Fleet, as is described in official descriptions circa 2010. In 1971 after

344-506: The U.S. Atlantic Fleet headquarters. Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT) was a British admiral based at the Northwood Headquarters in northwest London, who also served as Commander in Chief, Home Fleet (subsequently CINC Western Fleet , and later Commander-in-Chief Fleet ). In 1953 his primary task was described as the 'integrated defence and the control and protection of sea and air lines of communications within'

387-524: The U.S. Department of State . In 1981 the command included the Island Command Madeira. In 1982 NATO agreed to the upgrading of IBERLANT into a Major Subordinate Command (MSC), becoming Commander-in-Chief Iberian Atlantic Area (CINCIBERLANT). A Portuguese Navy Vice Admiral, dual-hatted as the fleet commander, took over the position. It was planned that Commander, Portuguese Air (COMPOAIR), a sub-PSC, would eventually take responsibility for

430-682: The CONMAROPS and went further in some cases, such as in the operation of Carrier Battle Groups far forward, in Norwegian coastal waters sheltered by the mountains surrounding the northern Norwegian fjords. In January 1968, the Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) was established. This was a permanent peacetime multinational naval squadron composed of various NATO navies' destroyers, cruisers and frigates. Since 1967, STANAVFORLANT operated, trained, and exercised as

473-727: The Commander Submarine Force Atlantic Fleet ( COMSUBLANT ). Under SUBACLANT were Commander, Submarines, Western Atlantic Area (COMSUBWESTLANT) and Commander, Submarines, Eastern Atlantic Area (COMSUBEASTLANT). COMSUBEASTLANT's national appointment was the Royal Navy post of Flag Officer Submarines . Flag Officer Submarines moved in 1978 from HMS Dolphin at Gosport to the Northwood Headquarters in northwest London. The organisation of Striking Fleet Atlantic shifted over time. Initially Carrier Striking Groups One (US) and Two (RN) were subordinate to

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516-646: The Eastern Atlantic Area. On 12 December 1952, an EASTLANT integrated submarine headquarters was established. Rear Admiral G.W.G. Simpson , CB, CBE, RN, Flag Officer Submarines , was appointed Commander Submarine Force Eastern Atlantic (COMSUBEASTLANT) and assumed his command with its headquarters at Gosport , Hants, in the United Kingdom. On 2 February 1953, the planning staff of CINCEASTLANT, which had been temporarily established at Portsmouth, England, moved into interim facilities adjacent to

559-694: The IBERLANT area. NATO exercises, however, demonstrated that these interim arrangements proved unsatisfactory. Commander Iberian Atlantic Area was eventually established in 1967 as a Principal Subordinate Commander (PSC), reporting to CINCWESTLANT. The commander was a U.S. Navy rear admiral who also served as chief of the Military Assistance and Advisory Group in Lisbon. In 1975 IBERLANT was described as 'probably of greater symbolic value to Portugal than of military value to NATO' in internal cables of

602-487: The Iberian Atlantic Area (IBERLANT). IBERLANT was an integral part of this ACLANT command structure. In MC 58(Revised) (Final), it was stated that the question of subdividing IBERLANT was still under study. However, because arrangement regarding the establishment of IBERLANT, could not be agreed, CINCEASTLANT and CINCAIREASTLANT were assigned, as an interim emergency measure, the temporary responsibility for

645-731: The NATO Concept of Maritime Operations of 1980 (CONMAROPS). The purpose of the Atlantic lifelines campaign was to protect the transportation of allied reinforcement and resupply across the Atlantic, practiced via Exercise Ocean Safari. The shallow-seas campaign was designed to prevent the exit of the Soviet Baltic Fleet into the North Sea and to protect allied convoys in the North Sea and the English Channel ; it

688-613: The Naval Staff (Training) /Flag Officer Sea Training 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. The British Army equivalent is Commander Field Army . The RAF's Deputy Commander (Operations) is the close equivalent of the two positions. Commander-in-Chief Fleet The Commander-in-Chief Fleet ( CINCFLEET )

731-572: The Western Atlantic Area included six subordinate headquarters: In the last few years of the post, CINCWESTLANT was responsible for: From 1994 through 2003, WESTLANT was organized as follows: In 1950, the command structure and organization of Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT) was approved except that the North Atlantic Ocean Regional Group was requested to reconsider the command arrangements for

774-600: The air defence of Portugal, reporting through CINCIBERLANT to SACEUR. Thus the Portuguese mainland would be 'associated' with Allied Command Europe . In 1999 CINCIBERLANT became Commander-in-Chief Southern Atlantic (CINCSOUTHLANT). He was made responsible for military movements and maritime operations across the southeast boundary between Allied Command Europe and Allied Command Atlantic. The command became Allied Joint Force Command Lisbon before being deactivated in 2012. Commander Striking Fleet Atlantic (COMSTRIKFLTLANT)

817-741: The amalgamation of the Western and Far East Fleets the headquarters was established at Northwood, in the London Borough of Hillingdon ( HMS Warrior ). Both the CINCFLEET and CINCEASTLANT staffs were co-located there. By the early 21st century the headquarters was split. In 2002 a new Command Headquarters, the Navy Command Headquarters Building at HMS Excellent in Portsmouth was completed. Thereafter

860-415: The centrepiece of Striking Group Two and led Task Group 401.2. When Vice Admiral Hank Mustin became COMSTRIKFLTLANT he reorganised the Fleet by adding amphibious and landing force (seemingly UK/NL Amphibious Force ) components. In 1998, Commander Striking Fleet Atlantic directed three Principal Subordinate Commanders and three Sub-Principal Subordinate Commanders: The three Sub-PSCs were: STRIKFLTLANT

903-709: The end of the Cold War , the Command was reduced in status and size, with many of its subordinate headquarters spread across the Atlantic area losing their NATO status and funding. However, the basic structure remained in place until the Prague Summit in the Czech Republic in 2002. Carrier-based air strike operations in the Norwegian Sea pioneered by Operation Strikeback foreshadowed planning such as

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946-640: The established Headquarters of CINCAIREASTLANT at Northwood, England. This, SACLANT wrote, would greatly facilitate the effective exercise of command in the Eastern Atlantic Area. In 1953, initial NATO documents instructing Admiral George Creasy wrote that the following Sub-Area commanders had been appointed within EASTLANT: Circa 1962, Central Sub-Area was led by the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth , and Northern Sub-Area by Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland. After 1966, CINCEASTLANT

989-735: The headquarters was split between the Command HQ and CINCFLEET's Operational Headquarters at Northwood , co-located with the Permanent Joint Headquarters . By the 2010s, CINCFLEET was supported by: Collectively, COMUKMARFOR, COMUKAMPHIBFOR, Commander UK Task Group (COMUKTG), and the 3 Commando Brigade Headquarters comprised the "Fleet Battle Staff". The Commanders-in-Chief were: Most are listed at their final service rank, not at their rank as CINCFLEET, an admiral's position. Deputy Commanders have included: The Commander-in-Chief, Fleet's principal staff officer

1032-465: The large exercise Exercise Mainbrace . Throughout the Cold War years, SACLANT carried out many other exercises, such as Operation Mariner in 1953 and Operation Strikeback in 1957, as well as the Northern Wedding and Ocean Safari series of naval exercises during the 1970s and 1980s. The command also played a critical role in the annual Exercise REFORGER from the 1970s onwards. Following

1075-721: The other being Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland . The Flag Officer Submarines was a rear admiral based at Northwood Headquarters , who commanded the Royal Navy Submarine Service and double-hatted as NATO Commander Submarine Force Eastern Atlantic (COMSUBEASTLANT). The Flag Officer Naval Air Command was a rear admiral based at RNAS Yeovilton , who commanded the Fleet Air Arm . The Commandant General Royal Marines , in 1989 Lieutenant General Sir Martin Garrod based at Whitehall ,

1118-638: The reinforcement and resupply of NATO Europe with personnel and materiel. The command's area of responsibility extended from the North Pole to the Tropic of Cancer as well as extending from the east coast of North America to the west coast of Africa and Europe , including Portugal but not the English Channel , the British Isles , and the Canary Islands . Allied Command Atlantic

1161-532: Was SACLANT's major subordinate seagoing commander. The primary mission of Striking Fleet Atlantic was to deter aggression by maintaining maritime superiority in the Atlantic AOR and ensuring the integrity of NATO's sea lines of communications. The Striking Fleet's Commander was a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral based at Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia who also served as the Commander U.S. Second Fleet . In 1981

1204-483: Was a rear admiral based HMNB Portsmouth who commanded the navy's First Flotilla . The Flag Officer, Second Flotilla was a rear admiral based HMNB Devonport who commanded the navy's Second Flotilla . The Flag Officer, Third Flotilla was a rear admiral based at HMNB Portsmouth who doubled as NATO Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Striking Force. In 1989 Vice Admiral Alan Grose held this appointment. The Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland (FOSNI)

1247-602: Was a vice admiral based at RAF Pitreavie Castle , who commanded the navy's units in Scotland and Northern Ireland and double-hatted as Naval Base Commander at Rosyth, NATO Commander Northern Sub-Area (NORLANT) and Commander Nore Sub-Area Channel (NORECHAN). The main unit under his command was the Mine Countermeasures Flotilla based at Royal Naval Dockyard Rosyth on the Firth of Forth , which

1290-619: Was assigned the NATO appointments of Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT) and Commander-in-Chief Channel (CINCHAN). On 1 July 1994, the Channel Command was disestablished: however most of its subordinate commands remained in existence although reshuffled: most of the headquarters were absorbed within Allied Command Europe particularly as part of the new Allied Forces Northwestern Europe . In 1992 Fleet Headquarters moved to Portsmouth . In 2005,

1333-741: Was commanded by a commodore . Additionally the Second Flotilla's 3rd Destroyer Squadron was based at RN Dockyard Rosyth . In war FOSNI would have been one of two naval operational commands, with the other being Flag Officer Plymouth . The Flag Officer Plymouth was a vice admiral based at Admiralty House , who commanded the navy's units in England and Wales and double-hatted as Naval Base Commander Devonport , NATO Commander Central Sub-Area (CENTLANT) and Commander Plymouth Sub-Area Channel (PLYMCHAN). In war Flag Officer Plymouth would have been one of two naval operational commands, with

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1376-771: Was deactivated in a ceremony held on USS  Iwo Jima  (LHD-7) on June 24, 2005, being replaced by the Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence located at the Second Fleet headquarters. The Commander Submarine Allied Command Atlantic (COMSUBACLANT) was the principal adviser to the SACLANT on submarine matters and undersea warfare. COMSUBACLANT was an American three-star admiral based in Norfolk, Virginia , who also served as

1419-526: Was delegated to FOSNI, Flag Officer Plymouth , Flag Officer Gibraltar , Flag Officer Malta , Senior Naval Officer West Indies , Commander, ANZUK Naval Forces, and Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong. The Flag Officer Gibraltar , and Gibraltar Naval Base Commander, a Rear Admiral , double-hatted as NATO 's Commander Gibraltar Mediterranean (COMGIBMED). In the late 1980s two small patrol craft, HMS  Cormorant , HMS  Hart , were reported as being attached to FO Gibraltar. The post of CINCFLEET also

1462-729: Was exercised in Exercise Northern Wedding series. The Norwegian Sea campaign was meant to prevent the exit of the Soviet Northern Fleet into the Norwegian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and to provide sea-based support to allied air and ground operations in Norway . Its associated series of exercises was Exercise Teamwork. The U.S. Maritime Strategy promulgated in the mid 1980s dovetailed with

1505-711: Was now more than a pious hope. With the emergence of an offensive strategy in the 1980s, a change in mindset was energized by concurrent dramatic advances in American technology, especially in C4ISR and weapon systems , that were rapidly offsetting Soviet numerical and material superiority in Europe. No lesser light than the USSR Chief of the General Staff , Marshal Nikolai Ogarkov warned that American superiority

1548-633: Was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the other being the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). The SACLANT led Allied Command Atlantic was based at Norfolk, Virginia . The entire command was routinely referred to as 'SACLANT'. In 1981 SACLANT's wartime task was listed as being to provide for the security of the area by guarding sea lanes to deny their use to an enemy and to safeguard them for

1591-563: Was redesignated as Allied Command Transformation (ACT) on 19 June 2003. ACT was to be headed by the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), up to 2009 an American four-star admiral or general who was dual-hatted as commander, United States Joint Forces Command (COMUSJFCOM). SACLANT's former military missions were folded into NATO's Allied Command Operations (ACO) . Soon after its formation, ACLANT together with Allied Command Europe carried out

1634-491: Was responsible for the administration and operation of the Standing Naval Force Atlantic , on behalf of SACLANT. In 1982, EASTLANT was organised as follows: Commander-in-Chief Western Atlantic (CINCWESTLANT) was an American Admiral based at Naval Station Norfolk , Norfolk, Virginia who also served as the Commander-in-Chief U.S. Atlantic Fleet . In 1953, sub-area commanders were listed as follows: In 1981,

1677-470: Was shifting the "correlation of forces" in NATO's favor. He called the phenomenon a "military technological revolution." By the end of the decade the military threat from the Soviet Union was consigned to the dust bin of history and with it, the Cold War. The U.S. Navy's Forward Maritime Strategy provided the strategic rationale for the " 600-ship Navy ". Allied Command Atlantic was redesignated as Allied Command Transformation (ACT) on 19 June 2003. ACT

1720-590: Was the admiral responsible for the operations of the ships, submarines and aircraft of the British Royal Navy from 1971 until April 2012. The post was subordinate to the First Sea Lord , the professional head of the Naval Service . In its last years, as the Navy shrank, more administrative responsibilities were added. In April 2012, the post was abolished, its rank downgraded from admiral to three-star vice admiral, and re-designated Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. Prior to 1964 responsibility for control and direction of British naval affairs lay with

1763-474: Was the Chief of Staff, Fleet, responsible for coordinating the supporting staff of Fleet Headquarters from November 1971 to 2012. At various times included: Units Flag Officer First Flotilla Units 2nd Flotilla Units Flag Officer Submarines Units Mine Countermeasures Units Fishery Protection Command Units Units Units Units Units Units Units The Flag Officer First Flotilla (FOF1)

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1806-447: Was the service head of the Royal Marines . In 1991 their structure was described as "very top heavy. They have nearly 8,000 men to put 2,400 in the field...they have three 'tied' generals, the Commandant General, a major general as his chief of staff, and a major general commando forces." Note: "(V)" denotes British Army reserve units. Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT)

1849-452: Was to be headed by the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), up to 2009 an American four-star admiral or general who was dual-hatted as commander, United States Joint Forces Command (COMUSJFCOM). SACLANT's former military missions were folded into NATO's Allied Command Operations (ACO) . The high command of ACLANT comprised the following positions: SACLANT headquarters was located in Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia, adjacent to

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