Republic Admiralty

The Republic Admiralty, originally known as the Admiralty Department or Office of the Admiralty and Space Affairs, was a government department of the that existed for millennia as the administrative command staff of the. The department was led by the Chief of the Admiralty, who was responsible to different superiors throughout Republic history, which at times included the himself, the, the Chief of Defense Staff, and various factions of the , most notably including the  and the. The Admiralty existed uninterrupted from the founding of the Old Republic to the and the, making it one of the oldest continuously existing institutions of the Republic. The Admiralty was tasked with managing the Republic Navy in nearly every aspect, from logistical matters and personnel affairs to strategic planning and overseeing campaigns at the operational level during war.

The Admiralty was downsized and its role diminished from the of 1000 BBY after the, but it continued to function in a reduced state for a thousand years within the new. During this time it played a minor role in overseeing the Judicial Starfleet and advising local security forces. The Admiralty's role was fully restored at the outbreak of the and the Clone Wars with the militarization of the Republic and reestablishment of the Navy. The organisation played an important role during the war with the in overseeing the Republic Navy's development and war operations, and by 19 BBY the department was responsible for managing a large part of the Republic war effort itself. After the rise of the it was reorganised as the Imperial Admiralty.

Organisational structure
Since its establishment, the Admiralty underwent numerous organisational reforms throughout its existence, but the core of the structure remained fairly consistent over the centuries. It was divided into four departments. In general, there were distinctions between the civil and military elements of the Admiralty, in order to emphasize civilian control.


 * 1) Admiralty Board or Navy Board — The top of the structure responsible for managing the entire organisation was known as the Admiralty or Navy Board. Its head was the Chief of the Admiralty himself, who also led the entire Admiralty. Besides the Chief there is also an appointed civilian head to oversee the Board and have a say in decision making in regards to matters not concerning military operations, known as the Senate Secretary of the Navy. The Chief was always an active duty admiral while the Secretary was usually a Senator.
 * 2) Admiralty War Council or Naval Staff — The body that served as the chief strategic and operational advisors to the Board and the Republic government, tasked with managing and allocating fleet assets to different fleet commands and naval stations throughout the galaxy, determining tactical and strategic policy doctrine, as well as setting regulations concerning men and material. The Chief of the War Council, or Naval Staff, oversaw the various Divisions or Sections—each led by a Director—that worked on different aspects of the organisation's roles.
 * 3) Admiral Departments — The different Departments were responsible for providing the men, ships, and materials deemed necessary by the War Council for achieving the Navy's objectives. Each was headed by a Director.
 * 4) Admiralty Secretariat — A general affairs and coordinating agency for the rest of the Admiralty, managing personnel affairs, financial budgeting, records keeping, and policy setting; as well as communications with the rest of the Republic government. Headed by a naval officer called the Director of the Secretariat.