An overview of the organisation of PJHQ (Permanent Joint Headquarters)
Northwood Joint Headquarters
The Chief of Joint Operations heads PJHQ and is responsible for the planning and execution of UK-led joint, potentially joint and multinational operations, and for exercising operational command of UK Forces assigned to multinational operations led by others.
The appointment is rotational between the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. The current incumbent is Lieutenant General David Capewell OBE.
CJO has 2 deputies, the Chief of Staff (Operations) (COS (Ops)) and the Chief of Staff (Joint Warfare Development) (COS(JWD)). In addition, the organisation has a civilian Command Secretary who provides policy, legal, presentational, financial and Civilian human resources advice to CJO.
COS (Ops) is responsible for executing CJO’s primary role – the planning and execution of operations whilst COS (JWD) is responsible for the deployment, sustainment and recovery of forces under CJO’s operational command.
In addition, COS (JWD) is responsible for the preparation and training of joint forces through the management of high level exercises run by a joint training team here in PJHQ.
The rest of PJHQ is organised by Divisions (numbered J1-J9). Each Division is led by a senior officer or senior civil servant and is responsible for a particular area of capability.
In addition to the core HQ, CJO is also responsible for the Joint Force Headquarters and the Joint Force Logistic Component Headquarters which is a standing deployable logistic HQ, both co-located on the Northwood site. The specific responsibilities of each Division are:
- J1 - Personnel
- J2 - Operational Intelligence
- J3 - Current Operations
- J4 - Logistics/Medical
- J5 - Crisis and deliberate planning
- J6 - Communication and Information Systems
- J7 - Joint Training
- J8 - Finance and Human Resources
- J9 - Policy, legal and media operations
- JFHQ - High Readiness Deployable Commander
- JFLogCHQ - Standing Deployable Logistic Component Commander
The HQ has some 630 personnel from the 3 Services and the Civil Service. The HQ is responsible for directing, deploying, sustaining and recovering UK joint forces, however, there are certain areas that the HQ will not be involved.
These are:
- Strategic Nuclear Deterrent
- Defence of the UK Home Base
- Territorial Waters and Airspace
- Northern Ireland
- Counter-terrorism in UK
- NATO Article V (General War)
CJO also commands the Joint Support Unit in Northwood. This small unit led by a Royal Air Force Group Captain (See Biographies link on the right hand side) is responsible for supporting not only PJHQ but also Fleet and NATO personnel who also use the Northwood site.