Royal Naval Engineers

The Royal Naval Engineers, a department of the Royal Navy, has existed since 1835.

Naval engineers are in charge of the management and upkeep of ship-board machinery. Traditionally this included engines, motors, pumps and other mechanical devices, but modern engineers are now responsible for both mechanical systems and high-tech electronics such radar and sonar systems and nuclear-power plants.

Ranking

When the corps was first created, there were three ranks for Engineers: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Over the years this ranking system has changed several times:

• 1835 - 1st, 2nd, 3rd Engineer.
• 1847 - Inspector of Machinery, Chief Engineer; First, Second, and Third Engineer.
• 1886 - Chief Inspector & Inspector of Machinery (R.Adm. and Captain), Fleet Engineer (Cdr), and Staff Engineer (Senior Lieutenant).
• 1904 - Standard executive rank titles with an "Engineer" prefix.

Fields of Expertise

After graduating from university and receiving a basic training, naval engineers specialize in a particular field.

• Weapon Engineer Officer (WEO) - ensures that weapon systems are working properly.
• Marine Engineer Officer (MEO) - deals with the fuel, air, water, electrical, and (non-nuclear) propulsion systems.
• Air Engineer Officer (AEO) - Maintenance and upgrading of engines and electrical systems in aircraft.
• Submarines The Nuclear Task - working with nuclear-powered submarines.

Students

In 1888 engineer studentships were created. Today, there are several different student-scholarship programs available including the University Cadetship Entry, a competitive program in which students enlist and train at Britannia Royal Naval College before going to university.

References

1. Engineer Officer, Royal Navy.
2. http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/static/pages/4746.html

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wood, James, ed. (1907). "^{article name needed}". The Nuttall Encyclopædia. London and New York: Frederick Warne.