Permanent Joint Headquarters
Encyclopedia
The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) is the British
tri-service headquarters
from where all overseas military operations are planned and controlled. It is situated at Northwood Headquarters
in Northwood, London.
The Permanent Joint Headquarters is commanded by the Chief of Joint Operations (CJO). The current CJO is Air Marshal
Sir Stuart Peach . On 15 September 2011 it was announced that Air Marshal Peach would be promoted to Air Chief Marshal in December 2011 and become the first commander of the new UK Joint Forces Command
to which PJHQ will become accountable.
The Permanent Joint Headquarters was established in April 1996 to enhance the operational effectiveness and efficiency of UK-led joint, potentially joint and multi-national operations, and to exercise operational command of UK forces assigned to multinational operations led by others.
PJHQ also directs British forces in Gibraltar, Cyprus (Sovereign Base Areas
), the Falkland Islands (British Forces South Atlantic Islands) and Diego Garcia
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
tri-service headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
from where all overseas military operations are planned and controlled. It is situated at Northwood Headquarters
Northwood Headquarters
Northwood Headquarters is a military headquarters facility of the British Armed Forces in Eastbury, Hertfordshire, England, adjacent to the London suburb of Northwood...
in Northwood, London.
The Permanent Joint Headquarters is commanded by the Chief of Joint Operations (CJO). The current CJO is Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Stuart Peach . On 15 September 2011 it was announced that Air Marshal Peach would be promoted to Air Chief Marshal in December 2011 and become the first commander of the new UK Joint Forces Command
Joint Forces Command
The United Kingdom Joint Forces Command will command allocated joint capabilities from the three armed services. It is being set up following the Levene Report into Defence Reform; its first Commander is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach who previously served as Chief of Joint Operations, and...
to which PJHQ will become accountable.
The Permanent Joint Headquarters was established in April 1996 to enhance the operational effectiveness and efficiency of UK-led joint, potentially joint and multi-national operations, and to exercise operational command of UK forces assigned to multinational operations led by others.
Mission and duties
The PJHQ’s mission can be summarised as follows:- As part of the Defence Crisis Management Organisation, provide politically aware military advice to the MOD to inform the strategic commitment of UK forces to overseas Joint and Combined operations.
- When directed by the Chief of the Defence StaffChief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
, exercise operational command of UK forces assigned to overseas Joint and Combined operations, either led by the UK or another nation, such as Operation TelicOperation TelicOperation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
, in order to achieve MODMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
UK’s strategic objectives. - In conjunction with the Front Line Commands and MOD, develop the UK’s Joint war-fighting capability.
PJHQ also directs British forces in Gibraltar, Cyprus (Sovereign Base Areas
Sovereign Base Areas
The Sovereign Base Areas are military bases located on territory in which the United Kingdom is sovereign, but which are separated from the ordinary British territory....
), the Falkland Islands (British Forces South Atlantic Islands) and Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
.