The 'Royal Navy' of the
United Kingdom is the oldest of the
British armed services (and is therefore the 'Senior Service'). From the early 18th century to the middle of the 20th century, it was the largest and most powerful
navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the
British Empire as the dominant power of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In
World War II, the Royal Navy operated almost 900
ships. During the
Cold War, it was transformed into a primarily
anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the
GIUK gap. With the collapse of the
Soviet Union, its role for the 21st century has returned to focus on
global expeditionary operations.
The Royal Navy is the second-largest navy in
NATO in terms of the combined
displacement of its
fleet.
[1] There are currently
91 commissioned ships in the Royal Navy, including aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, mine counter-measures and patrol vessels. There are also the support vessels of the
Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The Royal Navy's ability to
project power globally is considered second only to the
United States Navy.
[2][3]
The Royal Navy is a constituent component of the
Naval Service, which also comprises the
Royal Marines,
Royal Fleet Auxiliary,
Royal Naval Reserve and
Royal Marines Reserve. The Royal Navy numbers 37,500 people of which approximately 6,000 are in the Royal Marines.
[4]
History
Main articles: History of the Royal Navy
(all headings after 1603 and the
Union of the Crowns apply to the United Kingdom)
900–1500
England's first navy was established in the 9th century by
Alfred the Great but, despite inflicting a significant defeat on the
Vikings in the
Wantsum Channel at
Plucks Gutter near to
Stourmouth,
Kent, it fell into disuse. It was revived by
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. When the
Norman invasion was imminent,
King Harold had trusted to his navy to prevent
William the Conqueror's invasion fleet from crossing the Channel. However, not long before the invasion the fleet was damaged in a storm and driven into harbour, and the Normans were able to cross unopposed and defeat Harold at the
Battle of Hastings. The
Norman kings created a naval force in 1155, or adapted a force which already existed, with ships provided by the
Cinque Ports alliance. The Normans are believed to have established the post of
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
During the
Hundred Years' War, the French fleet was initially stronger than the English fleet, but was almost completely destroyed at the
Battle of Sluys in 1340. Much later the English navy suffered disastrous defeats off
La Rochelle in 1372 and 1419 to
Franco -
Castilian fleets, and English ports were ravaged by fleets commanded by
Jean de Vienne and
Fernando Sánchez de Tovar. The English Navy began to develop though and
King John had a fleet of 500 sails. In the mid-fourteenth century
Edward III's navy had some 712 ships. There then followed a period of decline.
1500–1707
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, whose ships
''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 superpower and the leading naval power of the 16th century, and the
Spanish Armada set sail to enforce Spain's dominance over the
English Channel and transport troops from the
Spanish Netherlands to England. The Spanish plan failed due to maladministration, logistical errors, English harrying, blocking actions by the Dutch, and bad weather. However, the bungled
Drake-Norris Expedition of 1589 saw the tide of war turn against the Royal Navy.
A permanent Naval Service did not exist until the mid 17th century, when the 'General-at-Sea' (equivalent to Admiral)
Robert Blake took the Fleet Royal under
Parliamentary control following the defeat of
Charles I. After defeats in the second and third
Anglo-Dutch wars the Royal Navy gradually developed into the strongest navy in the world. From 1692 the Dutch navy was placed under the command of the Royal Navy's admirals (though not incorporated into it) by order of
William III following the
Glorious Revolution.
Under the
Acts of Union in 1707 the
Royal Scots Navy merged with the English Navy and the modern Royal Navy came into being. The Royal Navy had become the ''British'' navy.
1707–1914
The early 18th century saw the Royal Navy with more ships than other navies. Although it suffered severe financial problems throughout the earlier part of this period, modern methods of financing government and in particular, the Navy were developed
[5]. This financing enabled the navy to become the powerful force of the later 18th century without bankrupting the country. Naval operations in the
War of the Spanish Succession were at first focused on the acquisition of a Mediterranean base, culminating in an alliance with
Portugal and the capture of
Gibraltar (1704) and
Port Mahon (1708). The middle part of the century was occupied with the
War of the Austrian Succession and the lesser known
War of Jenkin's Ear against
Spain. In the latter war, the British deployed a very large force under
Admiral Edward Vernon in the
Battle of Cartagena, aiming to capture this major Spanish colonial port in modern day
Colombia. Following an able defense assisted by strong fortifications, and the ravages of disease, the British failed in their attempts.
[6] The Navy also saw action in the
Seven Years' War which was later described by
Winston Churchill as the first
world war.
[7] The latter part of the century saw action in the
American Revolutionary War where the Navy was defeating the fledgling
Continental Navy until French intervention in 1778. The most important operation of the war came in 1781 when during the
Battle of the Chesapeake the British failed to lift the French blockade of Lord Cornwallis, resulting in a British surrender in the
Battle of Yorktown. Although combat was over in North America, it continued in the Caribbean (
Battle of the Saintes) and India, where the British experienced both successes and failures.
The
Napoleonic Wars saw the Royal Navy reach a peak of efficiency, dominating the navies of all Britain's adversaries. Initially Britain did not involve itself in the
French Revolution, but in 1793 France declared war. The next 12 years saw battles such as the
Cape St Vincent and the
Nile and short lived truces such as the
Peace of Amiens. The height of the Navy's achievements though came on
21 October 1805 at the
Battle of Trafalgar where a numerically smaller but more experienced British fleet under the command of Admiral
Lord Nelson decisively defeated a combined
French and
Spanish fleet. This eventually led to almost uncontested power over the world's
oceans from 1805 to 1914, when it came to be said that "
Britannia ruled the waves".
In the years following the battle of Trafalgar there was increasing tension at sea between Britain and the United States. American traders took advantage of their country's neutrality to trade with both the French-controlled parts of Europe and Britain. Both France and Britain tried to prevent each other's trade, but only the Royal Navy was in a position to enforce a blockade. In 1812, the United States declared war on the United Kingdom and invaded
Canada. At sea, the
American War of 1812 was characterised by
single-ship actions between small ships, and disruption of merchant shipping. Between 1793 and 1815 the Royal Navy lost 344 vessels due to non-combat causes: 75 by foundering, 254 shipwrecked and 15 from accidental burnings or explosions. In the same period it lost 103,660 seamen: 84,440 by disease and accidents, 12,680 by shipwreck or foundering, and 6,540 by enemy action. During the 19th century the Royal Navy enforced a ban on the
slave trade, acted to suppress
piracy, and continued to map the world. To this day, Admiralty charts are maintained by the Royal Navy. Royal Navy vessels on surveying missions carried out extensive scientific work.
Charles Darwin travelled around the world on ''
HMS Beagle'', making scientific observations which led him to the
theory of evolution.
The end of the 19th century saw structural changes brought about by First Lord of the Admiralty
Jackie Fisher who retired, scrapped, or placed into reserve many of the older vessels, making funds and manpower available for newer ships. He also oversaw the development of
HMS Dreadnought, the first all-big-gun ship and one of the most influential ships in naval history. This ship rendered all other battleships then existing obsolete, and started an arms race in Europe. Admiral
Percy Scott introduced several new programs such as gunnery training programs which greatly nd a central fire control the effectiveness in battle of the Navy's ships.
1914–1945
The British Grand Fleet sailing in parallel columns in World War I
During the two
World Wars the Royal Navy played a vital role in keeping the United Kingdom supplied with
food,
arms and
raw materials and in defeating the German campaigns of
unrestricted submarine warfare in the
first and
second battles of the Atlantic. During the
First World War the majority of the Royal Navy's strength was deployed at home in the
Grand Fleet. The primary aim was to draw the
Hochseeflotte (the German "High Seas Fleet") into an engagement. No decisive victory ever came though. The Royal Navy and the
Kaiserliche Marine fought many engagements including the
Battle of Heligoland Bight, and the
Battle of Jutland. Although it suffered heavier losses than the Hocheseeflotte it did succeed in preventing the German Fleet from putting to sea in the latter stages of the War.
In the inter-war period the Royal Navy was stripped of much of its power. The
Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, together with the deplorable financial conditions during the immediate post-war period and the
Great Depression, forced the
Admiralty to scrap some capital ships and to cancel plans for new construction. The
London Naval Treaty of 1930 deferred new capital ship construction until 1937 and reiterated construction limits on cruisers, destroyers and submarines. As international tensions increased in the mid-1930s the
Second London Naval Treaty of 1935 failed to halt the development of a naval
arms race and by 1938 treaty limits were effectively ignored. The re-armament of the Royal Navy was well under way by this point; the Royal Navy had constructed the
''King George V'' class of 1936 and several aircraft carriers including
''Ark Royal''. In addition to new construction, several existing old battleships, battlecruisers and heavy cruisers were reconstructed, and anti-aircraft weaponry reinforced.
British Battlecruiser HMS Hood
During the early phases of
World War II, the Royal Navy provided critical cover during British evacuations from
Dunkirk, Greece and
Crete. In the latter operation
Admiral Cunningham ran great risks to extract the Army, and saved many soldiers. The Royal Navy suffered huge losses in the early stages of the war including
HMS ''Hood'',
HMS ''Repulse'' and
HMS ''Prince of Wales''. As well as providing cover in operations it 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 in the Atlantic was vital to the amphibious operations carried out, such as the invasions of
Northwest Africa, Sicily, Italy, and
Normandy. During the war however, it became clear that
aircraft carriers were the new capital ship of
naval warfare, and that Britain's former naval superiority in terms of battleships had become irrelevant. Britain was an early innovator in aircraft carrier design, in place of the now obsolete and vulnerable battleship.
Postwar period and 21st century
After
World War II, the decline of the
British Empire and the economic hardships in Britain at the time forced the reduction in the size and capability of the Royal Navy. The increasingly powerful
U.S. Navy took on the former role of the Royal Navy as a means of keeping peace around the world. However, the threat of the Soviet Union and British commitments throughout the world created a new role for the Navy. In the 1960s, the Royal Navy received its first nuclear weapons and was later to become responsible for the maintenance of the
UK's nuclear deterrent. In the latter stages of the
Cold War, the Royal Navy was reconfigured with three
anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
aircraft carriers and a force of small
frigates and
destroyers. Its purpose was to search for and destroy
Soviet submarines in the
North Atlantic.
The most important operation conducted predominantly by the Royal Navy after the Second World War was the defeat in 1982 of
Argentina in the
Falkland Islands War. Despite losing four naval ships and other civilian and
RFA ships the Royal Navy proved it was still able to fight a battle 8,345 miles (12,800 km) from Great Britain.
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 importance of aircraft carriers and submarines and exposed the service's late 20th century dependence on chartered merchant vessels. The Royal Navy also took part in the
Gulf War, the
Kosovo conflict, the
Afghanistan Campaign, and the
2003 Iraq War, the last of which saw RN warships
bombard positions in support of the
Al Faw Peninsula landings by Royal Marines. In August 2005 the Royal Navy rescued seven Russians stranded in a submarine off the
Kamchatka peninsula. Using its
Scorpio 45, a remote-controlled mini-sub, the submarine was freed from the fishing nets and cables that had held the Russian submarine for three days.
The Royal Navy today
Fleet composition
Main articles: Future of the Royal Navy
In numeric terms the Royal Navy has significantly reduced in size since the 1960s, reflecting the reducing requirement of the state. This raw figure does not take into account the increase in technological capability of the Navy's ships, but it does show the general reduction of capacity.
[ The following table is a breakdown of the fleet numbers since 1960. The separate types of ship and how their numbers have changed are shown.[8]]
Year | Submarines | Carriers | Assault Ships | Surface Combatants | Mine Counter Measure Vessels | Patrol Ships and Craft | Total |
|---|
| Total | SSBN | SSN | SS & SSK | Total | CV | CV(L) | Total | Cruisers | Destroyers | Frigates |
|---|
| 1960 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 145 | 6 | 55 | 84 | | | 202 |
| 1965 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 117 | 5 | 36 | 76 | | | 170 |
| 1970 | 42 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 97 | 4 | 19 | 74 | | | 146 |
| 1975 | 32 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 72 | 2 | 10 | 60 | 43 | 14 | 166 |
| 1980 | 32 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 67 | 1 | 13 | 53 | 36 | 22 | 162 |
| 1985 | 33 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 56 | 0 | 15 | 41 | 45 | 32 | 172 |
| 1990 | 31 | 4 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 49 | 0 | 14 | 35 | 41 | 34 | 160 |
| 1995 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 35 | 0 | 12 | 23 | 18 | 32 | 106 |
| 2000 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 11 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 98 |
| 2005 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 0 | 9 | 19 | 16 | 26 | 90 |
| 2006 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 82 |
Before the Falklands War in 1982, the then Defence Secretary John Nott had advocated, and initiated, a series of cutbacks to the Navy.[9] The Falklands War though, proved a need for the Royal Navy to regain an expeditionary and littoral capability which, with its resources and structure at the time, would prove difficult. With the end of the Cold War at the beginning of the 1990s, the Royal Navy was a force focused on blue water anti-submarine warfare. Its purpose was to search for and destroy Soviet submarines in the North Atlantic, and to operate the nuclear deterrent submarine force.
UK foreign policy after the end of the Cold War has given rise to a number of operations which have required an aircraft carrier to be deployed globally such as the Adriatic, Peace Support Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, Sierra Leone, the Persian Gulf. Destroyers and frigates have been deployed against piracy in the Malacca Straits and Horn of Africa. Consequently in the 1990s the navy began a series of projects to modernise the fleet and convert it from a North Atlantic-based anti-submarine force to an expeditionary force. This has involved the replacement of much of the Fleet and has seen a number of large procurement projects.[10]
Large Fleet Units - Amphibious and Carriers
The two recently ordered Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers are to be a new generation of aircraft carrier to replace the three Invincible class ships. The two vessels are expected to cost £3.9 billion, will displace 65,000 tons and are expected to enter service in 2014 and 2016 respectively.[11] They will be STOVL carriers, operating the STOVL variant of the F-35 Lightning II, which has been ordered by both the Fleet Air Arm and the Royal Air Force to replace the Harrier.
The introduction of the 4 vessels of the Bay class of landing ship dock into the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 2006 and 2007, together with the ''Albion'' class means that the Royal Navy has a significantly enhanced amphibious capability. In November 2006 the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band said, ''These ships represent a major uplift in the Royal Navy's war fighting capability.''[12]
Escort Units
The escort fleet, in the form of frigates and destroyers, is the traditional workhorse of the Navy.[ Royal Navy information ] The escort fleet is also being updated. The near obsolete Type 42 destroyer is to replaced with the Type 45 destroyer. For its primary mission, it will be equipped with the PAAMS integrated anti-aircraft system. As with the Type 42, the Type 45 will also have a limited anti-surface/anti-submarine role. The last frigate to enter service was the Type 23 frigate, HMS St Albans (F83) On July 21 2004, in the Delivering Security in a Changing World review of defence spending, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced that 3 frigates would be paid off as part of a continuous cost-cutting strategy. Several designs have been created for a new generation Frigate such as the Future Surface Combatant, but none of these have got past the Main Gate stage.
Submarines
The submarine force is being replaced and replenished, with 4 new Astute class submarines ordered. These are much larger than their predecessors, the Trafalgar class and are expected to displace 7,400 tons submerged.[13]
In December 2006, plans were unveiled for a new class of submarine to replace the Vanguard class submarine, which is due to be replaced by 2024. This new class will mean that the United Kingdom will maintain a nuclear ballistic missile submarine fleet and the ability to launch nuclear weapons.[14]
Other Vessels
At the beginning of the 1990s the Royal Navy had two classes of Offshore Patrol vessel, the Island class, and the larger Castle class. However, in 1997 a decision was taken to replace them. An order for three much larger offshore patrol vessels, the River class was placed in 2001. Unusually, the three River class ships are owned by Vosper Thorneycroft, and leased to the Royal Navy until 2013. A modified River class vessel, HMS ''Clyde'', was commissioned in July 2007 and will become the Falkland Islands guardship.
The Royal Navy also has the Sandown class minehunter and the Hunt class mine countermeasure vessel. The Hunt class of 8 vessels are mine countermeasure vessels that combine the separate role of the traditional minesweeper and that of the active minehunter in one hull. When needed they take on the role of offshore patrol vessels.
The Royal Navy has a mandate to provide support to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which comes in the form of the dedicated Antarctic Patrol Ship HMS ''Endurance''. The four Hecla class vessels were replaced by the survey vessel HMS ''Scott'' which surveys the ocean floor. HMS ''Roebuck'' meanwhile, surveys the UK continental shelf or other shallow waters in support of the larger vessels. The other survey vessels of the Royal Navy are the two multi-role ships of the ''Echo'' class which came into service in 2002 and 2003.
Current role
The current role of the Royal Navy (RN) is to protect British interests at home and abroad, executing the foreign and defence policies of Her Majesty's Government through the exercise of military effect, diplomatic activities and other activities in support of these objectives. The RN is also a key element of the UK contribution to NATO, with a number of assets allocated to NATO tasks at any time.[15] These objectives are delivered via a number of core capabilities:[16]
★ Maintenance of the UK Nuclear Deterrent through a policy of ''Continuous at Sea Deterrence''.
★ Provision of two medium scale maritime task groups with organic air assets.
★ Delivery of the UK Commando force.
★ Contribution of assets to Joint Force Harrier.
★ Contribution of assets to the Joint Helicopter Command.
★ Maintenance of standing patrol commitments.
★ Provision of Mine Counter Measures capability to UK and allied commitments.
★ Provision of Hydrographic and meteorological services deployable worldwide.
★ Protection of the UK and EU's Exclusive Economic Zone.
Current deployments
The Royal Navy is currently deployed in many areas of the world, including a number of standing Royal Navy deployments. These include several home tasks as well as oversea deployments. The Royal Navy is deployed in the Mediterranean as part of standing NATO deployments including mine countermeasures and NATO Maritime Group 2. In both the North and South Atlantic Royal Naval vessels are patrolling. There is always a Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel on deployment, currently HMS ''Dumbarton Castle'', though soon to be replaced by HMS ''Clyde''. The Royal Navy is also deployed in the Middle East to provide "maritime security and surveillance in the Northern Persian Gulf".[17]
Command, Control & Organisation
The head of the Royal Navy is the Lord High Admiral, a position which has been held by the Sovereign since 1964 (the Sovereign being the overall head of the Armed Forces).
The professional head of the Naval Service is the First Sea Lord, an Admiral and member of the Defence Council. The Defence council delegates management of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence, which directs the Navy Board, a sub-committee of the Admiralty Board comprising only Naval Officers and Ministry of Defence (MOD) Civil Servants. These are all based in MOD Main Building in London, where the First Sea Lord, also known as the Chief of the Naval Staff, is supported by the Naval Staff Department.
Senior Leadership
As of July 2007, the following persons were in office:
★ Lord High Admiral: Queen Elizabeth II.
★ 'Naval members of the Admiralty Board:'
★
★ First Sea Lord: Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, ''based in MOD Main Building''
★
★ Commander-in-Chief Fleet: Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent ''based in Fleet Headquarters, HMS Excellent and Northwood Headquarters''
★
★ Second Sea Lord: Vice Admiral Adrian Johns CBE, ''based in HMS ''Excellent'', Principal Personnel Officer for the Naval Service, also Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm''.
★
★ Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff: Rear Admiral A M Massey CBE, ''based in MOD Main Building''
★
★ Controller of the Navy: Rear Admiral Andrew Mathews, ''based in Defence Equipment & Support, MOD Abbey Wood''
★
★ Naval Member for Logistics: Rear Admiral Amjad Hussain, ''based in Defence Equipment & Support, MOD Ensleigh''
Fleet Command
Full command of all deployable fleet units (including the Royal Marines and the Fleet Auxiliary) is the responsibility of Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET), with a Command Headquarters at HMS ''Excellent'' in Portsmouth and an Operational Headquarters at Northwood, Middlesex. The latter is co-located with the Permanent Joint Headquarters of the United Kingdom's armed forces, and a NATO Regional Command, Allied Maritime Component Command Northwood (AMCCN). CINCFLEET is also Commander AMCCN. The purpose of CINCFLEET is to provide ships and submarines and commando forces at readiness to conduct military and diplomatic tasks as required by the UK government, including the recruitment and training of personnel.
★ 'Commander-in-Chief Fleet Headquarters:'
★
★ Deputy CINC and Chief of Staff: Vice Admiral 'Paul Boissier', ''(based in HMS ''Excellent'', commands the Headquarters).''
★
★ Commander Operations:Rear Admiral 'D J Cooke' ''(based at Northwood, also Rear Admiral Submarines and Commander Submarine Allied Forces North (NATO)).''
★
★ Commander UK Maritime Forces: Rear Admiral 'Neil Morisetti', ''(deployable Force Commander responsible for Maritime Battle Staffs; UK Task Group, UK Amphibious Task Group, UK Maritime Component Command).''
★
★ Commander UK Amphibious Force: Major General 'G S Robison', also the Commandant General Royal Marines
Locations
Main articles: List of fleet bases of the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy currently operates three ''bases'' in the United Kingdom where commissioned ships are based; Portsmouth, Clyde and Devonport. Each base hosts a Flotilla Command under a Commodore, or in the case of Faslane a Captain, responsible for the provision of Operational Capability using the ships and submarines within the flotilla. 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines is similarly commanded by a Brigadier and based in Plymouth.
Historically the Royal Navy maintained Royal Navy ''Dockyards'' around the world.[18] Dockyards of the Royal Navy are harbours ships are overhauled and refitted. Only four are operating today; at Devonport, Faslane, Rosyth and at Portsmouth.[ ] A Naval Base Review was undertaken in 2006 and early 2007, the outcome being announced by Secretary of State, Des Browne the Defence secretary confirming that all would remain however some reductions in manpower were anticipated.[19]
Significant numbers of naval personnel are employed within the Ministry of Defence, Defence Logistics Organisation, Defence Procurement Agency and on exchange with the Army and Royal Air Force. Small numbers are also on exchange within other government departments.
Special Forces
Main articles: Special Boat Service
The Royal Navy, through the Royal Marines, provides the Special Boat Service (SBS), one of the three Special Forces units within the United Kingdom Special Forces group. The SBS is a maritime Special Forces capability is an independent force element of the Royal Marines. Based at RM Poole in Poole, Dorset it is made up of 4 operational squadrons and an element of the Royal Marines Reserve which provides individual trained ranks to the regular force.
Roles include maritime activities such as covert shore reconnaissance, small boat operations, amphibious raiding and Maritime Counter-Terrorism however the force also conducts traditional land-centric activities.
The SBS provides the special forces element of 3 Commando Brigade when deployed.
Titles and naming
Of the Royal Navy
The British Royal Navy is commonly referred to as the "Royal Navy" both in the United Kingdom and other countries. Navies of Commonwealth of Nations countries where the British monarch is also head of state also include their national name e.g. Royal Australian Navy. Some navies of other monarchies, such as the ''Koninklijke Marine'' (Royal Netherlands Navy) and ''Kungliga Flottan'' (Royal Swedish Navy), are also called "Royal Navy" in their own language.
Of ships
Main articles: List of ships of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy ships in commission are prefixed with Her Majesty's Ship (His Majesty's Ship), abbreviated to HMS, ''e.g.'', HMS ''Ark Royal''. Submarines are styled HM Submarine, similarly HMS. Names are allocated to ships and submarines by a naming committee within the MOD and given by class, with the names of ships within a class often being thematic (''e.g.''. the Type 23 class are named after British Dukes) or traditional (''e.g.'', the ''Invincible'' class all carry the names of famous historic aircraft carriers). Names are frequently re-used offering a new ship the rich heritage, battle honours and traditions of her predecessors.
As well as a name each ship, and submarine, of the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary is given a pennant number which in part denotes its role.
Custom and tradition
Main articles: Customs and traditions of the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy has several formal customs and traditions including the use of ensigns and ships badges. Royal Navy ships have several ensigns used when under way and when in port. Commissioned ships and submarines wear the White Ensign at the stern whilst alongside during daylight hours and at the main-mast whilst under way. When alongside, the ''Union Jack'' (as distinct from the Union Flag, often referred to as the Union Jack) is flown from the jackstaff at the stem, and can only be flown under way either to signal a court-martial is in progress or to indicate the presence of an Admiral of the Fleet on-board (including the Lord High Admiral, the Monarch).[20]
The Fleet Review is an irregular tradition of assembling the fleet before the monarch. The first review is purported to have been held in 1400 and the most recent review was held on 28 June 2005. This was to mark the bi-centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar; 167 ships from many different nations attended with the Royal Navy supplying 67.[21]
There are several less formal traditions including service nicknames and Naval slang.The nicknames include "The Andrew" (of uncertain origin, possibly after a zealous press ganger[22][23]) and "The Senior Service".[24][25] The RN has evolved a rich volume of slang, known as "Jack-speak". Nowadays the British sailor is usually "Jack" (or "Jenny") rather than the more historical "Jack Tar". Royal Marines are fondly known as "Bootnecks" or often just as "Royals". The current compendium of Naval slang was brought together by Commander A. Covey-Crump and his name has in itself become the subject of Naval slang; Covey Crump.
The Royal Navy in fiction
The Royal Navy has been seen in many forms of entertainment. Some of the most well known revolve around the Napoleonic campaigns of the navy. These have been the subject of many novels including Patrick O'Brian's series featuring Jack Aubrey, C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower, Dudley Pope's Ramage and Alexander Kent's Richard Bolitho. Alexander Kent is a pen name of Douglas Reeman who, under his birth name, has written many novels featuring the Royal Navy in the two World Wars. Other well known novels include Alistair MacLean's HMS ''Ulysses'', Nicholas Monsarrat's ''The Cruel Sea'', and C.S. Forester's ''The Ship'', all set during World War II.
The Navy can also be seen in several films. The fictional spy James Bond is 'officially' a commander in the Royal Navy. was based on Patrick O'Brian's character Jack Aubrey. the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films also includes the Navy as the force pursuing the eponymous pirates. Noel Coward directed and starred in his own film ''In Which We Serve'', which tells the story of the crew of the fictional HMS ''Torrin'' during World War II. It was intended as a propaganda film and was released in 1942. Coward starred as the ship's captain, with supporting roles from John Mills and Richard Attenborough.[26]
The Royal Navy has not escaped the television screens either. Bernard Cornwell's ''Sharpe'' series, although primarily involving the Peninsular War of the time, includes several novels involving Richard Sharpe at sea with the Navy. The Royal Navy has also been the subject of an acclaimed 1970s BBC television drama series, ''Warship''. It was also the subject of a five part documentary, entitled Shipmates, that followed the workings of the Royal Navy day to day.[27]
See also
★ Navy List
★ List of famous ships and sailors of the Royal Navy
★ List of Royal Navy ship names (a full historical list)
★ Department of Naval Intelligence
★ The Royal British Legion
★ History of the Royal Naval Reserve
References
1. Chapter II: REGIONAL OVERVIEW AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF KEY ALLIES: Contributions of Selected NATO Allies
2. Vanguard to Trident 1945-2000
3. The Royal Navy: Britain’s Trident for a Global Agenda
4. How many people are there in the Royal Navy?, Royal Navy Website, accessed 25 August, 2007.
5. Rodger, N.A.M., The Command of the Ocean, Chapter 19, page 291, ISBN 0140288961
6.
7. War and British Society 1688-1815, , HV, Bowen, Cambridge University Press, 1998,
8. created from data found at UK defence statistics and Conways ''All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995''
9. We were heading for war...and the Commons blamed me
10. Half of Royal Navy’s ships in mothballs as defence cuts bite Michael Smith
11. Go-ahead for £4bn aircraft carriers Michael Evans
12. Royal Navy unveils new Amphibious landing ships
13. Royal Navy to Get New Attack Submarine
14. UK unveils plans for a new submarine fleet Will Knight
15. Joint operations
16. Core Capabilities
17. Fleet Deployments
18. Royal Navy Dockyards
19. Devonport 'secure' says minister
20. Use of the Union Jack at Sea
21. French top gun at Fleet Review
22. Admiralty Manual of Seamanship, , , , HMSO, ,
23. FAQs;Royal Navy's nickname
24. Jackspeak, , Rick, Jolly, Maritime Books Dec 2000, ,
25. Naval Slang
26.
27. Devon Shipmates on TV
External links
★ Official Website of the Royal Navy
★ The Navy List 2006 - list of all serving officers.
★ Sea Your History Website from the Royal Naval Museum - Discover detailed information about the Royal Navy in the 20th century.
★ Navy News - Royal Navy Newspaper
★ UK Military News & Information Portal
★ The Marine Society College of the Sea
★ The service registers of Royal Naval Seamen 1873 - 1923
★ Royal Navy in World War 1, Campaigns, Battles, Warship losses
★ Royal Navy in World War 2, Campaigns, Battles, Warship losses
★ Royal and Dominion Navies, Victoria Cross at Sea, 1940-45
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