The Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla was a senior British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

appointment from 1990 to 2002. When the post of

Commander-in-Chief Fleet The Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET) 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 he ...

was created in 1971, three major subordinate appointments were also created: First Flotilla, Second Flotilla and

Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships (FOCAS) was a senior Royal Navy post that existed from 1970 to 1979. However, its antecedents date to 1931. A Flag Officer with specific responsibilities for command of aircraft carriers within the Roy ...

, each held by a rear-admiral. In 1990 the

First Flotilla The First Flotilla was a naval formation of the British Royal Navy commanded by the Flag Officer, First Flotilla from 1971 to 1990. The Western Fleet and Far East Fleet were merged into the single Commander-in-Chief Fleet in 1971. Within this ne ...

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. 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. 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 Vice Admiral Sir Nicholas John Hill-Norton, (born 13 July 1939) is a retired senior Royal Navy officer who served as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments) from 1992 to 1995. Early life and family Born the son of Lieutenant Peter Hill ...

, Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla, led the RN contingent as Commander, Anti-Submarine Warfare Striking Force (CASWF), with Commodore Amphibious Warfare (COMAW) embarked in .

Subordinate squadrons

Flag Officer Surface Flotilla

Flag officers commanding

Included: * Vice-Admiral A. Peter Woodhead: 1990 – September 1991 * Rear-Admiral A.

Bruce Richardson Bruce Richardson (born June 8, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player best known for his time playing for Braehead Clan and the Nottingham Panthers in the British Elite Ice Hockey League and for the Hershey Bears in the America ...

: September 1991 – April 1992 * Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir

: April–November 1992 * Vice-Admiral Sir Michael C. Boyce: November 1992 – April 1995 * Vice-Admiral Sir

John Brigstocke Admiral Sir John Richard Brigstocke (30 July 1945 – 26 May 2020) was a senior Royal Navy officer who served as Second Sea Lord from 1997 to 2000. Early life and education Brigstocke was born on 30 July 1945. His father, George 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 Rear Admiral Alexander Kirkwood Backus, (born 1 April 1948) is a former Royal Navy officer who served as Flag Officer Sea Training from 1999 to 2001. Naval career Educated at Sevenoaks School and Britannia Royal Naval College, Backus joined the ...

: November 2001 – 2002

Notes

References

* 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. . * Smith, Gordon. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947–2013:FLEET ORGANISATION, 1981–2002". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. {{Naval Service (British), state=collapsed S Royal Navy flotillas Military units and formations established in 1990 Military units and formations disestablished in 2002