Royal Australian Navy: Difference between revisions
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==Future== |
==Future== |
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The RAN has agreed to acquire three vessels based upon the [[ United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] |
The RAN has initiated the [[Australian Air Warfare Destroyer|Sea 4000 Project]], under which it has agreed to acquire three vessels based upon the [[ United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] |
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[[Aegis combat system|Aegis]] air and surface combat management system. Permission for the RAN to use this technology had to be obtained from the [[US Congress]]. The Australian |
[[Aegis combat system|Aegis]] air and surface combat management system. Permission for the RAN to use this technology had to be obtained from the [[US Congress]]. The Australian Government has awarded the contract to the [[Australian Submarine Corporation]] (builders of the Collins clas submarines) which will build the ships in [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia|SA]]. There is currently a shortlist of about three models to base the ships on; the project is expected to exceed [[AUS$]]8billion. |
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The RAN also has a project to build two large (25000+ tonne Displacement) multi-purpose ships that would have [[amphibious assault]], transport and command centre roles. In August 1994 Australia announced plans to evaluate the Mistral [NTCD]and Buque de Proyección Estratégica for possible purchase of a pair of units. These ships all have a displacement of roughly 20,000 tons. |
The RAN also has a project to build two large (25000+ tonne Displacement) multi-purpose ships that would have [[amphibious assault]], transport and command centre roles. In August 1994 Australia announced plans to evaluate the Mistral [NTCD]and Buque de Proyección Estratégica for possible purchase of a pair of units. These ships all have a displacement of roughly 20,000 tons. |
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Revision as of 16:36, 4 September 2005
Template:RAN The Royal Australian Navy (RAN} is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Established in 1909, the RAN was formed out of the Commonwealth Naval Forces, the small navy of Australia after federation, which consisted of the colonial navies of the new Australian states. The Royal Navy continued to provide blue water defence in the Pacific until World War Two, when expansion of the RAN saw the acquisition of aircraft carriers, and other large surface vessels.
Today the RAN is one of the largest naval forces in the Pacific region, and has undertaken operations in support of military campaigns and peacekeeping missions worldwide.
History
See also: Military history of Australia
Formation
Prior to the formation of the Commonwealth of Australia, each self-governing colony in Australia retained its own naval force. These usually consisted of naval gunboats for coastal defence of harbours and rivers. The Royal Navy continued to provide blue water defence of Australia, as it had since 1788. After federation of Australia in 1901, the Commonwealth Naval Forces was formed. The Commonwealth government paid for the Royal Navy to continue providing blue water defence.
A growing number of people, among them Captain William Rooke Creswell, the director of the Commonwealth Naval Forces, demanded an autonomous Australian navy, financed and controlled by Australia. In 1909 Creswell represented Australia at the Imperial Conferences, convened to settle the question of naval defences, and won his campaign for an Australian Navy. His name lives on as the name of base, HMAS Creswell, the site of the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay.
The first Australian warship, the destroyer HMAS Parramatta, was launched at Govan in Scotland on Wednesday 9 February 1910 and its sister ship HMAS Yarra, was launched at Dumbarton in Scotland on Saturday 9 April 1910. Both ships were commissioned into the Royal Navy on Monday 19 September 1910 and sailed for Australia. They arrived at Port Phillip on Saturday December 10 1910 and, as they passed through The Rip, Engineer Lieutenant Commander W. Robertson, RN, was washed overboard from Parramatta and drowned.
In October 1911 King George V fixed his signature to the approval for the Royal Australian Navy and the ships now officially received the prefix "His Majesty's Australian Ship" (HMAS). The manpower of the fleet stood at four hundred officers and men and, for the next two years, ships were built for the fledgling navy. On Saturday 4 October 1913 the first fleet review of the Royal Australian Navy took place, the battle cruiser HMAS Australia, the cruisers HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney, the protected cruiser HMAS Encounter and the torpedo boat destroyers HMAS Parramatta, HMAS Yarra and HMAS Warrego, entered Sydney Harbour.
World War One
In 1914, the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, bringing the whole British Empire into war, including Australia. The war was greeted with enthusiasm in Australia, and over 200,000 troops were deployed to Africa for campaigns in Gallipoli. RAN ships helped provide naval cover for the ambitious landings on the Turkish beaches. The RAN also contributed, under the command of the Royal Navy in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The first RAN victory of the war occurred when the battle cruiser, HMAS Sydney sank the German battleship, SMS Emden off the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. RAN ships also played a part in capturing German colonies in the Pacific.
World War II
Australia declared war on Nazi Germany, days after the United Kingdom's declaration of war in September 1939. At the onset of war in 1939, the RAN numbered two heavy cruisers, four light cruisers, five destroyers, three sloops and a variety of support and ancillary craft. Initially, the RAN was deployed in the Mediterranean against the Italians, with the light cruiser HMAS Sydney sinking the Italian cruiser, Bartolomeo Colleoni and helping sink, Espero. The Sydeny would later be sunk herself to much controversy after a battle with the Kormoran, a German cruiser.
After the Japanese attack on Pearl harbour in 1941, the RAN redeployed to home waters to protect British colonies in the Pacific, as well as the Australian mainland from Japanese attack. The RAN took part in the Battles at Java Sea, Sunda Strait, Coral Sea, Savo Island and Lingayen Gulf. Overall over 30 ships were lost in the war, the costliest in RAN history.
Aircraft Carriers
Following World War II, the RAN reduced its surface fleet but to continued to expand in other ways, acquiring an old Royal Navy aircraft carrier to build up a fleet air arm division. Taking the name of the RAN's two most famous ships, the HMAS Sydney took up service in 1948. Sydney saw action in the Korean War, and later in a converted role as a transport ship in Vietnam. Her replacement ship was HMAS Melbourne, another converted Royal Navy ship. Australia retained an naval fleet air arm until 1982 when the Melbourne was sold to China.
Roles in post-war conflicts
With the retreat of British forces west of the Suez Canal in the 1960s, the RAN began to take a more defensive role, and in co-operation with the United States, allied though the ANZUS treaty. The RAN saw service in many of the world's post war conflicts including Korea, Vietnam, and the Indonesian Confrontation. RAN ships also served in the first Gulf War, and later in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Today's Fleet
Today's fleet consists of around 70 vessels including frigates, submarines, patrol boats and auxillary ships. The RAN today is one of the most modern in the Pacific, tasked with the ability to defend the home waters, and undertake operations in farout locations. Current deployments of the navy include: contributions to the multinational force in Iraq; support for the United Nations mission in East Timor; and a "regional assistance mission" with New Zealand in the Solomon Islands.
Ships of the Royal Australian Navy
See also:List of ships of the Royal Australian Navy
RAN has 5 main classes of vessels in the fleet:
| Class | Type | Number | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anzac Class | Frigate | 8 | 1996 | Anti-submarine and anti-aircraft, with SH-2 Seasprite helicopters. |
| Oliver Hazard Perry Class | Frigate | 6 | 1985 | Anti-submarine and anti-aircraft frigate with 2 S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters |
| Fremantle Class | Patrol boat | 15 | 1980s | Costal and harbour defence |
| Armidale Class | Patrol boat | 12 | 2005 | Costal defence and fishery protection |
| Collins Class | Submarine | 6 | 2000 | diesel-electric powered patrol submarines for deep ocean patrols |
Future
The RAN has initiated the Sea 4000 Project, under which it has agreed to acquire three vessels based upon the U.S. Navy Aegis air and surface combat management system. Permission for the RAN to use this technology had to be obtained from the US Congress. The Australian Government has awarded the contract to the Australian Submarine Corporation (builders of the Collins clas submarines) which will build the ships in Adelaide, SA. There is currently a shortlist of about three models to base the ships on; the project is expected to exceed AUS$8billion.
The RAN also has a project to build two large (25000+ tonne Displacement) multi-purpose ships that would have amphibious assault, transport and command centre roles. In August 1994 Australia announced plans to evaluate the Mistral [NTCD]and Buque de Proyección Estratégica for possible purchase of a pair of units. These ships all have a displacement of roughly 20,000 tons. The ships are planned to operate a number of helicopters and the Defence Department has stated that there is a possibility that they may extend the proposed order of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for the RAAF to include STOVL versions for the RAN to use on the new ships. This would give the RAN a fixed wing combat capability that it has not had since the decommissioning of HMAS Melbourne in 1982.
External links
- Royal Australian Navy home page
- 'Virtual Fleet' - on-line computer based 'tour' of ships and aircraft
- Maritimequest Royal Australian Navy photo gallery
- Official Biographies:
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