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{{Short description|Committee of the professional heads of the United Kingdom's armed forces}}
{{about|the British body|the Canadian body|Chiefs of Staff Committee (Canada)}}
[[File:MinistryofDefence.svg|thumb|right|160px|The Tri-Service Badge of the [[British Armed Forces]]]]
The '''Chiefs of Staff Committee''' ('''CSC''') is composed of the most senior [[military]] personnel in the [[British Armed Forces]], who advise on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations. The committee consists of the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|chief of the defence staff]], who is the chairman and professional head of the armed forces, and the [[Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|vice-chief of the defence staff]], who is the vice-chairman and deputy professional head of the armed forces. The committee also includes the heads of the three branches of the armed forces – the [[First Sea Lord|first sea lord and chief of the naval staff]], the [[Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)|chief of the general staff]] and the [[Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|chief of the air staff]].

==History==
The Chiefs of Staff Committee was initially established as a sub-committee of the [[Committee of Imperial Defence]] in 1923. It remained as such until the abolition of the CID upon the outbreak of [[World War II]] in 1939. The initial composition of the committee was the professional heads of the three services, the [[First Sea Lord|first sea lord]], the [[Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)|chief of the imperial general staff]] and the [[Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|chief of the air staff]]. Each service head took turns being chairman of the committee.

[[File:The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Winston Churchill, With His Chiefs of Staff in the Garden of No 10 Downing Street, London, 7 May 1945 TR2858.jpg|thumb|right|[[Winston Churchill|Sir Winston Churchill]] with Chiefs of Staff.]]

During the Second World War the committee was a sub-committee of the [[War Cabinet]], and in addition to the three service chiefs, it had an additional member, in the person of [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay|Sir Hastings Ismay]], who acted as its secretary. Subcommittees of the committee were also formed, including the [[Joint Planning Staff]] and [[Joint Intelligence Committee (UK)|Joint Intelligence Committee]]. The Chiefs of Staff Committee was responsible for the overall conduct of the [[British Armed Forces]] part of the war effort. When matters required joint Anglo-American decision, the Chiefs of Staff Committee members formed part of the [[Combined Chiefs of Staff]], meeting in concert with their American counterparts, the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]]. The Combined Chiefs of Staff were based in Washington, so for most of the time the Chiefs of Staff were represented at meetings by the [[British Defence Staff – US|British Joint Staff Mission]].
[[File:Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, United Kingdom Chief of Defense at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium Jan. 17, 2024 (cropped).jpg|thumb|150x150px|[[Admiral (United Kingdom)|Admiral]] [[Tony Radakin|Sir Tony Radakin]], 24th and current [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] (Chair).]]
Following World War II, the Chiefs of Staff Committee was transferred to the [[Ministry of Defence (1947–64)|Ministry of Defence]].

In 1955 the Government decided to create the post of chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.<ref>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1955/oct/25/defence-administrative-responsibilities Defence (Administrative responsibilities)]</ref>  The post came into existence on 1 January 1956 and the only incumbent was [[Marshal of the Royal Air Force]] [[William Dickson (RAF officer)|Sir William Dickson]] who served until 1 January 1959 when he became the first [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|chief of the defence staff]].<ref>[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Dickson.htm Marshal of the RAF Sir William Dickson]</ref>  The CDS remained as chairman of the committee and was also recognized as the professional head of the British Armed Forces. In 1964, the post of chief of the imperial general staff was discontinued and the Army was thereafter represented by the [[Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)|chief of the general staff]].  Since then, the only major changes have been the appointment of the [[Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|vice-chief of the defence staff]] to act as a deputy to the CDS and the inclusion of the [[Joint Forces Command|commander, Joint Forces Command]] on the committee.

===Senior Enlisted Advisor===
A [[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee|senior enlisted advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee]] was appointed on 1 November 2018 to provide advice to the committee on the views of other ranks.<ref>{{cite web |title=WO1 Glenn Haughton OBE has been appointed as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee (SEAC) |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/wo1-glenn-haughton-obe-has-been-appointed-as-the-first-senior-enlisted-advisor-to-the-chiefs-of-staff-committee-seac |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=5 November 2018 |date=1 November 2018}}</ref>

==Membership==
The current membership of the Chiefs of Staff Committee:<ref>[http://en.mercopress.com/2013/04/02/us-uk-combined-chiefs-of-staff-committee-meet-as-a-group-for-the-first-time-since-1948 US/UK combined Chiefs of Staff Committee meet as a group for the first time since 1948 (photo includes, from left, Joint Forces Commander, First Sea Lord, Chief of the General Staff, Chief of the Air Staff, Chief of the Defence Staff and, fourth from the right, Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff)]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Our governance |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/our-governance |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:70%"
! Office !! Photograph !! Incumbent 
!Incumbent since!! Service !! Command Flag 
|-
|[[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]
(Chair)
| [[File:Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, United Kingdom Chief of Defense at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium Jan. 17, 2024 (cropped).jpg|border|center|75x75px]]|| [[Admiral (Royal Navy)|<small>Admiral</small>]]
[[Tony Radakin|'''Sir Antony Radakin''']]

<small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCB|ADC|sep=|size=100%}}</small>
|November 2021|| {{navy|UK|size=30px}} || [[File:Flag of the Chief of the Defence Staff.svg|border|75px|center]] 
|-
|[[Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff]] 
(Vice-Chair)
| [[File:VCDS Sharon Nesmith.jpg|border|center|86x86px]]|| [[General (United Kingdom)|<small>General</small>]]
[[Sharon Nesmith|'''Dame Sharon Nesmith''']]

<small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|DCB|ADC Gen|sep=|size=100%}}</small>
|June 2024|| {{army|UK|size=30px}} ||
|-
|[[First Sea Lord|First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff]] || [[File:General Gwyn Jenkins.png|border|center|103x103px]]|| [[General (United Kingdom)|<small>General</small>]]
[[Gwyn Jenkins|'''Sir Gwyn Jenkins''']]

<small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCB|OBE|sep=|size=100%|ADC}}</small>

|May 2025|| {{marines|UK}}|| [[File:Flag of Admiral - Royal Navy.svg|border|75px|center]] 
|-
|[[Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the General Staff]] || [[File:Sir Roland Walker and Sir Patrick Sanders British High Commission Pakistan (Cropped).png|border|center|112x112px]]|| [[General (United Kingdom)|<small>General</small>]]
[[Roland Walker|'''Sir Roland Walker''']]

<small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCB|DSO|ADC Gen|sep=|size=100%}}</small>
|June 2024|| {{army|UK|size=30px}} || [[File:Chief of the General Staff.svg|border|75px|center]] 
|-
|[[Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Air Staff]] || [[File:Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton 2024.jpg|border|center|100x100px]]|| [[Air chief marshal#United Kingdom|<small>Air Chief Marshal</small>]]
[[Rich Knighton|'''Sir Richard Knighton''']]

<small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCB|ADC|FREng|sep=|size=100%}}</small>
|June 2023|| {{air force|UK|size=30px}} || [[File:UK-Air-OF9-Flag.svg|border|center|75x75px]]
|-
|[[Commander Strategic Command]]|| [[File:Jim Hockenhull (cropped).jpg|border|75px|center]] || [[General (United Kingdom)|<small>General</small>]]
[[James Hockenhull|'''Sir James Hockenhull''']]

<small>{{post-nominals|country=GBR|KBE|ADC Gen|sep=|size=100%}}</small>
|May 2022|| {{army|UK|size=30px}} ||
|-
! colspan="6" |'''Also in attendance''' 
|-
|[[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
|[[File:Richard Angove.jpg|border|center|76x76px]]
|[[Warrant officer (United Kingdom)#Royal Marines|<small>Warrant Officer Class One</small>]]
'''Richard Angrove'''
|December 2021
|{{marines|UK}}
|
|}

==Role==
The role of the committee is to provide advice on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations.<ref>[http://www.armedforces.co.uk/mod/listings/l0004.html The Management of Defence]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Defence Council of the United Kingdom]]
*[[Admiralty Board (United Kingdom)|Admiralty Board]]
*[[Army Board]]
*[[Air Force Board]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120520050412/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/People/ChiefsOfStaff Ministry of Defence - Chiefs of Staff]

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{{British Military}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Military of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Military chiefs of staff|United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Staff (military)]]