Navy Command Headquarters

Navy Command Headquarters is the organisation responsible for the direction and management of the Naval Service of the United Kingdom in accordance with legislation and the requirements of the Ministry of Defence. The command is the base of the Fleet Commander. It also provides forces by means of providing ships, personnel, aircraft and equipment in support of UK defence policy objectives.

The equivalent in the British Army is Army Headquarters at Andover and the equivalent in the Royal Air Force is Headquarters Air Command at High Wycombe.

Locations
NCHQ is distributed across a number of locations with the majority of the staff at:


 * Navy Command Headquarters (Henry Leach Building), HMS Excellent, Portsmouth - Main staff
 * Moore Building, HMS Excellent - Fleet Battle Staff
 * Northwood Headquarters, Northwood - Commander Operations and his staff
 * HM Naval Bases Portsmouth, Devonport and Faslane
 * Royal Marines Stonehouse, Plymouth

Structure of the headquarters
NCHQ organisation comprises at least three sub groups:


 * Flag Officer Sea Training
 * Fleet Battle Staff
 * Maritime Warfare Centre

The major commanders include:
 * Fleet Commander
 * Deputy Fleet Commander
 * Second Sea Lord
 * Flag Officer Sea Training
 * Commander of the United Kingdom Maritime Force (COMUKMARFOR)
 * Commander UK Amphibious Forces & Commandant General Royal Marines

Fleet Battle Staff
The Fleet Battle Staff (also known as the UK Maritime Battle Staff, or UKMARBATSTAFF) is the UK's naval planning department and is a constituent part of the NCHQ. The department was established in 2003 in order to provide control for High Readiness Forces (Maritime). The previous 2-star seagoing commander's title was changed from Commander United Kingdom Task Group (COMUKTG) to Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces (COMUKMARFOR). The staff numbers 69 personnel with 60 kept in reserve and they work to provide the UK's Maritime Component Commander (MCC) capability for overseas operations. Alongside COMUKMARFOR is COMUKAMPHIBFOR (Commander United Kingdom Amphibious Forces, who is dual hatted as Commandant General Royal Marines). Beneath these 2-star commanders are COMUKTG (Commander UK Task Group) and COMATG (Commander Amphibious Task Group). These four commanders, as well as the Commander 3 Commando Brigade, and their combined staffs constitute the Fleet Battle Staff.