Rear Admiral Ian Corder
COMSUBNATO

Rear Admiral Ian Corder assumed the responsibilities of Commander (Operations) to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET) on 8 March 2011.  He has three broad areas of responsibility: exercising operational command (on behalf of CINCFLEET) of all operational Fleet units worldwide, except those assigned to Joint Operations; Rear Admiral Submarines and professional head of the submarine service; and NATO Commander Submarine Forces (COMSUBNATO) .

Educated at Rugby School and Peterhouse, Cambridge (MA Pure mathematics), he joined the Royal Navy in 1978, volunteered for submarines and spent his early career in the SSN force as an operations and navigation specialist. His command appointments have included serving as Executive Officer of HMS SCEPTRE (SSN) and as the Commanding Officer of HMS ORACLE (SSK), HMS SPLENDID (SSN(TLAM)), and the frigate HMS CUMBERLAND.  In the latter he participated in both operation ENDURING FREEDOM and maritime sanctions against Iraq in the immediate lead up to the second Gulf conflict.

His early staff tours have included a desk officer assignment to the Naval Staff, responsible for SSBN operational policy and, as a Captain, a tour as the Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord and a second tour as a Deputy Director in central staff directorate responsible for MOD policy regarding NATO, the EU, and the UN.  As a Commodore, he has served for 18 months as the Chief of the Strategic Systems Executive and two years as Director of Naval Personnel Strategy/Director Project FISHER (the RN’s future flexible manning project).  As the former he was responsible for the delivery of the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent and as the UK project officer for the UK.US Polaris Sales agreement.  As the latter, he had responsibility for formulation of HR policy for the whole Naval Service.

Rear Admiral Corder’s final operational appointment before assuming his current responsibilities was as 2* Deputy Commander Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (SFN) and Commander SFN Maritime Forces during which inter alia he has served as the  Maritime Component Commander for the NATO Response Force.

He is married to Kathryn, home is in south Hertfordshire, and they have two grown up sons, Andrew and Alexander.  Andrew is a management consultant and Alexander an Army Officer.