98-676: HMCS Discovery is a Royal Canadian Navy Reserve division and based in Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada. Created during World War II from the Vancouver Half Company of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve , it was used for recruitment and training, and provided almost 8,000 personnel during the war. It continued its training role after the war, and is also headquarters for several Cadet units. The stone frigate takes its name from HMS Discovery ,
196-545: A limited and asymmetric nature. Naval warfare developed when humans first fought from water-borne vessels. Before the introduction of the cannon and ships with enough capacity to carry them, navy warfare primarily involved ramming and boarding actions. In the time of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire , naval warfare centered on long, narrow vessels powered by banks of oarsmen (such as triremes and quinqueremes ) designed to ram and sink enemy vessels or come alongside
294-489: A sister ship of 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 at Pearl Harbor in 1941, the carrier demonstrated its ability to strike decisively at enemy ships out of sight and range of surface vessels. The Battle of Leyte Gulf (1944)
392-804: A UAV: The following major projects have been announced by the Government of Canada to modernize the Royal Canadian Navy: Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces have ranks ranging from the NATO standard ranks of OF-1 to OF-9. The only OF-9 position in the Canadian Forces is the Chief of the Defence Staff , who can be from any of the service elements. The highest position occupied in
490-619: A blue background, surrounded by a circlet of gold roses and laurels, surmounted by a crown) and an anchor and naval crown (from the Canadian Naval Ensign ) on the lower right fly. These elements are found in the 1979 and 2009 colours. The colours from 1926, 1939 and 1959 consist of a White Ensign with the Queen's or King's cypher, surrounded by the Garter and ensigned with the Crown, in the middle. With
588-786: A catastrophe for the Russian military in general and the Russian Navy in particular. Although neither party lacked courage, the Russians were defeated by the Japanese in the Battle of Port Arthur, which was the first time in warfare that mines were used for offensive purposes. The warships of the Baltic Fleet sent to the Far East were lost in the Battle of Tsushima. A further step change in naval firepower occurred when
686-404: 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 flagship , which is usually the most powerful vessel in the group. Before radio was invented, commands from the flagship were communicated by means of flags. At night signal lamps could be used for a similar purpose. Later these were replaced by
784-437: 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
882-706: A larger role in the Pacific Theatre after achieving victory in Europe, the Canadian government recognized that the RCN would require much larger vessels. Canadian naval staff advocated for HMS Nabob and HMS Puncher to be given back to the Royal Navy in exchange for two light fleet carriers . The Canadian government agreed to acquire two carriers on loan from the Royal Navy, with an option to purchase them, but they were not ready before
980-573: A major naval power in the mid-17th century in the first Anglo-Dutch war with a technical victory. 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 won some important victories near the end of the 17th century but a focus upon land forces led to
1078-682: A military fleet, although the term " merchant navy " for a commercial fleet still incorporates the non-military word sense . This overlap in word senses between commercial and military fleets grew out of the inherently dual-use nature of fleets; centuries ago, nationality was a trait that unified a fleet across both civilian and military uses. Although nationality of commercial vessels has little importance in peacetime trade other than for tax avoidance , it can have greater meaning during wartime, when supply chains become matters of patriotic attack and defense, and when in some cases private vessels are even temporarily converted to military vessels. The latter
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#17328443304171176-410: A nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare ; namely, lake -borne, riverine , littoral , or ocean -borne combat operations and related functions. It includes anything conducted by surface ships , amphibious ships, submarines , and seaborne aviation , as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other fields. The strategic offensive role of
1274-801: A navy is projection of force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes , deter or confront piracy , ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a navy is to frustrate seaborne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic task of a navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of submarine-launched ballistic missiles . Naval operations can be broadly divided between riverine and littoral applications ( brown-water navy ), open-ocean applications ( blue-water navy ), and something in between ( green-water navy ), although these distinctions are more about strategic scope than tactical or operational division. First attested in English in
1372-844: A number of auxiliary vessels, is responsible for Canada's exclusive economic zone on the East Coast, as well as Canada's area of responsibility in the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern Arctic Ocean . The RCN's Pacific Fleet, known as Canadian Fleet Pacific is co-located with Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC), with headquarters at CFB Esquimalt in British Columbia , in the Greater Victoria region. MARPAC consists of over 4,000 naval personnel and 2,000 civilian personnel. Comprising 15 warships and several auxiliary vessels homeported in Esquimalt,
1470-458: A single ship or aspect of a ship. However, commodores can also be temporary or honorary 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. The most senior rank employed by a navy will tend to vary depending on the size of a navy and whether it is wartime or peacetime, for example, few people have ever held
1568-587: A training facility, force-generating personnel for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations. Discovery personnel have been deployed to Korea, the Persian Gulf, Egypt, Bosnia, Iraq, Japan, Golan Heights and Afghanistan. The facility provided support for the 1997 APEC meeting in Vancouver. It was the Olympic Maritime Operations Centre for the 2010 Winter Olympics and conducted port-security around
1666-607: Is Canada's Naval Memorial. The Royal Canadian Navy Monument is on the banks of the Ottawa River in Ottawa . A monument at Point Pleasant Park in Halifax commemorates members of RCN who have died in peacetime and there are valour memorials in Halifax, Quebec City and Esquimalt. Navy A navy , naval force , military maritime fleet , war navy , or maritime force is the branch of
1764-622: Is also the site of the Naval Museum of Vancouver and Vancouver Naval Veterans Association. Sir Arthur W. Cochran , Clarenceaux King of Arms , suggested that the badge of HMCS Discovery take the form of a rebus . It depicts a gold disc on top of a shake-fork that looks like the letter Y ; a "disc over Y ". 49°17′42.76″N 123°7′22.13″W / 49.2952111°N 123.1228139°W / 49.2952111; -123.1228139 Royal Canadian Navy Reserve The Royal Canadian Navy ( RCN ; French: Marine royale canadienne , MRC )
1862-1206: Is an integral part of the navy but there are variations such as the French Troupes de marine , which is actually part of the French Army . The United States Marine Corps is a separate armed service within the United States Department of the Navy, with its own leadership structure. Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. In World War I, several navies used floatplanes and flying boats – mainly for scouting . By World War II, aircraft carriers could carry bomber aircraft capable of attacking naval and land targets, as well as fighter aircraft for defence. Since World War II helicopters have been embarked on smaller ships in roles such as anti-submarine warfare and transport. Some navies have also operated land-based aircraft in roles such as maritime patrol and training . Naval aviation forces primarily perform naval roles at sea. However, they are also used in
1960-472: Is currently building one aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant , and considering another. France is also looking at a new carrier , probably using a CATOBAR system and possibly based on the British Queen Elizabeth design. A navy typically operates from one or more naval bases . The base is a port that is specialized in naval operations, and often includes housing, a munitions depot , docks for
2058-831: Is intended to secure four new tugs to replace the Glen class and Firebrand with vessels with combined tug and firefighting capabilities, and is being conducted with shipbuilder Ocean Industries Inc, with project completion expected in 2024. Since 1975, all aircraft supporting the RCN are operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force through 1 Canadian Air Division , though this will change upon delivery of an Unmanned Aircraft System expected in 2024 or 2025. CP-140 Aurora and CP-140A Arcturus anti-submarine, ship surveillance and maritime patrol aircraft have been operated by squadrons under 14 Wing at CFB Greenwood and 19 Wing at CFB Comox . The CH-148 Cyclone entered operational service with
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#17328443304172156-543: Is known as Direct-Entry Officer (DEO) Plan. Senior NCOs may also be offered commissions on the basis that their training and experience give them a comparable basis of knowledge; this is referred to as the Commission-from-the-Ranks (CFR) Plan. NCOs who are offered such promotions are typically petty officer 1st class or higher, with 20 or more years of service. The RCN rank structure is shown below. Commander-in-Chief Officers Non-commissioned members of
2254-709: Is that boats are capable of being carried by ships. (Submarines by this rule are ships rather than boats, but are customarily referred to as boats reflecting their previous smaller size.) Navies use many types of boat, ranging from 9-foot (2.7 m) dinghies to 135-foot (41 m) landing craft. They are powered by either diesel engines, out-board gasoline engines, or waterjets. Most boats are built of aluminum, fiberglass, or steel. Rigid-hulled inflatable boats are also used. Patrol boats are used for patrols of coastal areas, lakes and large rivers. Landing craft are designed to carry troops, vehicles, or cargo from ship to shore under combat conditions, to unload, to withdraw from
2352-575: Is the Royal Canadian Air Force 's 12 Wing Shearwater , based at Shearwater Heliport , which provides shipborne air support for the Atlantic Fleet. The RCAF's 14 Wing Greenwood provides fixed-wing air support for MARLANT through 404 Maritime Patrol and Training Squadron and 405 Maritime Patrol Squadron . Other Atlantic Fleet facilities are CFAD Bedford , an ammunition depot, and two radio stations, Naval Radio Section (NRS) Newport Corner and NRS Mill Cove . The Atlantic Fleet, with 18 warships and
2450-726: Is the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and chief of the Naval Staff. Founded in 1910 as the Naval Service of Canada (French: Service naval du Canada ) and given royal sanction on 29 August 1911, the RCN was amalgamated with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Army to form the unified Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, after which it was known as Maritime Command (French: Commandement maritime ) until 2011. In 2011, its historical title of "Royal Canadian Navy"
2548-526: Is the naval force of Canada . The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces . As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 Halifax -class frigates , 12 Kingston -class coastal defence vessels , 4 Victoria -class submarines , 4 Harry DeWolf -class offshore patrol vessels , 8 Orca -class patrol vessels , and several auxiliary vessels. The RCN consists of 8,400 Regular Force and 4,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by 3,800 civilians. Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee
2646-565: Is the oldest commissioned ship in the RCN. The RCN's ceremonial flagship is HMCS Haida , a Tribal-class destroyer which served from 1943 until 1963. On 19 September 2014, the RCN announced the decommissioning of its two Protecteur -class resupply ships, along with two Iroquois -class destroyers. The Naval Tactical Operations Group (NTOG; French : Groupe des opérations tactiques maritimes, GOTM ), established in 2015, has units based on warships to provide enhanced naval boarding capability. The RCN operates auxiliary vessels to support
2744-510: The Harry DeWolf class . In addition to the surface vessels, the RCN operates four Victoria -class submarines that were acquired from the Royal Navy in 1998. These warships carry the designation His Majesty's Canadian Submarine. The RCN also maintains and operates HMCS Oriole , a historic sailing ship launched in 1921 which was commissioned in 1952 as a sail-training ship. Thus, Oriole
2842-597: The Battle of the Atlantic , the RCN sank 31 U-boats and sank or captured 42 enemy surface vessels, while completing 25,343 merchant crossings. The navy suffered the loss of 33 ships and 1,797 sailors. To gain experience with the operation of aircraft carriers, RCN personnel crewed two Royal Navy escort carriers from 1944 to 1946: HMS Nabob , and HMS Puncher . Starting in May 1944, when Canada began drafting plans to assume
2940-662: The Canadian War Museum , the Naval Museum of Alberta , the Naval Museum of Manitoba , the naval museums at Naval Reserve Headquarters in Quebec City and at CFB Esquimalt as well as the Maritime Museum of British Columbia . Several RCN ships and submarines have been preserved including the destroyer HMCS Haida , the hydrofoil HMCS Bras d'Or and the submarines Ojibwa and Onondaga . The corvette HMCS Sackville
3038-597: The Department of Transport 's Marine Service and slowly started to build its fleet, with the first warships specifically designed for the RCN being commissioned in 1932. At the outbreak of the Second World War , the Navy had 11 combat vessels, 145 officers and 1,674 men. During the Second World War, the RCN expanded significantly, ultimately gaining responsibility for the entire Northwest Atlantic theatre of war. During
HMCS Discovery - Misplaced Pages Continue
3136-592: The First World War . This small group was composed of 87 members of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club who served and were demobilized at the end of the war. It was not until May 1924 that Lieutenant-Commander J.W. Hobbs was given permission to form the first "Vancouver Half Company" of the Naval Volunteer Reserve. Robert Louis Stevenson 's schooner Casco was used for a time to train cadets in
3234-598: The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada , but that order was rescinded in December. Magnificent waited in Halifax until the end of the month, then sailed for Egypt carrying 406 Canadian troops and their vehicles, four Royal Canadian Air Force de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otters , and a single H04S helicopter . She returned to Canada in March 1957. Later in 1957, the RCN paid off HMCS Magnificent and commissioned HMCS Bonaventure , which
3332-760: The Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston , Ontario, the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in Saint-Jean , Quebec, Naval Officer Training Centre (NOTC) Venture and Naval Fleet School (Pacific) in Esquimalt , British Columbia, and Naval Fleet School (Atlantic) in Halifax , Nova Scotia. Some specialized candidates may be commissioned without attending the Royal Military College; the plan
3430-570: The Spanish and Portuguese navies that dominated in the 16th and early 17th centuries, and helped propel the age of exploration and colonialism . The repulsion of the Spanish Armada (1588) by the English fleet revolutionized 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
3528-537: The oiler , minesweeper , patrol boat , hydrographic and oceanographic survey ship 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 , LÉ , etc.) see ship prefix . Today's warships are significantly faster than in years past, thanks to much improved propulsion systems. Also,
3626-550: The sovereign's colour ) for the Navy has been consecrated and presented four times: in 1939 by King George VI in Esquimalt, in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II in Halifax , in 1979 by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in Halifax and in 2009 by the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief Michaëlle Jean in Halifax. The colour used by the RCN between 1927 and 1936 was never actually presented but went straight into service in both
3724-544: The "Royal Canadian Air Force," and Land Force Command the "Canadian Army." As of August 2015, with the loss of area air defence and (temporarily) resupply capabilities, the RCN was then classified as a Rank 5 navy (offshore regional coastal defence) on the Todd-Lindberg navy classification system of naval strength, dropping from Rank 3 (multiregional power projection) in 2005. The RCN is headquartered at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa , Ontario. Since 1968,
3822-453: The 1920s. During the Second World War, the role of the reserves increased, reflecting the need to maintain sufficient manpower for the war effort. On 1 November 1941, the division was newly commissioned as HMCS Discovery and it moved into Stanley Park Barracks. In 1944, the unit was permitted to occupy Deadman Island in Stanley Park and turn this property into a training facility. During
3920-696: The Atlantic and Pacific commands. Two identical colours were presented, one for the Atlantic fleet and one for the Pacific fleet, in 1926, 1939 and 1959, but only one colour was presented in 1979 and 2009. This colour is maintained in RCN Headquarters in Ottawa and dispatched to ceremonies whenever it is needed. The current colours consist of a ceremonial standard with the Maple Leaf flag in the top left canton , Elizabeth II's personal Commonwealth cypher (a capital E on
4018-406: The Canadian Forces in 1968 was the first time that a nation with a modern military combined its formerly separate naval, land and air elements into a single service. HMCS Bonaventure was sold off in 1970, shortly after completing a 16-month, $ 11 million mid-life refit. The 1970s saw the addition of four Iroquois -class destroyers , which were later updated to air defence destroyers, and in
HMCS Discovery - Misplaced Pages Continue
4116-677: The Canadian Forces receive a commission from the King of Canada as Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces . The commissioning scroll issued in recognition of the commission is signed by the Governor General of Canada as the King of Canada's representative and countersigned by the serving Minister of National Defence. Subordinate officers are promoted to acting sub-lieutenant upon receiving their commissions. Naval officers are trained at
4214-575: The Canadian Forces undergo basic training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Recruits then attend occupation-specific training at various locations across Canada. In August 2020, the term "seaman" was replaced with the gender-neutral term "sailor". The RCN was granted the right to use the King's Colour in 1925 by King George V . The Queen's or King's Colour (also referred to as
4312-548: The Canadian Forces. These vessels are not warships and do not carry the HMCS designation. Among the auxiliary ships operated by the navy are eight Orca -class patrol class training tenders, CFAV Firebrand and five Glen-class harbour tugs. MV Asterix is an interim replenishing vessel serving in the RCN with a mixed naval and civilian crew since January 2018 replacing contracted replenishment oilers until replacements can be commissioned. The Naval Large Tugboat project
4410-507: The Cold War, the Navy developed an anti-submarine capability to counter the growing Soviet naval threat. In November 1956, HMCS Magnificent was chosen to transport men and supplies to Egypt as part of Canada's response to the Suez Crisis . In preparation for use as a transport, the ship's weapons were stripped, and her complement was reduced to 600 personnel. The initial plan was to embark
4508-420: 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. As a response to growing naval influence of the navies of Portuguese, the warrior king of the Marathas, Shivaji laid the foundation of the Maratha navy in 1654. Throughout the 18th century the Royal Navy gradually gained ascendancy over
4606-401: 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 19th century from the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. These conflicts saw
4704-423: The North American west and east coasts to deter the German naval threat, with a seventh ship, HMCS Shearwater , joining the force in 1915. Just before the end of the war in 1918, the Royal Canadian Naval Air Service was established with the purpose of carrying out anti-submarine operations; however, it was disbanded after the armistice of 11 November. After the war, the RCN took over certain responsibilities of
4802-465: The Pacific Fleet is responsible for Canada's exclusive economic zone on the West Coast and Canada's area of responsibility in the Pacific Ocean and the western Arctic Ocean. Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton provides repair and maintenance services to the Pacific Fleet. The Royal Canadian Air Force's 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron , based at Patricia Bay Heliport but under the control of 12 Wing Shearwater, provides shipborne helicopter support for
4900-511: The Pacific Fleet, while 19 Wing Comox provides fixed-wing maritime air support for MARPAC through 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron . Other Pacific Fleet facilities are CFAD Rocky Point, an ammunition depot, and Naval Radio Section Aldergrove . The Canadian Forces Naval Reserve is the Primary Reserve component of the RCN. The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for CAF operations, including: domestic safety operations as well as security and defence missions, while at
4998-417: The Queen's death there will eventually a new Colour when a subsequent monarch chooses to bestow one, but there is no regulation that causes the monarch's Colour to automatically change upon their death. The RCN's retired colours are laid up at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. The first badge of the Royal Canadian Navy was approved on 31 March 1944. The original design included nine maple leaves, representing
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#17328443304175096-462: The RCN has been an environmental command of the Canadian Armed Forces and since 2012 it has been charged with maintaining and generating forces for the Canadian Joint Operations Command . The RCN's Atlantic Fleet, known as Canadian Fleet Atlantic is co-located with Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT), with headquarters at CFB Halifax in Halifax , Nova Scotia. It is supported by CFS St. John's in Newfoundland . Attached to MARLANT and CFB Halifax
5194-598: The RCN have pay grades ranging from OR-1 to OR-9. OR-9 (chief petty officer 1st class), OR-8 (chief petty officers 2nd class) and OR-7 (petty officer 1st class) are known as petty officers , and OR-6 (petty officer 2nd class, referred to as senior non-commissioned officer) form the senior cadre of the non-commissioned members of the military. OR-5 (master sailor) and OR-4 (sailor first class) are referred to as junior non-commissioned officers, while OR-3 (sailor second class) and OR-2 (sailor third class) are referred to as junior ranks. All Regular Force non-commissioned members of
5292-408: The RCN, Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Army were amalgamated to form the Canadian Forces . This process was overseen by then–defence minister Paul Hellyer . The controversial merger resulted in the abolition of the RCN as a separate legal entity. All personnel, ships, and aircraft became part of Maritime Command (MARCOM), an element of the Canadian Armed Forces. The traditional naval uniform
5390-422: The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 2018 and conducts anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surveillance, and search and rescue missions from Royal Canadian Navy frigates. In addition, 18 CP-140 Aurora fixed-wing aircraft for land-based anti-submarine warfare and area surveillance (of which 14 are being modernized and retained for active operations), for land-based maritime surveillance. The RCN has some ships assigned with
5488-448: The Second World War, Discovery was one of the greatest sources of naval recruits in Canada, having enrolled 372 officers, 6,974 ratings and 650 Wrens ( Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service – WRCNS). Of those, 61 were killed in action. At the end of the war, Discovery became the discharge centre for the whole of the British Columbia mainland, and 8,378 men and women were discharged through the base. HMCS Discovery continues to serve as
5586-435: The Spanish. From the beginning of the 17th century the Dutch cannibalized the Portuguese Empire in the East and, with the immense wealth gained, challenged Spanish hegemony at sea. From the 1620s, Dutch raiders seriously troubled Spanish shipping and, after a number of battles that 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
5684-485: The U.S. Navy lifted the ban in April 2010. The major reasons historically cited by the U.S. Navy were the extended duty tours and close conditions which afford almost no privacy. The United Kingdom's Royal Navy has had similar restrictions. Australia, Canada, Norway, and Spain previously opened submarine service to women sailors. A navy will typically have two sets of ranks, one for enlisted personnel and one for officers . Typical ranks for commissioned officers include
5782-503: The United Kingdom launched HMS Dreadnought in 1906, but naval tactics still emphasized the line of battle. The first practical military submarines were developed in the late 19th century and by the end of World War I had proven to be a powerful arm of naval warfare. During World War II , Nazi Germany 's submarine fleet of U-boats almost starved the United Kingdom into submission and inflicted tremendous losses on U.S. coastal shipping . The German battleship Tirpitz ,
5880-998: The beach, and to return to the ship. They are rugged, with powerful engines, and usually armed. There are many types in today's navies including hovercraft . They will typically have a power-operated bow ramp, a cargo well and after structures that house engine rooms, pilot houses, and stowage compartments. These boats are sometimes carried by larger ships. Special operations craft are high-speed craft used for insertion and extraction of special forces personnel and some may be transportable (and deployed) by air. Boats used in non-combat roles include lifeboats, mail boats, line handling boats, buoy boats, aircraft rescue boats, torpedo retrievers, explosive ordnance disposal craft, utility boats, dive boats, targets, and work boats. Boats are also used for survey work, tending divers, and minesweeping operations. Boats for carrying cargo and personnel are sometimes known as launches, gigs, barges or shore party boats. Naval forces are typically arranged into units based on
5978-435: The branch received a new badge. This badge included a flying eagle along with the anchor, representing the air arm of the navy. It also included a motto, 'Ready Aye Ready'. Following the reinstatement of the Royal Canadian Navy name in 2011, a new badge was approved in 2016. The current badge of the Royal Canadian Navy consists of: The history of RCN is preserved and presented at the Maritime Command Museum in Halifax ,
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#17328443304176076-406: The coast of Somalia . Following the Official Languages Act enshrinement in 1969, MARCOM instituted the French Language Unit, which constituted a francophone unit with the navy. The first was HMCS Ottawa . In the 1980s and 1990s, women were also accepted into the fleet, with the submarine service the last to allow them, beginning in 2001. Some of the changes that had taken place during
6174-450: 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 minesweepers , 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, with
6272-461: The country. It is also the site of the Western Region Diving Centre, coordinating the efforts of the various port inspection diving teams at Naval Reserve Divisions in Western Canada. The unit continues to serve as host and ambassador to dozens of foreign vessels visiting the Port of Vancouver. In addition to the Naval Reserve, Discovery houses Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Captain Vancouver and Navy League Cadet Corps Captain Rankin. Discovery
6370-472: The current RCN structure is OF-8, a vice-admiral who is the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Chief of the Naval Staff. OF-6 (commodore) to OF-9 (admiral) are referred to as flag officers , OF-3 (lieutenant-commander) to OF-5 (captain (N)) are referred to as senior officers , while OF-2 (lieutenant (N)) and OF-1 (sub-lieutenant) are referred to as junior officers . Naval cadets are referred to as subordinate officers . All except subordinate officers of
6468-483: The development and refinement of tactics that 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 and weapon thickness and firepower. The first armored vessels, the French Gloire and British HMS Warrior , made wooden vessels obsolete. Another significant improvement came with
6566-630: The early 14th century, the word "navy" came via Old French navie , "fleet of ships", from the Latin navigium , "a vessel, a ship, bark, boat", from navis , "ship". The word "naval" came from Latin navalis , "pertaining to ship"; cf. Greek ναῦς ( naus ), "ship", ναύτης ( nautes ), "seaman, sailor". The earliest attested form of the word is in the Mycenaean Greek compound word 𐀙𐀄𐀈𐀗 , na-u -do-mo (* naudomoi ), "shipbuilders", written in Linear B syllabic script. The word formerly denoted fleets of both commercial and military nature. In modern usage "navy" used alone always denotes
6664-404: The efficiency of the engines has improved, in terms of fuel, and of how many sailors it takes to operate them. In World War II, ships needed to refuel very often. However, today ships can go on very long journeys without refueling. Also, in World War II, the engine room needed about a dozen sailors to work the many engines, however, today, only about four or five are needed (depending on the class of
6762-459: The enemy vessel so its occupants could be attacked hand-to-hand. Naval warfare continued in this vein through the Middle Ages until the cannon became commonplace and capable of being reloaded quickly enough to be reused in the same battle. In ancient China , large naval battles were known since the Qin dynasty ( also see Battle of Red Cliffs , 208), employing the war junk during the Han dynasty . However, China's first official standing navy
6860-449: The era of the Roman empire , naval forces included marine legionaries for maritime 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 shorelines. The Spanish Infantería de Marina
6958-417: The exception of destroyers and submarines, which are known as boats. The prefix on a ship's name indicates that it is a commissioned ship. An important tradition on board naval vessels of some nations has been the ship's bell . This was historically used to mark the passage of time, as warning devices in heavy fog, and for alarms and ceremonies. The ship's captain, and more senior officers are "piped" aboard
7056-451: The following, in ascending order ( Commonwealth ranks are listed first on each line; USA ranks are listed second in those instances where they differ from Commonwealth ranks): "Flag officers" include any rank that includes the word "admiral" (or commodore in services other than the US Navy), and are generally in command of a battle group , strike group or similar flotilla of ships, rather than
7154-527: The invention of the rotating turrets, which allowed the guns to be aimed independently of ship movement. The battle between CSS Virginia and USS Monitor during the American Civil War (1861–1865) is often cited as the beginning of this age of maritime conflict. The Russian Navy was considered the third strongest in the world on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War , which turned to be
7252-655: The late 1980s and 1990s the construction of twelve Halifax -class frigates and the purchase of the Victoria -class submarines . In 1990, Canada deployed three warships to support Operation Friction . Later in the decade, ships were deployed to patrol the Adriatic Sea during the Yugoslav Wars and the Kosovo War . More recently, Maritime Command provided vessels to serve as a part of Operation Apollo and to combat piracy off
7350-405: The need arise, could be placed under British control. The bill received Royal Assent on 4 May 1910. Initially equipped with two former Royal Navy vessels, HMCS Niobe and HMCS Rainbow , King George V granted permission for the service to be known as the Royal Canadian Navy on 29 August 1911. During the first years of the First World War , the RCN's six-vessel naval force patrolled both
7448-458: 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 . A task force can be assembled using ships from different fleets for an operational task. Despite their acceptance in many areas of naval service, female sailors were not permitted to serve on board U.S. submarines until
7546-472: The numerous United States carrier battle groups . Only two nations, the United States and France , presently operate CATOBAR carriers of any size, while Russia , China and India operate sizeable STOBAR carriers (although all three are originally of Russian design). The United Kingdom is also operating two Queen Elizabeth -class carriers, which are the largest STOVL vessels in service, and India
7644-432: The prow of the ship. Firing a cannon salute partially disarms the ship, so firing a cannon for no combat reason showed respect and trust. As the tradition evolved, the number of cannons fired became an indication of the rank of the official being saluted. 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
7742-418: 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
7840-627: The rank of Fleet Admiral in the U.S. Navy, the chief of the Royal Australian Navy holds the rank of Vice Admiral, and the chief of the Irish Naval Service holds the rank of Commodore. Naval infantry, commonly known as marines , are a category of infantry that form part of a state's naval forces and perform roles on land and at sea, including amphibious operations , as well as other, naval roles. They also perform other tasks, including land warfare, separate from naval operations. During
7938-536: The same time supporting the Navy's efforts in connecting with Canadians through the maintenance of a broad national presence. The RCN operates twelve frigates, four patrol submarines, four Arctic and offshore patrol ships, twelve coastal-defence vessels and eight unarmed patrol/training vessels. The surface ships, which carry the designation His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS), consist of twelve Halifax -class multi-role patrol frigates, twelve Kingston -class coastal defence vessels and four offshore patrol vessels of
8036-715: The seafaring local people (either Malays of Srivijaya or Javanese of Mataram ) to attack as far as the coast of Tanzania and Mozambique with 1000 boats and attempted to take the citadel of Qanbaloh, about 7,000 km to their West, in 945–946 AD. In 1350 AD Majapahit launched its largest military expedition, the invasion of Pasai , with 400 large jong and innumerable smaller vessels. The second largest military expedition, invasion of Singapura in 1398, Majapahit deployed 300 jong with no less than 200,000 men. The average jong used by Majapahit would be about 76.18–79.81 m LOA , carrying 600–700 men, with 1200–1400 tons deadweight . The mass and deck space required to carry
8134-517: The ship used by George Vancouver to chart most of North America's northwestern coast. Originally based at the Stanley Park Barracks, in 1944 it moved to its current location on Deadman Island , in Coal Harbour , adjacent to Stanley Park . Discovery traces its history to the creation of the "Number 2 (Vancouver) Company" of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve at the beginning of
8232-494: The ship using a Boatswain's call . In the United States, the First Navy Jack is a flag that has the words, "Don't Tread on Me" on the flag. By English 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
8330-507: 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. The term "boat" refers to small craft limited in their use by size and usually not capable of making lengthy independent voyages at sea. The old navy adage to differentiate between ships and boats
8428-552: The then nine provinces of Canada, and a Tudor Crown . After Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, an updated design was approved on 17 July 1952, which had ten maple leaves. On 26 March 1956, St. Edward's Crown replaced the Tudor Crown. This badge remained in use until the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces on 1 February 1968. When the Royal Canadian Navy became the Canadian Forces Maritime Command in 1968,
8526-462: The unification of the forces began to be undone. In 1985, MARCOM received new black uniforms, differentiating them from the land-based forces. By 1990, the three senior naval officers of MARCOM had recreated the Naval Board. On 16 August 2011, the government restored the historic names of the Canadian Forces' three environmental commands: Maritime Command became the "Royal Canadian Navy", Air Command
8624-400: 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 other countries in areas of strategic interest. Navy ships can operate independently or with
8722-695: The voyage (rather than merchant cargo). Often, other ships that 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. Modern navy combat ships are generally divided into seven main categories: aircraft carriers , cruisers , destroyers , frigates , corvettes , submarines , and amphibious assault ships . There are also support and auxiliary ships, including
8820-586: The war ended. Postwar budget cuts meant that Canada could only afford to operate one aircraft carrier, instead of two as originally planned. The RCN operated HMS Warrior from 1946 to 1948, before exchanging it with the Royal Navy for the slightly larger HMCS Magnificent . From 1950 to 1955, during and after the Korean War , Canadian destroyers maintained a presence off of the Korean peninsula, engaging in shore bombardments and maritime interdiction. During
8918-625: The world's total numbers and total tonnage of naval vessels of 1,000 tons or greater. Throughout the rest of the 20th century, the United States Navy would maintain a tonnage greater than that of the next 17 largest navies combined. During the Cold War , the Soviet Navy became a significant armed force, with large numbers of large, heavily armed ballistic missile submarines and extensive use of heavy, long-ranged antisurface missiles to counter
9016-458: Was arguably the largest naval battle in history ; it was also the last battle in which battleships played a significant role. By the end of World War II , the carrier had become the dominant force of naval warfare. World War II also saw the United States become by far the largest naval power in the world. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the United States Navy possessed over 70% of
9114-639: Was better suited for jet aircraft. She flew the McDonnell F2H Banshee fighter jet until 1962, as well as various other anti-submarine aircraft until her decommissioning. In the 1960s, the RCN retired most of its Second World War vessels, and further developed its anti-submarine warfare capabilities by acquiring the Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King , and successfully pioneered the use of large maritime helicopters on small surface vessels. From 1964 through 1968, under Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson ,
9212-487: Was eliminated and all naval personnel were required to wear the new Canadian Armed Forces rifle green uniform, adopted also by former Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Army personnel. Ship-borne aircraft continued to be under the command of MARCOM, while shore-based patrol aircraft of the former Royal Canadian Air Force were transferred to MARCOM. In 1975 Air Command was formed and all maritime aircraft were transferred to Air Command's Maritime Air Group. The unification of
9310-482: Was especially important, and common, before 20th-century military technology existed, when merely adding artillery and naval infantry to any sailing vessel could render it fully as martial as any military-owned vessel. Such privateering has been rendered obsolete in blue-water strategy since modern missile and aircraft systems grew to leapfrog over artillery and infantry in many respects; but privateering nevertheless remains potentially relevant in littoral warfare of
9408-411: Was formed in 1537, making it the oldest, current marine force in the world. The British Royal Marines combine being both a ship-based force and also being specially trained in commando frogman -style operations and tactics, operating in some cases separately from the rest of the Royal Navy. The Royal Marines also have their own special forces unit . In the majority of countries, the marine force
9506-595: Was not established until the Southern Song dynasty in the 12th century, a time when gunpowder was a revolutionary new application to warfare. The Chola Dynasty in Southern India had a navy composed of trade ships transporting armies overseas. The Chola Navy reached its peak under Rajendra I , and was most notably used in invasions of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia . Nusantaran thalassocracies made extensive use of naval power and technologies. This enabled
9604-632: Was restored. The RCN has served in the First and Second World Wars , the Korean War , the Persian Gulf War , Afghanistan , and numerous United Nations peacekeeping missions and NATO operations. Established following the introduction of the Naval Service Act by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier , the Naval Service of Canada (NSC) was intended as a distinct naval force for Canada, that, should
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