The Navy Command is the current headquarters body of the Royal Navy, and as of 2012 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, Hampshire, 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. 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

The Royal Navy was historically divided into a number of fleets and ashore commands, prominent examples being the Home Fleet; Mediterranean Fleet; East Indies Station; and Far East Fleet. In the late 1960s the Home Fleet and Mediterranean Fleet were amalgamated into Western Fleet. In the 1970s Western Fleet and Far East Fleet were amalgamated into Commander-in-Chief Fleet. At the same time, 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. The purpose-built Headquarters at Whale Island, Portsmouth was opened in 2002 was named after Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach, the First Sea Lord during the Falklands War. As of 2017 official descriptions said that the headquarters was based at Whale Island, but also includes the Command Centre in Northwood, and support staff in Portsmouth Naval Base. As of 2017 it included:

Structure

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, Battle Staffs, 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 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. The previous office of the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Submarines) and Deputy Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, as of January 2017, was disestablished under the Navy Command Transformation Programme, April 2020. Changes by 2020-2021 saw the Commander, UK Strike Force, take up command of the UKSTRKFOR Enterprise, including the Maritime Battle Staff. ** The Maritime Battle Staff appears to be a change of name for the previous Fleet Battle Staff. The Fleet Battle Staff, based in two locations (Portsmouth and Plymouth), was the operational planning department, that planned exercises and operations for large multinational naval and marine task groups across the globe. But in actuality the Fleet Battle Staff was merely a collective name for the COMUKMARFOR, COMUKAMPHIBFOR, Commander UK Task Group (COMUKTG), and the 3 Commando Brigade Headquarters.

Office of the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff

Updated where possible to 2020-2021:

Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff

Director Navy Acquisition

Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Capability)/Director Develop

Director Naval (Support)

Director Force Generation

''Responsible for the Royal Navy’s Scheduling Authority, In-Service Capability Management, Intelligent Customer function and, discharging legislative Duty Holding Responsibilities/Risk to Life management. Director Force Generation’s Portfolio includes Deputy Director Ships, Deputy Director Submarines, Deputy Director Naval Aviation, Deputy Director Logistics, Deputy Director LS. Naval Bases Clyde, Devonport and Portsmouth; Air stations Yeovilton and Culdrose, AFSUP and Logistics policy and wider.''

Director People and Training and Naval Secretary

Fleet Commander

Chaplain of the Fleet

Commander Operations

Commander United Kingdom Strike Force

Finance Director Navy

Assistant Chief of Staff Resources and Plans

Command Secretary

Deputy Finance Director, Navy

Head of Navy Effectiveness and Strategy