 The
photos used below are a very small selection of the photos that can
be viewed on the Royal Navy website http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk, which
will give more information about the subject matter on this page. See
the 'Useful Websites' page.
There is no assumption that young people who join
the Sea Cadets necessarily intend to join the Royal Navy afterwards.
The summary below is for those who are interested in finding out about
what's happening in Britain's 'Senior Service'.
Introduction
At the beginning of the 21st century, the Royal Navy
continues to defend the waters of the British Isles as valiantly
as it has done for almost 1000 years. Although the Royal Navy has
fewer ships these days, its firepower is far greater. It continues
the tradition of having the best equipment, people and leaders.
The Royal Navy numbers some 37,500 people, of whom about 6,000 are
Royal Marines.
|  Environment.
The Ministry of Defence operates an 'Environmental Management
System' that meets and surpasses international standards. The
Royal Navy is committed to achieving an environmentally friendly
surface flotilla by about 2005. (Photo: HMS Leeds Castle in South
Georgia).
|
 Royal
Naval Medical Service. A skilled Royal Navy multidisciplinary
health-care team looks after all RN personnel (and sometimes their
dependants). Medical, Dental and Nursing Officers/Ratings carry
out their duties in a wide variety of settings.
|
|  Sports
& Adventure Training. HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth
houses (1) the Directorate of Naval Physical Training and Sport,
(2) the Royal Navy School of Physical Training and (3) the Fleet
Recreation Centre.
|
 Religion.
The Royal Navy respects the spiritual dimension of mariner's lives.
The first Article of War places an obligation on a Commanding
Officer to ensure that worship is carried out on their ship. Every
chaplain in the Naval Chaplaincy Service is there as a "friend
and advisor of all on board", whatever their religious denominations
or faiths. Chaplains may be called on to serve with a major ship
at sea or to minister to a flotilla of smaller ships, moving from
one to the other by helicopter or jackstay transfer. They may
also be sent to a Naval Dockyard.
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The role of maritime forces in the 21st century
Maritime forces are ideally placed and configured to take on the wide
range of tasks needed in the post-Cold War era:
- Providing traditional military action;
- Carrying out maritime "constabulary" operations, i.e.
maintaining law and order at sea;
- Providing general non-military support for the maritime community.
- Providing the ultimate defence of national security: Trident, the
UK's nuclear deterrent. Trident should help to maintain the effectiveness
and credibility of the UK's independent strategic deterrent well into
the 21st century.
- Fishery protection.
- Search & Rescue cover in UK waters.
- Engaging in 'defence diplomacy'. (This involves visiting and
developing contacts with non-NATO countries so as to build trust
and assist in the development of democratically accountable armed
forces).
- Providing a naval presence in the Arabian Gulf, West Indies
and South Atlantic.
- Training for possible future conflicts.
- Maintaining the national nuclear deterrent (Trident).
- Participating in NATO and UN peacekeeping missions.
Why does the Navy need a worldwide capability?
Our Navy has to protect:
- The 10 million UK citizens who live or work overseas.
- The UK's 13 Overseas Territories.
- The UK's trade supplies (and hence its economy).
- Social harmony in the UK, by combating destabilising influences
such as drugs, terrorism and other forms of international crime.
- World order, since Britain feels a shared responsibility to act
as a force for good in the world.
Joint Operations (i.e. British Army, Navy
and Air Force acting together)
During times of conflict the Navy, Army and Air Force
have worked jointly together with great success. Joint Forces are
more important now than ever before, because the traditional distinctions
between maritime, land and air theatres of operations have become
less relevant. By operating as a united force, the Armed Forces
can 'pack a bigger punch’. The Royal Navy contributes to Joint
Operations in a number of ways:
Command and Control.
The RN’s aircraft carriers can provide facilities for
a Joint Task Force Headquarters (Afloat). |
Fire Support.
The RN can provide fire support through the use of RN FA2
and RAF GR7 aircraft, attack helicopters, ship- and submarine-launched
missiles (TLAM) and shore bombardment guns. |
Troop Deployment. An
RN Task Group is able to move significant quantities of troops
and equipment quickly and effectively. It is also able to
sustain forces ashore and remain self-sufficient for a long
time. |
Control of the Airwaves.
The RN has access to sophisticated satellite communications
allowing secure access to shore-based information networks
and intelligence databases. Also, the electronic support measures
fitted on RN ships, submarines and aircraft can deny the enemy
the use of the electromagnetic spectrum. |
A permanent feature of the UK's Joint Operations is the three main
Joint Forces:
[1]
The Joint Rapid Reaction Forces provide hard-hitting,
flexible and mobile forces. These can mount short-notice,
medium-scale operations under NATO, European, UN or UK command
- from disaster relief to high intensity warfare. |
[2]
The Joint Force Harrier concept is that an
embarked Carrier Air Group always deploys with both Royal
Navy FA2 Sea Harriers and Royal Air Force GR7
Harriers. These two Harrier versions are being superceded
by the single GR9 Harrier, which in turn is due to
be replaced by the Joint Strike Fighter in 2012. |
[3]
The Joint Helicopter Command uses the Commando
Helicopter Forces of four Naval Air Squadrons flying Sea King
Mk4, Lynx Mk7 and Gazelle helicopters.
|
Multinational Operations (i.e. different
nations acting together)
The UK allocates many elements of its Armed Forces to multinational
operations and exercises. These ‘Combined Operations’
take place with anything from two nations to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation) and the UN (United Nations) exercises involving a lot
of countries.
NATO is the transatlantic link between Europe and
North America which has played a pivotal role in ending the Cold
War (the adversarial relationship between East and West). It is
now responding to huge changes in the world situation since the
end of that era. NATO is now open to the membership of other European
countries and aims to develop the concept of ‘Combined
Joint Task Forces’. It is committed to intensifying
efforts against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The Royal Navy regularly contributes to NATO operations, providing
the UK's only all-weather strategic bombing capability through TLAM
and Air Defence Fighters. It also supports UN operations around the
world.
In addition to such operational roles, the Royal Navy maintains an
ongoing commitment to four NATO 'standing' forces:
[1]
The Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT),
created in 1967, is a permanent peacetime naval squadron composed
of destroyers, cruisers and frigates. The Force has involved
a total of over 500 ships and more than 150,000 serving men
and women. Up to ten ships are normally attached to the force
for up to six months. |
[2]
The Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED),
activated in 1992 with eight allied naval units, provides
a continuous maritime presence. |
[3]
The Mine Countermeasure Force Northern Europe (MCMFORNORTH)
is a naval squadron that normally consists of seven mine countermeasures
vessels. The Force conducts an intensive and varied annual
programme of operations throughout the waters of Northern
Europe, North America and Iceland. |
[4]
The Mine Countermeasure Force Southern Europe (MCMFORSOUTH)
was activated in 1999. It has an operational mine countermeasures
capability in the Mediterranean and is poised for action in
peacetime or conflict. This force normally comprises eight
mine hunters/sweepers. |
Royal Naval History
From King Alfred's battle against the Danes in 897
through to the Falklands War of 1982, from the impressive Sovereign
of the Seas in the 17th Century to the revolutionary battleship
HMS Dreadnought in the 20th, the following table shows some of the
famous naval battles, people and ships from over a thousands years
of history.
| Year |
Ships |
Battles |
Naval leaders |
| 897 |
|
King Alfred v the Danes |
|
| 1420 |
Grace Dieu |
|
|
| 1511 |
Mary Rose |
|
|
| 1588 |
|
Spanish Armada |
Sir Francis Drake 1540-1596 |
| 1638 |
Spirit of the Sovereign Sea |
|
General-at-Sea Robert Blake 1599-1657 |
| 1657 |
|
Santa Cruz |
Samuel Pepys 1633-1703 |
| 1759 |
|
Quiberon Bay |
Admiral Lord George Rodney 1719-1792 |
| 1778 |
HMS Victory |
|
Captain James Cook 1728-1779 |
| 1798 |
|
The Nile |
|
| 1805 |
|
Trafalgar |
Viscount Horatio Nelson 1758-1805 |
| 1806 |
HMS Shannon |
|
|
| 1807 |
|
Slavery |
|
| 1840 |
|
Acre |
Admiral Lord Cochrane 1775-1860 |
| 1861 |
HMS Warrior |
|
|
| 1892 |
HMS Royal Sovereign |
|
Admiral Sir John Fisher 1841-1920 |
| 1906 |
HMS Dreadnought |
|
|
| 1915 |
HMS Warspite |
|
Admiral Jellicoe 1859-1935 |
| 1916 |
|
Jutland |
|
| 1917 |
HMS Furious |
|
|
| 1920 |
HMS Hood |
|
Admiral David Beatty 1871-1936 |
| 1939-1945 |
|
The Atlantic |
Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsey 1883-1945 |
| 1940 |
|
Taranto |
|
| 1941 |
|
Cape Matapan |
|
| 1942 |
|
The RN & El Alemein |
Admiral Viscount Cunningham 1883-1963 |
| 1963 |
HMS Dreadnought |
|
|
| 1982 |
Falklands War |
|
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Royal Navy's Management Structure
[1]
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is the highest
level of headquarters for the Armed Forces. It is headed by
the Secretary of State for Defence
(SofS). All major policy issues are referred
to the SofS or one of his three Ministerial colleagues:
1. Min (AF) - Minister for the Armed Forces;
2. Min (DP) - Minister for Defence Procurement;
3. USofS - Under Secretary of State for Defence |
[2]
The Admiralty Board meets formally
twice a year and is chaired by the SofS. Its members include
Min (AF), Min (DP), USofS, First
Sea Lord (1SL) as head
of the Royal Navy, Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET);
Second Sea Lord (2SL), Commander in Chief Naval Home Command,
Naval Member for Logistics, Controller of the Navy, Second
Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence and Assistant
Chief of Naval Staff. |
[3]
The Navy Board is chaired by 1SL.
Other members are CINCFLEET, 2SL, Naval Member for Logistics,
Controller of the Navy and 2nd Permanent Under Secretary of
State for Defence. |
[4] The
Sub Navy Board Committee takes executive decisions
on matters that can be resolved without reference to the Navy
Board. |
[5] The
Chiefs of Staff Committee is headed by the
Chief of Defence Staff. Other members are 1SL, the Chief of
the General Staff of the British Army and the Chief of the
Air Staff of the Royal Air Force. |
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(Images on this page: © Crown Copyright/MOD.
Reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s
Stationery Office)
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