A ROYAL NAVY officer has been named as the new Chief of Defence Staff, the highest military post in Britain's Armed Forces.

Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, will become the first Naval officer to take up the post for 12 years when he succeeds General Sir Charles Guthrie in February next year.

Admiral Boyce joined the Royal Navy in 1961 and was selected as a submarine commander after passing the Senior Service's imfamous 'Perisher' course. He went on to become Captain of the submarines HMS Oberon, HMS Opossum and HMS Superb.

The last Naval officer to hold the post was the late Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, who led the British campaign to recapture the Falkland Islands.

The top Defence job used to be rotated between the Navy, Army and Royal Air Force but the tradition ended after Admiral Fieldhouse's retirement in 1988.

Admiral Boyce (57) who is married with two children, faced some stiff competition for the post of Chief of Defence Staff. Other candidates were the Chief of General Staff, General Sir Michael Walker, and General Sir Mike Jackson, Commander in Chief UK Land Forces.

The appointment will be welcomed by Royal Navy staff who had hoped that the former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jock Slater, would be selected for the post in 1996.