A vice admiral may command the squadron and one division, while a rear admiral commands the other division. Within each division, ships can be paired under a senior captain for further coordination. One of the private-ship captains, as distinct from a flag captain, takes this role in a commodore-no-pennant arrangement. The captains remain formal peers, but one is recognized as first among them when their ships work together. These smaller command relationships keep authority clear below the level of the admirals.
Notable Point · 9:25-10:16
Senior captains extend command below the flag-officer level
Vice admirals, rear admirals, and senior captains create additional layers of authority inside a divided squadron.