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The Royal Australian Navy ('''RAN''') is the Naval Branch of the Australian Defence Force . Established in 1901, the RAN was formed out of the '''Commonwealth Naval Forces''' to become the small navy of Australia after federation, consisting of the former colonial navies of the new Australian states. The Royal Navy Of The United Kingdom continued to provide Blue-water defence in the Pacific until World War II , 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 a significant presence in the Indian Ocean , and has undertaken operations in support of military campaigns and peacekeeping missions worldwide. Vice Admiral Russ Shalders is the current Chief Of Navy and was appointed to this position in 2005. HISTORY See Also: History of the Royal Australian Navy The Commonwealth Naval Forces were established on 1 March 1901 , two months after the Federation Of Australia . On 10 July 1911 , King George V granted the title of 'Royal Australian Navy'.The R.A.N. - A Brief History {Link without Title} accessed 1 March 2007 During World War I the RAN was initially responsible for capturing many of Germany's colonies in the South Pacific and protecting Australian shipping from the German East Asia Squadron . For the remainder of the war most of the RAN's major ships operated as part of Royal Navy forces in the Mediterranean and North Seas. During the 1920s and early 1930s the Royal Australian Navy was greatly reduced in size. As international tensions increased, however, the RAN was modernised and expanded. During the early years of World War II ships from the RAN again operated as part of the Royal Navy , with RAN ships serving with distinction in the Mediterranean. Following the outbreak of the Pacific War and the virtual destruction of the Royal Navy force in Asia the RAN increasingly operated independently or as part of United States Navy forces. By the end of the war, the RAN was the fifth largest navy in the world. While the size of the RAN was greatly reduced after World War II, the Navy gained new capabilities with the delivery of two aircraft carriers. 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. Following the end of the Cold War the RAN has participated in Coalition forces in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean and has formed a critical element in Australian-led operations in East Timor and the Solomon Islands. RAN TODAY The Fleet Today's fleet consists of around 60 vessels including frigates, submarines, patrol boats and auxiliary ships. The RAN today is one of the most modern in the Pacific and is tasked with the ability to defend Australian waters and undertake operations in distant 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 . The RAN has two primary bases for its fleet;
In addition, there are two other ports which are home to the majority of the RAN's minor war vessels;
Ships of the Royal Australian Navy See Also: Current Royal Australian Navy ships The RAN currently operates 6 main classes of vessels: |
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