Glossary
This is a a guide to basic naval terms and RN equipment. It is not exhaustive and will be added to as this web site develops.
Naval Terminology
Aircraft Carrier - Large flat-topped vessel that can carry aircraft and is the centrepiece of a navy task group. The RN currently has 2 active aircraft carriers (approx 22,000 tons)which carry a mix of vertical take-off Harriers and various helicopters. They are tiny compared to the conventional carriers of the US (approx 95,000 tons) or France which use catapults to launch aircraft.
Frigate - Small to medium sized surface escort ships (approx 4,000 tons) and general 'workhorses' of the fleet. Used to be primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare but are increasingly used in general purpose roles. The RN currently has a total of 17 frigates of in 2 types: Type 22 (batch 3) and Type 23
Destroyer - Traditionally larger than frigates (approx 4-5,000 tons) and usually more associated with air defence, the RN has 8 ageing Type 42 destroyers (Originally a 14 ship class of which HMS Sheffield and HMS Coventry were sunk in the Falklands war).
SSN - Nuclear powered attack submarines. Designed primarily to destroy other submarines but are also very effective against surface ships and when carrying Tomahawk cruise missiles, can attack land targets. The number of RN SSNs has dwindled to 9 although they are excellent boats.
SSBN - Nuclear Powered and Nuclear armed submarines. The UK has 4 SSBNs that carry Trident inter-continental nuclear weapons, Based at Faslane in Scotland, one is always on patrol. Commissioned in the 1990s this government is loosely committed to their replacement, for which design and planning will have to start soon.
SSK - Conventional submarines. Usually powered by diesels on the surface which charge batteries that provide power for electric motors when submerged. The time they can stay submerged is limited to the power the batteries can hold. Recent developments in AIP (Air Independent Propulsion) mean some SSKs can stay submerged indefinitely. SSKs are smaller and cheaper than SSNs and more suited to operations close to land in shallower waters. SSKs are operated by the majority of the world's navies but the RN has none - due to the premature retirement of 4 brand-new Upholder class SSKs in 1994.
LPD - Landing Platform (Dock). The RN has 2 modern LPDs plus 4 new auxiliary LPDs operated by the RFA. Specialist ships designed to land troops on shore quickly using landing craft floated out from a dock in the stern of the ship.
LPH - Landing Platform (Helicopter). The RN has 1 LPH - HMS Ocean, built rather cheaply and somewhat slow, but still useful for landing large numbers of troops ashore using several helicopters simultaneously. When HMS Ocean is unavailable one of the carriers can take on the LPH role.
MCMV - Mine Countermeasures Vessels. Combining mine hunting with mine disposal using sophisticated sonar, divers and remotely operated submersibles. The RN has 2 classes of 'plastic' MCMV - the Hunt and Sandown classes. Both designs are considered amongst the best in the world but their numbers have declined to just 16 vessels.
RFA - Royal Fleet Auxiliary. A vital service that provides support to the RN, allowing ships to stay at sea for extended periods by providing fuel, stores and ammunition. This is transferred at sea by helicopter (VERTRREP - vertical replenishment) or by RAS (Replenishment at sea) where 2 ships steam parallel and fuel is passed by hose and stores passed across on cables. RFA ships are crewed by civilians and rated as merchant ships although some carry self-defence weapons. Increasingly they are taking on RN roles due to shortage of ships although the RFA is suffering the same cuts to strength as the RN.
Fleet Air Arm - The aviation arm of the RN. During its heyday in the 1950s, it numbered many squadrons of fighters, bombers, early warning aircraft and helicopters operating from aircraft carriers. Today it is a shadow of its former self, being a helicopter-only service. The last purely naval fixed-wing aircraft were decomissioned in March 2006.
RM - Royal Marines. the RN's soldiers, commando trained and amongst Britain's elite soldiers they are specialists in amphibious operations (landing from ships).
HMS - Her majesty's ship - formal title of all vessels commissioned into the RN.
MoD - Ministry of Defence. Government civil service department responsible for the armed forces with a reputation for bureaucracy. Mismanagement of so many defence procurement projects must raise questions about the competence of the MoD. With an army of around 90,000 there is approximately 1 civil servant for every 2 servicemen.
ASW - Common abreviation for Anti-submarine warfare
ASV - Common abreviation for Anti-surface vessel. Weapons such as missiles and torpedoes and guns for use against surface ship targets.
NGS - Naval Gunfire Support. Bombardment of targets on land from warships operating off the coast in support of troops ashore.
EW - Electronic Warfare, The complex art of detecting, jamming and monitoring enemy radar and radio transmissions.
New RN Warship Programmes
Queen Elizabeth class Aircraft Carriers - Work has finally begun on them in 2007. At 65,00 tons they will be the largest vessels the RN has ever operated. Carrying the F-35B JSF aircraft they will be powerful additions to the fleet and are scheduled for delivery 2012 and 2014. (For a more detailed discussion see article).
Astue class submarines - New SSNs being built for the RN by BAe Systems at Barrow. Will probably be amongst the best submarines in the world when they are in service but delayed and expensive build programme has been a problem.
Type 45 Daring Class destroyers. Equipped with sophisticated PAAMS anti- aircraft missile system, 6 of these very large destroyers are on order for the RN and are being built by BAe Systems in Glasgow. Tortuous design history resulted in delays in ordering and the Type 42s destroyers they will replaced are being run well beyond their planned service life. Early trials with HMS Daring indicate these will be highly effective ships.
MARS - Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability. The ridiculous acronym for the programme to replace the ageing RFA fleet. Many of the RFAs are in need of replacement, particularly the tankers which don't conform to modern double-hull safety standards. Tenders to build 6 tankers have recently been invited but it remains to be seen how many ships of the 11 required will actually be built.
FSC - Future Surface Combatant. At present there is no design on the drawing board to replace the Type 22 and 23 frigates as they approach the end of their lives in 10-15 years time. The FSC is a vague concept of a modular ship design that can be configured for different mission requirements. The FSC could come in different variants - to replace frigates, MCMV and even survey ships. At present it has been left to commercial companies to make proposals and the funding required looks far from certain.
Key RN Weapons
Sea Wolf Missile - highly effective short-range system for defence against air or missile attack, carried by RN frigates only. Unfortunately not fitted to any other vessels due to budgetary constraints. Missile stocks were upgraded to Block 2 standard from 2005. The system software and sensors are currently undergoing the "Seawolf Medium-Life Upgrade" program which will vastly improve performance against the latest generation of agile supersonic anti-ship missiles.
Sea Dart Missile - Medium range anti-aircraft missile carried by Type 42 destroyers. Effective against medium and high atitude targets but would struggle to cope with saturation attacks and has limited use against modern supersonic missiles. Based on 1970s technology its place will be taken by the PAAMS system as the Type 45s come into service. Missile stocks were upgraded to Mod 3 standard in 2002.
114mm Mk 8 gun - carried by all frigates and destroyers in RN service. General purpose gun with a range of about 20 miles, effective when used for bombardment of targets on land but can be used against surface targets. Some ships have received the improved Mod 1 version of the gun.
Tomahawk Missile- very accurate cruise missile that uses satellite naviagtion to hit land targets up to 1000 miles away from the point of launch. Currently only carried by RN submarines. As a short-sighted cost-saving measure this highly flexible weapon is not being fitted to the Type 45 destroyers.
CIWS - Close In Weapon System. Last ditch defensive weapons for ships against aircraft, missiles, or even sucide bombers in speedboats. Vitally important equipment for any ship in a combat zone. Only automated radar/gattling gun combinations such as the Phalanx or Goalkeeper systems carried by most RN warships are effective against modern missiles. Other more basic CIWS include manually-aimed cannons and machine guns.
Torpedoes. The RN has 2 types of torpedo in service. The Sting Ray is a fast lightweight and manouverable torpedo designed to be dropped from helicopters and escort ships for use against submarines. The Spearfish is a heavyweight torpedo fired from submarines against ship or submarine targets. Both the Sting Ray (Mod 1) and Spearfish have recently received upgrades in capability.
Lynx MK8 - Versitile and small helicopter operated from frigates and destroyers in general purpose role - ASW with (Stingray torpedoes), Anti shipping (with Sea Skua Missiles) and general reconnisance, seach & rescue.
EH101 Merlin - large, sophisticated and rugged anti-submarine helicopter operated from some frigates, aircraft carriers and some RFAs. With only 42 of these valuable aircraft and many of them non-operational, the RN is short on helicopter numbers.
Harrier GR9 - Vertical take-off (or rolling take-off from 'ski-ramp') fixed wing aircraft. Operated from the carriers although have been deployed on the ground in Afganistan recently. The Maritime Strike Wing is the RN element of the Joint Harrier Force based at RAF Cottesmore which operates GR9s. They are excellent for attacking ground targets but very limited as air defence fighters.
