| Royal Australian Navy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1 March 1901 |
| Country |  Australia |
| Branch | Navy |
| Role | Naval warfare |
| Size |
|
| Part of | Australian Defence Force |
| Headquarters | Russell Offices, Canberra |
| Motto(s) | To fight and win at sea.[2] |
| March | "Royal Australian Navy" |
| Anniversaries | 10 July |
| Fleet | |
| Engagements | |
| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of the Defence Force | Admiral David Johnston |
| Vice Chief of the Defence Force | Air Marshal Robert Chipman |
| Chief of Navy | Vice Admiral Mark Hammond |
| Deputy Chief of Navy | Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley |
| Commander Australian Fleet | Rear Admiral Christopher Smith |
| Insignia | |
| Naval ensign |  |
| Naval jack | .svg) |
| Pennant | .svg) |
| King's Colours |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Multirole helicopter | MH-60R Seahawk |
| Trainer helicopter | EC-135T2+ |
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN)[3] Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. The Chief of Navy is also jointly responsible to the Minister for Defence (MINDEF) and the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF). The Department of Defence, which is a part of the Australian Public Service, administers the ADF, and ergo, the Royal Australian Navy.[4] In 2023, the Surface Fleet Review was introduced to outline the future of the Navy.
The navy was formed in 1901 as the Commonwealth Naval Forces (CNF) through the amalgamation of the colonial navies of Australia following the federation of Australia. Although it was originally intended for local defence, it became increasingly responsible for regional defence as the British Empire started to diminish its influence in the South Pacific.
The Royal Australian Navy was initially a green-water navy, as the Royal Navy provided a blue-water force to the Australian Squadron, which the Australian and New Zealand governments helped to fund; the squadron was assigned to the Australia Station. This period lasted until 1913, when naval ships purchased from Britain arrived, although the British Admiralty continued to provide blue-water defence capability in the Pacific and Indian Oceans up to the early years of the Second World War.[5]
During its history, the Royal Australian Navy has participated in a number of major wars, including the First and Second World Wars, Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation and the Vietnam War. As of 2024, the RAN consists of over 52 commissioned vessels, 11 non-commissioned vessels and over 16,000 personnel. The navy is one of the largest and most sophisticated naval forces in the South Pacific region, with a significant presence in the Indian Ocean and worldwide operations in support of military campaigns and peacekeeping missions.
- ^ "Current Ships". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 21 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "About the Royal Australian Navy". Navy (Royal Australian). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ^ "Senior Leadership Team". Royal Australian Navy. Australian Government Department of Defence. 26 July 2018. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
The Chief of Navy Australia is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy. The rank associated with the position is Vice Admiral (3-star).
- ^ "Defence Act (1903) – SECT 9 Command of Defence Force and arms of Defence Force". Australasian Legal Institute. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- ^ Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin (2008). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-551784-2. OCLC 271822831.