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The Naval Service is the naval branch of the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces

The armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or His/Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, encompasses a Royal Navy, an British Army, and an Royal Air Force....
, which includes civilian agencies under the control of the Navy Board
Navy Board

The Navy Board is today the body responsible for the day-to-day running of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. Its composition is identical to that of the Admiralty Board of the Defence Council of the United Kingdom, except that it does not include any of Her Majesty's Ministers....
. According to the Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy, it consists of:



Formerly the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service
Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service

The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service was a United Kingdom British Government agency which ran a variety of civilian manned support vessels for the Royal Navy....
, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service and the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
Royal Corps of Naval Constructors

The Royal Corps of Naval Constructors is an institution of the Royal Navy and British Admiralty for training in naval architecture. It was established by Order in Council in August 1883, on the recommendation of the naval architect Sir William Henry White....
 were also considered part of the Naval Service.

The term Naval Service should be distinguished from the "UK Naval Services", which consist of the Naval Service and the Merchant Navy.

The April 2005 regular strength of the Naval Service (i.e.






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The Naval Service is the naval branch of the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces

The armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or His/Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, encompasses a Royal Navy, an British Army, and an Royal Air Force....
, which includes civilian agencies under the control of the Navy Board
Navy Board

The Navy Board is today the body responsible for the day-to-day running of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. Its composition is identical to that of the Admiralty Board of the Defence Council of the United Kingdom, except that it does not include any of Her Majesty's Ministers....
. According to the Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy, it consists of:

  • the Royal Navy
    Royal Navy

    The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th 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 from 1815 until the early 1940s....
     (including Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
    Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service

    Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service is the nursing branch of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. Its personnel work alongside the Royal Navy Medical Branch....
    )
  • the Royal Marines
    Royal Marines

    The Royal Marines are the marine and amphibious warfare infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service....
  • the Naval Reserve Forces:
    • the Royal Naval Reserve
      Royal Naval Reserve

      The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom....
       (including Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve)
    • the Royal Marines Reserve
      Royal Marines Reserve

      The role of the Royal Marines Reserve of the United Kingdom is to support the regular Royal Marinesin times of war or national crisis. The RMR consists of some 600-1000 trained ranks distributed among the five RMR Centres within the UK....
    • the Royal Fleet Reserve
  • Naval Careers Service


Formerly the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service
Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service

The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service was a United Kingdom British Government agency which ran a variety of civilian manned support vessels for the Royal Navy....
, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service and the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
Royal Corps of Naval Constructors

The Royal Corps of Naval Constructors is an institution of the Royal Navy and British Admiralty for training in naval architecture. It was established by Order in Council in August 1883, on the recommendation of the naval architect Sir William Henry White....
 were also considered part of the Naval Service.

Hms Illustrious 1
The term Naval Service should be distinguished from the "UK Naval Services", which consist of the Naval Service and the Merchant Navy.

The April 2005 regular strength of the Naval Service (i.e. Royal Navy and Royal Marines) was 36,320. The Naval Service is dominated by the Royal Navy, which accounts for over 80% of Naval Service personnel. The Naval Service as a whole comes under the command of the Navy Board, which is headed by the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
First Sea Lord

The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS....
.

Royal Navy

Hmsdaring
Referred to as the "Senior Service" by virtue of it being the oldest service within the British Armed Forces, the Royal Navy had a strength of 34,900 in April 2006. The Navy has been structured around a single fleet since the abolition of the Eastern and Western fleets in 1971. Command of deployable assets is exercised by the Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Commander-in-Chief Fleet

Commander-in-Chief Fleet is the admiral responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of the ships, submarines and aircraft, and personnel, of the United Kingdom Royal Navy....
, who also has authority over the Royal Marines, and the civilian Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Personnel matters are the responsibility of the Second Sea Lord
Second Sea Lord

The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments....
/Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, an appointment usually held by a vice-admiral.

The United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent is carried aboard the navy's Vanguard-class
Vanguard class submarine

The Vanguard class are the Royal Navy's current nuclear ballistic missile submarines , each armed with up to 16 Trident missile Submarine-launched ballistic missiles ....
 of four nuclear ballistic-missile submarines. The surface fleet consists of carriers
Aircraft carrier

An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a navy force to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations....
, destroyer
Destroyer

In navy terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a Naval fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range but powerful attackers ....
s, frigate
Frigate

A frigate is a warship. The term has been used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.In the 18th century, the term referred to ships which were as long as a ship-of-the-line and were square rig on all three masts , but were faster and with lighter armament, used for patrolling and escort....
s, amphibious assault ship
Amphibious assault ship

An amphibious assault ship is a type of helicopter carrier employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an Amphibious warfare....
s, patrol ships
Patrol boat

A patrol boat is a small naval ship generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuary or river environments....
, mine-countermeasures
Minesweeper (ship)

A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations....
, and miscellaneous vessels. A submarine service
Royal Navy Submarine Service

The Royal Navy Submarine Service is the collective name given to the submarine element of the Royal Navy. It is sometimes known as the "Silent Service", on account of a submarine being required to operate quietly in order to remain undetected by enemy sonar....
 has existed within the Royal Navy for over 100-years. The service possessed a combined fleet of diesel-electric and nuclear-powered submarines in the early 1990s. Following the Options for Change defence review, diesel-electric submarines were withdrawn and the "hunter-killer
Hunter-killer

Hunter-Killer is a military term traditionally used to describe an entity in which the roles of "sensor" and "shooter" are separated. However, in the case of unmanned aerial vehicles, it means the opposite: an aircraft system designed to find, identify and kill its target; the first purpose-designed hunter-killer Unmanned aerial vehicle is...
" fleet is now exclusively nuclear-powered.

Royal Marines

Wfm Rigid Raider
The infantry component of the Naval Service is the Corps of Royal Marines, which had a reported strength of approximately 7,400 in 2006. Consisting of a single manoeuvre brigade (3 Commando
3 Commando Brigade

3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other All Arms Commando Course Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen....
) and various independent units, the Royal Marines specialise in amphibious
Amphibious warfare

Amphibious warfare is the utilization of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain....
, arctic
Arctic warfare

Arctic warfare or winter warfare is a term used to describe armed conflict that takes place in an exceptionally cold weather, usually in snowy and icy terrain, sometimes on ice-covered bodies of water....
, and mountain warfare
Mountain warfare

Mountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains....
. Contained within 3 Commando Brigade are three attached army units; an infantry battalion (from April 2008), an artillery regiment, and an engineer regiment. The Commando Logistic Regiment
Commando Logistic Regiment

The role of the Commando Logistic Regiment, Royal Marines is to provide second line Combat Service Support to Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade and Royal Marines in peace, war and operations other than war....
 consists of personnel from the Army, Royal Marines, and Royal Navy.

Former components of the Naval Service


Trident Ii Missile Image
The following services were formerly also components of the Naval Service:

  • the Women's Royal Naval Service
    Women's Royal Naval Service

    The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included Cooking, clerks, Morse codes, and electricians, and a small number of air mechanics during the Second World War....
     (merged into the Royal Navy in 1993)
  • the Royal Naval Minewatching Service
    Royal Naval Minewatching Service

    The Royal Naval Minewatching Service was a civilian organisation formed in 1952 as part of the auxiliary forces of the United Kingdom Naval Service....
     (reformed into the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service in 1962 and disbanded in 1994)
  • the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
    Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service

    Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service is the nursing branch of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. Its personnel work alongside the Royal Navy Medical Branch....
     (incorporated within the Royal Navy in 2000)


Naval Reserve Forces:
  • the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (merged with the Royal Naval Reserve in 1958)
    • the Royal Naval Volunteer (Supplementary) Reserve
    • the Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve
    • the Royal Naval Volunteer (Postal) Reserve)
  • the Royal Naval Emergency Reserve (disbanded c. 1959)
  • the Royal Naval Special Reserve (disbanded c. 1960)
  • the Women's Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (renamed the Women's Royal Naval Reserve in 1958, merged into the Royal Naval Reserve in 1993)
    • the Women's Royal Naval Supplementary Reserve
  • the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve (incorporated within the Royal Naval Reserve in 2000)


Current ships and units of the Naval Service


  • HMS Ark Royal (R07)
    HMS Ark Royal (R07)

    HMS Ark Royal , the last Invincible class aircraft carrier light aircraft carrier to be completed, is the fifth ship of the Royal Navy named in honour of the HMS Ark Royal of the England fleet that defeated the Spanish Armada....
  • HMS Illustrious (R06)
    HMS Illustrious (R06)

    The fifth HMS Illustrious is an Invincible class aircraft carrier light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, affectionately known as 'Lusty' to her crew....
  • HMS Invincible (R05)
    HMS Invincible (R05)

    HMS Invincible is a Royal Navy ASW carrier, the lead ship of three in Invincible class aircraft carrier. She was launched on 3 May 1977 and is the seventh ship to carry the name....
  • Daring (D32)
    HMS Daring (D32)

    Daring is the lead ship of the Type 45 destroyer or 'D' Class of Anti-aircraft warfare destroyer in the Royal Navy and the seventh ship to hold that name....
  • HMS Exeter (D89)
    HMS Exeter (D89)

    HMS Exeter is a Type 42 destroyer destroyer, the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to be named Exeter, after the city of Exeter in Devon.Exeter was the first of the slightly modified 'Batch 2' Type 42 destroyers....
  • HMS Southampton (D90)
    HMS Southampton (D90)

    HMS Southampton was a batch two Type 42 destroyer destroyer of the Royal Navy.She was named after the city of Southampton, England, and built by Vosper Thornycroft, in Southampton....
  • HMS Nottingham (D91)
    HMS Nottingham (D91)

    HMS Nottingham , is a batch two Type 42 destroyer Destroyer of the Royal Navy, named after the city of Nottingham, England.She was ship naming and launching on 18 February 1980, and ship commissioning on 8 April 1983 and is the sixth ship to bear the name....
  • HMS Liverpool (D92)
    HMS Liverpool (D92)

    The seventh, and current HMS Liverpool is the 10th of 14 Type 42 destroyer destroyers. She was built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead and launched on the 25 September in 1980 by Lady Strathcona, wife of the then Minister of State for Defence....
  • HMS Manchester (D95)
    HMS Manchester (D95)

    The current HMS Manchester is a Type 42 destroyer destroyer in the 5th Destroyer Squadron of the United Kingdom Royal Navy.She was laid down in 1978 at Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, launched in 1980 and commissioned in 1982....
  • HMS Gloucester (D96)
    HMS Gloucester (D96)

    HMS Gloucester is a Batch 3 Type 42 destroyer destroyer of the Royal Navy. The ship was built by Vosper Thorneycroft at Woolston, Southampton and launched on 2 November 1982 by The Duchess of Gloucester....
  • HMS Edinburgh (D97)
    HMS Edinburgh (D97)

    HMS Edinburgh is a Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy. Edinburgh was built by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead. She was launched on 14 April 1983 and commissioned on the 17 December 1985....
  • HMS York (D98)
    HMS York (D98)

    HMS York is a batch three Type 42 destroyer destroyer of the Royal Navy. Launched on 20 June 1982 at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear and sponsored by Lady Gosling, HMS York was the last Type 42 built....
  • HMS Argyll (F231)
    HMS Argyll (F231)

    The third and current HMS Argyll is a Type 23 frigate 'Duke' Class frigate. She was laid down in March 1987 by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow, launched in 1989 by Wendy Levene, and commissioned in May 1991....
  • HMS Lancaster (F229)
    HMS Lancaster (F229)

    HMS Lancaster is a 'Duke' Class Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy. Being the third ship in the Type 23 class, Lancaster was originally allocated the pennant number F232 until it was realised that the 232 is the Royal Navy report form for groundings and collisions and, therefore, considered unlucky....
  • HMS Iron Duke (F234)
    HMS Iron Duke (F234)

    HMS Iron Duke is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy, and the third ship to bear the name. Iron Duke was launched on 2 March 1991 by Lady Jane King in the presence of the Arthur Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington....
  • HMS Monmouth (F235)
    HMS Monmouth (F235)

    HMS Monmouth is the sixth Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the seventh ship to bear the name and was launched by Lady Eaton in 1991, being commissioned two years later....
  • HMS Montrose (F236)
    HMS Montrose (F236)

    The second and current HMS Montrose is the eighth of a sixteen ship class of frigates, known as Type 23 frigate or the Duke class, of the Royal Navy....
  • HMS Westminster (F237)
    HMS Westminster (F237)

    HMS Westminster is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy, and the second ship to bear the name. She was launched on 4 February 1992....
  • HMS Northumberland (F238)
    HMS Northumberland (F238)

    HMS Northumberland is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy. She is named after the Duke of Northumberland. She is based at HMNB Devonport and her present captain is Commander Martin Simpson....
  • HMS Richmond (F239)
    HMS Richmond (F239)

    HMS Richmond is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy . She was launched 6 April 1993 by Lady Hill-Norton, and was the last warship to be built by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders....
  • HMS Somerset (F82)
    HMS Somerset (F82)

    HMS Somerset is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy.HMS Somerset is the eleventh of the class to join the fleet since 1989. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd on the river Clyde, in Scotland and was launched in June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard, wife of then 2nd Sea Lord Admiral and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Comman...
  • HMS Sutherland (F81)
    HMS Sutherland (F81)

    HMS Sutherland is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the thirteenth ship in the Duke class of frigates and is the third ship to bear the name, more than 200 years since the name was last used....
  • HMS Kent (F78)
    HMS Kent (F78)

    HMS Kent is a Type 23 frigate Duke class frigate of the British Royal Navy, and the twelfth ship to bear the name.HMS Kents lineage boasts sixteen Battle Honours from the three given to the first Kent of 46 guns built in 1653, to the five awarded to the HMS Kent and HMS Kent Kents of World War I and World War II....
  • HMS Portland (F79)
    HMS Portland (F79)

    HMS Portland is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the HMS Portland to bear the name and is the fifteenth ship in the Duke class of frigates....
  • HMS St Albans (F83)
    HMS St Albans (F83)

    HMS St Albans is a Type 23 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the HMS St Albans to bear the name and is the sixteenth and final ship in the Duke class of frigates....
  • HMS Cornwall (F99)
    HMS Cornwall (F99)

    The sixth and present HMS Cornwall is the first of the Batch 3 Type 22 frigate frigates of the Royal Navy. Cornwall is based at HMNB Devonport in Devon, England, part of the Devonport Flotilla....
  • HMS Cumberland (F85)
    HMS Cumberland (F85)

    HMS Cumberland is a Type 22 frigate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1986 and commissioned on 10 June 1989. The frigate was on station during the First Gulf War....
  • HMS Campbeltown (F86)
    HMS Campbeltown (F86)

    HMS Campbeltown is a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, she was part of the third batch of Type 22s, which were considerably larger than their predecessors and incorporated more advanced weapon after lessons learnt from the Falklands War....
  • HMS Chatham (F87)
    HMS Chatham (F87)

    HMS Chatham is a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy. She was guardship to the Royal Yacht Britannia when she withdrew from Hong Kong in 1997 ....
  • HMS Ocean (L12)
    HMS Ocean (L12)

    HMS Ocean of the Royal Navy is an Amphibious assault ship , the sole member of her class. She is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force....
  • HMS Albion (L14)
    HMS Albion (L14)

    The ninth and current HMS Albion is a First-of-Class Landing Platform Dock ship of the Royal Navy built in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, UK....
  • HMS Bulwark (L15)
    HMS Bulwark (L15)

    HMS Bulwark is an Albion class landing platform dock landing platform dock, the United Kingdom's newest class of Amphibious warfare Naval ship and built in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, UK....
  • HMS Walney (M104)
    HMS Walney (M104)

    HMS Walney is a Sandown class minehunter minehunter of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. She is the fourth of the Sandown-class minehunters, and the second ship to carry the name, which comes from Walney Island off Barrow-in-Furness on the north-west coast of England....
  • HMS Penzance (M106)
    HMS Penzance (M106)

    HMS Penzance is a Sandown class minehunter commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1998. She is named after the Cornwall seaside town of Penzance, and is the fourth vessel to bear the name....
  • HMS Pembroke (M107)
    HMS Pembroke (M107)

    HMS Pembroke is a Sandown class minehunter minehunter of the Royal Navy.External links*...
  • HMS Grimsby (M108)
    HMS Grimsby (M108)

    HMS Grimsby is a Sandown class minehunter minehunter of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, and the third to bear the name. She was built by Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston, Hampshire, and commissioned in 1999....
  • HMS Bangor (M109)
    HMS Bangor (M109)

    HMS Bangor is a Sandown class minehunter commissioned by the Royal Navy in 1999. She is named after the Northern Ireland seaside town of Bangor, County Down, and the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name....
  • HMS Ramsey (M110)
    HMS Ramsey (M110)

    HMS Ramsey is a Sandown class minehunter minehunter of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. She is the third vessel to bear the name....
  • HMS Blyth (M111)
    HMS Blyth (M111)

    HMS Blyth is a Sandown class minehunter minehunter of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. She is the second vessel to bear the name.The first being a Bangor class minesweeper of the Second World War,pennant number J15....
  • HMS Shoreham (M112)
    HMS Shoreham (M112)

    HMS Shoreham is a Sandown class minehunter minehunter of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. She is the fifth vessel to bear the name....
  • HMS Ledbury (M30)
    HMS Ledbury (M30)

    HMS Ledbury , the third ship of the name, is a Hunt class MCMV minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched on December 1979 and commissioned on 11 June 1981, the second ship of her class....
  • HMS Cattistock (M31)
    HMS Cattistock (M31)

    HMS Cattistock , the third ship of this name, is a Hunt class minesweeper minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1981 and commissioned on 5 March 1982, the third ship of her class....
  • HMS Brocklesby (M33)
    HMS Brocklesby (M33)

    HMS Brocklesby is a Hunt class MCMV mine countermeasure vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy....
  • HMS Middleton (M34)
    HMS Middleton (M34)

    HMS Middleton is a Hunt class MCMV mine countermeasure vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. She forms part of the Second Mine Countermeasures Squadron based in Portsmouth....
  • HMS Chiddingfold (M37)
    HMS Chiddingfold (M37)

    HMS Chiddingfold is a Hunt class MCMV mine countermeasure vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy.She was launched in October 1983 by her sponsor, Lady Anne Kennon, and formally entered the service of the Royal Navy in October 1984....
  • HMS Atherstone (M38)
    HMS Atherstone (M38)

    HMS Atherstone , the third ship of this name, is a Hunt class MCMV minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1986 and commissioned on January 17th 1987, the tenth ship of her class....
  • HMS Hurworth (M39)
    HMS Hurworth (M39)

    HMS Hurworth is a Hunt class MCMV mine countermeasure vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy....
  • HMS Quorn (M41)
    HMS Quorn (M41)

    HMS Quorn , the third ship of this name, is a Hunt class minesweeper minesweeper of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 23 January 1988, the last ship of her class....
  • HMS Endurance (A171)
    HMS Endurance (A171)

    HMS Endurance is the Royal Navy's Southern Ocean ice patrol ship. She is a class 1A1 icebreaker, with pennant number A171.She was originally built in Norway in 1990 by Ulstein Hatlo for GC Rieber Shipping as MV Polar Circle....
  • HMS Mersey (P283)
    HMS Mersey (P283)

    The fifth and current HMS Mersey is a River class patrol vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. Named after the River Mersey, the ship is the first to bear the name in 84 years....
  • HMS Severn (P282)
    HMS Severn (P282)

    The ninth and current HMS Severn is a River class patrol vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. Named after the River Severn, the ship is the first to bear the name in 56-years....
  • HMS Tyne (P281)
    HMS Tyne (P281)

    HMS Tyne is the sixth Royal Navy ship to carry the name Tyne. She is a River class patrol vessel vessel built by VT Group in Southampton to serve as a fishery protection unit within the United Kingdom's waters along with her two sister ships HMS Mersey and HMS Severn ....
  • HMS Clyde (P257)
    HMS Clyde (P257)

    HMS Clyde is the ninth ship in the Royal Navy to bear the name. She was launched on 14 June 2006 in Portsmouth Naval Base by VT Group shipbuilders in Portsmouth, England and is the fourth vessel of the River class patrol vessel and the first of a lengthened variety with a displacement of 1,850 tonnes and a 30 mm Oerlikon Contraves KCB gu...
  • HMS Archer (P264)
    HMS Archer (P264)

    HMS Archer is the lead ship of the Archer class patrol vessel. As the lead ship she was one of the few of her class to be completed by Watercraft Marine, the original shipbuilders - most of the remaining vessels were completed or built by Vosper Thornycroft....
  • HMS Biter (P270)
    HMS Biter (P270)

    HMS Biter is an Archer class patrol vessel P2000-type patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. She is assigned to Manchester & Salford URNU, a Royal Naval Reserve unit based in Manchester....
  • HMS Smiter (P272)
    HMS Smiter (P272)

    HMS Smiter is an Archer class patrol vessel patrol and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy.On being accepted into service she served the Clyde Division of the Royal Naval Reserve until 11 October 1990....
  • HMS Blazer (P279)
    HMS Blazer (P279)

    HMS Blazer is an Archer class patrol vessel P2000-type patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy.She is currently attached to the Southampton University Royal Naval Unit ....
  • HMS Puncher (P291)
    HMS Puncher (P291)

    HMS Puncher is an Archer class patrol vessel P2000-type patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy built by Watercraft of Shoreham and fitted out by Vosper Thorneycroft in Portsmouth....
  • HMS Charger (P292)
    HMS Charger (P292)

    HMS Charger is an Archer-class Fast Patrol Vessel completed by Vosper Thornycroft. She is just over 20 metres long and 5.8 metres wide and powered by two Rolls-Royce turbo engines....
  • HMS Ranger (P293)
    HMS Ranger (P293)

    HMS Ranger is an Archer class patrol vessel patrol and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, based in HMNB Portsmouth. She is affiliated to Sussex University Royal Naval Unit , which has its offices at the University of Sussex, Brighton....
  • HMS Trumpeter (P294)
    HMS Trumpeter (P294)

    HMS Trumpeter is an Archer class patrol vessel P2000-type patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. It was named in honour of the visit in 1901 of The All American Trumpeters to the UK....
  • HMS Express (P163)
    HMS Express (P163)

    HMS Express is an Archer class patrol vessel P2000-type patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy.Express is the only P2000-type vessel in the fleet to retain the black hull inherited from the original operator; the RNXS....
  • HMS Example (P165)
    HMS Example (P165)

    'HMS' 'Example' is an Archer class patrol vessel patrol and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, based at HMS Calliope in Gateshead, England....
  • HMS Explorer (P164)
    HMS Explorer (P164)

    HMS Explorer is an Archer class patrol vessel P2000-type patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy.She is assigned to the Yorkshire Universities University Royal Naval Unit , serving the Universities of University of York, University of Hull, University of Sheffield and University of Leeds....
  • HMS Exploit (P167)
    HMS Exploit (P167)

    HMS Exploit is an Archer class patrol vessel patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, built in Woolston, Hampshire by, Vosper Thornycroft and commissioned in 1988....
  • HMS Tracker (P274)
    HMS Tracker (P274)

    HMS Tracker is an Archer class patrol vessel patrol and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, used for training purposes by the Oxford University University Royal Naval Unit ....
  • HMS Raider (P275)
    HMS Raider (P275)

    HMS Raider is an Archer class patrol vessel patrol boat of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, used to fulfil the sea-training syllabus of the Cambridge University Royal Naval Unit ....
  • HMS Scimitar (P284)
    HMS Scimitar (P284)

    HMS Scimitar is a Scimitar class patrol vessel patrol boat of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. She is a Lifespan Patrol Vessel type boat and formerly served in inland waterway duties in Northern Ireland as MV Grey Fox....
  • HMS Sabre (P285)
    HMS Sabre (P285)

    HMS Sabre is a Scimitar class patrol vessel patrol boat of the United Kingdom Royal Navy. It was commissioned into the Gibraltar squadron on 31 January 2003 , and is used for police, customs and rescue purposes....
  • HMS Pursuer (P273)
    HMS Pursuer (P273)

    HMS Pursuer is an Archer class patrol vessel patrol and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy, part of the Royal Navy Cyprus Squadron , formed in February 2003 in support of Operation Telic, the U.S....
  • HMS Dasher (P280)
    HMS Dasher (P280)

    HMS Dasher is an Archer class patrol vessel P2000-type patrol boat and training vessel of the United Kingdom Royal Navy....
  • HMS Scott (H131)
    HMS Scott (H131)

    HMS Scott is an Ocean Survey Vessel of the Royal Navy, and the only vessel of her class. She is the third Royal Navy ship to carry the name, and the second to be named after the Antarctica explorer, Robert Falcon Scott....
  • HMS Roebuck (H130)
    HMS Roebuck (H130)

    HMS Roebuck is a coastal survey vessel of the Royal Navy . She was commissioned in 1986, and was the last traditional survey ship to join the fleet....
  • HMSML Gleaner (H86)
    HMS Gleaner (H86)

    HMSML Gleaner is the smallest commissioned vessel in the Royal Navy with a ship's company of 8 . She is based in HMNB Devonport, Plymouth. The ship prefix HMSML stands for Her Majesty's Survey Motor Launch....
  • HMS Echo (H87)
    HMS Echo (H87)

    HMS Echo is the first of two multi-role hydrography survey ships commissioned by the Royal Navy. With her sister ship, , they form the Echo class survey ship of survey vessels....
  • HMS Enterprise (H88)
    HMS Enterprise (H88)

    HMS Enterprise , the tenth ship to bear this name, is a multi-role Survey vessel of the Royal Navy. She has a sister ship, .Built by Appledore Shipbuilders under the prime contractor Vosper Thornycroft, Enterprise was ship naming and launching on 27 April 2002, officially named by the ship's sponsor, Lady Sally Forbes, at her namin...
  • HMS Vanguard (S28)
    HMS Vanguard (S28)

    The tenth HMS Vanguard of the Royal Navy is the lead boat of Vanguard class submarine of Trident ballistic missile-armed submarines. The sub is based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane....
  • HMS Victorious (S29)
    HMS Victorious (S29)

    'HMS' 'Victorious' is the second Vanguard class submarine submarine of the Royal Navy. Victorious carries the Trident ballistic missile, the The United Kingdom and weapons of mass destruction....
  • HMS Vigilant (S30)
    HMS Vigilant (S30)

    'HMS' 'Vigilant' is the third Vanguard class submarine submarine of the Royal Navy. Vigilant carries the Trident ballistic missile, the The United Kingdom and weapons of mass destruction....
  • HMS Vengeance (S31)
    HMS Vengeance (S31)

    'HMS' 'Vengeance' is the fourth and final Vanguard class submarine submarine of the Royal Navy. Vengeance carries the Trident ballistic missile, the The United Kingdom and weapons of mass destruction....
  • HMS Trafalgar (S107)
    HMS Trafalgar (S107)

    HMS Trafalgar is a Trafalgar class submarine of the Royal Navy.After Operation Veritas, the attack on Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, Trafalgar entered Plymouth Sound flying the Jolly Roger on 1 March 2002....
  • HMS Turbulent (S87)
    HMS Turbulent (S87)

    HMS Turbulent is a Trafalgar class submarine of the Royal Navy built by Vickers Shipbuilding, Barrow-in-Furness.Turbulent went through her modernisation and first nuclear refuel in 1997....
  • HMS Tireless (S88)
    HMS Tireless (S88)

    HMS Tireless , a Trafalgar class submarine, is the second submarine of the Royal Navy to bear this name. She was ship naming and launching in March 1984, sponsored by Mrs Sue Squires, wife of Admiral 'Tubby' Squires, and ship commissioning in October 1985....
  • HMS Torbay (S90)
    HMS Torbay (S90)

    HMS Torbay is a Trafalgar class submarine of the Royal Navy.HMS Torbay was the first vessel to be fitted with the new command system SMCS#SMCS-NG.3B_controversy_about_system_architecture , which meant that she was also the first Royal Navy vessel to put to sea under the "command" of the Microsoft Windows operating system....
  • HMS Trenchant (S91)
    HMS Trenchant (S91)

    HMS Trenchant is a Trafalgar class submarine built by Vickers Shipbuilding, Barrow-in-Furness.HMS Trenchant tested the non-hull-penetrating optronic mast in 1998....
  • HMS Talent (S92)
    HMS Talent (S92)

    HMS Talent is a Trafalgar class submarine of the Royal Navy.She is the sixth of seven Trafalgar class hunter killer submarines, built by Barrow-in-Furness, HMS Talent was launched by Anne, Princess Royal in April 1988 and commissioned in May 1990....
  • HMS Triumph (S93)
    HMS Triumph (S93)

    The current HMS Triumph is a Trafalgar class submarine of the Royal Navy.The boat was laid down in 1987 by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited and launched in February 1991 by Mrs....
  • HMS Sceptre (S104)
    HMS Sceptre (S104)

    The fifth HMS Sceptre is a Swiftsure class submarine built by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness. She was ship commissioning on 14 February 1978, by Lady Audrey White....
  • HMS Bristol (D23)
    HMS Bristol (D23)

    HMS Bristol was the only Type 82 destroyer destroyer of the Royal Navy. Originally intended as the first of a class of new large destroyers to escort the CVA-01 aircraft carriers projected to come into service in the early 1970s, Bristol turned out to be a unique ship....
  • HMS Caroline
    HMS Caroline (1914)

    HMS Caroline is a C class cruiser light cruiser of the United Kingdom Royal Navy . Caroline was launched and commissioned in 1914, making her the second-oldest ship in RN service, after HMS Victory....
  • HMS Victory
    HMS Victory

    HMS Victory is a first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, started in 1759 and launched in 1765, most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar....
  • Wave Knight
    RFA Wave Knight (A389)

    RFA Wave Knight is a Wave Knight class tanker oiler of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary of the United Kingdom. Wave Knight was built by BAE Systems, being launched in 2000....
  • Wave Ruler
    RFA Wave Ruler (A390)

    RFA Wave Ruler is a Wave Knight class tanker oiler of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary of the United Kingdom.RFA RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler are large fleet tankers designed to replace the Olna and Olwen, two 36,000t displacement fast fleet tankers, built at Swan Hunter and Hawthorn Leslie in the 1960s....
  • Gold Rover
    RFA Gold Rover (A271)

    RFA Gold Rover is a small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Gold Rover participated in the 1986 Jamaican flood relief operations....
  • Black Rover
    RFA Black Rover (A273)

    RFA Black Rover is a small fleet tanker of the United Kingdom Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She is designed to replenish ships underway at sea with fuel, fresh water, and stores in all weather conditions....
  • Bayleaf
    RFA Bayleaf (A109)

    RFA Bayleaf is a Leaf class tanker support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.See alsoBristol Group...
  • Orangeleaf
    RFA Orangeleaf (A110)

    RFA Orangeleaf is a Leaf class tanker fleet support tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.During early to mid-2004, the ship took part in a deployment with a French carrier battle group, centred around the FS Charles de Gaulle to the Indian Ocean....
  • Fort Rosalie
    RFA Fort Rosalie (A385)

    RFA Fort Rosalie is a fleet stores ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Fort Rosalie was originally named RFA Fort Grange, but was renamed in May 2000 to avoid confusion with RFA Fort George , a change which was not universally popular....
  • Fort Austin
    RFA Fort Austin (A386)

    RFA Fort Austin is a fleet stores ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Fort Austin was laid down at Scott Lithgow in 1975, launched in 1978 and commissioned in 1979....
  • Fort Victoria
    RFA Fort Victoria (A387)

    RFA Fort Victoria is a combined fleet stores ship and tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Fort Victoria was ordered from Harland and Wolff in 1986, and was launched in 1990....
  • Fort George
    RFA Fort George (A388)

    RFA Fort George is a combined fleet stores ship and tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Fort George was ordered from Swan Hunter in late 1987....
  • Argus
    RFA Argus (A135)

    RFA Argus is an aviation training ship with a secondary role of primary casualty receiving ship in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Italian-built, Argus was formerly the container ship MV Contender Bezant....
  • Diligence
    RFA Diligence (A132)

    RFA Diligence is a fleet repair ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She was built by Oesundsvarvet AB Landskrona in Sweden and launched in 1981 as a civilian oil rig support ship,....
  • Largs Bay
    RFA Largs Bay (L3006)

    RFA Largs Bay is a Bay class landing ship dock of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary , built by Swan Hunter in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear. She is named for Largs in Ayrshire, Scotland....
  • Lyme Bay
    RFA Lyme Bay (L3007)

    RFA Lyme Bay is a Bay class landing ship dock auxiliaries landing ship dock of the United Kingdom Royal Fleet Auxiliary.Lyme Bay was built by Swan Hunter on the River Tyne....
  • Mounts Bay
    RFA Mounts Bay (L3008)

    RFA Mounts Bay is a Bay class landing ship dock auxiliaries landing ship dock of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. She is named for Mount's Bay in Cornwall....
  • Cardigan Bay
    RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009)

    RFA Cardigan Bay is an amphibious assault vessel of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary....
  • Sea Crusader
    RFA Sea Crusader (A96)

    RFA Sea Crusader was a fast sealift ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. It is described by the RFA as a "Strategic Lift RORO". It was built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan and entered service in 1996....
  • Sea Centurion
    RFA Sea Centurion (A98)

    RFA Sea Centurion was a fast sealift ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary built for Stena Line by Societa Esercizio Cantieri. She was one of five 2700 lane metre capacity roll-on/roll-off sister ships which were to have been built for Stena Ro-Ro, and one of the last built by SEC at Viareggio before the yard closed due to bankruptcy in...
  • MV Hurst Point
  • MV Eddystone
  • MV Longstone
  • MV Beachy Head
  • MV Hartland Point
  • MV Anvil Point
  • RMAS Newton (A367)
  • RMAS Colonel Templer (A229)
    RMAS Colonel Templer (A229)

    RMAS Colonel Templer is an acoustic research vessel of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service department of the Royal Navy, since November 2000 operated under contract by Serco Denholm, based at HMNB Clyde, Great Harbour, Greenock....
  • RMAS Kinterbury (A378)
  • RMAS Salmoor (A185)
    RMAS Salmoor (A185)

    RMAS Salmoor is a SAL Class mooring and salvage vessel still working for the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service department of the Royal Navy, until commencement of contract for Serco Denholm at HMNB Clyde, and based at Great Harbour, Greenock....
  • RMAS Salmaid (A187)
  • RMAS Moorhen (Y32)
  • RMAS Moorfowl (Y33)
  • RMAS Cameron (A72)
  • RMAS Tornado (A140)
  • RMAS Tormentor (A142)
  • RMAS Torrent (A127)
  • RMAS Impulse (A344)
  • RMAS Impetus (A335)
  • RMAS Adept (A224)
  • RMAS Bustler (A225)
    RMAS Bustler (A225)

    RMAS Bustler is a Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service Adept class tug based at HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, operated under contract by Serco Denholm....
  • RMAS Capable (A226)
  • RMAS Careful (A227)
  • RMAS Forceful (A221)
  • RMAS Nimble (A222)
  • RMAS Powerful (A223)
    RMAS Powerful (A223)

    RMAS Powerful is a Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service Adept class tug based at HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, operated under contract by Serco Denholm....
  • RMAS Faithful (A228)
    RMAS Faithful (A228)

    RMAS Faithful is one of four Adept class tugs based at HMNB Devonport, Plymouth previously working for the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service department of the Royal Navy, now operated under contract by Serco Denholm....
  • RMAS Dexterous (A231)
  • RMAS Warden (A368)
  • RMAS Adamant (A232)


Note: does not include landing craft or other carried vessels

Shore Establishments
  • RNAS Culdrose
    RNAS Culdrose

    Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose , based in Cornwall, near Helston, on the Lizard Peninsula, has three major roles: serving the Fleet Air Arm's front line Westland Sea King and AgustaWestland EH101 helicopter squadrons; providing search and rescue for the South West region; and training specialists for the Royal Navy....
  • RNAS Yeovilton
    RNAS Yeovilton

    Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited in South West England a few miles north of Yeovil in Somerset....
  • RNAS Predannack
  • RNAS Merryfield
    RNAS Merryfield

    RNAS Merryfield is an airfield of the Royal Navy. The station is located at the village of Ilton near Ilminster in southwest Somerset, England....
  • DM Beith
  • RNAD Coulport
  • HMNB Devonport
    HMNB Devonport

    Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three UK operating bases for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, Devon, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England....
  • HMNB Portsmouth
    HMNB Portsmouth

    Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth , is one of three operating bases for the Royal Navy . Portsmouth naval base is located on the eastern shore of Portsmouth Harbour and is part of the city of Portsmouth and is situated north of the Solent and Isle of Wight....
  • HMNB Clyde
    HMNB Clyde

    Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde is one of three UK operating bases for the Royal Navy . It is the service's headquarters in Scotland and is best known as the home of the United Kingdom UK Trident programme-armed nuclear submarine force....
  • Britannia Royal Naval College
    Britannia Royal Naval College

    Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, Devon, England....
  • Whale Island
    Whale Island, Hampshire

    Whale Island is a small island in Portsmouth Harbour, close by Portsea Island. It is currently home to HMS Excellent , the oldest shore training establishment within the Royal Navy, and the Headquarters of Commander in Chief, Fleet....
,
  • JSU Northwood, ex-HMS Warrior
    Northwood Headquarters

    Northwood Headquarters is a military headquarters facility of the British Armed Forces in Eastbury, Hertfordshire, Three Rivers , Hertfordshire, England....
  • Tawe Division
  • Govan Division
  • Menai Division
  • Tay Division
  • Ceres Division
    Ceres Division

    Ceres Division is a unit of the Royal Naval Reserve based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Serving West Yorkshire and the North East of England, Ceres trains up to 100 reservists sharing barracks with RMR Tyne in Leeds.....
  • Mount Pleasant Airfield
  • Norton Manor Barracks
    40 Commando

    40 Commando RM is a battalion sized formation of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade, the principal Commando formation, under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet....
  • Bickleigh Barracks
    42 Commando

    42 Commando RM is a battalion sized formation of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade, the principal Commando formation, under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet....
  • RM Condor
    RM Condor

    RM Condor is a large United Kingdom Royal Marines base home to 45 commando part of 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery it also home to 662 VGS flying Grob Viking TX.1....
  • Commando Logistic Regiment
    Commando Logistic Regiment

    The role of the Commando Logistic Regiment, Royal Marines is to provide second line Combat Service Support to Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade and Royal Marines in peace, war and operations other than war....
  • Stonehouse Barracks
    Stonehouse, Plymouth

    East Stonehouse is one of three towns that were amalgamated into modern-day Plymouth.Cremyll was a village that is within the current Mount Edgcumbe Country Park in Cornwall....
  • RMB Poole
    Special Boat Service

    The Special Boat Service is the special forces unit of the British Royal Navy. The service's motto is "By Strength and Guile". It forms part of the United Kingdom Special Forces group, alongside the Special Air Service , Special Reconnaissance Regiment , Special Forces Support Group and 18 Signal Regiment....
  • Lympstone