Royal Navy

The Royal Navy (RN) is the principal naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Tracing its origins to the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service. From the end of the 17th century until well into the 20th century it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power. Due to this historical prominence, it is common – even among non-Britons – to refer to it as "The Royal Navy" without qualification. Following victory in the First World War the Royal Navy was significantly reduced in size, although at the onset of the Second World War it was still the largest in the world. By the end of the Second World War the United States Navy had emerged as the world's largest. During the course of the Cold War, the Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the GIUK gap. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union its focus has returned to global expeditionary operations. The Royal Navy operates a "blue-water" fleet of technologically sophisticated ships including three supercarriers, four light aircraft carriers, two helicopter carriers, four landing platform docks, five ballistic missile submarines (which maintain the UK's nuclear deterrent), twelve nuclear fleet submarines, seven diesel electric patrol submarines, nine guided missile destroyers, 20 frigates, 25 mine-countermeasure vessels and 24 patrol vessels. As of September 2012, there were 115 commissioned ships in the Royal Navy, plus 22 commissioned ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). The RFA primarily serves to replenish Royal Navy warships at sea, and also augments the Royal Navy's amphibious warfare capabilities through its four Bay-class landing ship dock vessels. The Royal Navy is part of the Naval Service, which also comprises the Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Marines Reserve. The professional head of the Naval Service is the First Sea Lord, an Admiral and member of the Defence Council of the United Kingdom. The Defence Council delegates management of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence. The Royal Navy currently operates ten bases in the United Kingdom where commissioned ships are based; Portsmouth, Clyde and Devonport, Plymouth, the latter being the largest operational naval base in Western Europe.

Statistics

 * Active Duty Personnel: 105,750
 * Reserve Personnel: 79,560
 * Royal Marines: 21,500
 * Active Vessels: 115 (and 26 in the RFA)
 * Naval Fixed Wing Aircraft: 522
 * Naval Helicopters: 359
 * Number of Active Bases: 11 (Chatham, Clyde, Deptford, Devonport, Pembroke, Portland, Portsmouth, Rosyth, Scapa Flow, Sheerness, Trincomalee)
 * Number of Active Installations: 20
 * Commander of the Royal Navy: Admiral Mark Stanhope
 * Commander of the Fleet Air Arm: HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York
 * Commander of the Royal Marines: Major General Ed Davis

List of Active Ships

 * Invincible-class Light Aircraft Carrier (4) - 1980
 * HMS Invincible (R05)
 * HMS Illustrious (R06)
 * HMS Indomitable (R07)
 * HMS Implacable (R08)
 * Queen Elizabeth-class Aircraft Carrier (3) - 2007
 * HMS Queen Elizabeth (CVF-01)
 * HMS Prince of Wales (CVF-02)
 * HMS Duke of York (CVF-03)
 * Ocean-class Amphibious Assault Ship (2) - 1995
 * HMS Ocean (L12)
 * HMS Colossus (L13)
 * Albion-class Landing Platform Dock (4) - 2002
 * HMS Albion (L14)
 * HMS Bulwark (L15)
 * HMS Royal Oak (L16)
 * HMS Centaur (L17)
 * Bay-class Dock Landing Ship (4) - 2006
 * HMS Largs Bay (L3006)
 * HMS Lyme Bay (L3007)
 * HMS ''Mounts Bay (L3008)
 * HMS Cardigan Bay (L3009)
 * Type 43 Destroyer (6) - 1988
 * HMS Nelson (D111)
 * HMS Fraser (D112)
 * HMS Anson (D113)
 * HMS Howe (D114)
 * HMS Jellicoe (D115)
 * HMS Rodney (D116)
 * Type 45 Destroyer (9, 7 UC) - 2004
 * HMS Daring (D32)
 * HMS Dauntless (D33)
 * HMS Diamond (D34)
 * HMS Dragon (D35)
 * HMS Defender (D36)
 * HMS Duncan (D37)
 * HMS Devastation (D38)
 * HMS Dasher (D39) - under construction
 * HMS Dolphin (D40) - under construction
 * HMS Discovery (D41) - under construction
 * HMS ''Daedalus' (D42) - under construction
 * HMS Dominion (D43) - under construction
 * HMS Diadem (D44) - under construction
 * HMS Dasher (D45) - under construction
 * HMS Defiance (D46) - under construction
 * HMS Dreadnaught (D47) - under construction
 * Type 22 Frigates (4) - 1979
 * HMS Cornwall (F99)
 * HMS Cumberland (F85)
 * HMS Campbeltown (F86)
 * HMS Chatham (F87)
 * Type 23 Frigate (16) - 1987
 * HMS Norfolk (F230)
 * HMS Argyll (F231)
 * HMS Lancaster (F232)
 * HMS Marlborough (F233)
 * HMS Iron Duke (F234)
 * HMS Monmouth (F235)
 * HMS Montrose (F236)
 * HMS Westminster (F237)
 * HMS Northumberland (F238)
 * HMS Richmond (F239)
 * HMS Somerset (F240)
 * HMS Grafton (F241)
 * HMS Sutherland (F242)
 * HMS Kent (F243)
 * HMS Portland (F244)
 * HMS St. Albans (F245)
 * Trafalgar-class Nuclear Attack Submarine (8) - 1983
 * HMS Trafalgar (S87)
 * HMS Turbulent (S88)
 * HMS Tireless (S89)
 * HMS Torbay (S90)
 * HMS Trenchant (S91)
 * HMS Talent (S92)
 * HMS Triumph (S93)
 * HMS Thunderer (S94)
 * Upholder-class Hunter Killer Submarine (7) - 1990
 * HMS Upholder (S40)
 * HMS Unseen (S41)
 * HMS Ursula (S42)
 * HMS Unicorn (S43)
 * HMS Ulysses (S44)
 * HMS Ultimatum (S45)
 * HMS Unbroken (S46)
 * Vanguard-class Ballistic Missile Submarine (5) - 1993
 * HMS Vanguard (S28)
 * HMS Victorious (S29)
 * HMS Vigilant (S30)
 * HMS Vengeance (S31)
 * HMS Valiant (S32)
 * Astute-class Nuclear Attack Submarine (4, 8 UC) - 2004
 * HMS Astute (S122)
 * HMS Ambush (S123)
 * HMS Artful (S124)
 * HMS Audacious (S125)
 * HMS Astraea (S126) - under construction
 * HMS Agamemnon (S127) - under construction
 * HMS Ajax (S128) - under construction
 * HMS Andromeda (S129) - under construction
 * HMS Agincourt (S130) - planned for construction
 * HMS Amethyst (S131) - planned for construction
 * HMS Argus (S132) - planned for construction
 * HMS Atlas (S133) - planned form construction
 * Hunt-class Mine Countermeasures Vessel (13) - 1980
 * HMS Brecon (M29)
 * HMS Ledbury (M30)
 * HMS Cattistock (M31)
 * HMS Cottesmore (M32)
 * HMS Brocklesby (M33)
 * HMS Middleton (M34)
 * HMS Dulverton (M35)
 * HMS Bicester (M36)
 * HMS Chiddingfold (M37)
 * HMS Atherstone (M38)
 * HMS Hurworth (M39)
 * HMS Berkeley (M40)
 * HMS Quorn (M41)
 * Sandown-class Minesweeper (12) - 1989
 * HMS Sandown (M101)
 * HMS Inverness (M102)
 * HMS Cromer (M103)
 * HMS Walney (M104)
 * HMS Bridport (M105)
 * HMS Penzance (M106)
 * HMS Pembroke (M107)
 * HMS Grimsby (M108)
 * HMS Bangor (M109)
 * HMS Ramsey (M110)
 * HMS Blyth (M111)
 * HMS Shoreham (M112)
 * Gleaner-class Survey Vessel (1) - 1984
 * HMSNL Gleaner (H86)
 * Scott-class Ocean Survey Vessel (1) - 1997
 * HMS Scott (H131)
 * Echo-class Multipurpose Survey Ship (2) - 2003
 * HMS Echo (H87)
 * HMS Enterprize (H88)
 * Archer-class Patrol Boat (16) - 1985
 * HMS Archer (P264)
 * HMS Example (P265)
 * HMS Biter (P270)
 * HMS Explorer (P271)
 * HMS Smiter (P272)
 * HMS Pursuer (P273)
 * HMS Tracker (P274)
 * HMS Raider (P275)
 * HMS Express (P276)
 * HMS Exploit (P277)
 * HMS Ranger (P278)
 * HMS Blazer (P279)
 * HMS Dasher (P280)
 * HMS Puncher (P281)
 * HMS Charger (P282)
 * HMS Trumpeter (P283)
 * Endurance-class Icebreaker (1) - 1991
 * HMS Endurance (A171)
 * River-class Patrol Vessel (4) - 2002
 * HMS Tyne (P284)
 * HMS Severn (P285)
 * HMS Mersey (P286)
 * HMS Clyde (P287)
 * Scimitar-class Patrol Boat (2) - 2003
 * HMS Scimitar (P288)
 * HMS Sabre (P288)
 * Protecteur-class Icebreaker (1) - 2011
 * HMS Protecteur (A173)
 * Special Vessels (2) - 1778, 1973
 * HMS Victory
 * HMS Bristol (D23)
 * Rover-class Tanker (3) - 1969
 * RFA Grey Rover (A269)
 * RFA Gold Rover (A271)
 * RFA Black Rover (A273)
 * Fort Rosalie-class Replenishment Oiler (2) - 1978
 * RFA Fort Rosalie (A385)
 * RFA Fort Austin (A386)
 * Leaf-class Tanker (1) - 1979
 * RFA Orangeleaf'' (A110)
 * Diligence-class Fleet Repair Ship (1) - 1984
 * RFA Diligence (A132)
 * Argus-class Training Ship (1) - 1988
 * RFA Argus (A135)
 * Fort Victoria-class Replenishment Oiler (2) - 1993
 * RFA Fort Victoria (A387)
 * RFA Fort George (A388)
 * Point-class Sealift Ship (6) - 2002
 * MV Hurst Point
 * MV Eddystone
 * MV Hartland Point
 * MV Anvil Point
 * MV Beachy Head
 * MV Longstone
 * Wave Knight-class Fleet Tanker (7) - 2003
 * RFA Wave Knight (A389)
 * RFA Wave Ruler (A390)
 * RFA Wave Victor (A391)
 * RFA Wave Master (A392)
 * RFA Wave Commander (A393)
 * RFA Wave Sovereign (A394)
 * RFA Wave Rider (A395)
 * Tide-class Fast Fleet Tanker (8 UC) - 2014
 * RFA Tidespring (A392) - under construction
 * RFA Tiderace (A393) - under construction
 * RFA Tidesurge (A394) - under construction
 * RFA Tideforce (A395) - under construction
 * RFA Tideflow (A396) - under construction
 * RFA Tiderange (A397) - under construction
 * RFA Tidepool (A398) - under construction
 * RFA Tidereach (A399) - under construction