Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). From the late 17th century to halfway through World War II, it was the largest and most powerful navy in the world, helping to establish the British Empire as the dominant power of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. During the Cold War, it was transformed into an anti-Soviet force, being mostly active in the North Atlantic Ocean. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, its role for the 21st century has returned to global operations.
The Royal Navy is the second largest navy in the world in terms of gross tonnage (the US Navy has the world’s largest) and is currently the second largest in Western Europe in terms of personnel, after the French Marine Nationale. There are currently 90 commissioned ships in the Royal Navy, including aircraft carriers and nuclear powered submarines (4 of which are SSBNs), as well as the ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
The Naval Service also includes the Royal Marines, the Royal Naval Reserve, etc. as well as the Royal Navy. In common usage, however, the whole service is referred to as the Royal Navy. The Naval Service had 36,320 regular personnel as of April 2005.

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