The Royal Navy is in good hands under General Sir Gwyn Jenkins
King Charles III greets Major General Gwyn Jenkins, Vice Chief of Defence Staff during a meeting with military chiefs of staff at Buckingham Palace in London, 2022. (Credit: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)
3 min read
For the first time in our history, a General is the new head of the Royal Navy, while an Admiral is head of the Armed Forces.
The appointment of General Sir Gwyn Jenkins as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, the first Royal Marine to hold this job, is both a welcome and historic announcement.
It was only a decade ago that General Sir Gordon Messenger, a Royal Marines hero, became the first four-star Royal Marine General since 1977 when appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.
General Jenkins – a distinguished officer, with a deep understanding of both command and high-level strategy – is only the second Royal Marine in nearly 50 years to reach four-star rank.
General Jenkins has tremendous experience in giving military advice to politicians, without straying into politics
His CV is formidable: Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Commandant General Royal Marines, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, Deputy National Security Advisor, Commander 3 Commando Brigade, Military Assistant to the Prime Minister, and commanding officer of the Special Boat Service (SBS).
It is no accident that the Royal Marines – the smallest component of the Royal Navy, numbering just 5,500 out of 120,000 full-time armed forces personnel – produce a disproportionately high number of senior leaders and influence at the highest levels of Defence. This stems from their exceptionally high standard of recruitment and training, a very strong culture and ethos, and great pride and integrity in what they deliver.
Today’s conflicts no longer conform neatly to land, sea and air. These domains are increasingly blurred. The modern war fighter must exploit and understand every environment, and fluidity in the roles of senior leaders is critical to that. The Royal Marines have distinguished themselves as a highly adaptable force, excelling in multi-domain operations. Notwithstanding, the greatest military strategists in history have been maritime strategists, and the maritime domain will become increasingly relevant in our hyper-connected and contested world.
General Jenkins led the modernisation of the Royal Marines into the ‘Future Commando Force’. Both he and the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, uniquely understand the scale and pace of technological and geopolitical change. With the UK committing to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, exploiting emerging technologies will be critical. Success will be measured not just by adopting technologies such as AI and autonomous systems at scale, but recruiting and retaining the most skilled and talented workforce.
For the Royal Navy, his appointment comes at an important moment. As Nato allies increase defence spending, the Royal Navy is set to take on an increasingly central role in maritime deterrence, crisis response, and the delivery of forward-deployed capabilities across multiple theatres. The recently announced Strategic Defence Review will outline critical plans for the delivery of new frigates and support ships designed for modern day operations.
This also comes at a time of increased scrutiny – from cost overruns and delays in shipbuilding programmes, to maintenance gaps in the carrier fleet and high-profile misconduct cases. The new First Sea Lord inherits both opportunity and challenge.
Importantly, General Jenkins has tremendous experience in giving military advice to politicians, without straying into politics, but understanding the context where politicians make decisions. This is perhaps why he was recently asked to serve as Strategic Adviser to the Defence Secretary.
While his appointment may be a departure from the tradition of a sailor serving as First Sea Lord, it is a sensible decision and demonstrates that military leadership at the highest level must be based on merit, not orthodoxy – and that the best people can rise to the very top, regardless of tribe or clique.
The Royal Navy, under the General’s command, is in good hands for years to come.
Lord Sarfraz is a Conservative peer
