View source for His Majesty's Naval Service

{{Short description|Maritime service of the British Armed Forces}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = His Majesty's Naval Service
| image                         = Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg
| caption                       = 
| dates                         = 
| country                       = {{flag|United Kingdom}}{{NoteTag|{{unbulleted list|[[Kingdom of England]] <small>(until 1707)</small>|[[Kingdom of Scotland]] <small>(until 1707)</small>|[[Kingdom of Great Britain]] <small>(1707–1800)</small>}}}}
| role                          = [[Naval warfare|Naval]], [[Expeditionary warfare|expeditionary]] and [[amphibious warfare]]
| size                          = 
| type                          = [[Naval warfare]] and [[Sea|maritime]] service
| command_structure             = [[British Armed Forces]]
| garrison                      = [[Whitehall]] / [[Portsmouth]]
| garrison_label                = 
| nickname                      = 
| patron                        = 
| motto                         = 
| colours                       = 
| colours_label                 = 
| march                         = 
| mascot                        = 
| equipment                     = {{tree list}}
* {{navy|United Kingdom}}
** [[Royal Naval Reserve|RN Reserve]]
** [[Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service|RN Nursing Service]]
* {{marines|United Kingdom}}
** [[Royal Marines Reserve|RM Reserve]]
** [[Royal Marines Band Service|RM Band Service]]
* {{naval|United Kingdom|RFA}}
* {{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} [[Naval Careers Service]]
{{tree list/end}}
| equipment_label               = Branches
| battles                       = 
| anniversaries                 = 
| decorations                   = 
| battle_honours                = <!-- Commanders -->
| website                       = 
| commander1                    = [[King Charles III]]
| commander1_label              = [[Head of the Armed Forces]] and [[Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom|Lord High Admiral]]
| commander2                    = [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Gwyn Jenkins|Sir Gwyn Jenkins]]
| commander2_label              = [[First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff]]
| commander3                    = [[Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice Admiral]] [[Martin Connell (Royal Navy officer)|Sir Martin Connell]]
| commander3_label              = [[Second Sea Lord|Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff]]
| commander4                    = [[Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice Admiral]] [[Andrew Burns (Royal Navy officer)|Andrew Burns]]
| commander4_label              = [[Fleet Commander]]
| commander5                    = [[Warrant officer (United Kingdom)#Royal Marines|Warrant Officer Class 1]] Jamie Wright
| commander5_label              = [[Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy]]
| identification_symbol         = [[File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|centre|border|100px]]
| identification_symbol_label   = {{nowrap|[[White Ensign]]}}{{NoteTag|{{multiple image
 | align     = none
 | direction = horizontal
 | header    = 
 | width     = 60
 | image1    = English White Ensign 1620.svg
 | caption1  = 1630–1707
 | image2    = Scottish_Red_Ensign.svg
 | caption2  = Middle Ages–1707
 | image3    = Naval Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg
 | caption3  = 1707–1800
 }}}}
| start_date                    = 
}}
{{Royal Navy}}
'''His Majesty's Naval Service,'''{{Efn|when the reigning monarch is female, it is known as Her Majesty's Naval Service}} referred to colloquially as the '''Royal Navy,''' after the primary fighting arm of the service''',<ref name=":0" />''' is the [[United Kingdom]]'s [[naval warfare]] and [[Sea|maritime]] service.<ref>[http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/~/media/royal%20navy%20responsive/documents/useful%20resources/br%203/br3book/an01a.pdf NAVAL PERSONNEL HIERARCHY], mod.uk. 5 October 2014.</ref><ref>[http://c69011.r11.cf3.rackcdn.com/eccb6c2c44bb44a98f055592c56f7e08-0x0.pdf Her Majesty’s Naval Service Eligibility and Guidance Notes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228223724/http://c69011.r11.cf3.rackcdn.com/eccb6c2c44bb44a98f055592c56f7e08-0x0.pdf |date=2013-12-28 }}, mod.uk. 5 October 2014.</ref> It consists of the [[Royal Navy]], [[Royal Marines]], [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]], [[Royal Naval Reserve]], [[Royal Marines Reserve]] and [[Naval Careers Service]].<ref name="QRRN">{{cite web |title = Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy |url = https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/documents/reference-library/brd2/brd_2_bookv6.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=22 April 2017 }}</ref> The Naval Service as a whole falls under the command of the [[Navy Board (1964-present)|Navy Board]], which is headed by the [[First Sea Lord]]. This position is currently held by [[Admiral]] [[Ben Key|Sir Ben Key]] (appointed November 2021).<ref name="key">{{cite web |title=Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE has been appointed to First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vice-admiral-sir-ben-key-kcb-cbe-has-been-appointed-to-first-sea-lord-and-chief-of-the-naval-staff |website=gov.uk |access-date=8 November 2021 |language=en |date=15 October 2021}}</ref> The Defence Council delegates administration of the Naval Service to the [[Admiralty Board (United Kingdom)|Admiralty Board]], chaired by the [[Secretary of State for Defence]].

The Naval Service is dominated by the Royal Navy, and operates primarily from three bases in the United Kingdom where commissioned ships are based; [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]], [[HMNB Clyde|Clyde]] and [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport]], the last being the largest operational naval base in Western Europe. As of December 2024, there were about 90 vessels in service with the various branches of the Naval Service, plus more than 90 additional vessels operated by the supporting [[Serco Marine Services]]. These vessels included: 62 commissioned ships of the Royal Navy, 17 principal landing craft of the Royal Marines, 11 auxiliary ships of the [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]] and 90+ supporting Marine Services vessels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.navylookout.com/serco-secures-royal-navy-marine-services-contracts/|website=Navy Lookout|title=Serco secures Royal Navy marine services contracts|access-date=15 May 2025 |date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/serco-wins-200m-contract-to-provide-marine-services-for-royal-navy.html |title=Serco wins £200m contract to provide marine services for Royal Navy |date=16 November 2022 |publisher=Advance |access-date=30 April 2023}}</ref> Additional vessels are under charter to the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]. As of 2022, HM Naval Service (Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Naval Careers Service) employed about 39,500 regular and reserve personnel.<ref>{{cite web |title =The Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 2022  |url = https://www.navylookout.com/the-royal-fleet-auxiliary-in-2022/ |publisher=Navy Lookout |date=30 May 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title =Royal Naval Reserve |url = https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/our-organisation/maritime-reserves/royal-naval-reserve#:~:text=crisis%2C%20or%20conflict.-,3000,up%20The%20Royal%20Naval%20Reserve. |publisher=Royal Navy |access-date=4 May 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title =Number of personnel in the armed forces of the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2022, by military branch |url =https://www.statista.com/statistics/579991/number-of-uk-armed-forces-by-military-branch/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20there%20were%20approximately,6%2C650%20in%20the%20Royal%20Marines.  |publisher=Statista |access-date=4 May 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title =Royal Marines Reserve |url =https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/our-organisation/maritime-reserves/royal-marines-reserve |publisher=Royal Navy |access-date=4 May 2023 }}</ref>

In 2020, the First Sea Lord announced that the 'Naval Service' will informally be known as the 'Royal Navy'. The Royal Navy was made a [[colloquialism|colloquial name]] for the Naval Service as part of a transformation programme with the approval of the Navy Executive Committee to reflect the strength of the Royal Navy brand and assist with unifying the force.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Adieu 'Naval Service,' Hello 'Royal Navy'|journal=Navy News|date=June 2020|page=20|issue=791|url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/images/navynews/archivepdfs/2020s/2020/navy-news-june-2020-issue-791.pdf |access-date=16 May 2022|publisher=Ministry of Defence|issn=0028-1670}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=First Sea Lord Admiral [[Tony Radakin]] |title=The Whole Force: Naval Service to Royal Navy |url=https://royal-naval-association.co.uk/news/the-whole-force-naval-service-to-royal-navy/ |website=Royal Navy Association |access-date=16 May 2022 |archive-date=3 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103104726/https://royal-naval-association.co.uk/news/the-whole-force-naval-service-to-royal-navy/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The total [[Displacement (ship)|displacement]] of the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary is, as of December 2024, around 671,000 [[tonne]]s, while the combined displacement of Royal Marine landing craft is approximately an additional 2,200 tonnes.

==King's Regulations for the Royal Navy==
=== Components as of 2017 ===
The 2017 [[Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy]] stipulate that the Naval Service consists of:<ref name="QRRN" />
* The [[Royal Navy]] ([[Royal Naval Reserve]]) - including [[Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service]] 
* The [[Royal Marines]] ([[Royal Marines Reserve]])
* [[Naval Careers Service]]

The [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]] (RFA) operate a fleet of auxiliaries in support of the Royal Navy. RFA personnel are part of the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] [[Civil Service (United Kingdom)|civil service]]. Among the many contractors which support the Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy is [[Serco Marine Services]], provided under a [[private finance initiative]].

===Former composition===
The following services were formerly also components of the Naval Service:
* The [[Women's Royal Naval Service]] (merged into the Royal Navy in 1993)
* The [[Royal Naval Minewatching Service]] (reformed into the [[Royal Naval Auxiliary Service]] in 1962 and disbanded in 1994)
* The [[Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service]] (incorporated within the Royal Navy in 2000)

Naval Reserve Forces:
* The [[Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]] (merged with the Royal Naval Reserve in 1958)
** The Royal Naval Volunteer (Supplementary) Reserve
** The Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve
** The Royal Naval Volunteer (Postal) Reserve)
* The Royal Naval Emergency Reserve (disbanded {{circa|1959}})
* The Royal Naval Special Reserve (disbanded {{circa|1960}})
* The Women's Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (renamed the Women's Royal Naval Reserve in 1958, merged into the Royal Naval Reserve in 1993)
** The Women's Royal Naval Supplementary Reserve
* The Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve (incorporated within the Royal Naval Reserve in 2000)

Formerly the [[Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service]] (merged with the former Port Auxiliary Service in 1976), the [[Reserve Fleet (United Kingdom)|Fleet Reserve]], and the [[Royal Corps of Naval Constructors]] were also considered part of the Naval Service.

==Composition of the Naval Service==
===Royal Navy===
{{Main|Royal Navy}}

Referred to as the "Senior Service" by virtue of it being the oldest service within the British Armed Forces, the Royal Navy is a technologically sophisticated naval force and forms the core structure of the Naval Service. Command of deployable assets is exercised by the [[Fleet Commander]]. The United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent is carried aboard the navy's {{sclass|Vanguard|submarine|4}} of four nuclear ballistic-missile submarines. The surface fleet consists of [[aircraft carrier]]s, [[destroyer]]s, [[frigate]]s, [[Patrol boat|patrol ships]], [[Minesweeper (ship)|mine-countermeasures]], and miscellaneous vessels. The [[Royal Navy Submarine Service|submarine service]] has existed within the Royal Navy for more than 100 years. The service possessed a combined fleet of diesel-electric and nuclear-powered submarines until the early 1990s. Following the Options for Change defence review, the ''Upholder''-class diesel-electric submarines were withdrawn and the attack submarine flotilla is now exclusively nuclear-powered.

<gallery class="center" widths="210px" heights="140px">
File:HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) underway during trials with HMS Sutherland (F81) and HMS Iron Duke (F234) on 28 June 2017 (45162784).jpg|{{HMS|Queen Elizabeth|R08|6}} on sea trials in June 2017
File:Vanguard at Faslane 02.jpg|{{HMS|Vanguard|S28|6}}, a {{sclass|Vanguard|submarine|0}} [[ballistic missile submarine]]
File:HMS Diamond MOD 45155341.jpg|{{HMS|Diamond|D34|6}}, a [[Type 45 destroyer|Type 45]] [[guided missile destroyer]]
</gallery>

===Royal Marines===
{{Main|Royal Marines}}

The infantry component of the Naval Service is the Corps of Royal Marines. Consisting of a single manoeuvre brigade ([[United Kingdom Commando Force|UK Commando Force]]) and various independent units, the Royal Marines specialise in [[amphibious warfare|amphibious]], [[arctic warfare|arctic]], and [[mountain warfare]].<ref>BBC News (2002), [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1593996.stm UK's mountain warfare elite], news.bbc.co.uk</ref> Contained within the UK Commando Force are attached army units; [[29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery|29 Commando Regiment]] [[Royal Artillery]], an artillery regiment based in Plymouth, and [[24 Commando Regiment (United Kingdom)|24 Commando Regiment]] [[Royal Engineers]]. Both regiments have Commando [[REME]] detachments.<ref>[http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regts/the_rifles/rifles_hq/commando_role.htm The Commando Role for 1 RIFLER] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114045213/http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regts/the_rifles/rifles_hq/commando_role.htm |date=2009-01-14 }}, army.mod.uk</ref>  The [[Commando Logistic Regiment]] consists of personnel from the Army, Royal Marines, and Royal Navy.<ref>[https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/static/content/2540.html Commando Logistic Regiment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050514133822/https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/static/content/2540.html |date=2005-05-14 }}, royalnavy.mod.uk</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths="210px" heights="140px">
File:A Royal Marine LCVP Landing Craft MOD 45150169.jpg|Mk5 [[LCVP (United Kingdom)|Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel]]
File:Royal Marine LCAC(LR) Hovercraft MOD 45154442.jpg|2000TDX [[LCAC (United Kingdom)|Landing Craft Air Cushion]]
File:Royal Marines During Winter Training in Norway MOD 45152252.jpg|Royal Marines during the annual Cold Weather Training exercise
</gallery>

===Royal Fleet Auxiliary===
{{Main|Royal Fleet Auxiliary}}

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the [[British Ministry of Defence]]. The RFA enables ships of the Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world.  Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by [[replenishment at sea]] (RAS). It also transports [[British Army|Army]] and Royal Marine personnel, as well as supporting training exercises. RFA personnel are members of the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] civil service who wear [[British Merchant Navy|Merchant Navy]] rank insignia with naval uniforms and are under naval discipline when the vessel is engaged on warlike operations. RFA vessels are commanded and crewed by these civilians, augmented with regular and reserve Royal Navy personnel to perform specialised military functions such as operating and maintaining helicopters or providing hospital facilities. The RFA is funded out of the UK defence budget and the Commodore commanding the RFA is directly responsible to the Royal Navy [[Fleet Commander]].

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary also provides the naval service's principal amphibious warfare capability through its three {{sclass2|Bay|landing ship dock}} vessels. The service is manned by around 1,750 civilian personnel (as of late 2022).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Navy struggling to keep RFA Fort Victoria operational |publisher=NavyLookout |url=https://www.navylookout.com/navy-struggling-to-keep-rfa-fort-victoria-operational/ |date=19 May 2023}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths="210px" heights="140px">
File:Mounts Bay (L3008).jpg|{{ship|RFA|Mounts Bay|L3008|6}}, a {{sclass2|Bay|landing ship|1}}
File:RFA Fort Victoria A387 BB.jpg|{{ship|RFA|Fort Victoria|A387|6}}, a [[replenishment oiler]]
File:RFA Argus-2.jpg|{{ship|RFA|Argus|A135|6}}, an [[Flight training|aviation training]] and [[Hospital ship|casualty receiving ship]]
</gallery>

===Naval Careers Service===
{{Main|Naval Careers Service}}

The Naval Careers Service is the recruiting arm of the Naval Service.<ref name="pageonethree">{{cite web |title = Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy Chapter One |url = https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/documents/reference-library/brd2/ch01.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=9 February 2018|pages=1–3}}</ref>  It is manned by former Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel who are typically based at Armed Forces Careers Offices.<ref>{{cite web |title = BR3 Volume One Naval Personnel Management Chapter Three |url = https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/documents/reference-library/br-3-vol-2/chapter-20.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=9 February 2018|pages=20–6}}</ref>  It is the smallest component of the Naval Service, comprising fewer than 200 personnel.<ref name="strength">{{cite web |title=Royal Navy and Royal Marines Monthly Personnel Situation Report |url = https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650591/20171009_-_FINAL_-_RN_RM_Monthly_Situation_Report__rounded_.pdf |website=British Government|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=9 February 2018}}</ref>

==In support of the Naval Service==
===Marine Services, U.K.===
{{Main|Serco Marine Services}}

Marine Services enables Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ships, including the United Kingdom's Strategic Nuclear Deterrent, to either move in or out of port for operational deployment and training exercises around the world. The service operates a large assortment of vessels including tugs and pilot boats as well as transporting stores, liquid and munitions and providing passenger transfer services to and from ships for officers and crew. Serco Denholm took over Marine Services to the Naval Service from the now disbanded Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service in 2008. In late 2009 Serco bought out Denholm's share, with the service now being known as Serco Marine Services.<ref name="Steve Bush 2014">{{cite book |last=Bush |first=Steve |title = British Warships and Auxiliaries |year=2014 |publisher=Maritime Books |page=64 |isbn=978-1904459552 }}</ref> In 2025, Serco won a renewal of the contract to continue services for the Naval Service until 2035.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.navylookout.com/serco-secures-royal-navy-marine-services-contracts/|website=Navy Lookout|title=Serco secures Royal Navy marine services contracts|access-date=15 May 2025 |date=15 May 2025}}</ref>

===Marine Services, Gibraltar===
Marine services at the [[Port of Gibraltar]], including naval vessels using the port, are provided by Boluda Towage Europe.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boluda acquires Resolve Fire and Salvage |url=https://www.boluda.eu/news/boluda-acquires-resolve-salvage-and-fire|access-date=2024-08-07 |date=7 February 2024 |website=Boluda Towage Europe |language=en}}</ref> Boluda acquired Resolve Marine Group in 2024, which had been equipped with one ASD ocean-going and harbour tug (''Resolve Hercules''), four harbour tugs (''Rooke'', ''Wellington'', ''Egerton'' and ''Eliott''), two barges (''Isaac 1874'' and ''RMG 280'') as well as the anchor-handling tug ''Resolve Blizzard'', which provided regional firefighting, oil pollution and emergency response services.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tugs and Barges|url=https://resolvegibraltar.com/tugs/|access-date=2023-06-15|website=Resolve Marine Services (Gibraltar)|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Resolving to Expand |url=https://trends.nauticexpo.com/project-311222.html|access-date=2023-06-15|website=Nautic Expo |language=en}}</ref> Several of these assets were acquired by Boluda which, in June 2024, also strengthened its own presence at Gibraltar by adding the tugboat “VB Responder” to its fleet.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boluda strengthens its fleet in Gibraltar with a new boat |url=https://www.boluda.com.es/en/2024/06/boluda-strenghtens-its-fleet-in-gibraltar-with-a-new-boat/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |date=18 June 2024 |website=Boluda Towage Europe |language=en}}</ref>

===Marine Services, Falkland Islands===
As of 2021, marine services at the British military and naval port in the Falkland Islands, [[Mare Harbour]], were provided by the contracted Netherlands Marine Services company Van Wijngaarden. The company operated two tugs (''Giesenstroom'' and ''Dintelstroom'') as well as a multi-purpose barge (''MP2003'') at the port.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1053494/20210630-BFSAI_Nav_Risk_Assessment_2021-Public_Final.pdf |title=British Forces South Atlantic Islands East Cove Port Navigation Risk Assessment 2021  |last=Childs (RN) |first=Cdr J R |date=June 2021 |access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths="210px" heights="140px">
File:SD Northern River (7901319836).jpg|{{ship|SD|Northern River}}, a Marine Services multi-purpose ship
File:HMS Iron Duke Fitted with Artisan Radar MOD 45155677.jpg|{{ship|SD|Bountiful}}, a Marine Services ATD 2909-class tug
File:SD Navigator, Serco, off the coast of Isle of Portland, Dorset-9462.jpg|SD ''Navigator'', a Marine Services Multicat 2510-class recovery vessel
</gallery>

==Lists of vessels==
See the articles below for lists of vessels operated by or in support of His Majesty's Naval Service:
* [[List of active Royal Navy ships]] - 62 (including nine nuclear-powered submarines; plus additionally two non-commissioned training vessels, one experimental ship, one experimental uncrewed submarine and several dozen smaller boats)
* [[List of active Royal Marines military watercraft]] - 17 principal landing craft (plus three patrol boats and some 85 smaller [[Offshore Raiding Craft|Commando]] and [[Rigid Raider|inshore raiding craft]]; [[Special Boat Service]] operates additional specialist craft, including up to three [[Shallow Water Combat Submersible|combat submersibles]])
* [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary#Fleet|List of active Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships]] - 11 (plus additional ships under charter to the MoD)
* [[List of ships of Serco Marine Services]] - 90+ <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.navylookout.com/serco-secures-royal-navy-marine-services-contracts/|website=Navy Lookout|title=Serco secures Royal Navy marine services contracts|access-date=15 May 2025 |date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/enterprise/outsourcing-giant-serco-marks-25-21294546 |title=Outsourcing giant Serco marks 25 years working with Royal Navy|date=12 August 2021 |publisher=BusinessLive |access-date=30 April 2023}}</ref> (plus additional vessels operated by other companies in certain overseas territories)

== See also ==
{{Portal|United Kingdom}}
* [[List of all naval vessels current and former of the United Kingdom]]
*[[British Armed Forces]]
* [[Royal Navy]]
* [[Royal Marines]]
* [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]]
* [[His Majesty's Coastguard]]
* [[Border Force]]
* [[Special Boat Service|Special Boat Service (SBS)]]
* [[Royal Naval Association]]

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot|30em}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}{{Note list}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* BR 2 - ''Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy''
* BR1806 - ''British Maritime Doctrine'', Glossary
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070610015153/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/ukds/2005/glossary.html ''United Kingdom Defence Statistics 2005'' - glossary]
{{refend}}

{{Her Majesty's Naval Service}}
{{United Kingdom Ministry of Defence}}
{{British Armed Forces}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Naval Service| ]]
[[Category:Royal Navy|*]]
[[Category:Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)]]