The Royal Navy has played a major role in the UK's affairs for many hundreds of years. It continues to do so, defending our interests and acting as a force for good in the world.
The UK is an island nation which derives much of its wealth from trading. It is therefore no surprise that we have always had a great dependence on the sea. It is our national border and our trade route to the world - over 90% of our imports and exports still travel by sea. It also gives free and unhindered access around the globe. Over three quarters of the world's countries have a coastline and the UK still has significant influence in the world through organisations such as the United Nations, NATO and the Commonwealth. For these reasons and others besides, the role of the Royal Navy is as relevant now as it ever has been.
The Royal Navy is a versatile force spanning land, air and sea operations. With its own ships, submarines, aircraft and soldiers (the Royal Marines), it can provide either the whole package or work alongside the Army, the RAF and our Allies to deliver the maximum punch. Crucially, the Royal Navy can deploy rapidly almost anywhere in the world and remain on station until a crisis is resolved. An important consideration is that a naval force operating as close as 12 miles to land, is still in international waters and therefore does not need diplomatic clearance to be there.
At any given time, the Royal Navy is likely to be involved in a range of activities which might include any or all of the following - recent examples are in brackets:
- Conflicts and peacekeeping – both national and UN operations (Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Iraq)
- Humanitarian aid (Caribbean hurricanes, Mozambique floods)
- Anti-drugs patrols (especially the Caribbean)
- Search and rescue (almost every day)
- Patrolling UK fishing grounds and oilfields
- Oceanographic surveys and protecting the maritime environment
- Helping the UK community (Foot and Mouth crisis, firefighters’ strike)
- Providing the nation’s nuclear deterrent (constantly)
In order to achieve these aims, the Navy needs a broad range of capabilities, which must be achieved within a tight defence budget. Our hardware is modern and versatile, and our 37,000 people (including 6,000 Royal Marine commandos) are adaptable, resilient and well trained.
The four components of the Royal Navy which make all this possible are:
The Surface Fleet
The largest component of the Navy, comprising ships ranging in size from aircraft carriers to patrol boats.
- Aircraft carriers. Since the Second World War, air power has been a decisive factor in maritime warfare and the Royal Navy has long enjoyed a place at the cutting edge of naval aviation. Our 3 Invincible class aircraft carriers can deploy worldwide, operating aircraft without the need for airfields. Moreover, by using international waters, they can take their aircraft to the doorstep of a conflict without the need for host nation support. The future carrier (CVF) project will ensure the RN retains this crucial dimension to maritime warfare well into the 21st century.
- Destroyers and Frigates. Our destroyer and frigate force, traditionally the workhorses of the Fleet, provide essential enabling support to the rest of the Royal Navy. Protecting high value shipping in high intensity operations is a vital role, but as individual units armed with guns and missiles and equipped with Lynx and Merlin helicopters they are incredibly flexible assets employed in a variety of operations. In peacetime, our frigates and destroyers are everywhere: on patrol in the Caribbean, South Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Arabian Gulf; in fact all around the globe.
- Mine Countermeasure Vessels. Modern mines are sophisticated, stealthy and deadly weapons: they are also very cheap and available to most countries. The Royal Navy’s mine countermeasures vessels lead the world in defending against this threat. Their employment includes clearing safe channels through minefields and the painstaking clearance of enemy mines after conflict has ended.
- Fishery Protection and Patrol Vessels. Patrol vessels of the Fishery Protection Squadron contribute to our ongoing and most visible naval presence in home waters and the protection of our fishing and offshore oil interests.
- The Hydrographic Flotilla. A long and distinguished tradition of charting the oceans and coastlines of the world is continued by the Hydrographic Flotilla. Combining deep ocean survey, environmental research and the constant refining and updating of Admiralty charts which are used and respected the world over, the Hydrographic service provides further critical operational hydrographic support to Fleet operations and offers much in contribution to the wider maritime community.
- The Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Without logistic support, warships would soon grind to a halt. The specialist ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary keep the Fleet supplied with fuel, ammunition and stores wherever they require them at sea. They also carry helicopters, and are available for humanitarian operations when needed. The RFA gives us the logistic independence which is vital to flexible and sustained operations.
Submarines
The submarine service continues to operate at the forefront of the Fleet. Having played a vital role throughout the Cold War, attack submarines now continue to demonstrate their utility in providing discrete surveillance and, when required, a precise and dramatic contribution to the battlespace either with torpedoes, sub-harpoon anti ship missiles or Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) which can penetrate hundreds of miles inland. Since 1968, the other major role of our submarine service has been to provide the nation's strategic nuclear deterrent. The most recent generation of 4 Vanguard class submarines continue to provide, between them, an unbroken submerged patrol, 365 days a year, armed with Trident ballistic missiles.
The first of the new Astute class submarines is under construction at Barrow-in-Furness. This class will replace the older Swiftsures, ensuring that we maintain a modern and capable submarine force.
Fleet Air Arm
The Royal Navy’s aviators allow us to control the air as well as the sea, and to project power inland. Sea Harriers, Sea King and Merlin helicopters operate from our aircraft carriers, often joined by RAF Harriers who are land attack specialists. Frigates and destroyers carry Lynx and Merlin helicopters to extend their reach and capabilities. At the beginning of the next decade, we will significantly upgrade our carrier force with two new aircraft carriers over twice the size of the Invincible class carriers, with 40 to 50 embarked aircraft. These will include the highly advanced Joint Strike Fighter, which will provide a Land Attack and Fleet Air Defence capability. Along with Merlin, and a new surveillance and control aircraft these ships offer an exciting capability to the Royal Navy of 2012 and beyond.
The Royal Marines
The Royal Marines, the Navy’s own sea soldiers, are an elite commando force which is equally at home at sea as on land. With their permanent specialist attachments from the Army, they form a high readiness amphibious brigade, able to deploy by sea to the very doorstep of a crisis.
HMS OCEAN and the new assault ships BULWARK and ALBION enable this unique naval capability, providing the platforms for amphibious operations to be launched from beyond the horizon, and enabling the projection of military power ashore. Four more new and large auxiliary landing ships are due to enter service over the next few years.