The CinC in 2293.
A Commander-in-Chief (abbreviated CinC or CINC) is the supreme commander of an entire military force or at least a significant portion of the total force. The role is usually filled by an officer with the highest rank possible in the organization.
Starfleet[]
Starfleet's Commander-in-Chief was a position held by the senior fleet admiral, who took orders only from the Federation Council and its President. The post was also referred to as Commanding Admiral (Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization) and Commander, Starfleet. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
23rd Century[]
During the Four Years War, Starfleet had three Commanders-in-Chief: Conrad Slater (2239-2243), Marcus Ramirez (2243-2244), and Threl (2244-?). (Axanar)
From 2270 to the mid-2280s, the position was held by Fleet Admiral Heihachiro Nogura. He retired around 2285 and was replaced by Harry Morrow. (TOS novel: The Lost Years; Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Yorktown: A Time to Heal, Star Trek: Pendragon)
In 2293, Fleet Admiral William Smillie was the C-in-C. Though he was not involved in Admiral Cartwright's conspiracy, he nonetheless resigned in shame after the Khitomer Conference and was succeeded by Androvar Drake. Unfortunately, Drake himself had been a member of the conspiracy, and his actions as C-in-C nearly led to a war between the Klingons, Romulans and the Federation before his death at Chal. (TOS novel: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; The Ashes of Eden; Star Trek: Pendragon)
By 2298, Admiral Nogura had been brought out of retirement to serve as commander-in-chief once again, and stabilize the upper echelons of Starfleet Command. (The Lost Era novel: The Sundered)
24th Century[]
Margaret Sinclair-Alexander served as C-in-C in the early 2310s. (The Lost Era novel: Serpents Among the Ruins)
Victor Bordson was Starfleet commander-in-chief in 2381. That year, he presided over a meeting in which Jean-Luc Picard was informed that the Romulan star would go supernova in a few years. (Star Trek: Picard novel: The Last Best Hope)
- In the continuity of the pro novels -- negated by the events of Star Trek: Picard -- Edward Jellico had been Starfleet commander-in-chief until after the Borg Invasion of 2381. Jellico was succeeded by Leonard James Akaar, who was C-in-C from 2381 to at least 2385. (Star Trek novel: A Singular Destiny)
By 2399, Kirsten Clancy had succeeded Bordson in the role of C-in-C. (The Last Best Hope; PIC: "Maps & Legends", "Broken Pieces")
32nd Century[]
In 3189, Charles Vance was commander-in-chief of Starfleet. (DIS: "Die Trying", "Scavengers", "Unification III", "The Sanctuary", "Terra Firma (Part 1)")
| Enlisted ranks | Etc | Officer ranks | Flag ranks | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kai Imperium | TRN MNX IMUN |
LGN3 LGN2 LGN1 |
CLGN | CEN | SCEN | PVT | PRN | OP | TRB VIC |
PR | PTR | MST | LEG | IMP | ||||
| So'ja High Command | REC CN PVT |
PO3 PO2 PO1 |
CPO | MC | CPL | SGT | LT | MAJ | LTCOL | COL | ADM | MADM | SADM | |||||
Mirror universe[]
In the mirror universe, Spock rose to the position of Commander-in-Chief sometime between the 2260s and the 2360s. (DS9: "Crossover")
Fan continuities[]
Orion Press[]
Heihachiro Nogura held the position from 2250 to 2276, when he reached the mandatory retirement age. (Orion Press: "The Price of Peace", The Daystrom Project, "Prisoners", Chekov's Enterprise)
William Smillie resigned from the post in December 2294, after the apparent death of James T. Kirk and the suicide of John Harriman. Lystra Davis, a former commanding officer of the Yorktown, succeeded Smillie. (Chekov's Enterprise)
Project Potemkin[]
Fleet Admiral Lystra Davis agreed to Captain Alec Grigory's request for three support starships during the USS Potemkin's search for the missing vessels Thales, Oregon, and Vesta. (The Void) A board of inquiry regarding the actions of T'Noshi was of sufficient importance that she traveled to Starbase 211 for it, to the surprise of Captain Alec Grigory. (Inquiry)
Starfleet Command (RPG)[]
In the Starfleet Command (RPG) continuity, Fleet Admiral Hunter Dunbar took over as the Commander-in-Chief in 2385 after James Anders was elected as the President of the United Federation of Planets. Dunbar was hand-picked by President Anders after he received news of the election.
Star Trek: Avenger[]
Fleet Admiral Jeanette Maddox was Commander, Starfleet, until late 2292 when she was succeeded by Admiral Robert Lerman. (Star Trek: Avenger: "Timeline of Avenger History, stardate 12002.02")
Axanar[]
Admiral Conrad Slater was forced to step down in 2243 after two years of near-constant defeat at the hands of the Klingon Empire following the start of the Four Years War. He was replaced by Admiral Marcus Ramirez. One of Ramirez' first acts was to order the design and construction of what would be known as the Ares-class battle cruiser.
Star Trek: Pendragon[]
In Star Trek: Pendragon, after the previous C-in-C resigned in 2372, Chief of Starfleet Operations Vice Admiral James Leyton was appointed acting Commander-in-Chief, giving him the opportunity to stage his military coup. (DS9: "Homefront"; PDN: "Sword of Damocles")
Fleet Admiral James Cannon became commander-in-chief in 2377. (PDN: "True North")
Star Trek: Pioneer[]
In Star Trek: Pioneer, the position of Commander-in-Chief of Starfleet is referred to as the Starfleet Commander. The Starfleet Commander acts in much the same way as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the United States government of the 20th century. The Admiral holding the position of Chief of Starfleet Operations is the second-in-command of Starfleet. When the Starfleet Commander retires, leaves office, or dies in office, a special committee made up of high ranking Starfleet captains is convened to select a replacement. The Federation President can make a recommendation. In the result of a tie between the candidates for the position, the President's recommendation is selected.
In 2380, Admiral Harold Anton became the Starfleet Commander after the death of Admiral John Hayes. Captain Benjamin Kelsoe, along with Captain Sarah Tellening, Jean-Luc Picard, and other prominent Starfleet captains choose Anton over Admiral Dustin McCloud. (STP: "The Teacher")
The So'ja had a similar position within their military structure, which they referred to as the Supreme Admiral. (STP: "The Removal, Part 2", "The Boolran Eye, Part 1")
Star Trek: Remington[]
The Earth Starfleet C-in-C during the Earth-Romulan War was Evelyn Armstrong.
When the Federation established the multi-branch Federation military, the two new branches were given positions equivalent to the Commander-in-Chief: the Commandant of the Marine Corps and Chief of Staff of the Starfighter Corps. In 2383, the C-in-C was Thomas Crowe, while his counterpart in the Starfighter Corps was Gwendolyn Savile-Pryce.
Star Trek: The Interim Years[]
Admiral Hikaru Sulu was commander-in-chief during the 2310s decade. Sulu was succeeded by Admiral Irina Khmelnova.
Star Trek: The Intrepid Adventures[]
Fleet Admiral David Watson served as Starfleet Commander from the 2260s and 2270s. He foresaw many developments during his tenure.
External links[]
- Commander-in-Chief article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Commander-in-Chief article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.