Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces (and is therefore known as the Senior Service). From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century it was the most powerful navy in the world,[3] playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until arguably 1954, after the Suez Crisis exposed weaknesses in the British military. 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 a blue water navy and the second-largest navy of the NATO alliance, in terms of the combined displacement (approx. 450,000 long tons (460,000 t) (950,000 long tons (970,000 t) including the Royal Fleet Auxiliary) after the United States Navy.[4] As of 2010[update] there were 88 commissioned ships in the Royal Navy, including aircraft carriers, a helicopter carrier, landing platform docks, ballistic missile submarines, nuclear fleet submarines, guided missile destroyers, frigates, mine counter-measures and patrol vessels. 16 vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) also contribute to the Royal Navy's order-of-battle. The Royal Navy's ability to project power globally is considered second only to the U.S. Navy.[5][6] The Royal Navy maintains the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons.

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