Royal Navy
| Royal Navy | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1624 - Present |
| Country | Kingdom of Apilonia) |
| Type | Navy |
| Role | Maritime Warfare |
| Size | 462,700 Regular, 55,300 Reserve, 25,620 Royal Fleet Auxiliary |
| Part of | His Majesty's Forces |
| Commanders | |
| First Sea Lord | Admiral Dame Elizabeth Hart |
The Royal Navy (RN) is the maritime warfare branch of His Majesty’s Armed Forces, and the principal component of His Majesty’s Naval Service, a constituent part of the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Apilonia. The Royal Navy maintains a large fleet of sophisticated warships, submarines, and aircraft, including ten aircraft carriers, four guided missile battleships, TBC amphibious warfare vessels and dozens of cruisers, escorts, and patrol vessels. In addition to the commissioned warships of the Royal Navy, the fleet is also augmented by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, a substantial force multiplier that supports and replenishes the fleet at sea all over the globe. The professional head of the Royal Navy, and the broader naval service, is the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, an Admiral and member of the Defence Council, whilst wider management of the Naval Service is managed by the Board of Admiralty, which is made up of the various Sea Lords and various other offices and divisions under them which make up a structure collectively known as the Admiralty.
The Royal Navy has always enjoyed a prominent position within the Kingdom, being formed shortly after the Kingdom’s founding to protect the rapidly developing Merchant Navy, given that the trade links back to Europe formed a critical part of the fledgling state’s economy. The early role as a force primarily concerned with commerce protection culminated in the Battle of the Gulf in 1672 in which HMS Vigilant, under the command of Captain Sir Edward Covington famously fought off a far superior enemy force to protect Apilonian merchantmen and setting a lasting tradition. Ever since, the Royal Navy has consistently enjoyed a substantial budget throughout most of its existence, due to the prominent position in the mindset of the Apilonian people, and was consistently one of the largest and most powerful navy, with particular predominance in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, including associated waters. As such, due to its historical and lasting prominence it is common to refer to it as ‘the Royal Navy’ without qualification.
With an active-duty strength of 462,700 officers and ratings, and a reserve component of 55,300 officers and ratings, with an additional 111,400 officer and ratings making up the individual ready reserve, liable to call-up in times of war. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary has an active-duty strength of 25,620 officers and ratings.