Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla

The Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla was a senior British Royal Navy appointment from 1990 to 2002.

Surface Flotilla
Active	1990–2002
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Size	Flotilla
Part of	Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Garrison/HQ	HMNB Portsmouth
Commanders
First	Vice-Admiral A. Peter Woodhead
Last	Rear-Admiral Alexander K. Backus

When the post of Commander-in-Chief Fleet was created in 1971, three major subordinate appointments were also created: First Flotilla, Second Flotilla and Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships, each held by a rear-admiral.^[1] In 1990 the First Flotilla was re-designated Surface Flotilla. In April 1992, the system was changed when the Third Flotilla was abolished and the remaining two flotilla commanders became: Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla – responsible for operational readiness and training – and Flag Officer, UK Task Group – who would command any deployed task group.^[2]

Exercise Teamwork was a major NATO biennial exercise in defense of Norway against a Soviet land and maritime threat. Teamwork '92 was the largest NATO exercise for more than a decade.^[3] Held in the northern spring of 1992, it included a total of over 200 ships and 300 aircraft, held in the North Atlantic. Vice Admiral Nicholas Hill-Norton, Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla, led the RN contingent as Commander, Anti-Submarine Warfare Striking Force (CASWF), with Commodore Amphibious Warfare (COMAW) embarked in HMS Fearless.^[4]

Subordinate squadrons

Unit	Date	Notes
3rd Destroyer Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
5th Destroyer Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
1st Frigate Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
3rd Frigate Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
4th Frigate Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
5th Frigate Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
6th Frigate Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
7th Frigate Squadron	1990–2002	[5]
8th Frigate Squadron	1990–2002	[5]

Flag Officer Surface Flotilla

Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla (FOSF)
Ensign of the Royal Navy
Navy Department, Ministry of Defence
Reports to	Commander-in-Chief, Fleet
Nominator	Secretary of State for Defence
Appointer	Prime Minister Subject to formal approval by the Queen-in-Council
Term length	Not fixed (typically 1–4 years)
Inaugural holder	Vice-Admiral A. Peter Woodhead
Formation	1990–2002

Flag officers commanding

Included:^[6]

• Vice-Admiral A. Peter Woodhead: 1990 – September 1991
• Rear-Admiral A. Bruce Richardson: September 1991 – April 1992
• Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Nicholas Hill-Norton: April–November 1992
• Vice-Admiral Sir Michael C. Boyce: November 1992 – April 1995
• Vice-Admiral Sir John Brigstocke: April 1995 – July 1997
• Rear-Admiral Peter M. Franklyn: July 1997 – April 2000
• Rear-Admiral Ian A. Forbes: April 2000 – November 2001
• Rear-Admiral Alexander Backus: November 2001 – 2002

Notes

1. Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. p. 89. ISBN 9781848320437.
2. Watson, Graham; Smith, Gordon (12 July 2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947–2013". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
3. Arkin 2005, p. 525.
4. Roberts 2009, p. 219.
5. Smith.2015.
6. Mackie, Colin (August 2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. C. Mackie. p. 217. Retrieved 6 August 2018.

References

• Arkin, William M. (2005). Code Names: Decyphering U.S. Military Plans, Programs, and Operations in the 9/11 World. Hanover, New Hampshire: Steerforth Press. ISBN 978-1-58642-083-3.
• Mackie, Colin. (2018) "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Scotland, UK.
• Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781848320437.
• Smith, Gordon. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947–2013:FLEET ORGANISATION, 1981–2002". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.