Commonwealth Navy (Arthurista)

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Commonwealth Navy
Arthuristan People's Navy ensign.png
Ensign
Active1824-present
CountryArthurista
AllegianceCommonwealth Defence Forces
BranchNavy
Size80,000 active
Nickname(s)The Senior Service
Motto(s)Ex undis surgit victoria (From the waves rises victory)
March Rule, Arthurista!

The Commonwealth Navy is the maritime arm of the Commonwealth Defence Forces, also its most important one from a geopolitical standpoint. It has two primary missions: to prevent the island nation from being invaded or starved into submission. All other considerations, from littoral warfare, amphibious expeditions, power projection to even nuclear deterrence are strictly secondary priorities.

Given its mission, the CN operates in all parts of the world in order to secure the Sea Lanes of Communication ("SLOC") which keeps Arthurista fed and supplied. It is a leading practitioner of anti-submarine warfare, while also possessing considerable capabilities in combined naval-air operations in the open ocean.

As the island's first line of defence, the naval service (including the Commonwealth Marines) has always been regarded as the senior, most prestigious arm of the CDF. Arthurista has always been a major maritime power. As an island, it is only secure to the extent that its shores are safe from invaders and its sea lanes clear for commerce. As of the early 2010s, the CN receives the lion's share of Arthurista's defence budget.

History

The ancestor of the Commonwealth Navy could be found in the Protectorate-era. In the Middle Ages, during times of crisis, the Lord Protector would levy ships from coastal communities to serve as vessels of war in lieu of knight- or militia-service, trading vessels which in any case were heavily armed against piracy. By the 1500s, however, the need to safeguard Arthuristan booming maritime trade and to contest naval supremacy against rivals led to the establishment of a permanent Protectorate War Fleet by the Lady Protector Elbereth I. As the 19th century rolled on, the navy kept apace with modern technology, introducing in rapid succession steam engines, ironclads, gun turrets, steel hulls and wireless radios, culminating in the service's first dreadnoughts and submarines in the early 20th century.

In the 1920s century economic malaise, capital ships numbers dwindled rapidly until only the Elbareth-class and Admiral-class battlecruiser remained in service. The moratarium on battleship construction, however, spurred on a number of important advancements. Cruisers and submarines became far more powerful and took on increasingly important roles in the navy's order of battle. Carriers, initially converted from ocean liners and battlecruisers before dedicated designs became available, became the navy's primary offensive weapon. Its position of naval dominance over that of the Arthuristan National State was maintained throughout The Great Fascist War, and was instrumental in isolating the Fascists from outside support and clinching victory for the Commonwealth. The fleet emerged into the post-war era as a powerful and flexible instrument of Arthuristan military power, the island's first line of defence.

Orders of Battle

Main Article: Commonwealth Navy operational organisation and doctrine

Commonwealth Marines

The Commonwealth Marines are administered by the Commonwealth Navy, although operationally subordinated to higher level army HQs when deployed with army troops. Active units are always manned at 100% strength by volunteer professionals, while territorial reserve formations are composed of ex-active duty marines.

They are organised as elite light infantry, primarily trained in helibourne air assault. However, each brigade has an organic armoured transporter company equipped with 16 {{Wp|Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier]]s. As such, they are also capable of fighting as light mechanised infantry. If heavier direct fire support is deemed necessary, armoured units from the Commonwealth Army can be attached where necessary.

Each battle fleet normally has a marine battalion group attached semi-permanently, while several independent marine brigades also exist.

Main Article: Commonwealth Marines

Ship classes in service

Boldfaced items are currently active or can be reactivated at short notice.

Carriers and amphibious assault ships

Class Type Displacement Note
Vengeance Class Fleet Carrier (CVA) 70,000-82,000 tonnes 1 active, 1 under construction
Icarus Class Fleet Carrier (CVA) 54,500-65,300 tonnes 1 active, 1 retired
Helios Class Light Carrier (CVS) 25,000 tonnes 2 active
Menelaus Class Landing Platform Dock (LPD) 25,500 tonnes (full load) 2 active
Round Table-class landing ship logistics Landing Ship Logistics 6,700 tonnes 7 active
Spearhead-class joint high speed vessel High speed landing ship 1,515 tonnes

Capital Ships

Class Type Displacement Note
Lion Class Guided missile battleship (BBG)/Aviation battleship (BBGV) 75,000 tonnes 0 active, 2x museum ships
Repulse Class Guided missile battleship (BBG) 45,000-52,000 tonnes 0 active, 2x museum ships
APNS Nike Ironclad ship of the line 9,284 tonnes Museum ship, official flagship of the Commonwealth Navy

First-Rate Escorts

Class Type Displacement Note
Type-44 "Prometheus" Class Destroyer (DDG) 9,800 tonnes 8 active
Pallas-class destroyer Strike Destroyer (DDS) 8,800 tonnes 3 active
Agni-class frigate Frigate (FFG) 6,000 tonnes 7 active
Phobos-class destroyer Destroyer (DDG) 9,800 tonnes 6 mothballed

Second-Rate Escorts

Class Type Displacement Note
Type-24 "Ajax" Class Frigate (FF) 3,200 tonnes 12 active, 12 mothballed
Type-25 "Ahriman" Class Frigate (FFG) 3,600 tonnes 13 active, 2 under construction, 1 planned

Small craft

Class Type Displacement Note
Flower-class sloop Offshore patrol vessel 2,420 tonnes 12 in service.
Castle-class patrol vessel Offshore patrol vessel 1,427 tonnes Gradually mothballed
Archer-class patrol vessel Inshore patrol vessel 54 tonnes
Peacock-class corvette Patrol corvette 712 tonnes Mothballed
Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel Minehunter 750 tonnes 12

Submarines

Class Type Displacement Note
Triton Class Attack submarine (SSN) 7,000 tonnes 7 active
Triumphant Class Attack submarine (SSN) 5,300 tonnes 7 active
Styx Class Ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) 15,950 tonnes 4 active
Observer-class submarine Attack submarine (SSK) 2,900 tonnes 2 active
Upholder-class submarine Attack submarine (SSK) 2,455 tonnes 4 active

Auxiliary ships

Fleet Air Arm

File:APAF roundel.png
Fleet Air Arm Roundel
Name Type Numbers
Arthuristan Dynamics Cyclone Heavy tactical fighter
Arthuristan Dynamics Whirlwind Supersonic STOVL fighter Part of the Joint STOVL Strike Wing
Arthuristan Dynamics Tempest Multirole fighter
Arthuristan Dynamics Mercury long range carrier strike bomber/interdictor 36x ECR aircraft remain in service
UFC F-29 Hurricane 5th-generation multirole fighter One squadron of F-29C (12 total) operational as of 2015, two squadrons undergoing testing.
Aigios Seiren AWAC
AW101 Merlin Multi-role helicopter (medium)
Sea King Multi-role helicopter (medium) to be replaced by Merlin
Lynx Multi-role helicopter (light) Both original and Wildcat variants in service
Chinook Heavy lift helicopter Operating in support of the Commonwealth Marines
NOVA Drone UCAV and Recce drone 2x in experimental deployment
Beechcraft Super King Air light utility aircraft
Arthuristan Dynamics Horus AEW Drone 12x in service out of 24 ordered

Historical aircrafts (post-1945)

Arthuristan munitions

Land/surface strike:

Gravity bombs

Surface-to-air

Air-to-air

Torpedoes

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