Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET)
Commander, Allied Maritime Component Command Northwood
Admiral Sir Trevor Soar KCB OBE
Admiral Sir Trevor Soar has recently taken up one of the most senior positions in the Royal Navy. Having commanded at sea in every rank from Lieutenant to Commodore, he is now Commander-in-Chief Fleet of the Royal Navy. He has full command of all deployable ships and submarines and Fleet units, including the Royal Marines and is responsible for ensuring that these units are ready in all respects for any operations requested by the Government.
Adm Soar said:
“It is a great privilege for me to be given the responsibility for the running and operational command of the Fleet. The Royal Navy continues to exert its power and influence in a fast-changing global environment and has a well-deserved reputation as world class. After a career spanning 34 years to date in the Royal Navy, this is an extremely proud day for me.”
Adm Soar has taken over as CINC FLEET from Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, which was marked at a supersession ceremony in London. As a NATO Commander, Admiral Soar is the also the maritime advisor to the Joint Force Commander (Brunssum) and is tasked to ensure NATO maritime forces are ready to engage in joint and combined operations as required by the North Atlantic Council. He is also directly responsible for elements of the Standing NATO Response Force. He will be dividing his time between the Fleet Operational Headquarters in Northwood, London and Navy Command Headquarters in Portsmouth.
After joining the Royal Navy in 1975, Admiral Soar qualified as a submariner in 1978 and served in nuclear-powered and conventional submarines, before successfully completing the Submarine Commanding Officers’ Qualifying Course in 1986. His first command was of the conventional submarine HMS OCELOT which was deployed from the South Atlantic to the Pacific and Caribbean; other commands included the nuclear-powered submarine HMS TALENT, which carried out a number of Cold war patrols; the frigate HMS CHATHAM in 1997, which went on operational patrol in the Gulf; and HMS INVINCIBLE in 2002 to work her up as Fleet Flagship. His posts in London over the years ranged from first working in the Naval Secretary’s Department as an appointer to becoming Director of the Naval Staff, responsible for pan-Navy policy across Defence.
Adm Soar was awarded an OBE in 1994 and appointed Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath in the 2009 New Years Honours List. He was promoted to full Admiral on taking up appointment as CINC FLEET. His last position was as Chief of Materiel (Fleet) and Board Member in Defence Equipment and Support, a post which enabled membership of the Admiralty Board as Chief of Fleet Support.
Adm Soar lives in Staffordshire with his wife and has two grown-up sons. He was born in Belper, Derbyshire and went to Loughborough Grammar School in Leicestershire. He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, President of the Sea Cadet Corps TS WIZARD in London and also a Freeman of the City of London. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering by Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh and is President of the Royal Navy Rugby and Football Union.