A navy is the branch of a country’s armed forces that fights on, under, or over the sea. A navy has several main jobs. It protects its country and its allies, or friends, as they carry on ocean trade. It also carries out attacks and other missions at sea during war.
Most navies keep a fleet, or group, of ships that are specially built for certain types of work. Aircraft carriers are
ships that carry aircraft. Aircraft can land and take off from their decks. Cruisers and destroyers are ships that fight with guns or rocket-propelled missiles. Submarines and destroyers fight with underwater weapons, such as mines and torpedoes.
More than 100 countries have a navy. The United States has the world’s largest and most powerful navy. During wartime, the U.S. Navy also includes the U.S. Coast Guard.
A number of ancient civilizations, including ancient Greece and Rome, had navies. Most ancient warships were large wooden vessels powered by oars. During naval warfare, troops tried to sink an enemy’s ship by ramming it, setting it on fire, or sending armed forces aboard.
During the 1500s and 1600s warships changed greatly. Sails became the main source of power. They allowed ships to travel farther and faster. Cannons also were mounted on board.
The next important development in warships came in the middle of the 1800s. Countries began to build warships from iron and steel instead of wood. Steam engines replaced sails. In the late 1800s countries built armored, fast-moving battleships with huge, powerful guns.
The battleship was the mightiest naval ship until World War II (1939–45). During this war the Japanese successfully used aircraft carriers. Bomber planes launched from aircraft carriers sank ships, including battleships, far out at sea. Since then air power, including airplanes and missiles, has been the main weapon of the world’s navies.
During World War I (1914–18) women began to fill important positions in navies. In the United States Navy, a section called the yeomen (F) was created in 1917. These women held many different jobs, such as mechanic, translator, radio operator, driver, and clerk. The last yeoman (F) was discharged in 1921. During World War II a section called Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) was created. In the United Kingdom, women who served in the navy during the world wars were known as Wrens. They were officially the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS). Other countries had similar services.
For many decades after World War II, women were not allowed to fill many naval positions, such as those on submarines or on ships. That had changed by the early 2000s, when women in many countries were stationed on ships and submarines. Some were allowed in combat roles.
