Royal Navy Referred to as the "Senior Service" by virtue of it being the oldest service within the British Armed Forces, the Royal Navy is a technologically sophisticated naval force and forms the core structure of the Naval Service. Command of deployable assets is exercised by the
Fleet Commander. The United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent is carried aboard the navy's of four nuclear ballistic-missile submarines. The surface fleet consists of
aircraft carriers,
destroyers,
frigates,
patrol ships,
mine-countermeasures, and miscellaneous vessels. The
submarine service has existed within the Royal Navy for more than 100 years. The service possessed a combined fleet of diesel-electric and nuclear-powered submarines until the early 1990s. Following the Options for Change defence review, the
Upholder-class diesel-electric submarines were withdrawn and the attack submarine flotilla is now exclusively nuclear-powered. File:HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) underway during trials with HMS Sutherland (F81) and HMS Iron Duke (F234) on 28 June 2017 (45162784).jpg| on sea trials in June 2017 File:Vanguard at Faslane 02.jpg|, a
ballistic missile submarine File:HMS Diamond MOD 45155341.jpg|, a
Type 45 guided missile destroyer Royal Marines The infantry component of the Naval Service is the Corps of Royal Marines. Consisting of a single manoeuvre brigade (
UK Commando Force) and various independent units, the Royal Marines specialise in
amphibious,
arctic, and
mountain warfare. Contained within the UK Commando Force are attached army units;
29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, an artillery regiment based in Plymouth, and
24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers. Both regiments have Commando
REME detachments. The
Commando Logistic Regiment consists of personnel from the Army, Royal Marines, and Royal Navy. File:A Royal Marine LCVP Landing Craft MOD 45150169.jpg|Mk5
Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel File:Royal Marine LCAC(LR) Hovercraft MOD 45154442.jpg|2000TDX
Landing Craft Air Cushion File:Royal Marines During Winter Training in Norway MOD 45152252.jpg|Royal Marines during the annual Cold Weather Training exercise
Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-crewed fleet owned by the
British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by
replenishment at sea (RAS). It also transports
Army and Royal Marine personnel, as well as supporting training exercises. RFA personnel are members of the
Ministry of Defence civil service who wear
Merchant Navy rank insignia with naval uniforms and are under naval discipline when the vessel is engaged on warlike operations. RFA vessels are commanded and crewed by these civilians, augmented with regular and reserve Royal Navy personnel to perform specialised military functions such as operating and maintaining helicopters or providing hospital facilities. The RFA is funded out of the UK defence budget and the Commodore commanding the RFA is directly responsible to the Royal Navy
Fleet Commander. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary also provides the naval service's principal amphibious warfare capability through its three vessels. The service is crewed by around 1,750 civilian personnel (as of late 2022). File:Mounts Bay (L3008).jpg|, a File:RFA Fort Victoria A387 BB.jpg|, a
replenishment oiler File:RFA Argus-2.jpg|, an
aviation training and
casualty receiving ship Naval Careers Service The Naval Careers Service is the recruiting arm of the Naval Service. It is crewed by former Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel who are typically based at Armed Forces Careers Offices. It is the smallest component of the Naval Service, comprising fewer than 200 personnel. ==In support of the Naval Service==