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Royal Navy
*** Shopping-Tip: Royal Navy
{{Royal Navy}}
The '''Royal Navy''' of the
United Kingdom is the "senior service" of the
British Armed Forces British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. From approximately
1692 until
World War II, the Royal Navy was the largest and most powerful
navy in the world. The navy helped establish the United Kingdom as the dominant military and economic power of the 18th and 19th centuries, and was essential for maintaining the
British Empire. Although the Royal Navy is now much smaller, it remains the second largest navy in the world in terms of gross tonnage and one of the most technologically advanced. The end of the
Cold War with the collapse of the
Soviet Union has precipitated a restructuring of the Royal Navy's role as a major naval player in the 21st century, from that of a deterrence force to a navy capable of extending British foreign policy worldwide.
Naval service
Officially, the Royal Navy is considered only one of the components of the
Naval Service, which also includes the
Royal Marines, the
Royal Naval Reserve, etc. In common usage, however, the whole service is referred to as the Royal Navy; so while it is technically incorrect to say, for example, that the Royal Marines are part of the Royal Navy, it is good enough for most purposes (although possibly unwise within earshot of a
Royal Marines slang#B bootneck).
The Naval Service had 36,320 regular personnel in April 2005.
History
:''Main article:
History of the Royal Navy''
(all headings after
1601 and the '
Union of the Crowns' apply to the United Kingdom)
Image:HMS_Lively.jpg thumb|right|300 px|38 gun Frigate HMS ''Lively''
Image:HMS_Dreadnought_1906_H63367.jpg HMS Dreadnought (1906) thumb|right|300 px|[[HMS Dreadnought (1906)|HMS ''Dreadnought''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Dreadnought''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300 px|[[HMS Dreadnought (1906)|HMS ''Dreadnought''">thumb|right|300 px|[[HMS Dreadnought (1906)|HMS ''Dreadnought''">HMS ''Dreadnought''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300 px|[[HMS Dreadnought (1906)|HMS ''Dreadnought''">thumb|right|300 px|[[HMS Dreadnought (1906)|HMS ''Dreadnought''
Image:British Grand Fleet 2.jpg British Grand Fleet right|thumb|300px|The [[British Grand Fleet|Grand Fleet during WWI.html" title="Meaning of Grand Fleet.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|300px|The [[British Grand Fleet|Grand Fleet">right|thumb|300px|The [[British Grand Fleet|Grand Fleet during WWI">Grand Fleet.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|300px|The [[British Grand Fleet|Grand Fleet">right|thumb|300px|The [[British Grand Fleet|Grand Fleet during WWI
Image:HMS Hood at Panama Canal.jpg HMS_Hood (51) thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hood (51)|HMS ''Hood''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Hood''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hood (51)|HMS ''Hood''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hood (51)|HMS ''Hood''">HMS ''Hood''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hood (51)|HMS ''Hood''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hood (51)|HMS ''Hood''
Image:HMS Southampton D90.jpg HMS_Southampton (D90) thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Southampton (D90)|HMS ''Southampton''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Southampton''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Southampton (D90)|HMS ''Southampton''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Southampton (D90)|HMS ''Southampton''">HMS ''Southampton''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Southampton (D90)|HMS ''Southampton''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Southampton (D90)|HMS ''Southampton''
Image:HMS Cumberland and CVN-69.jpg HMS_Cumberland (F85) thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Cumberland (F85)|HMS ''Cumberland''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Cumberland''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Cumberland (F85)|HMS ''Cumberland''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Cumberland (F85)|HMS ''Cumberland''">HMS ''Cumberland''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Cumberland (F85)|HMS ''Cumberland''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Cumberland (F85)|HMS ''Cumberland''
Image:HMS Warspite (Valiant-class submarine).jpg HMS_Warspite (S103) thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Warspite (S103)|HMS ''Warspite'', The Royal Navy's third nuclear-powered submarine..html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Warspite''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Warspite (S103)|HMS ''Warspite''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Warspite (S103)|HMS ''Warspite'', The Royal Navy's third nuclear-powered submarine.">HMS ''Warspite''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Warspite (S103)|HMS ''Warspite''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Warspite (S103)|HMS ''Warspite'', The Royal Navy's third nuclear-powered submarine.
Image:Vanguard class image.jpg HMS_Vanguard (S28) thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Vanguard (S28)|HMS ''Vanguard''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Vanguard''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Vanguard (S28)|HMS ''Vanguard''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Vanguard (S28)|HMS ''Vanguard''">HMS ''Vanguard''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Vanguard (S28)|HMS ''Vanguard''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Vanguard (S28)|HMS ''Vanguard''
Image:Viraat.jpg HMS_Hermes (R12) thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hermes (R12)|HMS ''Hermes'', Flagship of the British Task Force sent to liberate the
Falkland Islands..html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Hermes''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hermes (R12)|HMS ''Hermes''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hermes (R12)|HMS ''Hermes'', Flagship of the British Task Force sent to liberate the
Falkland Islands.">HMS ''Hermes''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hermes (R12)|HMS ''Hermes''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Hermes (R12)|HMS ''Hermes'', Flagship of the British Task Force sent to liberate the
Falkland Islands.
Image:HMS Invincible.jpg HMS_Invincible (R05) thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Invincible (R05)|HMS ''Invincible''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Invincible''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Invincible (R05)|HMS ''Invincible''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Invincible (R05)|HMS ''Invincible''">HMS ''Invincible''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Invincible (R05)|HMS ''Invincible''">thumb|right|300px|[[HMS Invincible (R05)|HMS ''Invincible''
Image:2006 CVF STOVL.jpg Royal Navy CVF programme thumb|300px|Future [[Royal Navy CVF programme|CVF aircraft carrier.html" title="Meaning of CVF.html" title="Meaning of thumb|300px|Future [[Royal Navy CVF programme|CVF">thumb|300px|Future [[Royal Navy CVF programme|CVF aircraft carrier">CVF.html" title="Meaning of thumb|300px|Future [[Royal Navy CVF programme|CVF">thumb|300px|Future [[Royal Navy CVF programme|CVF aircraft carrier
The Royal Navy has historically played a central role in the
Defense (military) defence and wars of the United Kingdom. Because the British Isles are surrounded by seas, any
enemy power, would have had to cross by sea in order to invade. Attainment of naval superiority by any hostile power would have placed the nation in great peril. Moreover, a strong navy was vital in maintaining the security of supply and
communication links with distant locations in the Empire.
England - Saxon navy (c. 800-1066)
England's first navy was established in the 9th century by
Alfred the Great but, despite inflicting a significant defeat on the
Vikings at Stourmouth,
Kent (now silted up in
Romney Marsh), it soon fell into disrepair. It was revived by
Athelstan of England King Athelstan and, at the time of his victory at the
Battle of Brunanburh in 937, the English navy had a strength of approximately 400 ships.
England - Norman and Medieval, to 1485 - The Cinque Ports
Saxon naval forces having failed to prevent
William I from crossing the channel and winning the
Battle of Hastings, the
Normans Norman kings started an equivalent force in
1155, with ships provided by the
Cinque Ports alliance (possibly created by
Normans Norman, possibly pre-existing then developed by them for their own purposes). The Normans probably did establish of the post of
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
John I of England King John had a fleet of 500 sail. In the mid-fourteenth century
Edward III of England Edward III's navy had some 712 ships. There then followed a period of decline.
England - The Tudors and the Royal Navy
see also
Henry VIII of England#Royal_Navy Henry VIII
The first reformation and major expansion of the '''Navy Royal''', as it was then known, occurred in the 16th century during the reign of
Henry VIII of England Henry VIII whose ships,
Great Harry ''Henri Grâce a Dieu'' ("''Great Harry''") and ''
Mary Rose'', engaged the
French navy in the
battle of the Solent in 1545. By the time of Henry's death in 1547 his fleet had grown to 58 vessels.
In 1588 the
Spanish Empire, at the time Europe's great superpower, threatened England with invasion and the
Spanish Armada set sail to enforce Spain's dominance over the
English Channel and transport troops from the
Spanish Netherlands to England. However, the armada failed, due to a combination of repeated successful attacks by the Royal Navy of England, bad weather and a revolt by the Dutch in Spain's territories across the Channel. The defeat of the armada is the first major victory by the English at sea. However the
English Armada Drake-Norris Expedition of 1589 saw the tide of war turn against the Royal Navy. England continued to raid Spain's ports and ships travelling across the
Atlantic Ocean under the reign of
Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I but was to suffer a series of damaging defeats against a reformed
Spanish navy.
1692-1815
A permanent Naval Service did not exist until the mid
17th century when the Fleet Royal was taken under
Parliament of the United Kingdom Parliamentary control following the defeat of
Charles I of England Charles I in the
English Civil War. This second reformation of the navy was carried out under 'General-at-Sea' (equivalent to Admiral)
Robert Blake (admiral) Robert Blake during
Oliver Cromwell's
Commonwealth of England Commonwealth. The incorporation of the Royal Navy was in contrast to the land forces, which are descended from variety of different sources including both royal and anti-royal Parliamentary forces.
After having suffered defeats in the second and third
Anglo-Dutch War Anglo-Dutch wars the Royal Navy was the strongest navy in the world from 1692 to 1940 (the Dutch navy being placed under control of the Royal Navy by
William III of England William III's command following the
Glorious Revolution), with almost uncontested power over the world's
oceans from 1805 to 1914, when it came to be said that "''
Britannia'' ruled the waves". In that time, the Royal Navy suffered only one major defeat—the
battle of the Chesapeake against
France in 1781 (although in 1796 a French invasion fleet was only prevented from landing in
Bantry Bay, Ireland by the weather)—and was able to defeat all challengers, as at the
Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 where a combined
France French and
Spain Spanish fleet was decisively beaten by a smaller but more experienced British fleet under the command of Admiral
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson Lord Nelson.
The victory at Trafalgar consolidated the United Kingdom's advantage over other European maritime powers. By concentrating its military resources in the navy it could both defend itself and project its power across the oceans as well as threaten or disrupt rivals' ocean trading routes. The United Kingdom therefore only needed to maintain a relatively small, highly mobile, professional army that could be dispatched to where it was needed by sea, as well as be given support by the navy with bombardment, movement, supplies and reinforcement. Meanwhile rivals could have their sea-borne supplies cut off, as occurred with Napoleon's army in Egypt. Other major European powers were forced to split their resources between maintaining both a large navy and enormous armies and fortifications to defend their land frontiers. The domination of the sea therefore allowed the United Kingdom to rapidly build its
empire, especially from the
Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and throughout the 19th century, giving it enormous military, political and commercial advantages.
It is of interest to note that unlike the French navy of pre-revolutionary France, the highest commands of the Royal Navy were open to all within its ranks showing talent and determination. This greatly increased the pool of talent available to fill these positions, even if there was a bias towards the upper classes. Furthermore the
French Revolution French revolution's anti-aristocratic purges caused the loss of most of the French navy's experienced commanders, further increasing the Royal Navy's advantage.
Despite the military successes of the Royal Navy during this period, the conditions of service for ordinary seamen, including no increases in pay for a century, late payment of wages and maintaining ships in commission for years without shore leave, all set against the background of harsh and arbitrary discipline, eventually resulted in
Spithead and Nore mutinies (1797) serious mutinies in 1797 when the crews of the Spithead and Nore fleets refused to obey their officers and some captains were sent ashore. This resulted in the short-lived "''Floating Republic''" which at
Spithead was quelled by promising improvements in conditions, but at the
Nore resulted in the
capital punishment hanging of 29 mutineers.
1815-1914
During the 19th century the Royal Navy was also busy in enforcing the ban on the
slave trade and the suppression of
pirate piracy. Another task the Royal navy was given during the 19th century (and before and after as well), was to map the world. Mostly, this involved the seas and oceans, recording every coast line in a scrupulous effort to provide this information for humanity. To this day, Admiralty charts are continuously updated by the Royal Navy, as they always have been.
In addition, Royal Navy vessels on such surveying missions carried out extensive scientific work. On one such voyage,
Charles Darwin traveled around the world on the
HMS Beagle ''Beagle'', making scientific observations which later influenced his development of the
theory of evolution.
Life in the early Royal Navy would be considered harsh by today's standards;
discipline was severe and
Flagellation flogging was used to enforce obedience to the
Articles of War. The law allowed the Navy to use the unpopular practice of
impressment where
sailors seamen were forced to serve in the Navy during times of manpower shortage, usually in wartime. Impressment reached its peak in the 18th and early 19th century but was abandoned after the end of the
Napoleonic Wars as the peacetime Navy was smaller.
During the later half of the 19th century, ships of the Royal Navy were used for 'Gunboat Diplomacy'. For this, large, heavily armed gunboats with shallow draught were employed in coastal areas in the far reaches of the Empire, to mostly assure the local population/ruler of the United Kingdom's power, and to also interfere where the UK's interests were at stake.
1914–1945
During the two
World Wars, the Royal Navy played a vital role in keeping the United Kingdom supplied with
food,
Weapon arms, and
Material raw materials, and in defeating the German campaigns of
unrestricted submarine warfare in the
First Battle of the Atlantic first and
Second Battle of the Atlantic second battles of the Atlantic. During the First World War it fought in several sea battles,
Battle of Heligoland Bight,
Battle of Coronel,
Battle of the Falkland Islands,
Battle of Dogger Bank (1915) Battle of Dogger Bank and
Dardanelles Campaign, but the
Battle of Jutland is the most well known. The Royal Navy was also vital in guarding the sea lanes that enabled British forces to fight in remote parts of the world such as
North Africa, the
Mediterranean, and the
Far East. Naval supremacy was vital to the amphibious operations carried out, such as the invasions of
Operation Torch Northwest Africa, Sicily, Italy, and
Battle of Normandy Normandy. See ''
British military history of World War II''.
The Cold War
After
World War II, the growing power of the
United States and the decline of the British Empire reduced the role of the Royal Navy. However the threat of the Soviet Union and continuing British commitments throughout the world created a new and important role for the Navy. In the 1960s, the Royal Navy received its first nuclear weapons and was later to become solely responsible for the maintenance of the
Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom UK's nuclear deterrent. In the latter stages of the
Cold War, the Royal Navy was reconfigured with three
anti-submarine warfare aircraft carriers and a force of small
frigates and
destroyers. Its purpose was to search for and, if necessary, destroy
Soviet Navy Soviet submarines in the
North Atlantic.
Recent operations
The most important post-war operation conducted solely by the Royal Navy was the defeat in 1982 of
Argentina in the
Falklands War Falkland Islands War. Despite losing 4 naval ships and other civilian and RFA ships as well as having other ships damaged to a greater or lesser extent, the Royal Navy proved it was still able to fight a battle 8,000 miles (12,800 km) from the British mainland.
HMS Conqueror is the only nuclear-powered submarine to have engaged an enemy ship with torpedoes, sinking the Argentine cruiser
ARA General Belgrano. The war also underlined the critical importance and power of aircraft carriers and submarines, and exposed the service's late 20th century dependency on chartered merchant vessels.
The Royal Navy also participated in the
Gulf War, the
Kosovo conflict, the
U.S. invasion of Afghanistan Afghanistan Campaign, and the
2003 Iraq War, the last of which saw RN warships
artillery bombard positions in support of the
Al Faw Peninsula landings by Royal Marines. Also during that war, HM submarines
HMS Splendid (S106) ''Splendid'' and
HMS Turbulent (S87) ''Turbulent'' launched a number of
BGM-109 Tomahawk Tomahawk cruise missiles on a variety of targets in
Iraq.
The Royal Navy today
At the beginning of the 1990s, the '''
Royal Navy''' was a force designed for the
Cold War - with its three ASW
aircraft carrier aircraft carriers and a force of small
frigate frigates and
destroyers, its purpose was to search for and destroy
Soviet Union Soviet submarines in the North
Atlantic (ocean) Atlantic. However, the
Falklands War proved a need for the Royal Navy to regain a
bluewater capability which, with its resources at the time, would prove difficult. This has been shown even more so with the number of operations the Royal Navy has conducted that have required a carrier to be sent all over the world (the Adriatic for service in
Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Kosovo, off the coast of
Sierra Leone, the
Persian Gulf). So, over the course of 1990s, the navy has begun a series of projects to enhance and rebuild its fleet, with a view to bringing its capabilities into the 21st century and allow it to turn from a North Atlantic based, anti-submarine force into a true
Blue water navy.
In August 2005 the Royal Navy rescued seven Russians stranded in a submarine in the Pacific Ocean.
Current Deployments
The Royal Navy is currently deployed in many areas of the world, including a number of
standing Royal Navy deployments.
Standing Royal Navy deployments North Atlantic Tasks
:Fleet Ready Escort
HMS Westminster (F237)
:Mine Countermeasures Force (Group 1)
Sandown class minehunter
:Fishery Protection Squadron
River class patrol vessel
Standing Royal Navy deployments Mediterranean Tasks
:Standing NRF Maritime (Group 2)
HMS Nottingham (D91)
Standing Royal Navy deployments Caribbean Tasks
:Atlantic Patrol Task (North)
Standing Royal Navy deployments South Atlantic Tasks
:Atlantic Patrol Task (South)
HMS Liverpool (D92)
:Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel
HMS Dumbarton Castle (P265)
:Ice Patrol Ship
HMS Endurance (A171)
Standing Royal Navy deployments East-of-Suez Tasks
:Armilla Patrol
HMS St Albans (F83),
RFA Diligence (A132)
:Far-East/Pacific Tasking
HMS Bulwark (L15),
HMS Lancaster (F229),
HMS Enterprise (H88), Fleet Flagship
HMS Illustrious (R06),
HMS Gloucester (D96)
Names
Nicknames for the Royal Navy include "The Mob", "The Andrew", and "The Senior Service". Nowadays the British sailor usually refers to himself as "Jack" rather than "
Jacktar". Foreign nicknames for a British
sailor are
Alternative words for British "Limey". In port towns like Portsmouth and Plymouth they are often referred to as "Matelots" (pronounced 'matloes' the French word for sailor) or more derogatively as "skates" (due to the alleged sexual abuse of these fish), this term is also used to describe someone from Portsmouth from someone in (rival city) Southampton, the naval base being reason for this. Royal Marines are fondly known as "Bootnecks" or often just referred to as "Royal"
The British Royal Navy is commonly referred to as "The Royal Navy" both inside and outside the
United Kingdom. Commonwealth navies also include their national name e.g. '''Royal Australian Navy'''. However, there are other navies, such as the ''Koninklijke Marine'' (Royal Netherlands Navy) which are also simply called the "Royal Navy" in their own language.
The book '''Jackspeak''' by Rick Jolly [http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books-uk&field-author=Rick%2C%20Jolly/202-0907656-4033414] and illustrated by the cartoonist Tugg provides an informal history of naval language.
The Napoleonic campaigns of the navy have been the subject of many novels including
Patrick O'Brian's series featuring
Jack Aubrey,
C.S. Forester's
Horatio Hornblower, and
Alexander Kent's
Richard Bolitho.
Bernard Cornwell's
Sharpe (TV series) Sharpe series though primarily involving the
Peninsular War of the time, includes several novels involving
Richard Sharpe at sea, with the Navy.
Ships of the Royal Navy
''see main article at:
List of ships of the Royal Navy''
Commissioned (surface) ships of the Royal Navy are accorded the prefix '''
HMS''' which stands for
Her Majesty's Ship (alternatively,
His Majesty's Ship), for example HMS ''
Ark Royal''. Submarines on the other hand are styled HM Submarine, though still abbreviated HMS. Fleet support units, usually manned by civilians are given the prefix '''
Royal Fleet Auxiliary RFA''' or
Royal Fleet Auxiliary, such as RFA ''
Sir Galahad''. Ships and submarines are then also given a
pennant number.
The Royal Navy has the following classes of vessel in use today:
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor=cccccc
!Class!!Type!!Quantity!!Launched!!Details
|-
|
Invincible class aircraft carrier ''Invincible'' ||
Aircraft Carrier .html">BAE Sea Harrier
Sea Harrier FA2 and GR7 Harrier aircraft,
RAF Merlin HC3 Merlin,
CH-47 Chinook Chinook and
Westland Sea King Sea King helicopters.
|-
|
HMS Ocean (L12) ''Ocean'' ||
Amphibious assault ship || 1 || 1995 || A
Landing Platform, Helicopter carrier, carrying up to 18 helicopters and 4 landing craft.
|-
|
Albion class landing platform dock ''Albion'' ||
Landing Platform Dock || 2 || 2001 || Used for amphibious assault, capable of carrying 4 landing craft, and up to 325 men.
|-
|
Type 42 destroyer Type 42 (''Sheffield'') ||
Destroyer .html">Sea Dart anti aircraft missile. Due to be replaced by the
Type 45 destroyer Type 45 Destroyers.html" title="Meaning of _8 || 1978-1982 || Anti-aircraft destroyer, carries the Type 45 Destroyers">Type 45 Destroyers.
|-
|
Type 23 frigate Type 23 (''Duke'') ||
Frigate .html">Harpoon missile for anti-ship warfare, and
Sea Wolf missile Sea Wolf.html" title="Meaning of _13 || 1989-2000 || Anti-submarine/general purpose frigate. Carries the Sea Wolf">Sea Wolf for air defence. Capable of holding one
Westland Lynx Lynx helicopter with
Sea Skua missiles,
Stingray torpedo Stingray torpedoes or
depth charges or a Merlin Mk 1 helicopter.
|-
|
Type 22 frigate Type 22 (''Broadsword'') ||
Frigate .html">Harpoon missile for anti-ship warfare, and
Sea Wolf missile Sea Wolf.html" title="Meaning of _4 || 1985-1988 || Anti-submarine/general purpose frigate. Carries the Sea Wolf">Sea Wolf for air defence. Capable of holding two Lynx helicopters with Sea Skua missiles, Stingray torpedoes or depth charges.
|-
|
HMS Endurance (A171) ''Endurance'' ||
Antarctica Antarctic patrol vessel || 1 || 1990 ||
Icebreaker patrol vessel for deployment in the Antarctic.
|-
|
Vanguard class submarine ''Vanguard'' ||
SSBN || 4 || 1992-1998 || Nuclear ballistic missile submarines, carrying the
Trident missile, the UK's nuclear deterrent.
|-
|
Swiftsure class submarine ''Swiftsure'' ||
Submarine .html">Tomahawk missile
Tomahawk cruise missiles.
|-
|
Trafalgar class submarine ''Trafalgar'' ||
Submarine || 7 || 1981-1991 || Nuclear powered fleet submarines, carrying torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
|-
|
Hunt class minesweeper (1978) ''Hunt'' ||
Mine countermeasure vessel MCMV || 8 || 1978-1988 || Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MCMV) with secondary patrol vessel role.
|-
|
Sandown class minesweeper ''Sandown'' ||
Minehunter || 8 || 1988-2001 || Single role minehunter.
|-
|
HMS Scott (H131) ''Scott'' ||
Survey vessel || 1 || 1996 || Ocean-going hydrographic survey ship.
|-
|
HMS Roebuck (H130) ''Roebuck'' ||
Survey vessel || 1 || 1986 || Coastal hydrographic survey ship.
|-
|
Echo class survey vessel ''Echo'' ||
Survey vessel || 2 || 2002 || Multi-role hydrographic survey ships.
|-
|
Castle class patrol vessel ''Castle'',
River class patrol vessel ''River'', and ''Archer'' / ''P2000'', ''Scimitar'' ||
Patrol vessel || 22 || 1970s-2000s || Patrol vessels of various classes for coastal defence and surveillance.
|}
Command of the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is established under the
royal prerogative, and the head of the Royal Navy, known as the
Lord High Admiral, is
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (who is the overall head of the
UK Armed Forces).
In earlier times the office of Lord High Admiral was delegated to a naval officer. The office later came to be frequently put into commission, during which time the Royal Navy was run by a board headed by the
First Lord of the Admiralty. In 1964 the functions of the Admiralty were transferred to the
Secretary of State for Defence and the
Defence Council of the United Kingdom. Since then, the historic title of Lord High Admiral has been restored to the
British monarchy Sovereign.
The functions of the Defence Council that concern the administration of the Naval Service are formally delegated to an
Admiralty Board and its sub-committee, the
Navy Board, which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Royal Navy.
The
professional head of the Royal Navy is the
First Sea Lord (who also holds the title of Chief of the Naval Staff). The current incumbent is
Jonathon Band Admiral Sir Jonathon Band.
Commanders-in-Chief
Historically, the Royal Navy has usually been split into several commands, each with a
Commander-in-Chief, e.g. Commander-in-Chief Plymouth, Commander-in-Chief China Station, etc. There now remain only two Commanders-in-Chief,
Commander-in-Chief Fleet and
Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, and it is planned that these two commands will soon amalgamate.
In 1971, with the withdrawal from
Singapore, the
British Eastern Fleet Far East and
British Western Fleet Western fleets of the Royal Navy were unified into one command under the Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET). It was initially based at
Northwood in
Middlesex, continuing the tradition of basing the home naval command there that had started in 1960 when the Home Fleet command had been transferred ashore. Recently most of CINCFLEET's staff has transferred to a new facility in Portsmouth. However, CINCFLEET himself and a small staff remain at Northwood. The current CINCFLEET is Admiral Sir
James Burnell-Nugent.
The Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command (CINCNAVHOME) also known as the
Second Sea Lord, is responsible for the shore-based establishments and manpower of the Royal Navy, and is based in Portsmouth, flying his flag aboard ''
HMS Victory''. This role is currently held by Vice-Admiral Adrian Johns.
Royal Navy timeline and battle honours
Image:Luny Thomas Battle Of The Nile August 1st 1798 At 10pm.jpg thumb|right|250px|The Battle of the Nile
Image:Slaget på reden.jpg thumb|right|250px|The Battle of Copenhagen
Image:Turner, The Battle of Trafalgar (1806).jpg thumb|right|250px|The Battle of Trafalgar
Image:Grand fleet jutland.jpg thumb|right|250px|The Battle of Jutland
Image:Renown-7.jpg thumb|right|250px|The Battle of the Atlantic
*1588 The
Spanish Armada
*1589 The
English Armada
*1652
Battle of Dungeness
*1690
Battle of Beachy Head (1690) Battle of Beachy Head
*1692
Battle of La Hougue
*1692
Battle of Plaisance (Placentia)
*1759
Battle of Quiberon Bay and
Battle of Lagos
*1762
Battle of Signal Hill
*1780
Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)
*1781
Battle of the Chesapeake and
Battle of Dogger Bank (1781)
*1782
Battle of St. Kitts and
Battle of the Saintes
*1794
The Glorious First of June
*1797
Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797)
*1798
Battle of the Nile
*1801
Battle of Copenhagen
*1805
Battle of Trafalgar
*1808–1814
Peninsular war
*1812–1814
War of 1812
*1821 First steam paddle ships for auxiliary use (tugs ''etc.'')
*1839-1842
Opium War First Anglo-Chinese war.
*1840 First
Propeller screw driven
Steamship,
HMS Rattler (1843) ''Rattler''
*1902 First Royal Navy
submarine,
HMS Holland 1 ''Holland 1''
*1905 First
Steam turbine and all big-gun
battleship,
HMS Dreadnought (1906) ''Dreadnought''
*1914–1918
First Battle of the Atlantic
*1914
Battle of Heligoland Bight,
Battle of Coronel,
Battle of the Falkland Islands
*1915
Battle of Dogger Bank (1915) and
Dardanelles Campaign
*1916
Battle of Jutland
*1919
Russian Civil War
*1931
Invergordon Mutiny
*1939–1945
Second Battle of the Atlantic
*1939
Battle of the River Plate
*1940
Battle of Dunkirk Operation Dynamo (Dunkirk)
*1941
Battle of Cape Matapan
*1941 Sinking of
HMS Hood (51) HMS ''Hood'' and the German battleship
German battleship Bismarck ''Bismarck''
*1943
Battle of North Cape
*1944
Operation Tungsten
*1944
Operation Neptune Operation Neptune (Normandy)
*1946 Mining of
HMS Saumarez (G12) ''Saumarez'' and
HMS Volage (R41) ''Volage'' in the
Corfu Channel Incident
*1949
HMS Amethyst (U16) ''Amethyst'' incident on the
Yangtze River
*1950
Korean War begins
*1956
Suez Crisis Suez campaign
*1962 Indonesian
Konfrontasi begins in Borneo
*1963 First British nuclear submarine,
HMS Dreadnought (S101) ''Dreadnought''
*1965
Beira Patrol against
Rhodesia begins
*1980
Armilla Patrol in the
Persian Gulf begins
*1982
Falklands War
*1991
Gulf War
*1999
Operation Allied Force Kosovo conflict
*2000
Sierra Leone
*2001
Operation Veritas Afghanistan Campaign
*2003
Operation Telic Iraq War
Famous sailors of the Royal Navy
{| width='100%'
|- valign=top
|
In approximate chronological order / seniority.
*
Humphrey Gilbert Sir Humphrey Gilbert
*
Martin Frobisher Sir Martin Frobisher
*
Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake
*
Robert Blake (admiral) Robert Blake
*
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
*
James II of England James, Duke of York
*
William Penn (admiral) William Penn
*
Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich
*
George Anson, 1st Baron Anson
*
Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke
*
Edward Boscawen
*
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney George Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
*
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
*
Samuel Barrington
*
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood
*
Richard Kempenfelt
*
John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent
*
James Cook
*
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
*
Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth
*
Sidney Smith (admiral) Sir Sidney Smith
*
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
*
James Vashon Sir James Vashon
*
George Vancouver
*
William Bligh
*
John Franklin Sir John Franklin
*
Charles Robert Malden
*
John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher Jackie Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher
*
Robert Falcon Scott
*
John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe
*
David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
*
William Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork
*
Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
*
James Somerville
*
Max Horton
*
Philip Vian
*
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
*
Frederick John Walker
*
John Woodward Sir John "Sandy" Woodward
*
James Stirling (Australian governor) Admiral Sir James Stirling
*
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
*
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
*
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
|
Image:FrancisDrake.jpg Francis_Drake thumb|120px|right|[[Francis Drake|Sir Francis Drake, c. 1540–1596..html" title="Meaning of Sir Francis Drake.html" title="Meaning of thumb|120px|right|[[Francis Drake|Sir Francis Drake">thumb|120px|right|[[Francis Drake|Sir Francis Drake, c. 1540–1596.">Sir Francis Drake.html" title="Meaning of thumb|120px|right|[[Francis Drake|Sir Francis Drake">thumb|120px|right|[[Francis Drake|Sir Francis Drake, c. 1540–1596.
Image:captainjamescookportrait.jpg James_Cook.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|120px|right|[[James Cook, 1728–1779..html" title="Meaning of 120px|right|[[James Cook">thumb|120px|right|[[James Cook, 1728–1779.">120px|right|[[James Cook">thumb|120px|right|[[James Cook, 1728–1779.
image:Horatio Nelson.jpg Horatio_Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson thumbnail|right|120px|[[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1758–1805.html" title="Meaning of Admiral Horatio Nelson.html" title="Meaning of thumbnail|right|120px|[[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Admiral Horatio Nelson">thumbnail|right|120px|[[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1758–1805">Admiral Horatio Nelson.html" title="Meaning of thumbnail|right|120px|[[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Admiral Horatio Nelson">thumbnail|right|120px|[[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1758–1805
Image:JohnJellicoe.jpeg John_Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe thumb|120px|right|[[John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe|Sir John Jellicoe, 1859–1935.html" title="Meaning of Sir John Jellicoe.html" title="Meaning of thumb|120px|right|[[John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe|Sir John Jellicoe">thumb|120px|right|[[John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe|Sir John Jellicoe, 1859–1935">Sir John Jellicoe.html" title="Meaning of thumb|120px|right|[[John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe|Sir John Jellicoe">thumb|120px|right|[[John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe|Sir John Jellicoe, 1859–1935
|}
Famous ships of the Royal Navy
For a full list, see
List of Royal Navy ship names
Image:Battleship1.jpg HMS_Victory thumb|right|[[HMS Victory|HMS ''Victory''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Victory''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|[[HMS Victory|HMS ''Victory''">thumb|right|[[HMS Victory|HMS ''Victory''">HMS ''Victory''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|[[HMS Victory|HMS ''Victory''">thumb|right|[[HMS Victory|HMS ''Victory''
Image:HMS Warspite (Queen Elizabeth-class battleship).jpg HMS_Warspite (1913) thumb|right|[[HMS Warspite (1913)|HMS ''Warspite''.html" title="Meaning of HMS ''Warspite''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|[[HMS Warspite (1913)|HMS ''Warspite''">thumb|right|[[HMS Warspite (1913)|HMS ''Warspite''">HMS ''Warspite''.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|[[HMS Warspite (1913)|HMS ''Warspite''">thumb|right|[[HMS Warspite (1913)|HMS ''Warspite''
*
Mary Rose ''Mary Rose'' — sank in 1545 off
Portsmouth
*
HMS Ark Royal ''Ark Royal'' — flagship of English Fleet against the
Spanish Armada.
As of 2005, the current
HMS Ark Royal (R07) ''Ark Royal'' is an
Invincible class aircraft carrier ''Invincible''-class aircraft carrier that saw action in the
2003 Iraq War 2003 Iraq conflict
*
Mutiny on the Bounty (history) ''Bounty'' — scene of the famous mutiny.
*
HMS Victory ''Victory'' —
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson Nelson's flagship. This ship is still officially in service and is the world's oldest commissioned warship and the flagship of the
Second Sea Lord
*
HMS Beagle ''Beagle'' — carried
Charles Darwin on his voyage.
*
HMS Warrior (1860) ''Warrior'' — one of the first
ironclad warships
*
HMS Dreadnought (1906) ''Dreadnought'' — first "all big-gun"
battleship
*
HMS Warspite (1913) ''Warspite'' — fought at
Battle of Jutland Jutland and through the
Second World War
*
HMS Hood (51) ''Hood'' —
battlecruiser destroyed by the
German battleship Bismarck ''Bismarck''
*
HMS Vanguard (1946) ''Vanguard'' — last battleship built for the Royal Navy
*
HMS Dreadnought (S101) ''Dreadnought'' — first British nuclear-powered
submarine
*
HMS Resolution (S22) ''Resolution'' — first British strategic ballistic missile submarine
*
HMS Invincible (R05) ''Invincible'' — light
aircraft carrier
*
HMS Conqueror (S48) ''Conqueror'' — nuclear attack submarine, responsible for the sinking of the
ARA General Belgrano ARA ''General Belgrano'' during the
Falklands War.
See also
* The
Admiralty
*
Comparative military ranks
*
Admiral#Royal Navy Admiral
* "
Heart of Oak" — the official Royal Navy march
*
Navy List
*
Covey Crump
*
Pink gin
*
List of fleets (includes British fleets of the two World Wars)
*
List of senior officers of the {{PAGENAME}}
*
List of Royal Navy ships
*
British Naval ensigns
*
British Department of Naval Intelligence Department of Naval Intelligence
*
British military history
*
Royal Naval Division
*
Royal Navy Dockyard
*
Standing Royal Navy deployments
*
UK topics
*
The Royal British Legion
* "
Rule Britannia"
*
Warfare Officer
*
Engineer Officer
Further reading
* Arthur Herman, ''To Rule The Waves: How The British Navy Changed The World'', Harpercollins (October, 2004), hardcover, 528 pages, ISBN 0060534249
* N. A. M. Rodger, ''The Safeguard of the Sea: A Naval History of Britain from 660 - 1649'',
* N. A. M. Rodger, ''The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain from 1649 - 1815'', Penguin (2004), paperback, 907 pages, ISBN 0140288961
External links
{{commons|Category:Royal Navy}}
-
Official Website of the Royal Navy
-
Navy News - Royal Navy Newspaper
-
The Marine Society & Sea Cadets
-
Cook's Navy in 1770
-
Royal Navy 1793-1815
-
Women in the armed forces, magazine
-
An unofficial Royal Navy forum
-
RUM RATION - Another unofficial Royal Navy forum
{{British Military}}
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'''Royal Navy'''
| align="center" colspan="2"|
{| border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="background:#f9f9f9; text-align:left;"
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|-
! style="background:#ccccff; font-size: 95%; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaaaaa; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | '''Components'''
|-
| Royal Navy
|-
| Royal Marines
|-
| Fleet Air Arm
|-
| Royal Fleet Auxiliary
|-
| Royal Naval Reserve
|-
! style="background:#ccccff; font-size: 95%; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaaaaa; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | '''History'''
|-
| History of the Royal Navy
|-
| Royal Navy in the 21st century Future of the Royal Navy
|-
! style="background:#ccccff; font-size: 95%; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaaaaa; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | '''Ships'''
|-
| Current Royal Navy ships Current Fleet
|-
| Standing Royal Navy deployments Current deployments
|-
| List of Royal Navy ship names Historic ships
|-
! style="background:#ccccff; font-size: 95%; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaaaaa; padding: 0 5px 0 5px;" | '''Personnel'''
|-
| Admiralty The Admiralty
|-
| List of senior officers of the Royal Navy Senior Officers
|}
|}
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