The Royal Navy and Royal Marines contingent in the United States is led by the British Naval Attaché, Commodore Steve Ramm

The UK Maritime Footprint in the US is considerable, supporting the UK maritime community as a whole. There are some 150 Naval and Marine post in the US filled by Officers and Senior Ratings who spend generally 2-3 years in country with their families.

The Naval Attaché and his staff:

Act as the principal advisers on maritime matters to Her Majesty's Ambassador.
Represent the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence (Navy) in the USA.
Act as principal points of contact between the UK Ministry of Defence and the US Chief of Naval Operations, US Marine Corps and the US Coastguard Service.
Oversee arrangements for Royal Navy ships visits to the US.
The main core of the Navy Staff work in the British Embassy in Washington DC. Some of the key personnel within this central core are:- The Assistant Naval Attaché- (ANA), Staff Warfare Officer Underwater - SWO(U), Staff Submarine Officer - SOSM, Staff Aviation Officer - SAVO, Staff Officer Royal Marines (SO2 RM) and the Staff Supply Officer - SSO.

The posts are a mixture of Liaison Officers and Personnel Exchange Programme Officers, covering such diverse areas as:

• SPACE AND NAVAL WARFARE SYSTEMS COMMAND - SAN DIEGO, CA
• US COASTGUARD AIR STATION, MIAMI, FL
• SEAL TEAM 2, LITTLE CREEK, VA
• BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY, WASHINGTON DC
• USMC WEAPON TRAINING BATTALION, QUANTICO, VA
• NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE, NEW LONDON, CT
• US NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, MD

Liaison Officers

The 18 or so RN and RM Officers act as the links between a number of US and UK military organisations. Invited by the US DoD, they provide information to the US Commands on UK thinking in such subjects as research, training, oceanography and logistics. Their focus is the harmonisation of work in these fields with the aim of achieving operational interoperability between the US and the UK.

Personnel Exchange Programme

The Personnel Exchange Programme (PEP) swaps American and British Officers in seagoing and shore commands; so for example, Royal Navy pilots work in US Naval and Marine Air Squadrons while the USN and USMC send PEP Officers to fly in the UK.

Exercises and Ship Visits

Units of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines regularly conduct exercises with their US counterparts. Royal Navy ships and submarines make frequent visits to ports in the US, often accompanied by ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The British Naval Staff co-ordinate these events, supported by local US military organisations and British Consulates.

Further Information

The Royal Navy Web Site contains comprehensive information about ships, submarines, aircraft and the men and women of today's Royal Navy.