Surface vessels of the Royal Navy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Surface fleet)

Template:Short description Template:DMCA

Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.

Surface vessels of the Royal Navy
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found.
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Navy
Commanders
Current
commander
Commodore Ian Feasey
Insignia
White Ensign
(1901 – present)
File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg
Naval jack
File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg

Template:Short descriptionScript error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

File:Exercise WESTLANT 19 MOD 45165425.jpg
HMS Northumberland, RFA Tideforce and HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2019

Surface vessels form one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy.

History

During much of the medieval period, fleets or "king's ships" were often established or gathered for specific campaigns or actions, and these would disperse afterwards. These were generally merchant ships enlisted into service. Unlike some European states, England did not maintain a small permanent core of warships in peacetime. England's naval organisation was haphazard and the mobilization of fleets when war broke out was slow.[1] In the 11th century, Aethelred II had an especially large fleet built by a national levy.[2] During the period of Danish rule in the 11th century, the authorities maintained a standing fleet by taxation, and this continued for a time under Edward the Confessor, who frequently commanded fleets in person.[3]

Royal Navy surface ships currently consist of two flotillas based at HMNB Portsmouth and HMNB Devonport, both located on the south coast of England. Surface combatants range from aircraft carriers to mine countermeasures vessels to offshore patrol vessels, but most are escorts; destroyers (Type 45) and frigates (Type 23).

Surface combatants deploy to conduct several standing Royal Navy deployments. Closer to home, the surface fleet also conducts Fishery Protection Patrols around UK waters, by agreement with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

At some point between 2011 and 2018, Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships was also given the role of Rear-Admiral Surface Ships, the 'tribal chief' of surface ships within the Navy. Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group and Commander Littoral Strike Group are the two main deployable forces, led by Commodores (1* rank) under COMUKMARFOR.

The surface ships were administered by the Commander United Kingdom Strike Force and Rear Admiral Surface Ships (COMUKSTRKFOR or CSF).[4][5] Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces is a sea-going combatant command appointment.

One of the most recent Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces was Rear Admiral Michael Utley.

In 2020-2021, the surface ships were reduced to the status of a Commodore-led flotilla, the Surface Flotilla, under Commander Operations (Royal Navy).[6]

Current surface ships

Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote".

See also

Footnotes

Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.

  1. ^ Rodger, Safeguard, pp. 52–53, 117–130.
  2. ^ Swanton, p. 138.
  3. ^ Swanton, pp. 154–165, 160–172.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Rear Admiral Andrew Burns OBE Commander UK Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships" (PDF). royalnavy.mod.uk. Royal Navy. Ministry of Defence. UK. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Surface Fleet". royalnavy.mod.uk. Royal Navy. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019. ...was appointed Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces COMUKSTRKFOR (CSF) and Rear Admiral Surface Ships (RASS)
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Mackie, Colin (1 October 2020). "Admirals October 2020" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Retrieved 5 November 2020. Commodore Craig Wood: Commander, Surface Flotilla, April 2020 (appointment date?)

References

Template:Naval Service (British)