Royal Qalehi Navy

Qalehi Navy
نیروی دریایی سلطنتی قله
Seal of the Royal Qalehi Navy
Active	1802 (1802)–present
Country	Qal'eh
Type	Navy
Role	Naval warfare
Size	58,900 active duty (2017)
Part of	Qalehi Armed Forces
Headquarters	Narawh Square, Dahrzor
Motto(s)	"برای شاه و کشور" (For Shah and country)
Colors	White, Gold, Burgundy
March	"نیروی دریایی مارس" (English: "Naval March")[[1]]
Equipment	1 light aircraft carriers 8 cruisers 13 destroyers 13 corvettes 17 submarines 11 frigates 30 patrol boats 7 mine countermeasures vessels 4 amphibious assault ships
Engagements	Qalehi Civil War Kasahgan War Arian Summer
Commanders
Commander of the Navy	Shahanshah Ahmad Rouhani
Admiral	Admiral Farhad Loristani
Vice Admiral	Vice Admiral Salman Aktari
Insignia
Flag
Jack
Pennant

The Royal Qalehi Navy (Qalehi: نیروی دریایی سلطنتی قله), commonly abbreviated to RQN, is the naval warfare branch of the Qalehi Armed Forces, the military of Qal'eh.

The navy forms Qal'eh's first line of defense in the Decanian Sea, and is pivotal in the protection of national sovereignty. The navy also plays a large role in the administration of the Kasahgan Peninsula.

The sole maritime branch of the Qalehi Armed Forces, the RQN holds all of Qal'eh's naval prowess, including large attack ships like destroyers, frigates and cruisers. As well as tactically-oriented ships, such as amphibious assault craft, all four of which are important for the projection of Qalehi power overseas.

Overview

HQMS Dahrzor (CV-001) on its maiden voyage in 1978

The Royal Qalehi Navy underwent a massive modernisation program in the 1970s and 80s after the collapse of the FSR following the FSR Civil War primarily initiated by Farid Hashempour Rouhani, the 12th Shahanshah of Qal'eh. The aim of the modernisation program was to secure Qalehi naval dominance in the Decanian Sea and to take advantage of its neighbouring, ex-FSR countries' dwindling industries due to post-civil war damages. The Dahrzor-class corvette in 1978 and the Arzet-class destroyer in 1982 were the first ships to be laid down as part of the modernisation program. The ships allowed for Qalehi power projection across the coastal states of Sifhar and strengthened its trading capabilities with the countries of northern Majula and sometimes even as far as Asura, Arabekh and Catai.

HQMS Qori (SU-053) in Sidi Synnia in 2014

The modernisation program continued successfully and in 1983 Hossein Nemati Rouhani approved 141.5 billion Zaar (~$50 billion) of funding to be designated to the RQN's modernisation program starting in 1984 and ending in 1989, almost the entire military budget at the time. As a result of this vastly disproportionate funding, the army and air force suffered, the air force in particular suffered a 50% personnel callback and 30% of its equipment being decommissioned, sold or scrapped.

HQMS Aftab (DE-116) and HQMS Bulamaj (DE-117) at the Khazam Yek Shipyard in 2015

Navy funding has been curtailed in Qal'eh today, although it still remains the most funded branch of the armed forces. The navy's main surface combat ship is the Aftab-class destroyer, introduced in 2011, of which the RQN operates eight to replace its aging Arzet-class destroyers. The RQN is also beginning to focus more on its fleets' speed, shock and manoeuvrability as opposed to its surface brute-force power. The increase in smaller, quicker and more modern ships like the X-class corvette and the increase in submarines coupled with the 2010 introduction of the X-class submarine to modernise its submarine fleet and to introduce air-independent propulsion into the country's submarine fleet. The country has de facto navally allied itself with Sidi Synnia and the two countries regularly work together in naval development as well as anti-piracy operations throughout Sifhar.

History

While the navies of countries such as the Hammurian Empire and Haydarid Caliphate have often had fleets based in Qal'eh, the first navy of the kingdoms of empires of Qal'eh itself was that of the Assadian Caliphate, established in 1027, whose fleet regularly established trade links with either states in western Sifhar and northern Majula. While the Assadids were not an overly sea-faring civilisation, their navy was well-maintained and effective, albeit small. The modern iteration of the Royal Qalehi Navy was established in 1802 when Amin Rouhani proclaimed the Sublime State of Qal'eh. The early RQN consisted mainly of ships, barques, brigs and topsail schooners which it used mainly defensively and rarely offensively to try and deter colonial aggression from Asuran powers. The navy was also sometimes used as a way to protect trade coming from eastern Catai into the Decanian Sea and also to deter pirates from operating in the region, a problem which had plagued the area for a long time.

The rigging of the HQMS Amin, a barque commissioned in 1828

Qal'eh had a general distaste for Asuran colonial powers, but one exception was the Veleazan Empire, the country's navy benefited massively from Veleaz's presence in the region. The two nations enjoyed warm relations, which formally culminated in the signing of the X Agreements in 1841, exchanging Veleazan naval training, technology and innovation for Qal'eh to use its navy to protect the Veleazan Orient (now modern-day Hisaristan), so that Veleaz could move its navy to protect its other colonial holdings. The influence of Veleazan technology and innovation on the RQN was felt instantly, with bigger and better ships being laid down and commissioned almost immediately after the signing of the agreements. Some Veleazan naval experts chose to start naval schools in Qal'eh, and the existence of these schools is often attributed to the success of the RQN today, and Qal'eh's ability to produce high-quality ships.

List of currently commissioned RQN ships

Ship name	Hull no.	Class	Type	Commission date	Homeport
HQMS Omid Yazdan	CR-009	Omid Yazdan-class	Aircraft carrier	18 June 1996	Khazam Yek
HQMS Parwaza	CS-062	Berazend II-class	Cruiser	5 January 2000
HQMS Shala	CS-062	Berazend II-class	Cruiser	5 January 2000