Second Sea Lord

#NavalCooperation | Strengthened alliance with @RoyalNavy! 🇬🇧🇫🇷 VAE Polderman welcomed his British counterpart, VAdm Sir @MartinJConnell, 2nd sea lord. Their constructive discussions led to joint declaration of enhanced cooperation.

An honour to be welcomed to #Paris this morning by my French counterpart. As deputy chiefs of @MarineNationale and @RoyalNavy VAE Polderman and I held constructive talks and signed joint direction and guidance detailing the course for cooperation for the next 12 months for our…

Pleasure to be at @BAESystemsplc Barrow yesterday with @MartinJConnell meeting some of the incredibly talented people from industry working on the next generation of our nuclear submarines #teamDNE

Huge thanks to @HMS_Collingwood for hosting an excellent Open Day this weekend on Armed Forces Day. A fiercely contested #brickwoods #fieldgun competition brought the drama (BZ to @BritishArmy REME for the win). And to cap it all, I was even saluted by a unicorn. 🦄 🫡 ⚓️

Now into my final few months of service, while there are some things I won’t miss, I certainly will miss the remarkable people who make up the #RoyalNavy including those civil servants and contractors who enable training delivery. Thanks @HMSsultan

A hard fought Inter-Region @NavyFootball1 final played out in tough weather this afternoon. BZ to Eastern Region for winning 2-0 and commiserations to @RoyalMarines Phot: WO Buglass

I started the week at the RN Division’s Memorial at Ancre on the Somme and finished the week laying a wreath at the Collingwood Battalion’s Memorial at Blandford. #wewillrememberthem

This week, VADM Dan Dwyer (OPNAV N3N5N7), LtGen James Bierman (DC PP&O), and VAdm Sir Martin Connell (UK Second Sea Lord) co-chaired the annual Delivering Combined Seapower (DCS) Staff Talks. The forum brought together the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Royal Navy to…

A weekend of reflection in the #Somme region. Finished up at Ancre Cemetery. Poignant to see unknown sailors and marines lying peacefully together having fought side by side 13 Nov 1916

The crew of HMS Vanguard filled Downing Street this afternoon. Grateful to the PM for following up on his invitation to host them all at No10

LH Eilish Brogan, our most recent @NavyFootball1 trustee, bringing in the #FACup for the Women’s Final

A rare break from the office today to visit @HMSSutherland moored on the Thames outboard of HMS Belfast. Was delighted @TanDhesi and other members of the @CommonsDefence Committee were able to visit too and speak with the CO and Ship’s Company.

A great send off for HNoMS Roald Amundsen and their embarked @RoyalNavy Wildcat this morning in Bergen, Norway at the start of Op Highmast, the Carrier Strike Group deployment. I offered my words of support and gratitude to the ship’s company immediately before sailing, alongside…

As President of @navyfootball1 , I am proud of the performance of both senior teams this week against the @RoyalAirForce . Their determination, skill, and team spirit were outstanding and a true display of Navy excellence! #RoyalNavyFA #Victory

Bumped into @CommandoChef at @RoyalMarines @LondonRmr this morning to learn of the amazing work he does with young people. And spoke with some of the regulars and reserves who serve there. #hoofing

I intend to transform the entire @RoyalNavy workforce skills in the years ahead to keep pace with our adoption of novel technologies. Good to visit the City of Glasgow College earlier today to see new tech being used for education and maritime sector skills and to meet some of…

Two days spent this week in Scotland gauging progress and seeing Type 31 and Type 26 frigate programmes both coming together. A palpable sense of pride and excitement, a blend of experience and apprentices, in both yards, to deliver a large part of the future navy our nation…

Fascinating 24 hours inside the Arctic Circle with @Commando_Ops as they hone their winter warfighting skills working alongside our Norwegian allies as we sharpen our commitment to @NATO . Not many people can operate in this unforgiving environment. Strong evidence of innovation…