Royal Navy
From SR
Roles
The Royal Navy is one of the three Armed Forces.
Defence Missions of the Royal Navy:
- Contribute to the security of the UK and its citizens world-wide in peacetime, including providing military aid to civil authorities.
- Contribute to the internal and external security of the UK's Overseas Territories, e.g. Bermuda, Gibraltar and the Falklands.
- Participate in the Defence Diplomacy initiative through the building of international trust.
- Support British interests, influence and standing abroad extending to the support of defence exports.
- Participate in Peace Support and Humanitarian Operations.
- Provide forces required to counter a strategic attack on NATO.
- Maintain capability to mount a response to a regional conflict outside NATO which could adversely affect European Security or UK interests.
- Provide forces needed to respond to a regional conflict inside NATO where an Ally calls for assistance under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
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)
Units
- Fleet Air Arm
- Surface Fleet
- Submarines
- Royal Fleet Auxillary
- Royal Naval Reserve
- Royal Marines
- Royal Marines Reserve
- Fleet Battle Staff
