HMS Raleigh at Torpoint, Cornwall, is the basic training facility for newly enlisted personnel, Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment for the navy, located at Dartmouth in the county of Devon, personnel are divided into a general duties branch which includes those seamen officers eligible for command and other branches including the Royal Naval Engineers, medical and the Supply Officer branch.

The Royal Navy’s presence on the world stage sends a powerful message that the UK is committed to global affairs and provides a stabilising influence. In this way we prevent conflict on the high seas and protect the flow of international trade on which our nation depends.  

The UK has a responsibility to its citizens and its allies to endeavour to safeguard the high seas. This is why the Royal Navy protects home and international waters – making sure the global trade that Britain and the world depend on can proceed without a hitch.

As the fifth largest economy in the world, the UK has responsibilities towards its allies and partners. But Britain also has global ambitions – namely to protect the seaways underpinning the country’s prosperity. The Royal Navy plays a crucial role in fostering these enduring and lasting alliances with other nations.

When diplomacy fails, the UK has to be ready to protect its interests and its allies. What’s more, as a member of NATO and the UN, the UK also acts to support the enforcement of UN resolutions and come to the aid of our allies. This is where the Royal Marines come in: we train to go where we’re needed – by sea, land or air – and deploy our forces with the aim of restoring peace.

Maritime trade is the lifeblood of the UK economy and industry as 95% of Britain’s economic activity depends on the oceans, the UK is so dependent on the seas for its prosperity that without the Royal Navy acting as a deterrent the effect on the economy would be overwhelming.

When natural or man-made disasters occur, a country’s infrastructure and resources can be crippled, with loss of electricity, shortage of food and water supplies and human lives at risk – responding to such life-threatening scenarios is central to the Royal Navy’s ethos, because we have the skills, equipment and know-how to go anywhere, regardless of potential damage to local infrastructure.

·         Our capabilities

There’s no doubting that it takes some of the world’s most specialist equipment to be the formidable force that we are today. However, ships, submarines, aircraft and weapons would have no impact without the high calibre people that make them effective. Bring our people and equipment together and our naval capability comes to life. Securing the seas, protecting Britain’s interests and delivering humanitarian aid.

·         One team and one identity

We are a highly functioning team that includes front line forces capable of going anywhere. Seaborne strength and submarine stealth. Logistical and emotional support that keeps us effective – and the thousands of reinforcements that swell our ranks. 

Whether in the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the Royal Marines Band Service, the Royal Naval Reserves or Royal Marines Reserves. Day in, day out, every single person is vital to the smooth running and success of our missions.

·         Multiple disciplines

The Royal Navy is a multi-disciplinary team whose purpose is to meet the needs of our people, maintain our equipment to keep it in peak condition and help us meet the demands of the environments we operate in. This is why it takes everything from engineers, communications specialists, doctors, chefs, accountants, chaplains, pilots, meteorologists, mine clearance divers and elite fighting forces to be successful in war- and peacetime missions.

·         Operating in extreme environments

Whether on ships, submarines or aircraft. In dense jungle or freezing conditions. Across steep mountains, barren deserts or in the heart of urban landscapes. In the Royal Navy there’s no such thing as another day in the office. 

The range of environments in which the Royal Navy operates is so diverse that it requires a comprehensive set of skills to meet every challenge.

We protect our economy by practising and maintaining as follows;

·         Strategic positioning

The majority of maritime trade passes through a handful of global chokepoints. We strategically position our strength to send a potent message. What is more, we’re on hand to halt situations from developing any further.

·         Global presence

Tensions threatening Britain’s interests can arise anywhere. Which is why the Royal Navy makes the most of our freedom to deploy globally. This allows us to curb destabilising behaviour and keep a watchful eye on areas key to the UK economy.

·         Stabilising hotspots

Aggressive posturing or loss of stability can have a knock-on effect on the availability and cost of resources. To prevent this from happening, the Royal Navy calms regions that are essential to the flow of goods and supplies, like the Gulf or West Africa.

·         Securing UK industry

Nearly half of all our food and energy is imported and 95% of trade reaches our shores by sea. By protecting critical shipping lanes the Royal Navy safeguards billions of pounds in revenue. UK-based shipping contributes £10 billion a year to gross domestic product.