"Immensely proud" former HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth CO becomes new Royal Navy Fleet Commander
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
An experienced Vice Admiral has become the Royal Navy’s new Fleet Commander.
Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse has taken on the role following a handover ceremony aboard HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. He takes the helm from Vice Admiral Andrew Burns, who has held the position for four years.
“It is a huge honour to be appointed as the next Fleet Commander, taking responsibility for the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the Royal Navy, and I am immensely proud to lead such a dedicated and professional force, whose service and commitment are felt around the world,” VAdm Moorhouse said.
“With the Government’s commitment to invest in defence, the next few years offer incredible opportunity to continue the transformation of the Fleet, from seabed to space, and with inspiring leadership, agility and innovation my focus will be to ensure we are ready to meet the challenges of a more contested world.”
A Wealth of Experience
In the traditional manner, VAdm Burns was clapped by sailors and civil servants out of Navy Command Headquarters at HMS Excellent. He gave a short speech to those who gathered, thanking them for their hard work and efforts in the Royal Navy.
VAdm Moorhouse assumes the role of Fleet Commander with a wealth of knowledge under his belt. He commanded the UK Carrier Group on its maiden global deployment in 2021. He has also commanded various warships including Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster, the Landing Platform Helicopter HMS Ocean and both HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Other roles include Formation Command with CTF150, a multi-national task force charged with delivering security across the western Indian Ocean. This among many significant recent handovers, with Commander Neil Skinner becoming the new Commanding Officer of HMS Dauntless.