Navy
For other uses, see Navy (disambiguation) or Naval (disambiguation). |
The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) |
 |
The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I |
A
navy is the branch of a country's
military forces principally designated for
naval warfare and amphibious warfare (marines) namely
lake or
ocean borne
combat operations and related functions. It includes operations conducted by
surface ships,
amphibious ships,
submarines, and seaborne
aviation, as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other fields; recent developments have included
space related operations. The strategic offensive role of a Navy is projection of force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a Navy is to frustrate sea-borne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic task of the navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of nuclear missiles. This is not the case for every navy, however: some are just for defence such as Japan's navy, part of the
JMSDF (Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force).
|
HMS Victory, the oldest warship still in commission in the world. |
Naval warfare first developed whenever humankind conducted fighting from water-borne vessels. Prior to the introduction of the
cannon and ships with sufficient capacity to carry the large guns, naval warfare primarily involved ramming and boarding actions. In the time of
Ancient Greece and the
Roman empire, naval warfare centred around long, narrow vessels powered by banks of
oarsmen (such as
triremes and
quinqueremes) designed to ram and sink enemy vessels or come alongside the enemy vessel so its occupants could be attacked hand-to-hand. Naval warfare continued in this vein through the
Middle Ages until cannon became commonplace and capable of being reloaded quickly enough to be reused in the same battle.
The mass and deck space required to carry a large number of cannon made oar-based propulsion impossible and ships came to rely primarily on sails. Warships were designed to carry increasing numbers of cannon and
naval tactics evolved to bring a ship's firepower to bear in a
broadside, with
ships-of-the-line arranged in a
line of battle.
The development of large capacity, sail powered ships carrying cannon led to a rapid expansion of European navies, especially the Spanish and Portuguese navies which dominated in the
Sixteenth and early
Seventeenth Centuries, and ultimately helped propel the
age of exploration and colonialism. The repulsion of the
Spanish Armada (1588) by the Anglo-Dutch fleets revolutionised naval warfare by the success of a guns only strategy and caused a major overhaul of the
Spanish navy, partly along English lines, which resulted in even greater dominance by the Spanish. From the beginning of the 17th century the Dutch began cannibalise the
Portuguese empire in the
East and, with the immense wealth gained, began to challenge Spanish
hegemony at sea. From the 1620s, Dutch raiders began to seriously trouble Spanish shipping and, after a number of battles which went both ways, the
Dutch navy finally broke the long dominance of the
Spanish navy in the
Battle of the Downs (1639).
England emerged as a major naval power in the mid-Seventeenth Century in the first
Anglo-Dutch war with a technical victory but successive decisive Dutch victories in the second and third
Anglo-Dutch wars confirmed the Dutch mastery of the seas during the
Dutch Golden Age, financed by the expansion of the
Dutch empire. The
French navy did win some important victories near the end of the 17th century but a focus upon land forces led to the French navy's relative neglect which allowed the
Royal navy to emerge with an ever growing advantage in size and quality, especially in tactics and experience, from 1695. Throughout the
Eighteenth Century the Royal navy gradually gained ascendancy over the French navy, with victories in the
War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), inconclusive battles in the
War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748), victories in the
Seven Years' War (1754-1763), a partial reversal during the
American War of Independence (1775-1783), and consolidation into uncontested supremacy during the
Nineteenth Century from the
Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. These conflicts saw the development and refinement of
tactics which came to be called the
line of battle.
The next stage in the evolution of naval warfare was the introduction of
metal plating along the hull sides. The increased mass required steam-powered engines, resulting in an arms race between armor thickness and firepower. The first armoured vessels, the French
FS Gloire and British
HMS Warrior, made wooden vessels obsolete. Another significant improvement came with the invention of the rotating turrets, which allowed the guns to be aimed independently of ship movement. The battle between the
CSS Virginia and the
USS Monitor during the
American civil war is often cited as the beginning of this age of maritime conflict. A further step change in naval firepower occurred when the United Kingdom launched
HMS Dreadnought, but
naval tactics still emphasised the line of battle.
The first practical military
submarines were developed in the late
19th century and by the end of
WWI, they had proven to be a powerful arm of naval warfare. During
WWII the
German Navy's submarine fleet of
U-boats almost starved the United Kingdom into submission and inflicted
tremendous losses on US coastal shipping. The
German battleship Tirpitz, a sister ship of the
Bismarck, was almost put out of action by miniature submarines known as
X-Craft. The X-craft severely damaged her and kept her in port for some months.
A major paradigm shift in naval warfare occurred with the introduction of the
aircraft carrier. First at
Taranto in 1940 and then in
Pearl Harbor in 1941, the aircraft demonstrated its ability to strike decisively at enemy ships out of sight and range of surface vessels. The
Battle of Leyte Gulf, in 1944, was arguably the
largest naval battle in history; it was also the last battle in which battleships played a significant part. By the end of
World War II, the carrier had become the dominant force of naval warfare.
By the late
20th Century, naval power had become a major element in the military and strategic power of a country's
power projection capabilities, though some would suggest its importance has declined in the wake of the development of military
aviation and
air power. Many leading thinkers, however, suggest that navies are more important today than ever and may even surpass armies once again as the main measure of a nation's military might.
Naval tactics and strategy
It is tempting to regard modern naval combat as the purest expression of
tactics. This assumes there is no cover, there are no civilians and the area of combat is level and flat. This is not, however, the truth. The presence of land, changing water depths, weather, detection and electronic warfare, the dreadful speed at which actual combat occurs and other factors — especially air power — render naval tactics truly formidable. The basic idea of all tactics (land, sea and air) is
fire and movement: the fulfillment of a mission by the effective delivery of firepower resulting from scouting and the creation of good firing positions. Movement is a large component of modern combat; a
naval fleet can travel hundreds of kilometres in a day. In
naval warfare, the key is to detect the enemy while avoiding detection. Much time and effort is spent to deny the enemy the chance to detect one's forces.
There is also the concept of battle space: a
zone around a naval force within which a commander is confident of detecting, tracking, engaging and destroying threats before they pose a danger. This is why a navy prefers the open sea. The presence of land and the bottom topology of an area compress the battle space, limit the opportunities to maneuver, make it easier for an enemy to predict the location of the fleet and make the detection of enemy forces more difficult. In shallow waters, the detection of submarines and mines is especially problematic. One
scenario that was the focus of American naval planning during the Cold War was a conflict between two modern and well equipped fleets on the high seas, the clash of the United States and the Soviet Union. The main consideration is for
Carrier Battle Groups (CVBGs).
Since the end of the Cold War, and with the disappearance of the Cold War scenario, there has been a return of focus to ships being able to operate in more coastal environments, in support of operations such as amphibious landings, embargo enforcement, peacekeeping and coastal patrol. Traditionally, this has been the main focus of some of the smaller European navies, especially the scandinavian navies, such as the
Norwegian Navy and the
Swedish Navy. But in recent years, faced with the new requirements, larger navies, notably the US Navy have started developing these capacities as well, by planning and constructing the Littoral Combat Ship. The US Navy has indicated it may procure as many as 60 such vessels.[
1]
In recent times modern navies are increasingly investing in
stealth ships. These ships have a low
radar signature and are only detectable at short distances. This gives the ship a tactical edge in warfare.
Naval powers
Historically, naval powers have been those countries that have a long coastline and a strong
economy. Nations that have a significant maritime trade economy have also had an incentive to protect their interests with a potent navy. However, a few nations that lacked a navy but were faced with an enemy that was a strong naval power, such as
Rome during the
Punic Wars, built a powerful navy from scratch.
Historically a national navy operates from one or more bases that are maintained by the country or an ally. The
base is a
port that is specialized in naval operations, and often includes housing for off-shore crew, an
arsenal depot for munitions, docks for the vessels, and various repair facilities. During times of war temporary bases may be constructed in closer proximity to strategic locations, as it is advantageous in terms of patrols and station-keeping. Nations with historically strong naval forces have found it advantageous to obtain basing rights in areas of strategic interest.
Navy ships normally operate with a group, which may be a small
squadron of comparable ships, or a larger
naval fleet of various specialized ships. The commander of a fleet travels in the
flag ship, which is usually the most powerful vessel in the group. Prior to the invention of
radio, commands from the flag ship were communicated by means of flags. At night signal lamps could be used for a similar purpose. Later these were replaced by the radio transmitter, or the flashing light when radio silence was needed.
A "
blue water navy" is designed to operate far from the coastal waters of its home nation. These are ships capable of maintaining station for long periods of time in deep ocean, and will have a long logistical tail for their support. Many are also nuclear powered to save having to refuel. By contrast a "
brown water navy" operates in the coastal periphery and along inland waterways, where larger ocean-going naval vessels can not readily enter. Regional powers may maintain a "
green water navy" as a means of localized force projection. Blue water fleets may require specialized vessels, such as
mine sweepers, when operating in the
littoral regions along the coast.
A basic tradition is that all ships commissioned in a navy are referred to as ships rather than vessels. The prefix on a ship's name indicates that it is a commissioned ship. For example,USS is an acronym which expands to United States Ship; in the British Navy, HMS expands to Her Majesty's Ship (or when a King reigns, His Majesty's Ship), and so forth.
An important tradition on board British naval vessels (and later those of the U.S. and other nations) has been the
ship's bell. This was historically used to mark the passage of time on board a vessel, including the duration of four-hour watches. They were also employed as warning devices in heavy fog, and for alarms and ceremonies. The bell was originally kept polished first by the ship's cook, then later by a person belonging to that division of the ship's personnel.
Another important tradition is that of Piping someone aboard the ship. This was originally used to give orders on warships when shouted orders could not have been heard. The piping was done by the ship's bosun and therefore the instrument is known as the Bosun's Pipe. The two tones it gives and the number of blasts given off, signify the order given. It is also used in a ceremonial way, i.e., to "pipe" someone aboard the ship - usually captains, including the ship's captain, and more senior officers.
In the United States, in a tradition that dates back to the
Revolutionary War, the
First Navy Jack is a flag that has the words, "Don't Tread on Me" on the flag.
By European tradition, ships have been referred to as a "she". However, it was long considered bad luck to permit women to sail on board naval vessels. To do so would invite a terrible storm that would wreck the ship. The only women that were welcomed on board were
figureheads mounted on the prow of the ship. In spite of these views, some women did serve on board naval vessels, usually as wives of crewmembers.
Even today, despite their acceptance in many areas of naval service, women are still not permitted to serve on board U.S.
submarines. The major reasons cited by the U.S. Navy are the extended duty tours and close conditions which afford almost no privacy. [
2] The UK Royal Navy has similar restrictions. Australia, Canada, Spain and Norway have opened submarine service to women sailors, however. [
3]
By ancient tradition, corpses on board naval vessels were
buried at sea. In the past this involved sewing the body up in a shroud that had a weight at one end, often a
cannonball. (During the age of sail, the final stitch was placed through the nose of the victim, just to make sure they were really dead.) The body was then placed on a pivoting table attached to the outer hull, and shrouded by a national ensign. After a solemn ceremony, the board was tilted and the body dropped into the deep. Later ceremonies employed the casket or crematory urn.
The custom of
firing cannon salutes originated in the British
Royal Navy. When a cannon is fired, it partially disarms the ship, so firing a cannon for no combat reason showed respect and trust. The British, as the dominant naval power, compelled the ships of weaker nations to make the first salute. As the tradition evolved, the number of cannons fired became an indication of the rank of the official being saluted.
Navy ships
|
Ships of the multinational fleet Combined Task Force-150 |
 |
(left) with (center) alongside (right) |
 |
Canadian naval task group in the Gulf of Oman, , , and |
Historically, navy ships were primarily intended for warfare. They were designed to withstand damage and to inflict the same, but only carried munitions and supplies for the voyage (rather than merchant cargo). Often, other ships which were not built specifically for warfare, such as the
galleon or the armed merchant ships in
World War II, did carry armaments. In more recent times, navy ships have become more specialized and have included supply ships, troop transports, repair ships, oil tankers and other logistics support ships as well as combat ships. So long as they are commissioned, however, they are all "ships".
Modern navy combat ships are generally divided into seven main categories. The categories are:
Aircraft Carriers,
Battleships,
Cruisers,
Destroyers,
Frigates,
Submarines, and
Amphibious assault ships. There are also support and auxiliary ships, including the
minesweeper,
patrol boat, and
tender. During the
age of sail, the ship categories were divided into the
ship of the line,
frigate, and
sloop-of-war.
Naval ship names are typically prefixed by an abbreviation indicating the national navy in which they serve. For a list of the prefixes used with ship names (
HMS,
USS, &c.) see
ship prefixToday ships are significantly faster than in former times, thanks to much improved propulsion systems. Also, the efficiency of the engines has improved a lot, in terms of fuel, and of how many sailors it takes to operate them. In WWII, ships needed to refuel very often. However, today ships can go on very long journeys without refueling. Also, in WWII, the engine room needed about a dozen sailors to work the many engines, however, today, only about 4-5 are needed (depending on the class of the ship). Today, naval strike groups on longer missions are always followed by a range of support and replenishment ships supplying them with anything from fuel and munitions, to medical treatment and postal services. This allows strike groups and combat ships to remain at sea for several months at a time.
Navy units
Naval forces are typically arranged into units based on the number of ships included, a single ship being the smallest operational unit. Ships may be combined into
squadrons or
flotillas, which may be formed into
fleets. The largest unit size may be the whole Navy or
Admiralty.
Naval ranks
A navy will typically have two sets of ranks, one for
enlisted personnel and one for
officers.
Typical enlisted ranks include the following, in ascending order:
*
Seaman Recruit*
Seaman Apprentice*
Seaman*
Petty Officer Third Class*
Petty Officer Second Class*
Petty Officer First Class*
Chief Petty Officer*
Senior Chief Petty Officer*
Master Chief Petty Officer (Petty Officers (PO) and Chief Petty Officers (CPO) are equivalent to
Non-Commissioned Officers, or NCOs, in other services)
Within the
U.S. Navy, sailors are more commonly referred to by their "rating," which indicates both their rank and job specialty (for example, "BT3 Jones" for "Boiler Technician 3rd Class Jones").
Warrant Officers, (WO) including Chief Warrant Officers (CWO), are senior to enlisted sailors and junior to
commissioned Officers. The United States draws its Warrant Officers from the enlisted ranks. Warrant Officers serve in more technical positions than commissioned Officers.
*
Midshipmen are officers in training, such as at the US Naval Academy. They have not yet received their commission.
Typical ranks for commissioned officers include the following, in ascending order (U.S. ranks are listed first on each line):
*
Ensign /
Corvette Lieutenant*
Lieutenant Junior Grade /
Sub Lieutenant /
Frigate Lieutenant *
Lieutenant /
Warship Lieutenant /
Lieutenant Captain*
Lieutenant Commander /
Corvette Captain*
Commander /
Frigate Captain*
Captain /
Warship Captain*
Rear Admiral (lower half) /
Commodore /
Flotilla Admiral*
Rear Admiral (upper half) /
Rear Admiral*
Vice Admiral*
Admiral*
Fleet Admiral or
Admiral of the Fleet or
Grand Admiral"Flag officers" include any rank that includes the word "admiral" (or commodore), and are generally in command of a
battle group or similar flotilla of ships, rather than a single ship or aspect of a ship. However, commodores can also be temporary positions. For example,during World War II, a Navy captain was assigned duty as a convoy commodore, which meant that he was still a captain, but in charge of all the merchant vessels in the convoy.
For the Canadian Navy the ranks are as follows (in acending order):
Non-Commissioned Members:
*Ordinary Seaman (OS)
*Able Seaman (AB)
*Leading Seaman (LS)
*Master Seaman (MS)
Non-Commissioned Officers:
*Petty Officer 2nd Class (PO2)
*Petty Officer 1st Class (PO1)
*Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class (CPO2)
*Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (CPO1)
Officers:
*Naval Cadet
*Acting Sub-Lieutenant
*Sub-Lieutenant
*Lieutenant
*Lieutenant Commander
*Commander
*Captain
Flag Officers:
*Commodore
*Rear Admiral
*Vice Admiral
*Admiral
For the Royal Navy the ranks are as follows (in acending order):
Ratings:
*Able Rate
*Leading Rate
Senior Ratings and Warrant Officers
*Petty Officer
*Chief Petty Officer
*Warrant Officer 2
*Warrant Officer
Officers:
*Midshipman
*Sub-Lieutenant
*Lieutenant
*Lieutenant-Commander
*Commander
*Captain
Flag Officers:
*Commodore
*Rear-Admiral
*Vice-Admiral
*Admiral
*Admiral of the Fleet - only used in times of war. The position is currently vacant.
During the era of the
Roman empire, the naval forces included
legionaries for boarding actions. These were troops primarily trained in land warfare, and did not need to be skilled at handling a ship. Much later during the age of sail, a component of
marines served a similar role, being ship-borne soldiers who were used either during boarding actions, as sharp-shooters, or in raids along the shore. Eventually the
Marine Corps became a separate arm in the United States, with their own equipment. However the
U.S. Navy SEALs and the
British Royal Marines now serve a similar function, being a ship-based force specially trained in
commando-style operations and tactics. The Royal Marines also have their own special forces similar to that of the SAS: the SBS (Special Boat Service) or The Boat Troop; and the Mountain Troop.
*
Non-fiction:**
Braudel, Fernand,
The Mediterranean in the Ancient World**
Corbett, Sir Julian,
Some Principles of Maritime Strategy, 1911.
**
Mahan, Alfred Thayer,
The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783, 1918, Little Brown, Boston.
** Starr, Chester G.,
The Influence of Sea Power on Ancient History, 1989, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-505666-3.
** Hughes, Jr., Wayne P.,
Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat, 1999, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 1557503923
*
Fiction:**
Tom Clancy,
The Hunt for Red October**
Hornblower series by
C. S. Forester**
Aubreyâ€"Maturin series by
Patrick O'Brian**
Richard Bolitho series by Alexander Kent (Pseudonym of
Douglas Reeman)
*
List of navies*
List of naval battles*
Modern naval tactics*
Naval fleet*
Naval history*
Naval warfare*General
**
Naval & Maritime page of the
World Wide Web Virtual Library**
NOSI (Naval Open Source Intelligence) - a digital library of world naval operational news, curated from open source intelligence, and intended to serve as a source of continuing education on naval and military affairs
**
U.S. Navy online index**
Israeli Navy Special Forces Units at isayeret.com**
Military.com**
Military Search*
Haze Gray & Underway*
UK Royal Navy*Naval ranks
**http://users.sisna.com/justinb/unifhome.html (page is down)
**http://www.naval-reference.net/index.html
