Royal Australian Navy

The Commonwealth Naval Forces were established on 1 March 1901, two months after the federation of Australia, when the naval forces of the separate Australian colonies were amalgamated. A period of uncertainty followed as the policy makers sought to determine the newly established force's requirements and purpose, with the debate focusing upon whether Australia's naval force would be structured mainly for local defence or whether it would be designed to serve as a fleet unit within a larger imperial force, controlled centrally by the British Admiralty.[3] In 1908–09, the decision was made to pursue a compromise solution, and the Australian government agreed to establish a force that would be used for local defence but which would be capable of forming a fleet unit within the imperial naval strategy, albeit without central control. As a result, the navy's force structure was set at "one battlecruiser, three light cruisers, six destroyers and three submarines".[4]

On 10 July 1911, King George V granted the service the title of "Royal Australian Navy".[5] The first of the RAN's new vessels, the destroyer Yarra, was completed in September 1910 and by the outbreak of the First World War the majority of the RAN's planned new fleet had been realised.[4] The Australian Squadron was placed under control of the British Admiralty,[6] and initially it was tasked with capturing many of Germany's South Pacific colonies and protecting Australian shipping from the German East Asia Squadron. Later in the war, most of the RAN's major ships operated as part of Royal Navy forces in the Mediterranean and North Seas, and then later in the Adriatic, and then the Black Sea following the surrender of the Ottoman Empire.[4]

In 1919, the RAN received a force of six destroyers, three sloops and six submarines from the Royal Navy,[7] but throughout the 1920s and early 1930s, the RAN was drastically reduced in size due to a variety of factors including political apathy and economic hardship as a result of the Great Depression.[8] In this time the focus of Australia's naval policy shifted from defence against invasion to trade protection,[9] and several fleet units were sunk as targets or scrapped. By 1923, the size of the navy had fallen to eight vessels,[8] and by the end of the decade it had fallen further to five, with just 3,500 personnel.[9] In the late 1930s, as international tensions increased, the RAN was modernised and expanded, with the service receiving primacy of funding over the Army and Air Force during this time as Australia began to prepare for war.[9]

Early in the Second World War, RAN ships again operated as part of Royal Navy formations, many serving with distinction in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean, and off the West African coast.[10] Following the outbreak of the Pacific War and the virtual destruction of British naval forces in south-east Asia, the RAN operated more independently, or as part of United States Navy formations. As the navy took on an even greater role, it was expanded significantly and at its height the RAN was the fourth-largest navy in the world, with 39,650 personnel operating 337 warships.[9] A total of 34 vessels were lost during the war, including three cruisers and four destroyers.[11]

After the Second World War, the size of the RAN was again reduced, but it gained new capabilities with the acquisition of two aircraft carriers, Sydney and Melbourne.[12] The RAN saw action in many Cold War–era conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region and operated alongside the Royal Navy and United States Navy off Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam.[13] Since the end of the Cold War, the RAN has been part of Coalition forces in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, operating in support of Operation Slipper and undertaking counter piracy operations. It was also deployed in support of Australian peacekeeping operations in East Timor and the Solomon Islands.[14]

The high demand for personnel in the Second World War led to the establishment of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) branch in 1942, where over 3,000 women served in shore-based positions. The WRANS was disbanded in 1947, but then re-established in 1951 during the Cold War. It was given permanent status in 1959, and the RAN was the final branch to integrate women in the Australian military in 1985.[15]

HMAS Canberra, a Canberra-class landing helicopter dock, being fitted out in 2013

Hobart, the lead ship of the RAN's new class of air-warfare destroyers, under construction in 2015

There are currently several major projects underway that will see upgrades to RAN capabilities:

• Project SEA 1180 Phase 1 is building twelve Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels based on the Lürssen OPV80 design, to replace 26 small vessels of the Armidale, Huon, Leeuwin and Paluma classes. Construction started in November 2018, with the first vessel, HMAS Arafura to enter service in Q4 2021.[33]
• Project SEA 1429 Phase 2 is upgrading the Collins-class submarines with the Mk48 Mod 7 CBASS torpedo.[34] Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was achieved in May 2008[34] with Final Operational Capability (FOC) due in December 2018, 60 months late.[34]
• Project SEA 1439 Phase 3 is upgrading the Collins-class submarine platform systems to improve 'reliability, sustainability, safety and capability'. IOC was achieved in October 2007, FOC is due in September 2022.[35]
• Project SEA 1439 Phase 4A is replacing the Collins-class submarines' combat system with the AN/BYG-1(V)8 developed in conjunction with the US Navy[36] IOC Expected to achieve Final Operating Capability in December 2018.[37] IOC was in May 2008 with FOC planned for December 2018.
• Project SEA 1654 Phase 3 is acquiring two Supply-class replenishment ships based on the Spanish Cantabria-class oiler. HMAS Supply was launched in November 2018[38] and will replace HMAS Success, while the second, HMAS Stalwart will replace HMAS Sirius.
• Project SEA 4000 Phase 3 is procuring three Hobart-class air warfare destroyers, based on the Spanish Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate.[39][40] HMAS Brisbane, the second of the class, was commissioned in October 2018,[41] with the final ship, HMAS Sydney due for delivery in 2020.
• Project SEA 5000 Phase 1 is acquiring nine Hunter-class frigates based on the British Type 26 Global Combat Ship, to replace the Anzac-class frigates in the late 2020s. The vessels will be built in Adelaide by BAE Systems, with the first three to be named HMA Ships Hunter, Flinders and Tasman.[42]
• Project SEA 1000 is the procurement of twelve submarines of the Attack-class, a diesel-electric version of the French Barracuda-class nuclear submarine which should enter service in the 2030s, with the first boat to be named HMAS Attack.

The RAN currently has forces deployed on four major operations:[43]

• Operation Highroad: Australia's commitment to the International Coalition forces in the Afghanistan War;
• Operation Resolute: border protection;
• Operation Manitou: counter-piracy, counter-terrorism and maritime stability in the Middle East; and
• Operation Accordion: support operation to provide sustainment to forces deployed on Operations Highroad and Manitou.

A female RAN officer in 2014. Women serve in the RAN in combat roles and at sea.

As of June 2011, the RAN has 14,215 permanent full-time personnel, 161 gap year personnel, and 2,150 reserve personnel.[44] The permanent full-time force consisted of 3,357 commissioned officers, and 10,697 enlisted personnel.[44] In June 2010, male personnel made up 82% of the permanent full-time force, while female personnel made up 18%.[45] The RAN has the highest percentage of women in the ADF, compared to the RAAF's 17.8% and the Army's 9.7%.[45]

The following are the current senior Royal Australian Navy officers:

• Vice Admiral David Johnston – Vice Chief of the Defence Force
• Vice Admiral Michael Noonan – Chief of Navy
• Rear Admiral Mark Hammond – Deputy Chief of Navy
• Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead – Commander Australian Fleet
• Rear Admiral Peter Quinn – Head Navy Capability
• Rear Admiral Colin Lawrence – Head Navy Engineering
• Rear Admiral Bruce Kafer – Director-General Australian Navy Cadets and Reserves[46]
• Commodore Brett Brace – Hydrographer of Australia[46]
• Warrant Officer Deb Butterworth – Warrant Officer of the Navy

Royal Australian Navy sailors in 2010

The uniforms of the Royal Australian Navy are very similar in cut, colour and insignia to their British Royal Navy forerunners. However, beginning with the Second World War, all RAN personnel began wearing shoulder flashes reading Australia, a practice continuing today. These are cloth arcs at shoulder height on uniforms, metallic gold on officers' shoulder boards, and embroidered on shoulder slip-ons.

Commissioned officers

Commissioned officers of the Australian Navy have pay grades ranging from S-1 to O-11. The only O-11 position in the navy is honorary and has only ever been held by royalty, currently being held by The Duke of Edinburgh. The highest position occupied in the current Royal Australian Navy structure is O-9, a vice admiral who serves as the Chief of the Navy. O-8 (rear admiral) to O-11 (admiral of the fleet) are referred to as flag officers, O-5 (commander) and above are referred to as senior officers, while S-1 (midshipman) to O-4 (lieutenant commander) are referred to as junior officers. All officers of the navy receive a commission from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The commissioning scroll issued in recognition of the commission is signed by the Governor General of Australia as Commander-in-Chief and the serving Minister for Defence.

Naval officers are trained at the Royal Australian Naval College (HMAS Creswell) in Jervis Bay and the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.[47]

Commissioned officer rank structure of the Royal Australian Navy
Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore	Captain
O-11	O-10	O-9	O-8	O-7	O-6
AF	ADML	VADM	RADM	CDRE	CAPT

Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Sub Lieutenant	Acting Sub Lieutenant	Midshipman
O-5	O-4	O-3	O-2	O-1	S-1
CMDR	LCDR	LEUT	SBLT	ASLT	MIDN

Chaplain

Chaplains in the Royal Australian Navy are commissioned officers who complete the same training as other officers in the RAN at the Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell. RAN regulations group RAN chaplains with commanders for purposes of protocol such as marks of respect (saluting); however, RAN chaplains have no other rank other than "chaplain", and their rank emblem is identifiable by a Maltese cross with gold anchor. Senior chaplains are grouped with captains, and principal chaplains are grouped with commodores, but their chaplain rank slide remains the same. Principal chaplains, however, have gold braid on the peak of their white service cap.

depiction of RAN Chaplains shoulder rank slide

Other ranks

Other ranks
Warrant Officer of the Navy	Warrant Officer	Chief Petty Officer		Petty Officer	Leading Seaman		Able Seaman	Seaman
E-10	E-9	E-8	E-7	E-6	E-5	E-4	E-3	E-2
			(No rank)			(No rank)
WO-N	WO	CPO		PO	LS		AB	SMN

Royal Australian Navy sailors from HMAS Sydney during Operation Northern Trident 2009

Royal Australian Navy Other Ranks wear "right arm rates" insignia, called "Category Insignia" to indicate speciality training qualifications.[48] The use pattern mirrors that of the Royal Navy, and has since formation. Stars or a Crown are added to these to indicate higher qualifications.

The Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N) is an appointment held by the most senior sailor in the RAN, and holds the rank of warrant officer (WO). However, the WO-N does not wear the WO rank insignia; instead, they wear the special insignia of the appointment.[49] The WO-N appointment has similar equivalent appointments in the other services, each holding the rank of warrant officer, each being the most senior sailor/soldier/airman in that service, and each wearing their own special insignia rather than their rank insignia. The Australian Army equivalent is the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A)[50] and the Royal Australian Air Force equivalent is the Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF).[51]

• Australian Navy Cadets
• Australian White Ensign
• Battle and theatre honours of the Royal Australian Navy
• Royal Australian Navy School of Underwater Medicine

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Australian Navy.

• Royal Australian Navy home page
  • Historical listing of RAN ships
• Maritimequest Royal Australian Navy photo gallery
• Biographies of senior RAN officers
• Royal and Dominion Navies in World War II, Campaigns, Battles, Warship losses
• ADF Pay & Conditions Manual – Equivalent ranks and classifications