On Monday 16 October 2006 Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, gave a presentation on “Defence and the Royal Navy: Where do we stand?” as part of the IISS Military Leaders’ Forum.
Jonathon Band joined the RN in 1967 and, having trained at BRNC Dartmouth, underwent Fleet training in ships in the Far East. Between 1981 and 1983 he served as Flag Lieutenant to Commander-in-Chief Fleet, a period which included the Falklands Campaign. Promoted Commander in 1983, he assumed command of the frigate HMS Phoebe, followed in 1985 by attendance at the Joint Services Defence College and a subsequent appointment to the Defence Staff in the Ministry of Defence in the Directorate of Defence Policy.
Promoted Captain in 1988, he commanded HMS Norfolk and established the first Type 23 Frigate Squadron. In 1991, he became the Assistant Director Navy Plans and Programmes in the Ministry of Defence. In 1994 he was a member of the Defence Costs Study (Front Line First) Secretariat and, prior to returning to command at sea, attended the Higher Command and Staff Course. His last Sea Command was of HMS Illustrious, the aircraft carrier, between 1995 and 1997. The period included two operational deployments to the Adriatic in support of United Nations, and then NATO, operations in Bosnia.
Promoted Rear Admiral in May 1997, he returned to the Ministry of Defence as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff. He left this appointment in December 1999 and assumed the position of Team Leader of the Defence Education and Training Study in January 2000 on promotion to Vice Admiral. He became the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet in May 2001 and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath in 2002. He was promoted Admiral on 2 August 2002 on becoming Commander-in-Chief Fleet and Commander Allied Maritime Component Command Northwood. This period in Command saw the Iraq Campaign, the major reorganisation of the Fleet Command and subsequent changes in NATO. He was appointed First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in February 2006.
We are delighted to welcome Admiral Sir Jonathon Band to the IISS as part of the Military Leaders’ Forum. The Forum has been established to provide a platform for international military officials to address some of the critical issues and ideas affecting war and peace in the twenty-first century.
Meetings take place at Arundel House, 13-15 Arundel Street, WC2R 3DX. Members who would like to attend are asked to notify Caitlin Brannan at brannan@iiss.org or tel. +44 (0)20 7395 9119.
The IISS Military Leaders’ Forum is made possible through the generous support of KBR
