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{{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

[[File:HMAS Australia launching aircraft 1918.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A [[Sopwith 1½ Strutter]] aircraft taking off from a temporary flight deck on the first [[HMAS Australia (1911)|HMAS ''Australia'']], a [[battle cruiser]], in 1918.]]

[[File:HMAS Australia (D84) passing through the Panama Canal in March 1935.jpg|thumb|right|300px|An aerial view of the second [[HMAS Australia (D84)|HMAS ''Australia'']]  – a [[heavy cruiser]] –  passing through the Panama Canal in March 1935. ''Australia'' saw extensive combat in World War II.]]

[[File:HMAS Melbourne (R21) San Diego 1977.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|{{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}} steams into San Diego Harbor, California (USA), in 1977.]]

The '''history of the Royal Australian Navy''' traces the development of the [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN) from the colonisation of Australia by the British in 1788. Until 1859, vessels of the [[Royal Navy]] made frequent trips to the new colonies. In 1859, the [[Australia Squadron]] was formed as a separate squadron and remained in Australia until 1913. Until [[Federation of Australia|Federation]], five of the six Australian colonies operated their own colonial naval force, which formed on 1 March 1901 the Australian Navy's (AN) Commonwealth Naval Force which received Royal patronage in July 1911 and was from that time referred to as Royal Australian Navy (RAN).<ref>John M Wilkins, Australian Naval Reserve publication</ref> On 4 October 1913 the new replacement fleet for the foundation fleet of 1901 steamed through [[Sydney Heads]] for the first time.

The Royal Australian Navy has seen action in every ocean of the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://navy.defencejobs.gov.au/about-the-navy/heritage|title=HERITAGE|website=navy.defencejobs.gov.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/ran-brief-history|title=The RAN - A Brief History|last=Stevens|first=David|website=Navy - Serving Australia with Pride}}</ref> It first saw action in [[World War I]], in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. Between the wars the RAN's fortunes shifted with the financial situation of Australia: it experienced great growth during the 1920s, but was forced to reduce its fleet and operations during the 1930s. Consequently, when it entered [[World War II]], the RAN was smaller than it had been at the start of World War I. During the course of World War II, the RAN operated more than 350 fighting and support ships; a further 600 small civilian vessels were put into service as auxiliary patrol boats.<ref name=StraczekWW2/> (Contrary to some claims, however, the RAN was not the fifth-largest navy in the world at any point during World War II.<ref>The peak strength of the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] was 95,000 personnel on [[VE day]], whereas the peak strength of the RAN, in mid-1945, was less than 40,000 personnel. While the RAN surpassed the RCN in terms of the number of vessels operated during 1939–45, both navies were dwarfed by the wartime fleets of the US, British, Soviet, Japanese, German, French and probably other navies. ([http://www.navalreview.ca/wp-content/uploads/public/vol5num3/vol5num3art2.pdf  Rob Stuart, 2009, "Was the RCN ever the Third Largest Navy?", ''Canadian Naval Review'', vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 5–9.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214170248/http://www.navalreview.ca/wp-content/uploads/public/vol5num3/vol5num3art2.pdf |date=14 February 2019 }})</ref>)

Following World War II, the RAN saw action in [[Korean War|Korea]], [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]], and other smaller conflicts. Today, the RAN consists of a small but modern force, widely regarded as one of the most powerful forces in the [[South East Asia|Asia Pacific Region]].

==Australia Station==
{{Main|Australia Station}}
In the years following the establishment of the British colony of [[New South Wales]] in 1788, Royal Navy ships of the East Indies Squadron under the command of the [[East Indies Station]] would be station in or visit Australian waters. From the 1820s, a ship was sent annually to New South Wales, and occasionally to New Zealand.<ref>Nicholls 1988, p. 2.</ref>

In 1848, an Australian Division of the East Indies Station was established,<ref>Graham 1967, p. 459.</ref> and in 1859 the British Admiralty established an independent command, the [[Australia Station]], under the command of a [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|Commodore]] who was assigned as Commander-in-Chief, Australia Station.<ref name=Oxcom53>Dennis et al. 2008, p.53.</ref> The [[Australian Squadron]] was created to which British naval ships serving on the Australia Station were assigned.<ref name=Oxcom53/><ref name=Dennis>{{cite book |last=Dennis |first=Peter |author2=Grey, Jeffrey|author3= Morris, Ewan|author4= Prior, Robin |title=The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=South Melbourne, VIC |date=2008 |edition=2nd |isbn=978-0-19-551784-2 |oclc=271822831 |page=67}}</ref> The changes were partially in recognition of the fact that a large part of the East Indies Station had been detached to Australian waters, and also reflecting growing concern for the strategic situation in the western Pacific in general, and in [[Tahiti]] and New Zealand in particular.<ref name=Oxcom53/> In 1884, the commander of the Australia Station was upgraded to the rank of [[rear admiral]].<ref name=Oxcom53/>

At its establishment, the Australia Station encompassed Australia and New Zealand, with its eastern boundary including Samoa and Tonga, its western edge in the Indian Ocean, south of India and its southern edge defined by the [[Antarctic Circle]]. The boundaries were modified in 1864, 1872 and 1893.<ref>Dennis et al. 2008, p. 54.</ref> At its largest, the Australia Station reached from the Equator to the Antarctic in its greatest north–south axis, and covered {{frac|1|4}} of the Southern Hemisphere in its extreme east–west dimension, including Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Melanesia and Polynesia.<ref>Blunt 2002, p. 16–17.</ref>

In 1911 the Australia Station passed to the Commonwealth Naval Forces (initially under the command of RN officers) and the Australian Squadron was disbanded. The Station, now under nominal Australian command, was reduced to only cover Australia and its island dependencies to the north and east. In 1911, the Commonwealth Naval Forces was renamed the Royal Australian Navy, which in 1913 came under Australian command. The Royal Navy's Australia Station's Sydney based depots, dockyards and structures were gifted to the Commonwealth of Australia. The Royal Navy continued to support the RAN and provided additional [[Blue-water navy|blue-water]] defence capability in the Pacific up to the early years of [[World War II]].

==Colonial navies and federation==
[[File:Paluma (AWM 300024).jpg|thumb|The gunboat {{ship|HMQS|Paluma}} in 1889]]
{{Main|Colonial navies of Australia}}
Before the [[Federation of Australia]] in 1901, five of the six self-governing colonies in Australia operated a navy, the exception being Western Australia which did not have a naval force. The colonial navies were supported by the ships of the Royal Navy's Australian Station which was established in 1859. In 1856, Victoria received its own naval vessel, [[HMS Victoria (1855)|HMCSS ''Victoria'']], which in 1860 was deployed to assist the New Zealand colonial government during the [[First Taranaki War]]. When ''Victoria'' returned to Australia, the vessel had taken part in several minor actions, with the loss of one crew member. The deployment of ''Victoria'' to New Zealand marked the first occasion that an Australian warship had been deployed overseas. In the years leading up to Federation, Victoria had the most powerful of the colonial navies. Victoria had {{ship|HMVS|Cerberus}} since 1870, as well as HMVS ''Nelson'', three small gunboats and five torpedo-boats. NSW had [[Acheron-class torpedo boat|two very small torpedo boats]], and the corvette ''Wolverine''. The colonial navies were expanded greatly in the mid-1880s and usually consisted of gunboats and torpedo-boats for coastal defence of harbours and rivers, and naval brigades to man vessels and forts.

On 1 January 1901, Australia became a federation of six States, as the [[Commonwealth of Australia]], which on 1 March 1901 took over the defence forces from the States, to form the [[Commonwealth Naval Forces]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gunplot.net/colonialnavy/colonialnavy1.html |title=Colonial Navies of Early Australia |access-date=23 August 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia |date=1922 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jATFwmyNS4wC&dq=Australian+combined+into+the+Commonwealth+Naval+Forces+1901&pg=PA920}}</ref> The Australian and New Zealand governments agreed with the Imperial government to help fund the Royal Navy's Australian Squadron, while the Admiralty committed itself to maintain the Squadron at a constant strength.<ref name=Dennis /> In 1902, the commander of the Australia Station was upgraded to the rank of [[vice admiral]]. The boundaries were again modified in 1908.

==Formation==
[[File:RAN fleet review.jpg|thumb|The official welcome to the new units of the Royal Australian Navy]]
A growing number of people, among them Captain [[William Rooke Creswell]], the director of the Commonwealth Naval Forces, demanded an autonomous Australian navy, financed and controlled by Australia. In 1907 Prime Minister [[Alfred Deakin]] and Creswell, while attending the Imperial Conference in London, sought the [[Her Majesty's Government|British Government's]] agreement to end the subsidy system and develop an Australian navy. The [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] rejected the idea, but suggested diplomatically that a small fleet of destroyers and submarines would be sufficient. Deakin was not impressed with the Admiralty, and in 1908 invited the United States [[Great White Fleet]] to visit Australia. The visit prompted public enthusiasm for a modern navy and led to the order of two 700-ton {{sclass2|River|torpedo-boat destroyer}}s. The surge in German naval construction in 1909 led the Admiralty to change its position on an Australian navy, which resulted in the ''Naval Defence Act'' of 1910 being passed which created the Australian navy.

The first Australian warship, the destroyer {{HMAS|Parramatta|D55|6}}, was launched at [[Govan]] in Scotland on Wednesday 9 February 1910. Sister ship {{HMAS|Yarra|D79|6}} was launched at [[Dumbarton]] in Scotland on Saturday 9 April 1910.  Both ships were commissioned into the Royal Navy on 19 September 1910 and sailed for Australia, arriving at [[Port Phillip]] on 10 December 1910. The event was marred by the death of Engineer Lieutenant W. Robertson, RN, who suffered a heart attack {{convert|8|mi|km|0}} outside Port Phillip Heads whilst onboard HMAS ''Yarra'', and drowned.<ref>[http://www.brightoncemetery.com/HistoricInterments/Crimes/robertsonw.htm "Death of a Bluejacket"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223213824/http://brightoncemetery.com/HistoricInterments/Crimes/robertsonw.htm |date=23 December 2016 }}. Retrieved 24 September 2007.</ref>

The British Australia Station passed to the Commonwealth Naval Forces in 1911 and the Australian Squadron was disbanded. On 10 July 1911, [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] granted the title of "[[Royal Australian Navy]]" to the Commonwealth Naval Forces,<ref name="Stevens">{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/ran-brief-history |title=The R.A.N. – A Brief History |last=Stevens |first=David |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> and RAN ships could carry the prefix ''"[[His Majesty's Australian Ship]]"'' (HMAS). The Station was reduced to cover Australia and its island dependencies to the north and east, excluding New Zealand and its surrounds, which became part of the [[China Station]] and called the New Zealand Naval Forces.<ref name=Oxcom53/> The Navy was to operate under the authority of the [[Australian Commonwealth Naval Board]], which functioned from 1 March 1911.

At the [[1911 Imperial Conference]] Australia expressed concern about Japan's growing naval power and it was agreed that the British government would consult Australia when negotiating renewal of the [[Anglo-Japanese Alliance]].<ref name=dic>{{cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of the British Empire: A-J|year=1996|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|location=London|isbn=031329366X|pages=548–549|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L-X-XYB_ZkIC&q=1911+imperial+conference&pg=PA548}}</ref> It was also decided that the Royal Navy would continue to support the RAN and provide [[Blue-water navy|blue-water]] defence capability in the Pacific and that if there was war the ships of the RAN would be transferred to British Admiralty control. Under the ''Naval Defence Act'' (1912) the power to make the transfer was conferred in the [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]]. The RAN would become the Australia Squadron of the Royal Navy with all ships and personnel under the direct control of the British Admiralty, while the RAN remained responsible for the upkeep of the ships and training.

In 1913, responsibility for the reduced Australia Station passed to the new Royal Australian Navy<ref name=Oxcom53/><ref name=Frame97/> under nominal Australian command, with the Australia Squadron of the Royal Navy's Australia Station coming to an end and its Sydney based depots, dockyards and structures being gifted to the Commonwealth of Australia. The first commanding officer was Admiral [[George Edwin Patey]], [[Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Fleet]], on loan from the Royal Navy. On Saturday 4 October 1913 the Australian fleet, consisting of the battle cruiser {{HMAS|Australia|1911|2}}, the cruisers {{HMAS|Melbourne|1912|2}} and {{HMAS|Sydney|1912|2}}, the protected cruiser {{HMAS|Encounter|1902|2}}, and the torpedo-boat destroyers ''Parramatta'', ''Yarra'' and {{HMAS|Warrego|D70|2}}, entered [[Sydney Harbour]] for the first time.<ref name=Frame97>{{Cite book |last=Frame |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Frame (bishop) |title=No Pleasure Cruise: The Story of the Royal Australian Navy |url=https://archive.org/details/nopleasurecruise00fram_543 |url-access=limited |year=2004 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=Crows Nest, NSW |isbn=1-74114-233-4 |oclc=55980812 |page=[https://archive.org/details/nopleasurecruise00fram_543/page/n111 97]}}</ref> The manpower of the fleet stood at four hundred officers and men and, for the next two years, ships were built for the fledgling navy.

The Royal Navy continued to support the RAN and provide blue-water defence capability in the Pacific up to the early years of [[World War II]]. In 1958, the boundaries of Australia Station was redrawn again, now to include Papua New Guinea.<ref name=Oxcom53/>

==World War I==
{{See also|Military history of Australia during World War I|World War I defences of Australia}}
[[File:Wrecked_SMS_Emden.jpg|thumb|The wrecked German raider ''Emden'']]
On 3 August 1914, as the prospect of war with the [[German Empire]] loomed, the Australian Government sent the following message to the Admiralty.<ref>[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/10/chapters/01.pdf Official History of Australia in the War of 1914 – 1918 Volume XI Chapter 1].</ref>
{{blockquote|In the event of war Government prepared place vessels of Australian Navy under control British Admiralty when desired.}} The United Kingdom declared war on Germany the next day, and on 8 August, the Australian Government received a reply, requesting that the transfer be made immediately, if not already done. Two days later, on 10 August, the Governor-General officially transferred control of the Royal Australian Navy to the British Admiralty, which would retain control until 19 August 1919.<ref>[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/10/chapters/41.pdf Official History of Australia in the War of 1914 – 1918 Volume XI Chapter 1 Appendix 27].</ref>

At the outbreak of war, the RAN stood at 3,800 personnel and consisted of sixteen ships, including the battlecruiser ''Australia'', the light cruisers ''Sydney'' and ''Melbourne'', the destroyers ''Parramatta'', ''Yarra'', and ''Warrego'', and the submarines {{HMAS|AE1||2}} and {{HMAS|AE2||2}}. The light cruiser {{HMAS|Brisbane|1915|2}} and three destroyers were under construction, and a small fleet of auxiliary ships was also being maintained. As a consequence the Royal Australian Navy at the start of the war was a small but formidable force.<ref name="Jose.Australia.Navy">{{cite book |last=A.W. Jose |author-link=Arthur Wilberforce Jose |title=[[Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918|The Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918. Volume IX: The Royal Australian Navy]] |year=1987 |edition=September 1987 |page=649 |publisher=University of Queensland Press |isbn=0-7022-1848-0 }}</ref>

[[File:Aust fleet Rabaul (AWM J03326).jpg|left|thumb|The Australian squadron entering Simpson Harbour, Rabaul, September 1914]]
Australian ships first saw action in the [[Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I|Asian and Pacific theatre]]; assisting in the attack on [[German New Guinea]] by the [[Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force]] (AN&MEF). Germany had colonised the northeastern part of [[New Guinea]] and several nearby island groups in 1884, and the colony was currently used as a wireless radio base, Britain required the wireless installations to be destroyed because they were used by the German [[East Asia Squadron]] which threatened merchant shipping in the region. The objectives of the force were the German stations at [[Yap]] in the [[Caroline Islands]], [[Nauru]], and [[Rabaul]] in [[New Britain]]. On 30 August 1914, the AN&MEF left Sydney under the protection of ''Australia'' and ''Melbourne'' for [[Port Moresby]], where the force met the Queensland contingent, aboard the transport [[TSS Kanowna|HMAHS ''Kanowna'']]. The force then sailed for German New Guinea on 7 September, leaving ''Kanowna'' behind when her stokers refused to work. ''Sydney'' and her escorting destroyers met the AN&MEF off the eastern tip of New Guinea. ''Melbourne'' was detached to destroy the wireless station on [[Nauru]], while on 14 September, ''Encounter'' bombarded a ridge near Rabaul,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navyhistory.org.au/90-years-on-rabaul-and-sydneyemden-1914/|title=90 Years on: Rabaul and Sydney/Emden 1914|date=31 December 2004|publisher=Naval Historical Society of Australia}}</ref> while half a battalion advanced towards the town. The only major loss of the campaign was the disappearance of the submarine ''AE1'' during a patrol off Rabaul on 14 September 1914.<ref>Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 Vol. X: The Australians at Rabaul, S.S. Mackenzie, 1927.</ref><ref>Burnell 1914.</ref>

On 9 November 1914, the German light cruiser {{SMS|Emden|1906|6}} attacked the Allied radio and telegraph station at [[Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands|Direction Island]] in the [[Cocos (Keeling) Islands]]. The inhabitants of the island managed to transmit a distress signal, which was received by ''Sydney'', only {{convert|50|mi|km|-1}} away. ''Sydney'' arrived within two hours, and was engaged by ''Emden''. ''Sydney'' was the larger, faster and better armed of the two, and eventually overpowered ''Emden'', with captain [[Karl von Müller]] running the ship aground on [[North Keeling Island]] at 11:15&nbsp;am. At first, ''Emden'' refused to strike its colours and surrender; ''Sydney'' fired on the stationary ''Emden'' until it eventually struck its colours. The [[Battle of Cocos]] was the first battle the RAN participated in.<ref name="Stevens"/>

[[File:HMAS Pioneer (AWM P01585009).jpg|thumb|HMAS ''Pioneer'' off East Africa in 1916]]
On 6 February 1915, the obsolescent light cruiser {{HMAS|Pioneer}} joined the [[East African Campaign (World War I)|East African campaign]]. On 6 July, she engaged the German cruiser {{SMS|Königsberg|1905|6}} and German shore batteries, during the [[Battle of Rufiji Delta]]. ''Pioneer'' remained off East Africa and took part in many bombardments of [[German East Africa]], including [[Dar-es-Salaam]] on 13 June 1916. ''Pioneer'' then returned to Australia, to be decommissioned in October 1916.

During the [[Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign]] the Australian submarine {{HMAS|AE2||2}} became the first Allied warship to breach the Turkish defences of the [[Dardanelles]]. ''AE2'' spent five days in the area, was unsuccessfully attacked several times, but was unable to find any large enemy troop transports. On 29 April 1915, she was damaged in an attack by the Turkish torpedo-boat ''Sultan Hisar'' in Artaki Bay and was scuttled by her crew. The wreck of ''AE2'' remained undiscovered until June 1998.<ref name=RAN>{{Cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-ae2 |title=HMAS AE2 |publisher=Sea Power Centre – Australia |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

Ships of the Royal Australian Navy also assisted the [[Royal Navy]] in the blockade of the [[German High Seas Fleet]]. In February 1915, HMAS ''Australia'' joined the British [[Grand Fleet]], and was made flagship of the [[2nd Battlecruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)|2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron]].<ref name=StevensRAN37>{{Cite book |last=Stevens |first=David |editor=Stevens, David |title=The Royal Australian Navy |series=The Australian Centenary History of Defence |volume= III |year=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=South Melbourne, VIC |chapter=World War I |isbn=0-19-555542-2 |oclc=50418095 |page=37}}</ref> ''Australia'' was not involved in the [[Battle of Jutland]]; in April, the battlecruiser was damaged in a collision with sister ship {{HMS|New Zealand|1911|6}}, and she did not return to service until June.<ref name=StevensRAN37/><ref name=Jose274>Jose, ''The Royal Australian Navy 1914–1918'', p. 274</ref> Three RAN ships were present during the surrender of the [[German High Seas Fleet]]; ''Australia'', ''Sydney'', and ''Melbourne'', with ''Australia'' leading the port division of the Grand Fleet as it sailed out to meet the Germans.<ref name=Stevens53>Stevens, in Stevens, ''The Royal Australian Navy'', pp. 52–3</ref><ref>Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 Vol. IX The Royal Australian Navy, 1914–1918.</ref>

The most decorated Australian Naval unit of World War One, however was not a ship at all, but the [[Royal Australian Navy Bridging Train]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Jose|first=Arthur|title=Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Volume IX|page=396|year=1928|publisher=Australian War Memorial|location=Canberra}}</ref> a land-based unit composed mostly of reservists which [[Landing at Suvla Bay|landed at Suvla Bay]] with the British [[IX Corps (United Kingdom)|IX Corps]] and was responsible for receiving, storing and distributing the supplies, including potable water, of the British troops at Suvla.<ref name="Official History 395">{{cite book|last=Jose|first=Arthur|title=Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Volume IX|page=395|year=1928|publisher=Australian War Memorial|location=Canberra}}</ref> Due to their position working the piers and landings at Suvla, the Train was the last Australian unit to depart the Gallipoli Peninsula.<ref name="Official History 398">{{cite book|last=Jose|first=Arthur|title=Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Volume IX|page=398|year=1928|publisher=Australian War Memorial|location=Canberra}}</ref> After Gallipoli, the Train was sent to the Middle East, where they made a second amphibious landing at the [[Battle of Magdhaba]], before returning to Australia and being disbanded after a series of miscommunications during May 1917.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1635148 |title=Disbanded Bridging Train. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=12 July 1917 |access-date=16 May 2013 |page=9 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Expansion during the war had been limited, with the RAN growing to include thirty-seven ships and more than 5,000 personnel by 1918.<ref>Stevens 2001, pp. 29—30.</ref> The RAN's losses had also been modest, only losing the two submarines ''AE1'' and ''AE2'', whilst casualties included 171 fatalities – 108 Australians and 63 officers and men on loan from the Royal Navy, with less than a third the result of enemy action.<ref>Stevens 2001, p. 318.</ref>

==The 1918–19 influenza pandemic==
Between April 1918 and May 1919, the [[Spanish flu]] killed approximately 25 million people worldwide, far more than had been killed in four years of war. A rigorous quarantine policy was implemented in Australia; although this reduced the immediate impact of the flu, the nation's death toll surpassed 11,500.<ref name="influenza">{{cite book |last=Stevens |first=David |editor=Forbes, Andrew |editor2=Lovi, Michelle |title=Australian Maritime Issues 2006 |series=Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs: SPC-A Annual |volume=19 |year=2007 |publisher=Sea Power Centre |location=Canberra |isbn=978-0-642-29644-3 |issn=1327-5658 |pages=135–140 |chapter=The RAN and the 1918–19 Influenza Pandemic |chapter-url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/ran-and-1918-19-influenza-pandemic}}</ref>

When the pandemic struck in 1918, the ships of the Royal Australian Navy were dispersed throughout the world. The speed at which the flu spread, coupled with the cramped mess decks and poorly ventilated living spaces on early 20th century warships, created a favourable environment for the disease. The pandemic swept through the [[British Grand Fleet]] in 1918; the Australian cruisers assigned to the fleet suffered high casualties, with up to 157 casualties in one ship alone. Outbreaks in the Mediterranean fleets were more severe than those in the Atlantic. {{HMAS|Brisbane|1915|6}} recorded 183 casualties between November and December 1918, of those casualties 2 men died of [[pneumonia]]. The RAN lost a total of 26 men to the disease; further loss prevented primarily by the ready availability of professional medical treatment.<ref>{{cite book |last=Butler |first=A |title=Official History of the Medical Services 1914–1918, Vol III, Problems and Services |year=1943 |publisher= Australian War Memorial |location= Canberra |url= http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=15}}</ref>

===South Pacific aid mission===
[[File:HMAS Encounter.jpg|right|thumb|Portside view of the ''Challenger''-class light cruiser HMAS ''Encounter'']]
The disease arrived in the South Pacific on the cargo vessel {{SS|Talune}}, which sailed from [[Auckland]] on 30 October 1918 whilst knowingly carrying sick passengers. ''Talune'' stopped in [[Fiji]], [[Samoa]], [[Tonga]] and [[Nauru]]: the first outbreaks in these locations occurred within days of the ships visits. The local authorities were generally unprepared for the size of the outbreak, allowing the infection to spread uncontrollably. The German territory of [[Samoa]] was the worst affected of the small islands, the New Zealand administration carried out no efforts to lessen the outbreak and rejected offers of assistance from nearby [[American Samoa]]. The New Zealand government officially apologised to Samoa in 2002 for their reaction to the outbreak.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s573248.htm |title=New Zealand Prime Minister apologises to Samoa |access-date=17 October 2006 |author=Bradford, Gillian |date=4 June 2002 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> On 29 November 1918 the military governor of [[Apia]] requested assistance from [[Wellington]]; the request was turned down because all doctors were needed in New Zealand. Australia offered the only alternate source of aid.

The Commonwealth Naval Board was aware of the worsening situation in the region; the sloop {{HMAS|Fantome||6}} reported its first case on 11 November 1918 while stationed in Fiji, with half her complement eventually affected. On 20 November 1918, the Naval Board began forming a joint relief expedition from available military medical personnel. The commanding officer of {{HMAS|Encounter|1902|6}} was then ordered to embark the expedition in Sydney and sail as soon as possible. ''Encounter'' departed Sydney on 24 November 1918, ten minutes after completing loading.<ref name="influenza"/> As a precaution, all 450 members of ''Encounter''{{'}}s crew were doubly inoculated; the ship had suffered 74 cases earlier in the year at [[Fremantle, Western Australia|Fremantle]] and the captain did not want a repeat. ''Encounter'' arrived in [[Suva]] on 30 November and took on half of the available coal and 39 tonnes of water.<ref>Report of cruise to render assistance in the influenza outbreak, 14 December 1918, HMAS Encounter file, SPC-A.</ref> Spanish flu was rampant in Suva; Captain Thring implemented a strict quarantine, placed guards on the wharf, and ordered that coaling be carried out by the crew instead of native labour. ''Encounter'' departed Suva in the evening of the same day and arrived off [[Apia]] on 3 December. Within six hours, the medical landing party assigned to Apia and their stores were ashore. ''Encounter'' then departed for the Tongan capital of [[Nukuʻalofa|Nuku{{Okina}}alofa]], arriving on 5 December. The last of the medical staff and supplies were unloaded, and  ''Encounter'' sailed for Suva on 7 December to re-coal. On arriving in Suva, ''Encounter'' received orders to return to Sydney, where reached on 17 December and was immediately placed into quarantine. The South Pacific aid mission is regarded as Australia's first overseas relief expedition, and set a precedent for future relief missions conducted by the RAN.<ref name="influenza"/>

==Between the Wars==
[[File:HMAS Australia sinking 12 April 1924 AWM 300256.jpeg|thumb|''Australia'' on her side and sinking during her scuttling in April 1924]]
Following the end of [[World War I]], the [[Australian Government]] believed that an immediate evaluation of the RAN was necessary. Australia had based its naval policy on the Henderson ''Recommendations'' of 1911, developed by Sir Reginald Henderson. The government sent an invitation to Admiral [[John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe|John Jellicoe]], he arrived in Australia in May 1919. Jellicoe remained in Australia for three months, before returning to England via New Zealand and Canada. Jellicoe submitted his findings in August 1919, titled the ''Report on the Naval Mission to the Commonwealth''. The report outlined several policies designed to strengthen British naval strength in the Pacific Ocean. The report heavily stressed a close relationship between the RAN and the Royal Navy. This would be achieved by strict adherence to the procedures and administration methods of the Royal Navy. The report also suggested constant officer exchange between the two forces. Jellicoe also called for the creation of a large Far East Imperial Fleet, which would be based in Singapore and include capital ships and aircraft carriers. The creation cost for this fleet was to be divided between Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand: contributing 75%, 20%, and 5% respectively. The suggested makeup of the RAN would include; one aircraft carrier, two battlecruisers, eight light cruisers, one flotilla leader, twelve destroyers, a destroyer depot ship, eight submarines, one submarine depot ship, and a small number of additional auxiliary ships. The annual cost and depreciation of the fleet was estimated to be £4,024,600. Except for implementing closer ties with the Royal Navy, none of Jellicoe's major recommendations were carried out.<ref name="1939-1942">[http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/24/chapters/01.pdf Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Volume I – Royal Australian Navy, 1939 – 1942 (1st edition, 1957) Chapter 1 Accessed 3 September 2006].</ref>

With the end of World War I, the Australian Government began to worry about the threat Japan posed to Australia. Japan had extended its empire {{convert|3000|km|mi}} to the south, bringing it right to Australia's doorstep. Japan had continued to build up its naval force, and had reached the point where it outgunned the Royal Navy in the Pacific. The RAN and the government believed that the possibility of a Japanese invasion was highly likely. In his report, Admiral Jellicoe believed that the threat of a Japanese invasion of Australia would remain as long as the [[White Australia Policy]] remained in place. Due to the perceived threat, and bilateral support in Australia for the White Australia Policy, the Australian Government became a vocal supporter of the continuance of the [[Anglo-Japanese Alliance|1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance]]. Australia was joined in its support for the alliance by New Zealand but was heavily opposed by Canada, which believed that the alliance had hindered the British Empire's relationship with China and the United States. No decision on the alliance was agreed on, and the discussion was shelved pending the outcome of the [[Washington Naval Treaty]]. The results of the treaty, which allowed the British to retain naval supremacy in the Pacific Ocean, created a sense of security in Australia. Many Australians saw the Four Powers Pact as replacing the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This sense of security became known as the ''Ten Year Rule''. This led to defence retrenchments in Australia, following the international trend, and a £500,000 reduction in expenditure. The [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]] [[Henry Forster, 1st Baron Forster|Henry Forster]] when opening [[Parliament of Australia|parliament]] on 22 June 1922 was quoted as saying:<ref name="1939-1942"/>
{{blockquote|In view of the result of attained at the Washington Treaty which, my advisors believe, guarantee peace in the Pacific for some time to come, it is proposed to reduce the establishment of the navy and army, and postpone the expansion of the air force.}}

[[File:HMAS Canberra sailing into Sydney Harbour in 1930.jpg|thumb|left|HMAS ''Canberra'' entering Sydney Harbour in 1930]]
Between World War I and [[World War II]], the Royal Australian Navy underwent a severe reduction in ships and manpower. As a result of the [[Washington Naval Treaty]], the flagship HMAS ''Australia'' was scrapped with her main armaments and sunk outside [[Sydney Heads]] in 1924.<ref name=StevensNation166.80.2>{{Cite book |last=Stevens |first=David |title=The Navy and the Nation: The Influence of the Navy on Modern Australia |url=https://archive.org/details/navynationinflue00stev |url-access=limited |editor=Stevens, David |editor2=Reeve, John |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=St Leonards, NSW |year=2005 |chapter=HMAS ''Australia'': A Ship for a Nation |isbn=1-74114-200-8 |oclc=61195793 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/navynationinflue00stev/page/n191 166], 180–2}}</ref> In the same year, the RAN began a five-year program of obtaining new ships from Britain: the heavy cruisers {{HMAS|Australia|D84|2}} and {{HMAS|Canberra|D33|2}} and the seaplane carrier {{HMAS|Albatross|1928|2}}. This purchase was partly paid for by scrapping ''Brisbane'', ''Melbourne'', ''Sydney'', and most of the destroyers. The [[Great Depression]] of 1929 led to another reduction of manpower; although reduced in size, the available posts were easily filled as many men were unemployed and the offered pay was greater than most jobs. The RAN's personnel strength fell to 3,117 personnel, plus 131 members of the Naval Auxiliary Services. By 1932, the strength of the Reserves stood at 5,446. In the early 1930s, lack of funds forced the transfer of the [[Royal Australian Naval College]] from [[Jervis Bay]] to [[HMAS Cerberus (naval base)|Flinders Naval Depot]] in [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]. In 1933 the Australian Government ordered three light cruisers; HMA Ships {{HMAS|Perth|D29|2}}, {{HMAS|Hobart|D63|2}}, and {{HMAS|Sydney|D48|2}}; selling the seaplane carrier ''Albatross'' to fund ''Hobart''. During this time, the RAN also purchased destroyers of the [[V and W-class destroyer|V and W destroyer classes]], the ships that would become known as the [[Scrap Iron Flotilla]]. With the ever-increasing threat of Germany and Japan in the late 1930s, the RAN was not in the position it was at the outbreak of World War I.<ref>Macdougall 1991, p. 158.</ref>

==World War II==
{{See also|Military history of Australia during World War II}}
Australia declared war on [[Nazi Germany]] one hour after the United Kingdom's declaration of war on 3 September 1939. Unlike the arrangements with the British Admiralty at the start of the First World War, during World War II RAN ships remained under Australian command.

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 95%;"
|-
!Ship type
!Sept.<br />1939
!June<br />1945
|-
|[[Heavy cruisers]]
|2
|2
|-
|[[Light cruisers]]
|4
|2
|-
|[[Destroyers]]
|5
|11
|-
|[[Frigates]]
|0
|6
|-
|[[Sloop-of-war|Sloops]]
|2
|2
|-
|[[Corvettes]]
|0
|53
|-
|[[Landing ship infantry]]
|0
|3
|-
|[[Anti-submarine warfare|Anti-submarine auxiliaries]]
|0
|3
|-
|[[Minesweeper|Auxiliary Minesweepers]]
|0
|6
|-
|[[Minelayers]]
|0
|1
|-
|[[Replenishment oiler]]s
|0
|1
|-
|[[Combat stores ship]]s
|0
|12
|-
|[[Repair ship]]s
|0
|3
|-
|[[Net laying ship]]s
|0
|10
|-
|[[Tugs]]
|0(?)
|6
|-
|[[Cable repair ship]]s
|0
|2
|-
|[[Survey ship]]s
|0(?)
|9
|-
|[[Motor launch (naval)|Motor Launch]]es
|0
|33
|-
|[[Harbour Defence Motor Launch]]es
|0
|28
|-
|[[British Power Boat Company Type Two 63 ft HSL|Air Sea Rescue vessels]]
|0
|20
|-
|[[Patrol boat|Auxiliary patrol boats]]
|0
|75
|-
|[[Services Reconnaissance Department|Services reconnaissance]]
|0
|8
|-
|Other vessels
|0(?)
|41
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''13(?)'''
|'''337'''
|}

At the onset of war the RAN was relatively modest, even if it was arguably the most combat-ready of the three services. Major units included:<ref>Stevens 2001, p. 105</ref>
* two [[County-class cruiser|County-class]] heavy cruisers; {{HMAS|Australia|D84|2}} and {{HMAS|Canberra|D33|2}}, both carried {{convert|8|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns and had entered service in the 1920s
* three modern [[Leander-class cruiser (1931)#Modified Leander group|Modified Leander-class]] light cruisers; {{HMAS|Hobart|D63|2}}, {{HMAS|Perth|D29|2}}, and {{HMAS|Sydney|D48|2}}, which mounted {{convert|6|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns
* the older [[Town-class cruiser (1910)|Town-class]] cruiser {{HMAS|Adelaide|1918|2}}
* four sloops, {{HMAS|Parramatta|U44|2}}, {{HMAS|Swan|U74|2}}, {{HMAS|Warrego|U73|2}}, and {{HMAS|Yarra|U77|2}}; although only ''Swan'' and ''Yarra'' were in commission
* five [[V and W-class destroyer|V-class destroyer]]s
* a variety of support and ancillary craft

Following the call up of reserves in 1939 the permanent forces grew from 5,440 to 10,259.<ref>Stevens 2001, p. 104</ref>

During the war the men and vessels of the RAN served in every theatre of operations, from the tropical Pacific to the frigid Russian convoys and grew exponentially. The table illustrates the growth of the RAN between the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 and 30 June 1945.<ref>Sourced from Gavin Long (1973), ''The Six Years War. A Concise History of Australia in the 1939–45 War''. Australian War Memorial and Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. p 16. and G. Herman Gill (1968). [http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=25 ''Australia in the War of 1939 – 1945. Series 2 – Navy. Volume II – Royal Australian Navy, 1942 – 1945'']. [[Australian War Memorial]], Canberra. p 710.</ref>

===Operations against Italy, Vichy France and Germany===
From mid-1940, ships of the RAN, at the request of the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]], began to deploy to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to take part in the [[Battle of the Mediterranean]] against [[Nazi Germany]] and [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Fascist Italy]]. In September 1939, the Admiralty and the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board agreed to deploy the RAN Destroyer Flotilla outside the [[Australia Station]]; the five ships of what was to become known as the [[Scrap Iron Flotilla]] arrived at Malta in mid-December.<ref>Stevens (1996) pp. 38–39.</ref> HMAS ''Sydney'' deployed in May 1940 and was later joined by ''Hobart''. When Italy declared war on 10 June 1940, the Australian warships made up five of the twenty-two Allied destroyers and one of the five modern light cruisers on station in the Mediterranean. The RAN then offered the services of ''Australia'' to the Admiralty, and was accepted. When ''Australia'' arrived in the Mediterranean, the RAN had sent nearly the entire combat fleet to the [[Northern Hemisphere]], leaving Australia open to possible attack.<ref>Macdougall 1991, p. 170.</ref>

The entry of Italy into the war also lead to a far more active role for the few remaining RAN vessels on the Australian Station. Indeed, on 12 June 1940, after a prolonged chase, the Armed Merchant Cruiser (AMC) {{HMAS|Manoora|1935|6}} forced the Italian merchant ship ''Romolo'' (9,780 tons) to scuttle south-west of [[Nauru]].<ref>Stevens 2001, p. 111.</ref>

On 27 June 1940, Admiral [[Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Cunningham]] commander of the [[Mediterranean Fleet (Royal Navy)|Mediterranean Fleet]] ordered the 7th Cruiser Squadron, which included HMAS ''Sydney'', to rendezvous with an [[Egypt]]-bound convoy near [[Cape Matapan]].<ref name=Frame21>{{cite book |last=Frame |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Frame (bishop) |title=HMAS Sydney: Loss and Controversy |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |location=Rydalmere, NSW |year=1993 |isbn=0-340-58468-8 |oclc=32234178 |page=21}}</ref> The cruiser squadron sighted three Italian destroyers at 18.00 on 28 June 1940 and immediately [[Battle of the Espero Convoy|engaged them]].<ref name=Gill165>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', p. 165</ref> Within an hour, the {{ship|Italian destroyer|Espero|1927|2}} was incapacitated and ''Sydney'' was signalled to sink her.<ref name=Gill165/> As ''Sydney'' approached, ''Espero'' launched torpedoes, but failed to hit any targets.<ref name=Gill165/> ''Sydney'' fired four salvos, scoring ten direct hits on ''Espero''.<ref name=Gill165/> ''Sydney'' remained at the scene for two hours picking up survivors.<ref name=Gill165/>

Also on 27 June 1940, the {{ship|Italian submarine|Console Generale Liuzzi||2}} was scuttled south of [[Crete]] after being depth-charged by {{HMAS|Voyager|D31|6}} and the British destroyers {{HMS|Dainty|H53|2}}, {{HMS|Ilex|D61|2}}, {{HMS|Decoy|H75|2}}, and {{HMS|Defender|H07|2}}. On 29 June 1940, another Italian submarine, the {{ship|Italian submarine|Uebi Scebeli||2}}, was sunk west of Crete by the same ships.<ref>Stevens 2001, p. 121.</ref>

On 7 July 1940, a 25-ship fleet departed [[Alexandria]], intending to meet a convoy east of [[Malta]].<ref name=Gill172.3>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', pp. 172–3</ref> The next day, a submarine sighted an Italian fleet {{convert|500|mi|km|-2}} away; the Allied fleet altered course to intercept.<ref name=Gill173>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', p. 173</ref> The two fleets sighted each other at 15.00 on 9 July 1940, and a battle that became known as the [[Battle of Calabria]] began.<ref name=Gill176>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', p. 176</ref> Four vessels of the RAN took part in the battle; HMA Ships ''Sydney'', {{HMAS|Stuart|D00|2}}, {{HMAS|Vampire|D68|2}}, and ''Voyager''. ''Sydney'' was the first RAN vessel to engage the enemy, and at 15.20 opened fire on an Italian cruiser.<ref name=Gill176/> When the Italian fleet began to withdraw, the Allied destroyer squadron was ordered forward. ''Stuart'', leading the destroyer force, was the first to open fire; her opening salvo was a direct hit at a range of {{convert|12600|yd|m|-2}}. Both fleets retired, with the Italians withdrawing under smoke, but Italian aircraft continued to attack Allied ships.<ref name=Gill177>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', p. 177</ref> ''Sydney'', which came under heavy air attack, was believed to have sunk.<ref>Macdougall 1991, p. 180.</ref> The fleet arrived back in Alexandria on 13 July.<ref name=Gill177/>

[[File:RNBartolomeo Colleoni-Capo Spada.jpg|left|thumb|''Bartolomeo Colleoni'' sinking, 19 July 1940]]
On 17 July 1940, HMAS ''Sydney'' and the destroyer {{HMS|Havock|H43|6}} were ordered to support a [[Royal Navy]] destroyer squadron on a sweep north of the island of [[Crete]].<ref name=Gill184>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', p. 184</ref> At 07.20 on 19 July, the Italian cruisers {{ship|Italian cruiser|Giovanni dalle Bande Nere||2}} and {{ship|Italian cruiser|Bartolomeo Colleoni||2}}, which opened fire seven minutes later.<ref name=Gill185.6>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', pp. 185–6</ref> The four British destroyers retreated to the north-east, while ''Sydney'' and ''Havock'', {{convert|40|mi|km|-1}} away, began to close in.<ref>Macdougall pg. 180</ref> ''Sydney'' sighted the cruisers at 08.29, and fired the first shots of the [[Battle of Cape Spada]] at a range of {{convert|17360|m|ft}}.<ref name="Macdougall 1991, p. 181">Macdougall 1991, p. 181.</ref> Within minutes, ''Sydney'' had successfully damaged ''Bande Nere'', and when the Italians withdrew to the south, the six Allied ships pursued.<ref>Cassells, ''The Capital Ships'', pp. 149–50</ref> At 0848, with ''Bande Nere'' hiding behind a smoke screen, ''Sydney'' shifted her fire to ''Bartolomeo Colleoni'', which was disabled by 0933.<ref name=Cassells150>Cassells, ''The Capital Ships'', p. 150</ref> The Australian cruiser left to pursue ''Bande Nere'', but broke off at 10.27 as the Italian warship was out of range, and ''Sydney'' was dangerously low on ammunition.<ref name="Macdougall 1991, p. 181"/><ref>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', pp. 192–3</ref> The only damage to ''Sydney'' during the battle was caused by a shell at 09.21, which knocked a hole in the forward funnel, and wounded a sailor through splinter damage.<ref>Gill, ''Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'', p. 191</ref>

[[File:Sydney battle damage.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Close up of a ship's funnel, which has a large hole in the side. Sailors are smiling and waving at the photographer from the top of the funnel and inside the hole.|Sailors from ''Sydney'' posing around and in the forward funnel shellhole]]
On 30 September 1940, HMAS ''Stuart'' destroyed the Italian [[600-Serie Adua class submarine]] ''Gondar'', killing two of its crew. Twenty-eight survivors was subsequently rescued by ''Stuart'', with a further nineteen picked up by other vessels.<ref>Gill 1957, pp. 223–224.</ref>

On 27 March 1941, an Allied fleet under Admiral [[Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Cunningham]] was ambushed by an Italian naval force off [[Cape Matapan]], Greece.<ref>Macdougall pg. 193</ref> Three vessels of the RAN took part in the battle; HMA Ships ''Perth'', ''Stuart'', and ''Vampire''. The [[Battle of Cape Matapan|victory at Cape Matapan]] allowed the evacuation of thousands of Allied troops from [[Crete]].<ref>[http://users.swing.be/navbat/bataille/68.html Dakar: Operation Menace] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051223143804/http://users.swing.be/navbat/bataille/68.html |date=23 December 2005 }}. Retrieved 21 August 2006.</ref>

{{HMAS|Parramatta|U44|6}} was torpedoed and sunk on 27 November 1941 by {{GS|U-559||2}} whilst escorting transports resupplying the Allied garrison at [[Tobruk]]. There were 24 survivors, but 138 men, including all officers, lost their lives.<ref>Stevens 2001, p. 124.</ref>

The Australians experienced further success on 15 December 1941 when {{HMAS|Nestor|G02|6}} attacked and sank the German submarine {{GS|U-127|1941|2}} off [[Cape St. Vincent]], Portugal.<ref name="Stevens 2001, p. 151">Stevens 2001, p. 151.</ref>

====West Africa====
On 6 September 1940, HMAS ''Australia'' was ordered to sail to [[Freetown]], [[Sierra Leone]] to join [[Battle of Dakar|Operation Menace]], the invasion of [[Vichy France|Vichy French]]-controlled [[Dakar]] in [[French West Africa]]. On 19 September, ''Australia'' and the cruiser {{HMS|Cumberland|57|6}} sighted three Vichy cruisers heading south and shadowed them. When the [[French cruiser Gloire (1935)|French cruiser ''Gloire'']] developed engine trouble, ''Australia'' escorted her towards [[Casablanca]] and returned to the fleet two days later. On 23 September ''Australia'' came under heavy fire from shore batteries, then drove two Vichy destroyers back into port. ''Australia'' then engaged and sunk the destroyer ''L'Audacieux'' with eight salvos in sixteen minutes. Over the next two days French and Allied forces exchanged fire; ''Australia'' was struck twice and lost her [[Supermarine Walrus|Walrus]] amphibian. ''Australia'' and the rest of the fleet retired on 25 September the battle became known as the [[Battle of Dakar]].<ref>Macdougall 1991, p. 176.</ref><ref>[http://stonebooks.com/archives/960425.shtml Book review: ''The Guns of Dakar'' and ''Operation Menace''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201111443/http://stonebooks.com/archives/960425.shtml |date=1 December 2008 }}.</ref>

====The "Scrap-Iron Flotilla"====
{{Main|Scrap Iron Flotilla}}
The [[Scrap Iron Flotilla]] was an Australian destroyer group that operated in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War II. The name was bestowed upon the group by Nazi Propaganda Minister [[Joseph Goebbels]] who described the fleet as a ''"consignment of junk"'' and ''"Australia's Scrap-Iron Flotilla"''. The flotilla consisted of five vessels; {{sclass|Scott|destroyer}} {{HMAS|Stuart|D00|6}}, which acted as flotilla leader, and four [[V and W-class destroyer|V-class destroyers]]; {{HMAS|Vampire|D68|2}}, {{HMAS|Vendetta|D69|2}}, {{HMAS|Voyager|D31|2}}, {{HMAS|Waterhen|D22|2}}. The ships were all built to fight in [[World War I]], and were slow and poorly armed compared to newer ships.<ref name="Macdougall 1991, p. 216">Macdougall 1991, p. 216.</ref> The five destroyers—the entirety of the RAN's destroyer force—departed Australia in November 1939 destined for Singapore where they carried out anti-submarine exercises with the [[Royal Navy]] submarine {{HMS|Rover|N62|6}}.<ref>Stevens 1996, p. 54.</ref> On 13 November 1939, the flotilla left Singapore for the Mediterranean Sea, following a request from the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] for assistance.
[[File:HMAS Waterhen (AWM 044789).jpg|thumb|left|HMAS ''Waterhen'']]
The Australian destroyer flotilla took part in multiple actions while in the Mediterranean, including the [[Operation Demon|Allied evacuation following the battle of Greece]] in April 1941, though the flotilla came to fame in the mission to resupply the [[Siege of Tobruk|besieged city of Tobruk]]. The resupply routes from [[Alexandria]] and [[Marsa Matruh|Mersa Matruh]] to [[Tobruk]] became known as ''"Bomb Alley"'' and was subject to constant Axis air attacks.<ref name="Macdougall 1991, p. 216"/> The flotilla, which by this time was in poor condition, managed to make 138 supply runs to Tobruk, carrying in ammunition and stores and taking out wounded soldiers. On 28 May 1941 ''Vampire'' became the first of the flotilla to leave the Mediterranean. ''Vendetta'', the last to leave, sailed in October 1941.

Of the five destroyers, three were lost during the war; ''Waterhen'' was sunk in the Mediterranean on 30 June 1941, ''Vampire'' was sunk by Japanese aircraft during the [[Indian Ocean Raid]] and ''Voyager'' ran aground at Betano, during the [[Battle of Timor (1942-43)|Timor campaign]] and was abandoned.<ref>[http://www.gunplot.net/ The Gun Plot]. Retrieved 21 August 2006.</ref>

====Red Sea====
As well as serving in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], ships of the RAN also served in the [[Red Sea]]. In August 1940, [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Italian]] forces [[Italian conquest of British Somaliland|invaded British Somaliland]]. After a fighting withdrawal, the small British garrison was evacuated from [[Berbera]], with {{HMAS|Hobart|D63|6}} assisting in the destruction of the port and its facilities. To aid in the delaying action, ''Hobart'' sent a 3-pounder gun ashore, operated by volunteers from the crew. The seamen were captured by the Italians, but were later liberated. Two RAN sloops joined the Red Sea force in 1940: ''Parramatta'' on 30 July and ''Yarra'' in September. In October, ''Yarra'' engaged and drove off two Italian destroyers attempting to raid a convoy. Although vessels of the RAN served in the Red Sea throughout the war, after 1941 the larger RAN ships were deployed to Australian waters in response to the threat from Japan.<ref>Macdougall 1991, p. 182.</ref>

====Loss of HMAS ''Sydney''====
{{Main|Sinking of HMAS Sydney}}
[[File:HMAS Sydney memorial 01 gnangarra.jpg|thumb|Memorial to HMAS ''Sydney'' at the state war memorial in Western Australia]]
On 19 November 1941, the Australian light cruiser {{HMAS|Sydney|D48|6}} and the German auxiliary cruiser {{ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Kormoran||2}} engaged each other in the Indian Ocean, off [[Western Australia]]. The two ships sank each other: ''Sydney'' was lost with all 645 hands, while the majority of the ''Kormoran''{{'}}s crew were rescued and became [[prisoners of war]]. The location of both wrecks remained a mystery to many and subject to much controversy until 16–17 March 2008, when [[Search for HMAS Sydney and German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran|both ships were found]].

====North Africa====
RAN units continued to serve in the Mediterranean campaign, with {{HMAS|Quiberon|G81|6}}, taking part in [[Operation Torch]], the invasion of North Africa. On 28 November 1942 Quiberon assisted in sinking the Italian submarine Dessiè and three days later also took part in the destruction of a four-ship convoy and a destroyer.<ref>Stevens 2001, p. 141.</ref>

====Sicily 1943====
During early 1943, eight Australian-designed and built {{sclass|Bathurst|corvette}}s were transferred to Egypt from the Indian Ocean, in preparation for Operation Husky, the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]].<ref name=Straczek>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/invasion-sicily-operation-husky |first=J.H. |last=Straczek |title=The Invasion of Sicily – Operation Husky| publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> They were part of a 3,000-ship Allied force. The corvettes arrived in the Mediterranean in May and were formed into the 21st and 22nd Minesweeping Flotillas. All eight ships survived the campaign without damage or casualties sustained in action, although {{HMAS|Maryborough|J195|6}} experienced a near-miss from a German bomber. When the captain of {{HMAS|Gawler|J188|6}} enquired what damage had been sustained, the response from ''Maryborough'' read: "no damage except to my underpants".<ref name=Straczek />

[[File:RAN Sailors (AWM P00001-418).jpg|thumb|Australian sailors with a {{sclass|Bathurst|corvette|2}} in the background. The RAN commissioned 56 of this class of corvettes during World War II.]]

===War with Japan===
After the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]'s attacks on the Allies in December 1941, the RAN redeployed its larger ships to home waters to protect the Australian mainland from Japanese attack, while several smaller ships remained in the Mediterranean. From 1940 onwards, there was considerable [[Axis naval activity in Australian waters]] first from German commerce raiders and submarines and later by the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]].

Initially, RAN ships served as part of the British-Australian component of the [[American-British-Dutch-Australian Command]] (ABDACOM) naval forces or in the [[ANZAC Force]]. ABDACOM was wound up following the [[Netherlands East Indies campaign|fall of the Netherlands East Indies]] and was succeeded by the [[South West Pacific Area (command)]] (SWPA). The [[United States Seventh Fleet]] was formed at [[Brisbane]] on 15 March 1943, for service in the SWPA. RAN ships in the Pacific generally served at part of Seventh Fleet taskforces.

====Timor====
From February 1942, the RAN played a critical role in resupplying [[Battle of Timor (1942-43)|Australian and Dutch commandos on Timor]]. ''Voyager'' was not the only loss during the campaign. On 1 December 1942, {{HMAS|Armidale|J240|6}} was attacked by thirteen Japanese aircraft while attempting to land [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army|Dutch soldiers]] off Betano, [[Portuguese Timor]]. ''Armidale'' sank with the loss of 40 of her crew and 60 Dutch personnel. During the engagement, Ordinary Seaman [[Teddy Sheean]] operated an [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon]] anti-aircraft gun and was wounded by strafing Japanese planes, he went down with the ship, still strapped into the gun and still shooting at the attacking aircraft.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/seaman-edward-teddy-sheean |title=Seaman Edward 'Teddy' Sheean |access-date=10 October 2013 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy}}</ref>

====Java Sea====
On 28 February 1942, a joint ABDA naval force met a Japanese invasion force in the [[Java Sea]]. The [[Leander-class cruiser (1931)|''Leander''-class cruiser]] {{HMAS|Perth|D29|6}} and the American heavy cruiser {{USS|Houston|CA-30|6}} fought in and survived the [[Battle of the Java Sea]].

On 1 March 1942, the ''Perth'' and ''Houston'' attempted to move through the Sunda Strait to [[Tjilatjap]] however they found their path blocked by the main Japanese invasion fleet from western Java. The Allied ships were engaged by at least three cruisers and several destroyers and in a ferocious night action, known as the [[Battle of Sunda Strait]], both Perth and Houston were torpedoed and sunk. Casualties aboard ''Perth'' included 350 crew and 3 civilians killed, while 324 survived the sinking and were taken prisoner by the Japanese (106 of whom later died in captivity). The loss of ''Perth'' so soon after the sinking of her sister ''Sydney'', had a major psychological effect on the Australian people. Japanese losses included a minesweeper and a troop transport sunk by friendly fire, whilst three other transports were damaged and had to be beached.<ref>van Oosten, F. C. (1976). The Battle of the Java Sea (Sea battles in close-up; 15). Naval Institute Press. {{ISBN|0-87021-911-1}}.</ref>

====Coral Sea====
On 2 May 1942, two ships of the RAN were part of the Allied force in the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]]; HMA Ships {{HMAS|Australia|D84|2}} and {{HMAS|Hobart|D63|2}} as part of [[Task Force 44]]. Both ships came under intense air attack, while part of a force guarding the approaches to [[Port Moresby]].<ref>[http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/coral_sea/doc.htm AWM Battle of the Coral Sea].</ref>

====The defence of Australian shipping====
[[File:Ko-hyoteki Sydney.jpg|thumb|left|A Japanese [[Ko-hyoteki-class submarine|''Ko-hyoteki''-class midget submarine]], believed to be ''Midget No. 14'', is raised from Sydney Harbour]]
In late May and early June 1942, a group of five [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] submarines made a series of [[attack on Sydney Harbour|attacks on Sydney and the nearby port of Newcastle]]. On the night of 31 May – 1 June, the submarines launched three [[Ko-hyoteki-class submarine|''Ko-hyoteki''-class midget submarine]]s against Allied shipping in [[Sydney Harbour]]. A torpedo intended for the cruiser {{USS|Chicago|CA-29|6}} exploded under the depot ship {{HMAS|Kuttabul|ship|6}}, killing 21. On 8 June, two of the submarines shelled Sydney and Newcastle, with little effect.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/underattack/bombed/sydney.asp |title=Sydney, June 1942 |work=Australia under attack |publisher=Australian War Memorial |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> In response, the RAN instituted convoys between Brisbane and Adelaide. All ships of over 1,200 tons and with speeds of less than {{convert|12|kn}} were required to sail in convoy when travelling between cities on the east coast.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stevens |first=David |title=A Critical Vulnerability: the impact of the submarine threat on Australia's maritime defence 1915–1954 |series=Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs |volume=15 |year=2005 |publisher=Sea Power Centre Australia |location=Canberra |isbn=0642296251 |oclc=62548623 |issn=1327-5658 |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/papers-australian-maritime-affairs-2005-0 |page=195}}</ref>

The attack on Sydney and Newcastle marked the start of a [[Axis naval activity in Australian waters|sustained Japanese submarine campaign against Australia]]. During 1942, Japanese submarines sank 17 ships in Australian waters, although none of these ships were sailing as part of a convoy.<ref>Stevens 2005, pp. 205–207.</ref> 16 ships were sunk in Australian waters during 1943, before the Japanese ended the campaign in July. Five of these ships were sunk while sailing in escorted convoys.<ref>Gill 1968, pp. 253–262.</ref> The Australian naval authorities gradually dismantled the coastal convoy system between December 1943 and March 1944.<ref>Stevens 2005, pp. 247–248.</ref> By the end of the war, the RAAF and RAN had escorted over 1,100 convoys along the Australian coastline.<ref name=StraczekWW2/>

While the scale of the Japanese naval offensive directed against Australia was small compared to other naval campaigns of the war such as the [[Battle of the Atlantic]], these attacks were "the most comprehensive and widespread series of offensive operations ever conducted by an enemy against Australia".<ref>David Stevens. ''[http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/AJRP/AJRP2.nsf/437f72f8ac2c07238525661a00063aa6/225b90b97196e29bca256a1d00130203?OpenDocument Japanese submarine operations against Australia 1942–1944] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219073454/http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/ajrp2.nsf/437f72f8ac2c07238525661a00063aa6/225b90b97196e29bca256a1d00130203?OpenDocument |date=19 February 2017 }}''. Retrieved 1 September 2006.</ref> Although the RAN only sank a single full-sized Japanese submarine in Australian waters ([[Japanese submarine I-124|''I-124'']] in January 1942) convoy escorts may have successfully reduced the threat to shipping in Australian waters by making it harder for Japanese submarines to carry out attacks.<ref>Stevens (2005). Page 281.</ref>

Whilst escorting convoys between Australia and New Guinea, {{HMAS|Arunta|I30|6}} attacked and sank the Japanese [[Kaichu type submarine|''Kaichu'' type]] submarine {{Jsub|Ro-33||2}} off [[Port Moresby]] on 24 August 1942, killing all 42 men aboard.<ref>Jenkins 1992, p. 265.</ref>

====Loss of HMAS ''Canberra''====
[[File:Sinking HMAS Canberra (D33) with US destroyers on 9 August 1942.jpg|thumb|American destroyers evacuating the crew of HMAS ''Canberra'' after the Battle of Savo Island]]
The loss of {{HMAS|Canberra|D33|6}} at the [[Battle of Savo Island]] in August 1942 was the largest single ship loss the RAN experienced during World War II. In the early hours of the morning of 9 August 1942, ''Canberra'' was severely damaged off [[Guadalcanal]] in a surprise attack by a powerful Japanese naval force. ''Canberra'' was hit by 24 shells in less than two minutes, with 84 of her crew killed, including Captain Frank Getting. Following an order to abandon ship, ''Canberra'' was sunk the next day by a torpedo from a US destroyer, to prevent it being captured.

The loss of ''Canberra'', following the losses of ''Sydney'' and ''Perth'', attracted unprecedented international attention and sympathy for the RAN. US President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] wished to commemorate the loss of ''Canberra'' and requested that a US heavy cruiser under construction be named ''Canberra''. {{USS|Canberra|CA-70|6}} was launched on 19 April 1943.<ref>[http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/ww2_navy/savo.htm AWM HMAS Canberra – Sinking of HMAS Canberra in Battle of Savo Island]. Retrieved 21 August 2006.</ref> The [[Her Majesty's Government|British Government]] approved the transfer of {{HMS|Shropshire|73|6}} to the RAN as a replacement, and the ship was commissioned as HMAS ''Shropshire'' on 20 April 1943.

[[File:Torpedo damage of HMAS Hobart (D63) at Espiritu Santo on 23 July 1943.jpg|thumb|left|The light cruiser {{HMAS|Hobart|D63|6}} showing torpedo damage inflicted by a Japanese submarine on 20 July 1943. Hobart did not return to service until December 1944.]]

====Leyte Gulf and Lingayen Gulf====
Between 23 and 25 October 1944 four RAN warships – HMA Ships ''Australia'', ''Shropshire'', {{HMAS|Arunta|I30|2}}, and {{HMAS|Warramunga|I44|2}} – took part in the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]], one of the [[largest naval battle in history|largest naval battles in history]]. In the lead-up, on 21 October, ''Australia'' became the first Allied ship to be hit by a [[kamikaze]] aircraft near [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]] Island.<ref>H. P. Willmott, The Battle of Leyte Gulf: The Last Fleet Action</ref> Gunners from ''Australia'' and ''Shropshire'' fired at, and reportedly hit, an unidentified Japanese aircraft. The plane then flew away from the ships, before turning and flying into ''Australia'', striking the ship's superstructure above the bridge, and spewing burning fuel and debris over a large area, before falling into the sea. A {{convert|200|kg|lb|adj=on}} bomb carried by the plane failed to explode; if it had, the ship might have been effectively destroyed. At least 30 crew members died as a result of the attack, including the commanding officer, Captain [[Emile Dechaineux]]; among the wounded was Commodore [[John Augustine Collins|John Collins]], the Australian force commander. ''Australia'' remained on duty, but on 25 October, was hit again and was forced to retire to the [[Vanuatu|New Hebrides]] for repairs.

''Shropshire'' and ''Arunta'' remained at Leyte and were part of the [[United States Seventh Fleet]] Support Force at the [[Battle of Surigao Strait]] on 25 October. During this action both ships contributed to the sinking of the Japanese battleship {{ship|Japanese battleship|Yamashiro||2}}, with ''Shropshire'' firing thirty-two eight-gun broadsides into the battleship with her 8-inch guns in a period of 14 minutes.<ref name="Stevens 2001, p. 148">Stevens 2001, p. 148.</ref>

HMAS ''Australia'' returned to combat at the [[Invasion of Lingayen Gulf|Battle of Lingayen Gulf]] in January 1945. During the battle ''Australia'' was repeatedly attacked between 5–9 January, suffering significant damage which forced it to retire once more.<ref>Gill 1968, p. 590</ref>

====Ships with British fleets 1942–45====
{{Main|British Eastern Fleet|British Pacific Fleet}}
In 1940–42, five {{sclass2|N|destroyer|4}} and two {{sclass2|Q|destroyer|4}} were built in the UK and commissioned into the RAN for service with the [[British Eastern Fleet]]: HMA Ships {{HMAS|Napier|G97|2}}, {{HMAS|Nepal|G25|2}}, {{HMAS|Nestor|G02|2}}, {{HMAS|Nizam|G38|2}}, {{HMAS|Norman|G49|2}}, {{HMAS|Quiberon|G81|2}}, and {{HMAS|Quickmatch|G92|2}}. These ships were predominantly crewed by RAN personnel, although they were often commanded by British officers and remained the property of the British government.

Following the [[Indian Ocean Raid|Japanese raid on Ceylon]] of March–April 1942, the Eastern Fleet was transferred from its base at [[Trincomalee]], to the other side of the Indian Ocean: [[Kilindi]] in Kenya. From there the fleet undertook local patrols, escorted convoys and occasionally despatched ships to operations in the Mediterranean. During [[Operation Vigorous]], a convoy to [[Malta]] in June 1942, ''Nestor'' was serious damaged in an air raid and slowly sank.

On 11 February 1944 the corvettes HMA Ships ''Ipswich'' and ''Launceston'', in conjunction with the Indian sloop ''Jumna'', sank the Japanese submarine [[Ro-100 class submarine|''Ro-110'']] in the Bay of Bengal after the latter had torpedoed a ship in a Calcutta-bound convoy.<ref name="Stevens 2001, p. 148"/>

From late 1944, ''Nepal'', ''Norman'' and ''Quiberon'' were transferred, along with many other Eastern Fleet ships, to the new British Pacific Fleet (BPF). Among other operations with the BPF, they took part in the [[Battle of Okinawa]].

In late 1945, following the end of hostilities, the RAN acquired three more Q-class destroyers: {{HMAS|Queenborough|G70|2}}, {{HMAS|Quality|G62|2}}, and {{HMAS|Quadrant|G11|2}}.

===The End of the War 1945===
By the end of World War II, the RAN's combat strength numbered 150 ships with an additional 200 auxiliary craft with the service reaching its peak in June 1945, when it ranks swelled to 39,650 personnel.<ref name=StraczekWW2>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/ran-second-world-war |title=RAN in the Second World War |last=Straczek |first=J.H. |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> During the six years of war, the RAN lost three cruisers, four destroyers, two sloops, a corvette, and an auxiliary minesweeper to enemy action.<ref name="Stevens 2001, p. 151"/> Casualties included 1,740 personnel from the 19 ships sunk, and another 436 personnel killed aboard other ships or at other posts.<ref name=StraczekWW2/> By most measures, such losses were heavy for such a small service, representing over half its pre-war strength in ships and one-fifth in men. Against this the RAN destroyed one cruiser, an armed merchant raider, three destroyers or torpedo boats, a minesweeper, many light craft and seven submarines. It also destroyed or captured more than 150,000 tons of Axis merchant shipping and shot down more than a hundred aircraft. Although difficult to quantify the RAN also played a role in numerous other successes.<ref name="Stevens 2001, p. 151"/>

====Surrender and occupation of Japan====
{{Main|British Commonwealth Occupation Force}}
[[File:AWM019422 Yokosuka.jpg|thumb|left|30 August 1945. [[Yokosuka, Kanagawa|Yokosuka]] Naval Base, [[Tokyo Bay]]. Commander Yuzo Tanno hands over the keys of Yokosuka Naval Base to Captain H. J. Buchanan, [[Royal Australian Navy]]. Buchanan led the first Commonwealth party to go ashore in Japan.]]

Ten RAN vessels were present at the [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender|signing of the Japanese surrender]] in [[Tokyo Bay]] on 2 September 1945; HMA Ships {{HMAS|Ballarat|J184|2}}, {{HMAS|Cessnock|J175|2}}, {{HMAS|Gascoyne|K354|2}}, {{HMAS|Hobart|D63|2}}, {{HMAS|Ipswich|J186|2}}, {{HMAS|Napier|G97|2}}, {{HMAS|Nizam|G38|2}}, {{HMAS|Pirie|J189|2}}, {{HMS|Shropshire|73|2}}, and {{HMAS|Warramunga|I44|2}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq69-2.htm |title=Allied Ships Present in Tokyo Bay During the Surrender Ceremony, 2&nbsp;September 1945 |access-date=13 January 2007 |date=27 May 2005 |publisher=Naval Historical Center – U.S. Navy |quote=Taken from ''Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPAC/CINCPOA) A16-3/FF12 Serial 0395, 11 February 1946: Report of Surrender and Occupation of Japan'' |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814153739/http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq69-2.htm |archive-date=14 August 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Following the surrender ceremony, the majority of the RAN vessels left Japanese waters for other duties. As part of the surrender agreement, Japan agreed to an Allied occupation and disarmament. On 17 August 1945, the Australian Government agreed to provide two cruisers and two destroyers for service with the [[British Commonwealth Occupation Force]] (BCOF). A total of 15 RAN ships served with the BCOF, the ships performed a variety of tasks but were mainly employed on the Kyushu Patrol, preventing Korean nationals from illegally entering Japan.

[[File:New management (AWM 019164).jpg|thumb|right|Australian sailors take possession of a midget submarine at a Japanese naval base near Tokyo in September 1945.]]
The RAN also played a role in the disarmament of Japan, assisting in the scuttling of former [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] ships, in one instance {{HMAS|Quiberon|G81|2}} took part in the sinking of seven submarines of Kyushu as part of Operation Bottom. When [[British India|India]]n and New Zealand contingents began to withdraw from the BCOF, the operation became a predominantly Australian operation. In 1948, [[Kure, Hiroshima|Kure]] naval base was turned over to Australia, and became known as {{HMAS|Commonwealth}}. When [[North Korea]] invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, one RAN ship was on station as part of BCOF. The Australian Government immediately offered {{HMAS|Shoalhaven|K535|6}} for United Nations service. Eventually, all RAN ships in the area were transferred to the command of [[British Commonwealth Forces Korea]] (BCFK).<ref>Frame 2004, pp. 198–199 and Stevens 2001, pp. 156–157.</ref>

Clearing mines from Australian and New Guinean waters was another focus for the RAN in [[Royal Australian Navy minesweeping after World War II|the years after the war]]. Minesweeping began in December 1945 and was conducted by HMAS ''Swan'', eight ''Bathurst''-class corvettes and several smaller craft from a base at [[Cairns, Queensland|Cairns]]. The work was arduous and dangerous, and {{HMAS|Warrnambool|J202|6}} was sunk with the loss of four men killed and another 25 wounded when she struck a mine off [[North Queensland]] on 13 September 1947. The RAN completed this task in August 1948 after sweeping 1,816 mines.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fogarty|first=Michael|title=Maritime Power in the Twentieth Century. The Australian Experience|editor=David Stevens|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=St Leonards|year=1998|chapter='Small wars you may have missed': the minor campaigns of the RAN, 1936–56|isbn=1-86448-736-4|pages=123–125}}</ref>

==Cold War==
[[File:Sydney Korea (AWM 044274).jpg|thumb|left|[[Fairey Firefly]] aircraft on board HMAS ''Sydney'' off Korea, during the Korean War.]]
Following World War II, the RAN reduced its surface fleet but continued to expand in other ways, acquiring two Royal Navy {{sclass|Majestic|aircraft carrier}}s then under construction ({{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}} and {{HMAS|Sydney|R17|6}}) to build up a [[Fleet Air Arm (RAN)|Fleet Air Arm]]. In the 1960s, the RAN began to move away from British-designed ships; the last major British design used was the [[Type 12 frigate]], which formed the basis of the {{sclass2|River|destroyer escort|0}} frigates.

When it was decided that the RAN should commission a destroyer armed with guided missiles, the obvious British design was the {{sclass2|County|destroyer|4}}; however, the RAN had reservations regarding the gas turbine propulsion, the [[Sea Slug missile|Seaslug]] missile system, and the ability to adapt the design to Australian needs. Instead, the Australian government chose the United States-built, steam turbine-powered {{sclass|Charles F. Adams|destroyer}}, armed with the [[Tartar missile]] as the basis for its ''Perth'' class, the first major US warship design chosen for the RAN.<ref>Macdougall 1991, p. 327.</ref>

[[File:RAN Carriers (AWM 301021).jpg|thumb|HMAS ''Sydney'' leading HMAS ''Melbourne'']]
By the mid-late 1960s, the RAN was at the zenith of its operational capabilities; it was capable of dispatching a full [[carrier battle group]] in support of major operations by having in service an aircraft carrier (HMAS ''Melbourne''), three large area defence destroyers of the {{sclass|Perth|destroyer|4}}, six modern {{sclass2|River|destroyer escort|0}} frigates and four {{sclass|Oberon|submarine}}s.

With the retreat of British forces west of the [[Suez Canal]] in the 1960s, the RAN began to take a more defensive role, and in co-operation with the United States, allied though the [[ANZUS]] treaty. The RAN saw service in many of the world's post war conflicts, including [[Korean War|Korea]], [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]], and the [[Indonesian Confrontation]].

===Korea===
{{See also|Military history of Australia during the Korean War}}
On 27 June 1950, the [[United Nations Security Council]] called on member nations to aid South Korea. On 29 June, Prime Minister [[Robert Menzies]] announced that the frigate {{HMAS|Shoalhaven|K535|6}}, stationed in Japan, and the destroyer {{HMAS|Bataan|I91|6}}, in Hong Kong, would be placed under UN command in Korea. On 1 July, one day after President [[Harry S. Truman|Truman]] committed American ground forces to Korea, the first Australian operation in Korea took place; ''Shoalhaven'' escorted an American ammunition ship from Japan to [[Pusan]].

The destroyer {{HMAS|Warramunga|I44|2}} was deployed in July 1950, and provided gunfire support during the [[X Corps (United States)|X Corps]] landing at [[Wonsan]] in October. In December, ''Bataan'' and ''Warramunga'' assisted the mass evacuation of troops and refugees from [[Hungnam]]. The aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Sydney|R17|2}} was deployed to Korea between September 1951 and January 1952—the first carrier owned by a [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] [[British Dominion|Dominion]] to see wartime service.<ref name=Hobbs66>{{cite journal |last=Hobbs |first=David |date=Winter 2004 |title=British Commonwealth Carrier Operations in the Korean War |journal=Air & Space Power Journal |volume=18 |issue=4 |pages=62–71 |issn=1555-385X}} p. 66</ref> During this time, 2,366 [[sorties]] were flown from ''Sydney'', with only fifteen aircraft lost and three pilots killed.<ref name=Hobbs66/>

Over the course of the Korean War, nine ships of the RAN participated in the naval blockade of [[North Korea]].<ref>Macdougall 1991, pp. 321–323.</ref>

===Malaya===
The [[Malayan Emergency]] was declared on 18 June 1948, prompted by a rise in [[Malayan Races Liberation Army|Malayan Communist]] guerrillas in [[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]] (later [[Malaysia]]).<ref name=malaya/> Australia, as a member of the [[Southeast Asia Treaty Organization]], first deployed two RAAF squadrons to the region in 1950.<ref name=malaya/> In 1955, the [[Far East Strategic Reserve]] was created as a concentration of Commonwealth military forces (primarily British, New Zealand, and Australian) in Malaya for the protection of that nation from communist threats.<ref name=malaya/> Australia's commitment included two destroyers or frigates on station at any time, plus an annual visit by an aircraft carrier, and additional ships as needed.<ref name=malaya/> Training for the potentiality of war was the main occurrence for ships deployed to the Strategic Reserve, with RAN personnel gaining experience in working as part of a larger naval organisation.<ref name=malaya/>

The first ships of the RAN to arrive in the area were the {{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer (1936)|0}} destroyers ''Warramunga'' and {{HMAS|Arunta|I30|2}} in June 1955.<ref name=malaya/> Between 1955 and 1960, eleven other ships of the RAN operated with the Strategic Reserve: {{HMAS|Anzac|D59|2}}, {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|2}}, {{HMAS|Quadrant|G11|2}}, {{HMAS|Queenborough|G70|2}}, {{HMAS|Quiberon|G81|2}}, {{HMAS|Quickmatch|G92|2}}, ''Sydney'' {{HMAS|Tobruk|D37|2}},{{HMAS|Vampire|D11|2}}, {{HMAS|Vendetta|D08|2}}, and {{HMAS|Voyager|D04|2}}.<ref name=malaya>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/ran-strategic-reserve-and-malayan-emergency |last=Perryman |first=John |title=The RAN, the Strategic Reserve and the Malayan Emergency |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

===Indonesia===
[[File:HMAS Melbourne (R21) with destroyers c1962.jpg|thumb|[[HMAS Melbourne (R21)|''Melbourne'']] with [[HMAS Vendetta (D08)|''Vendetta'']], [[HMAS Voyager (D04)|''Voyager'']] and [[Q and R-class destroyer|''Queenborough'']], circa 1962]]
{{See also|Military history of Australia during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation}}
In response to the Indonesian invasion of [[Borneo]] and Malaya in 1963, Australia increased its presence in the region. At the outbreak of hostilities, the RAN frigates {{HMAS|Yarra|DE 45|2}} and {{HMAS|Parramatta|DE 46|2}} were on duty in the area. As tension mounted, Australia increased its presence by sending ''Sydney'', ''Vampire'', ''Vendetta'', {{HMAS|Duchess|D154|2}}, and {{HMAS|Derwent|DE 49|2}} to the area. On 19 May 1964, the [[16th Minesweeping Squadron (Australia)|16th Minesweeping Squadron]], comprising six {{sclass2|Ton|minesweeper||ship}}s, was also deployed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/indonesian-confrontation |title=Indonesian Confrontation |last=Perryman |first=John |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

On 13 December 1964, the minesweeper {{HMAS|Teal}} was fired upon with automatic weapons by an unlit vessel whilst operating as part of the [[Singapore Strait]] patrol. The vessel was overpowered and arrested by ''Teal'', following a further small arms engagement that resulted in the deaths of three Indonesian crew members. On 23 February 1965, ''Teal'' was again involved in another engagement, she detected an unlit vessel off [[Cape Rachado]]. The suspicious vessel was closed on and illuminated, and revealed nine armed men in uniform who surrendered immediately upon challenge. On 13 March 1964, {{HMAS|Hawk|M 1139|6}} became the second vessel of the 16th Minesweeping Squadron to see action, when she was fired on by an Indonesian shore battery while patrolling off [[Raffles Lighthouse]]. Eleven high-explosive rounds were fired at the ship, some landing within {{convert|200|yd|m|-2}} of the vessel, and ''Hawk'' withdrew from the area at speed. The following morning, ''Hawk'' intercepted a sampan with five Indonesians on board who were promptly arrested.

When Indonesian forces crossed the border into [[Sebatik Island]], Sabah on 28 June 1965, HMAS ''Yarra'' was called on to carry out bombardments disrupting the withdrawal of the Indonesians. ''Yarra'' carried out two more bombardments of the border area on 5 and 10 July. During three runs, ''Yarra'' fired a total of 70 rounds on the enemy. On 13 August 1966, an agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia brought an end to the conflict.

===''Melbourne''-''Voyager'' collision===
{{Main|Melbourne-Voyager collision}}
[[File:HMAS Melbourne damage.jpg|thumb|HMAS ''Melbourne'' following the collision with HMAS ''Voyager'' on 10 February 1964]]
During the night of 10 February 1964, the worst peacetime disaster in the RAN's history occurred when the destroyer {{HMAS|Voyager|D04|6}} was cut in two by the bow of the aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}}, killing 82 of the 293 men on board ''Voyager''.<ref name=Stevens201>Stevens 2001, p. 201</ref><ref name="Macdougall 1991, p. 332">Macdougall 1991, p. 332.</ref> ''Melbourne'' was conducting air group exercises off [[Jervis Bay]] with ''Voyager'' acting as the [[plane guard]] destroyer. After a series of manoeuvres to reverse the course of the ships, ''Voyager'' ended up to [[starboard]] of ''Melbourne'', and was ordered to resume her position (behind the carrier and to port) at 20.52.<ref>Frame, ''A Cruel Legacy'', pp. 11–12</ref> Instead of turning away from ''Melbourne'', ''Voyager'' unexpectedly turned towards the carrier, and did not alter course until it was too late.<ref name=Stevens201/><ref>Frame, ''A Cruel Legacy'', pp. 12–13</ref> At 20.56, ''Melbourne''{{'}}s bow hit the destroyer just behind the bridge, and cut her in half, with the bow sinking quickly.<ref>Frame, ''A Cruel Legacy'', pp. 1–3, 14–15</ref> The search for survivors went on through the night; of the 314 aboard, 14 officers, 67 sailors, and 1 civilian dockyard worker were killed, including Captain [[Duncan Stevens]].<ref name=Stevens201/><ref name=FrameLeg5>Frame, ''A Cruel Legacy'', p. 5</ref>

Following the collision Prime Minister [[Robert Menzies|Menzies]] ordered a [[Royal Commission]] to investigate the event.<ref>Frame, ''Where Fate Calls'', pp. 27, 43–6</ref> The Commissioner concluded that the collision was primarily the fault of ''Voyager''{{'}}s bridge crew not maintaining an effective lookout, but also placed blame on ''Melbourne''{{'}}s Captain John Robertson (who resigned shortly after) and two other officers for failing to alert ''Voyager'' or take effective measures to avoid collision.<ref>Frame, ''A Cruel Legacy'', pp. 67–9</ref><ref name="Stevens 2001, p. 202">Stevens 2001, p. 202.</ref> The handling of the Royal Commission was seen as poor, and after a combination of public pressure and claims that Stevens had a drinking problem, a second Royal Commission was announced: the only time two Commissions have been held for the same incident.<ref>Frame, ''A Cruel Legacy'', pp. 68, 82, 88, 114–7</ref> The second Royal Commission found that Stevens was likely medically unfit for command, that some of the first Commission's conclusions were therefore incorrect, and the ''Melbourne'' officers were not at fault.<ref>Frame, ''A Cruel Legacy'', pp. 159–60</ref> The two commissions caused great anguish in the hierarchy of the RAN, which was not accustomed to such tight scrutiny, and led to the eventual dismantling of the Naval Board's isolation from the civilian world.<ref name="Stevens 2001, p. 202"/>

===Vietnam War===
{{See also|Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War}}
Ships of the Royal Australian Navy were stationed on continuous operational service in Vietnam between 1965 and 1972; a total 18 ships served in Vietnam waters during the war. During this period, the navy performed a wide variety of operational tasks at sea, ashore, and in the air. The RAN's primary contribution consisted of destroyers, [[Fleet Air Arm (RAN)|Fleet Air Arm]] personnel attached to a [[United States Army]] helicopter company and [[No. 9 Squadron RAAF]], a Clearance Diving Team, and a logistical support force consisting of transport and escort ships. Other RAN personnel served ashore in medical teams or performed staff duties at the Australian Embassy in [[Saigon]] or the [[1st Australian Task Force]] Headquarters at Nui Dat.
[[File:USS Guadalupe (AO-32) refuels HMAS Hobart (D39) off Vietnam in 1967.jpg|thumb|right|[[HMAS Hobart (D 39)|HMAS ''Hobart'']] refuels from a US Navy tanker during [[Operation Sea Dragon (Vietnam War)|Operation Sea Dragon]] off Vietnam in 1967.]]
The RAN did not deploy operationally until 1965, but in 1962 {{HMAS|Vampire|D11|6}} and {{HMAS|Quickmatch|G92|6}} made goodwill visits to Saigon. They were followed a year later by similar visits by {{HMAS|Quiberon|G81|6}} and {{HMAS|Queenborough|G70|6}}. In 1967, {{HMAS|Hobart|D 39|6}} became the first RAN destroyer to be operationally deployed to [[Vietnam]]. ''Hobart'' served three tours in Vietnam from March to September in 1967, 1968, and 1970. During her operations, she fired 10,000 rounds at 1,000 shore targets and came under fire around 10 times, including on one occasion by a United States [[F-4 Phantom]].<ref name=Framepp122>{{cite book |last=Frame |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Frame (bishop) |title=Pacific Partners: a history of Australian-American naval relations |year=1992 |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |location=Rydalmere, NSW |isbn=0-340-56685-X |oclc=27433673 |page=122}}</ref> ''Hobart'' was awarded the United States [[Navy Unit Commendation]] in recognition of her service in Vietnam, while sister ship {{HMAS|Perth|D 38|2}} received both the United States Navy Unit Commendation and the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]]. Clearance Diving Team 3 was awarded the US Presidential Citation, two US Navy Unit Commendations and a US Meritorius Unit Commendation. The only non US Unit to ever receive all 3 awards.  After their five years of service in Vietnam, the four gunline destroyers; ''Perth'', {{HMAS|Brisbane|D 41|2}}, ''Hobart'' and {{HMAS|Vendetta|D08|2}} steamed over 397,000 miles and fired 102,546 rounds.<ref name=RANViet>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/naval-operations-vietnam |last=Straczek |first=Jozef |title=Naval Operations in Vietnam |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

The aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Sydney|R17|6}} was converted for troopship duties in the early 1960s, and began her first voyage to Vietnam in May 1965, transporting the [[1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment]], from Sydney to [[Vung Tau]] in southern Vietnam. Sydney became known as the ''Vung Tau Ferry'' and made 25 voyages to Vietnam: carrying 16,094 troops, 5,753 deadweight tons (5,845 t) of cargo and 2,375 vehicles.<ref name="Macdougall 1991, p. 332"/>

In 1969, the aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}} rammed and [[Melbourne-Evans collision|sank another destroyer]].<ref name=FramePP126>Frame, ''Pacific Partners'', p. 126.</ref> During the night of 2–3 June, {{USS|Frank E. Evans|DD-754|6}} was escorting the carrier during multinational wargames in the [[South China Sea]].<ref name=FramePP126/> Ordered to the plane guard station, ''Evans'' crosses the carrier's bows and was cut in two, killing 74 United States personnel.<ref name=FramePP127>Frame, ''Pacific Partners'', p. 127.</ref> A Joint RAN-USN [[Board of Inquiry]] was established, which found ''Melbourne''{{'}}s Captain John Stevenson and three officers from ''Evans'' at fault.<ref name=FramePP127/> Despite being cleared by a RAN court-martial, Stevenson resigned after receiving similar treatment to Robertson in the first collision.<ref name="FramePP130–1">Frame, ''Pacific Partners'', pp. 130–131.</ref> HMAS ''Melbourne'' is believed to be the only warship to sink two friendly vessels in peacetime.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bastock |first=John |title=Australia's Ships of War |year=1975 |publisher=Angus and Robertson |location=Cremorne, NSW |isbn=0-207-12927-4 |oclc=2525523 |page=313}}</ref>

In April 1971, Prime Minister [[John Gorton]] announced that Australian forces in Vietnam would be reduced. This led to the withdrawal of the clearance divers in May and the [[Fleet Air Arm (RAN)|Fleet Air Arm]] in June. The final RAN destroyer on the gunline, ''Brisbane'', returned to Sydney on 15 October 1971. The [[Gough Whitlam|Whitlam]] government withdrew all Australian forces from and stopped military aid to [[South Vietnam]]. {{HMAS|Jeparit}} returned to Sydney on 11 March 1972 and was followed the next day by HMAS ''Sydney''. During the 10 years that the RAN was involved in the war, eight officers and sailors were killed, and another 46 were either wounded or suffered other injuries.<ref name=RANViet/><ref>Macdougall 1991, p. 338.</ref>

===Cyclone Tracy===
{{Main|Operation Navy Help Darwin}}
During the morning of 25 December 1974, [[Tropical Cyclone Tracy]] struck the city of [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]], killing 71 people and causing $4&nbsp;billion of damage (1998 [[Australian dollar|A$]]).<ref name="bom-ext">{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/about/extremes.shtml|title=Tropical Cyclone Extremes|publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]] |access-date=19 July 2015}}</ref> In response to the cyclone, the RAN embarked upon [[Operation Navy Help Darwin]]; the largest peacetime disaster relief operation in its history, involving 13 ships, 11 aircraft and some 3,000 personnel.<ref name="Semaphore 14">{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/semaphore-december-2004 |title=Disaster Relief – Cyclone Tracy and Tasman Bridge |publisher=Sea Power Centre |work=Semaphore |access-date=10 October 2013}}</ref>

When Tracy struck Darwin, the RAN had a total of 351 personnel based in the city, along with four {{sclass|Attack|patrol boat}}; the small number of men limited the capability of the RAN to render immediate assistance to the citizens of Darwin.<ref>Johnson. E, Operation Navy help: Disaster operations by the RAN post Cyclone-Tracy, Northern Territory Library Service, Darwin, 1987, p. 2.</ref> All four patrol boats were damaged in some way: {{HMAS|Advance|P 83|2}} and {{HMAS|Assail|P 89|2}} were able to weather the cyclone with minor damage, but {{HMAS|Attack|P 90|2}} was forced aground, and {{HMAS|Arrow|P 88|2}} sank after colliding with [[Stokes Hill Wharf]], killing two personnel.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/> Land-based naval installations were also heavily damaged by the cyclone, Darwin Naval Headquarters was destroyed, as were large sections of the patrol boat base and the married quarters. The oil fuel supply installation and naval communications station at {{HMAS|Coonawarra||6}} were also damaged. The initial RAN relief which was limited to search and rescue in the area of Darwin Harbour and [[Melville Island (Northern Territory)|Melville Island]], which was hindered by the lack of reliable communications.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/>

As the severity of the disaster was realised, a naval task force was established to render aid to the people of Darwin; [[Operation Navy Help Darwin]]. A general recall was issued to all personnel; volunteers from shore bases and ships unable to sail were used to replace those who could not return to their ships in time.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/> The first RAN assets arrived in Darwin on 26 December, a [[Hawker Siddeley HS 748|HS 748]] aircraft carrying blood transfusion equipment and [[Australian Red Cross|Red Cross]] workers, followed shortly by another HS 748 carrying [[Clearance Diving Team (RAN)|Clearance Diving Team 1]] (CDT1). Ships also began departing for Darwin on 26 December: {{HMAS|Balikpapan|L 126|2}} and {{HMAS|Betano|L 133|2}} departed from Brisbane, ''[[HMAS Flinders (GS 312)|Flinders]]'' sailed from Cairns, while {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|2}} (with Rear Admiral Wells aboard), {{HMAS|Brisbane|D 41|2}}, and {{HMAS|Stuart|DE 48|2}} left Sydney. The next day, {{HMAS|Hobart|D 39|2}}, {{HMAS|Stalwart|D 215|2}}, {{HMAS|Supply|AO 195|2}}, and {{HMAS|Vendetta|D08|2}} left Sydney, while {{HMAS|Brunei|L 127|2}} and {{HMAS|Tarakan|L 129|2}} sailed from Brisbane.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/> The last ship, {{HMAS|Wewak|L 130|2}}, left Brisbane on 2 January.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/>

The first vessels, HMA Ships ''Brisbane'' and ''Flinders'', arrived in Darwin on 31 December. ''Flinders'' surveyed the approaches to Darwin, ensuring the safety of the taskforce, while ''Brisbane'' landed working parties and established communications. The entire 13-ship task force had arrived in Darwin by 13 January 1975, bringing over 3,000 personnel.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/> RAN personnel was primarily assigned to clear the suburbs of [[Nightcliff, Northern Territory|Nightcliff]], [[Rapid Creek, Northern Territory]], and [[Casuarina, Northern Territory|Casuarina]], while aircraft and helicopters were used to move evacuees and supplies, and CDT1 inspected ships in the harbour for damage and cleared several wharves.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/> Vessels of the task force began to depart Darwin as early as 7 January, with HMA Ships ''Brisbane'' and ''Stalwart'' the last to depart on 31 January, after command of the relief operation was turned over to the Commandant of the [[Australian Army|Army's]] 7th Military District.<ref name="Semaphore 14"/>

===Pacific patrol boat program===
{{Main|Pacific-class patrol boat}}
Following the introduction of the 1982 [[United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea]] (UNCLOS) the [[exclusive economic zone]] (EEZ) of many coastal nations was increased from 12 to 200 Nmi. The sudden expansion of responsibility dramatically increased the area of ocean requiring surveillance, monitoring and policing by these nations, increasing the strain on existing maritime patrol resources, and highlighting the need for countries without a maritime patrol force to obtain one, especially in the South West Pacific area.<ref name="Semaphore 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/semaphore-february-2005 |title=The Pacific Patrol Boat Project |work=Semaphore |publisher=Sea Power Centre |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

In 1979, the Australian and New Zealand Governments, at the request of Pacific Island nations, sent defence representatives into the South-West Pacific region to assess surveillance and maritime patrol requirements. The governments of a number of the Pacific nations expressed their concern about the need for a suitable naval patrol force to meet their new surveillance requirements. The Australian government responded by creating the Defence Cooperation Project (DCP), to provide suitable patrol vessels, training and infrastructure to island nations in the region. The Pacific Patrol Boat Systems Program Office was created within the Minor War Vessels Branch of the RAN procurement organisation.<ref name="Semaphore 2"/>

The tender for the vessels was released in August 1984, and was awarded to Australian Shipbuilding Industries Pty Ltd (now [[Tenix]] Western Australia) in September 1985. The first of ten vessels was to be delivered in early 1987. The first vessel, HMPNGS ''Tarangau'', was officially handed over to the [[Papua New Guinea Defence Force]] on 16 May 1987. Over the course of the project the number of participating countries increased. By the end of the construction phase of the project, a total of 22 boats had been delivered to 12 countries, compared to the original order of 10 boats for 8 countries. In total, the project cost for 22 vessels and associated support was A$155.25&nbsp;million.<ref name="Semaphore 2"/>

The RAN never operated the {{sclass2|Pacific|patrol boat}} (PPB), although the project has given the RAN a number of advantages in the Pacific region. The introduction of self-reliant patrol forces throughout the region has eased the strain on Australia's own maritime patrol force. Cooperation between Australia and its Pacific neighbours has allowed for a greater allocation of RAN patrol boats to protecting Australia's maritime resources, patrolling the [[Sea Lines of Communication]] (SLOC), and conducting border protection operations. The PPB's have recently undergone a mid life refit which could potentially see them operating in the region until at least 2027.<ref name="Semaphore 2"/>

===Two-Ocean Policy===
[[File:Melbourne-S2G-launch.jpg|thumb|HMAS ''Melbourne'' launches a [[S-2 Tracker|Grumman S2G Tracker]], 1980]]

The main role of the Royal Australian Navy in the two decades following the end of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War was supporting Australian diplomatic initiatives.  In line with this goal the RAN exercised with the navies of Australia's allies and provided support to civil authorities in Australia and the South Pacific.<ref>Tom Frame (2004), ''No Pleasure Cruise.  The Story of the Royal Australian Navy''. Allen & Unwin, Sydney. p. 251.</ref> The RAN's main military concern from the 1970s was the activities of the [[Soviet Navy]] in the Indian Ocean. In 1971 the Marxist government of South Yemen permitted the Soviet Navy to use the former British naval base at [[Aden]], thus allowing the Soviet Navy to maintain a squadron in the Indian Ocean.<ref>Watson, Bruce & Watson, Susan ''The Soviet Navy Strengths and Liabilities'', Boulder: Westview Press, 1986 p.241</ref> These concerns lead to increased co-operation with the United States Navy and the development of the RAN's main base in Western Australia, {{HMAS|Stirling}}.<ref>Frame. Pg. 257.</ref>

During the late 1970s, the RAN replaced many of its ageing ships with modern equivalents.  While it planned to purchase the British aircraft carrier {{HMS|Invincible|R05|6}} to replace ''Melbourne'', Britain's offer of the carrier was withdrawn after the [[Falklands War]]. As a result, ''Melbourne'' was decommissioned without replacement in 1982 and the Fleet Air Arm retired almost all of its fixed wing aircraft on 30 June 1983.<ref>Frame 2004, p. 262.</ref>

[[File:Canberra Success.jpg|thumb|left|HMAS ''Success'' refuelling HMAS ''Canberra'' in 1988]]
In 1987, the [[Bob Hawke|Hawke]] Government's Defence White Paper called for the RAN to become a more self-reliant ''two-ocean'' navy with major fleet bases in [[New South Wales]] and [[Western Australia]]. The plan called for the expansion of ''Stirling'' on [[Garden Island (Western Australia)|Garden Island]] and [[Jervis Bay Territory|Jervis Bay]] to accommodate an expanded RAN combat surface and submarine fleets.  The plan originally called for the major combat units and submarines to be split between the two fleet bases, providing similar capabilities on both sides of the continent. The proposed Jervis Bay naval base never became a reality; Fleet Base East was built up around {{HMAS|Kuttabul|naval base|6}} in Sydney while HMAS ''Stirling'' is home to half the surface fleet and the entire submarine fleet.

The rationale behind the policy included the possibility of savings in fuel and maintenance that would result from Indian Ocean deployments beginning their journey from [[Western Australia]] rather than [[New South Wales]]. The report also classed the Indian Ocean as an area where contingencies might arise. The new facilities would increase Australia's worth to the United States, particularly to do with maintenance of submarines.  Expansion at Jervis Bay would allow intensified east coast visits by the [[United States Pacific Fleet]], and its nuclear warship visits would not run into as much opposition as they do in Sydney and Melbourne.<ref>[http://www.agitprop.org.au/lefthistory/1987_booker_new_pacific_policeman.php Analysis of the 1987 Defence White Paper Accessed on 27 August 2006] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060824145119/http://agitprop.org.au/lefthistory/1987_booker_new_pacific_policeman.php |date=24 August 2006 }}.</ref>

The 1987 White Paper was seen by many as an attempt to strengthen Australia's relationship with the United States, which had been damaged by New Zealand's stance against nuclear weapons in its ports. In line with this policy, the RAN was structured to become more self-reliant and its activities during the late 1980s were focused on operating within Australia's local region.<ref>Frame 2004, pp. 267–272.</ref>

The Two Ocean Policy remains in place today{{when|date=March 2020}} and is supported by the current Australian Government and the opposition. The success of the policy is especially evident at HMAS ''Stirling''. The base is thriving and its location both in a global and local context gives it an advantage over Fleet Base East. It has been suggested that all eight {{sclass|Anzac|frigate|4}} ships be relocated to ''Stirling'', this would create an easier training environment for sailors and would lead to significant cost savings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/speeches/2004/040624_aidn_wa.html |title=Speech by Vice Admiral Chris Ritchie, AO, RAN – Chief of Navy: To the Australian Industry Defence Network- Western Australia |date=24 June 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060825224842/http://navy.gov.au/speeches/2004/040624_aidn_wa.html |archive-date=25 August 2006}}</ref>

==Post Cold-War==

===The Gulf Wars===
[[File:US Aust UK warships Dec 02.jpg|thumb|right|HMAS ''Anzac'' and HMAS ''Darwin'' with United States and British warships in late 2002]]
[[Australian contribution to the 1991 Gulf War|Australia's contribution]] to the [[Gulf War|1991 Gulf War]] centred on a Naval Task Group, initially Task Group 627.4,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/army/ahu/HISTORY/GULFWAR.HTM |title=The Gulf War 1990–91 |publisher=Defence.gov.au |access-date=11 November 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080224144529/http://www.defence.gov.au/army/ahu/HISTORY/GULFWAR.HTM |archive-date = 24 February 2008}}</ref> which formed part of the multi-national fleet in the [[Persian Gulf]] and [[Gulf of Oman]]. In addition, medical teams were deployed aboard a US hospital ship and a [[Clearance Diving Team (RAN)|naval clearance diving team]] took part in de-mining Kuwait's port facilities at the end of the war. Over the period from 6 September 1990 to 4 September 1991 the RAN deployed a total of six ships to the area: HMA Ships {{HMAS|Adelaide|FFG 01|2}}, {{HMAS|Brisbane|D 41|2}}, {{HMAS|Darwin|FFG 04|2}}, {{HMAS|Success|OR 304|2}}, {{HMAS|Sydney|FFG 03|2}}, and {{HMAS|Westralia|O 195|2}}. Clearance Diving Team 3 operated in the theatre from 27 January 1991 to 10 May 1991. It was involved in mine clearing operations in [[Kuwait]] from 5 March to 19 April 1991.<ref>Australian War Memorial. Gulf War 1990–1991 and Commander J.P. Hodgman (editor) (1991). Australia's Navy 1991 – 92. Australian Department of Defence. Canberra.</ref>

After the end of the first Gulf War the Royal Australian Navy [[List of recent Australian warship deployments to the Middle East|periodically deployed a ship]] to the [[Persian Gulf|Gulf]] or [[Red Sea]] to assist in maintaining sanctions against [[Iraq]]. Until the outbreak of the Second Gulf War the Australian naval force in the [[Persian Gulf]] continued to enforce the sanctions against Iraq. These operations were conducted by boarding parties from the [[Royal Australian Navy|RAN]] warships.<ref>Greg Nash and David Stevens (2006) ''Australia's Navy in the Gulf. From Countenance to Catalyst, 1941–2006''. Topmill, Sydney. pp. 61–63.</ref>

[[File:RAN ship inspection.jpg|thumb|left|A sailor from HMAS ''Adelaide'' inspecting a ship in the Persian Gulf during 2004]]
Upon the outbreak of war, the [[Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq|RAN's focus]] shifted to supporting the coalition land forces and clearing the approaches to Iraqi ports. {{HMAS|Anzac|FFH 150|6}} provided gunfire support to [[Royal Marines]] during fighting on the [[Al-Faw Peninsula]] and the Clearance Diving Team took part in clearing the approaches to [[Umm Qasr]]. Boarding operations continued during the war, and on 20 March, boarding parties from {{HMAS|Kanimbla|L 51|6}} seized an Iraqi ship carrying 86 [[naval mine]]s.<ref>Nash and Stevens (2006). pp. 66–72.</ref>

Since the end of the war the RAN has continuously maintained a frigate in the Persian Gulf to protect Iraq's oil infrastructure and participate in counter-smuggling operations. Twelve Australian sailors were deployed to [[Umm Qasr|Umm Qasr, Iraq]] between January and October 2004 to join the multi-national training team working with the [[Iraqi Coastal Defense Force]].<ref>Nash and Stevens (2006). Pages 80–81.</ref> The RAN has also assumed command of coalition forces in the Persian Gulf on two occasions; Combined Task Force 58 in 2005<ref>Journalist Seaman Joseph Ebalo, [http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=18240 ''Australian-Led Command Patrols Persian Gulf''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061123100815/http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=18240 |date=23 November 2006 }}. Navy newsstand. 10 May 2005.</ref> and [[Combined Task Force 158]] in 2006.<ref>Lt. Karen E. Eifert [http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=26621 ''U.S. Navy Takes the Reins of CTF 158 from Royal Australian Navy''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061121224014/http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=26621 |date=21 November 2006 }}. Navy newsstand. 15 November 2006.</ref>

===HMAS ''Westralia'' fire===
On 5 May 1998, a fire broke out onboard {{HMAS|Westralia|O 195|6}} while off the [[Western Australia]] coast. The fire was caused by the rupture of a flexible fuel line (one of a number used to replace rigid hoses) on cylinder number nine, starboard engine. This sprayed diesel fuel onto a hot indicator cock, which ignited a spray fire, resulting in the deaths of four crew. Following the fire, the Australian Government and the RAN began a major investigation known as the ''Westralia Board of Inquiry''. The enquiry found that the RAN and the contractor [[Australian Defence Industries]] (ADI) did not critically examine their course of action and that key personnel in both the RAN and the contractor were insufficiently trained and qualified. The inquiry also found that the hoses were not properly designed and were unfit for the intended purpose.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/westralia-board-inquiry |format=PDF subpages |title=Westralia Board of Inquiry |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> In 2005, ADI was fined $75,000 for failing to provide a safe workplace. Seven sailors who were severely traumatised by the fire have also sued ADI and subcontractor Jetrock. In August 2006, the Australian Government decided to accept liability after it reached settlement with the ADI and Jetrock. The seven sailors stand to receive compensation totalling up to $10&nbsp;million.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Govt-opens-way-for-Westralia-payouts/2006/08/29/1156617313071.html Westralia sailors set for $10m compo] The Age Newspaper Accessed 13 September 2006.</ref>

===East Timor===
During the Australian-led United Nations peacekeeping mission to [[East Timor]] in 1999 known as [[INTERFET]], the RAN deployed a total of 16 ships to the mission: HMA Ships {{HMAS|Adelaide|FFG 01|2}}, {{HMAS|Anzac|FFH 150|2}}, {{HMAS|Balikpapan|L 126|2}}, {{HMAS|Brunei|L 127|2}}, {{HMAS|Darwin|FFG 04|2}}, {{HMAS|Farncomb|SSG 74|2}}, {{HMAS|Jervis Bay|AKR 45|2}}, {{HMAS|Labuan|L 128|2}}, {{HMAS|Success|OR 304|2}}, {{HMAS|Sydney|FFG 03|2}}, {{HMAS|Tarakan|L 129|2}}, {{HMAS|Tobruk|L 50|2}}, {{HMAS|Waller|SSG 75|2}}, {{HMAS|Westralia|O 195|2}}, {{HMAS|Newcastle|FFG 06|2}} and {{HMAS|Melbourne|FFG 05|2}}.<ref>[http://www.britains-smallwars.com/RRGP/EastTimor.html INTERFET Military Personnel Chart accessed 27 August 2006] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060510123118/http://www.britains-smallwars.com/RRGP/EastTimor.html |date=10 May 2006 }}.</ref> The RAN played a vital role in transporting troops and providing protection to transports and were vital to the success of INTERFET.

The RAN returned to East Timor in 2006 under [[Operation Astute]] the United Nations-authorised, Australian-led military deployment to [[East Timor]] to quell unrest and return stability during the [[2006 East Timor crisis]]. The Royal Australian Navy deployed the Amphibious Ready Group, including the ships; {{HMAS|Kanimbla|L 51|2}}, {{HMAS|Manoora|L 52|2}}, ''Tobruk'' (until approximately 8 June), ''Balikpapan'', ''Tarakan'' and ''Success'' (until 28 May). The RAN also deployed the {{sclass|Adelaide|frigate}} HMAS ''Adelaide'' (until 28 May). The [[Fleet Air Arm (RAN)|Fleet Air Arm]] contributed one [[Sikorsky S-70|S-70B-2 Seahawk]] helicopter from [[816 Squadron RAN]] (until 28 May) and two [[Westland Sea King|Sea King]] helicopters from [[817 Squadron RAN]]. The [[Royal Australian Navy]] force committed to Operation Astute is apparently the largest amphibious task force in the navy's history.<ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/4909/topstories/story01.htm Navy News].</ref>

===Solomon Islands===
On 24 July 2003, {{HMAS|Manoora|L 52|6}} arrived off [[Honiara]], marking the beginning of Operation Anode, Australia's contribution to the [[Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands]] (RAMSI). The deployment of a 2,200 strong multinational force followed several years of unrest in the [[Solomon Islands]]. Manoora was soon joined by HMA Ships {{HMAS|Hawkesbury|M 83|2}}, {{HMAS|Labuan|L 128|2}}, {{HMAS|Wewak|L 130|2}} and {{HMAS|Whyalla|FCPB 208|2}}. Following the initial deployment, two vessels were generally kept on station in the area. By the time the RAN deployment ended, 19 Australian warships had taken part. The last ship to leave was {{HMAS|Fremantle|FCPB 203|2}}, which sailed home in October 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/semaphore-august-2005 |title=The Royal Australian Navy and the restoration of stability in the Solomon Islands |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

Operation Anode was not the first time units of the RAN had been deployed to the Solomon Islands; Anode was unique in that the navy's primary role was to support and facilitate the work of the Participating Police Force (PPF). Moreover, along with being the first time the RAN had supported a police-led mission,<ref>C. Woods, 'Bikfala Sip: Aussies come to Help our Pacific Friends', Navy News, 14 August 2003. Retrieved 14 September 2006.</ref>

===Fiji===
{{Main|Operation Quickstep}}
On 2 November 2006, in response to the [[2006 Fijian coup d'état|Fijian military threats to overthrow]] the Fijian Government, the Australian government began [[Operation Quickstep]] by deploying military resources to support Australian citizens in Fiji in the event of a coup d'état. The contribution from the RAN was the deployment of three vessels ({{HMAS|Kanimbla|L 51|2}}, {{HMAS|Newcastle|FFG 06|2}}, and {{HMAS|Success|OR 304|2}}) to international waters south of Fiji; with the mission to evacuate the estimated 7,000 Australian citizens present in Fiji if the need arose.<ref>[http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=52286 Aussie Navy vessels ready for Fiji evacuation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165549/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=52286 |date=30 September 2007 }}. ''[[Fiji Times]]'', 24 November 2006.</ref> Along with the three vessels a detachment of the [[Special Air Service Regiment]] (SASR), helicopters from the [[Australian 171st Aviation Squadron|171st Aviation Squadron]], and an evacuation team were also deployed.<ref>{{cite press release |title=ADF Task Group in the South-West Pacific returns to Australia |publisher=Department of Defence|date=20 December 2006 |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/fijisupport/default.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331104014/http://www.defence.gov.au/fijisupport/default.cfm|archive-date=31 March 2014|access-date=1 November 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 29 November 2006, an [[Australian Army]] [[Sikorsky S-70|S-70A Black Hawk]] helicopter operating from ''Kanimbla'', and carrying ten Army personnel on board, crashed whilst attempting to land on the ship's deck, killing 1 person, injuring 7 more and leaving one missing (later confirmed dead).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1800631.htm |title=One dead, one missing in Black Hawk crash off Fiji |date=29 November 2006 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106102632/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1800631.htm |archive-date=6 January 2008 |access-date=10 August 2013}} and {{cite news |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/audio/061129/Bhawk_conf_29NOV06_lo.wmv |title=BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER LOST NEAR FIJI (.wmv) |date=29 November 2006 |access-date=30 November 2006 |publisher=[[Australian Defence Force]]}}</ref> {{HMAS|Melville|A 246|2}} arrived on task the morning of 15 December 2006, equipped with a Towed Pinger Locating Drone supplied from the [[United States Navy]] set about locating the downed Black Hawk. ''Melville'' detected the locator beacon during its first pass over the crash site and pinpointed its exact location in subsequent passes. The helicopter was sitting in around 2900 metres of water.<ref name=detectnsurvey>{{cite news |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=6271 |title=NAVY DETECTS MISSING BLACK HAWK'S LOCATOR BEACON |date=15 December 2006 |access-date=15 December 2006 |publisher=[[Australian Defence Force]]}} and {{cite news |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=6316 |title=NAVY TO CONDUCT FURTHER SURVEY OF LOST BLACK HAWK LOCATION |date=16 January 2007 |access-date=18 January 2007 |publisher=[[Australian Defence Force]]}}</ref>

The coup took place on 5 December, but was bloodless and almost completely without violence. The evacuation of Australians was deemed unnecessary, and vessels of the task force began arriving back in Australia on 17 December, with ''Kanimbla'' docking in Townsville, and both ''Newcastle'' and ''Success'' returning to Sydney.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20941630-1702,00.html |title=Fiji navy task force returns |date=17 December 2006 |access-date=17 December 2006 |publisher=[[The Australian]] }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''Melville'' returned to Australia in late December. The RAN decided to attempt to recover the downed Black Hawk and identified the United States Navy Supervisor of Salvage (SUPSALV) as the preferred organisation.<ref name=detectnsurvey/> MV ''Seahorse Standard'' recovered the remains of Trooper Joshua Porter on 5 March and the Blackhawk helicopter on 9 March, with the assistance of specialist equipment provided by the SUPSALV team. The soldier's body was repatriated on 13 March, escorted by members of the SASR. ''Seahorse Standard'' arrived in Australia with the aircraft wreckage at the end of March. The wreckage would become evidence in the Board of Inquiry into the crash.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/NelsonMintpl.cfm?CurrentId=6450 |title=Blackhawk recovered from the seabed |date=9 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602081439/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/NelsonMintpl.cfm?CurrentId=6450 |archive-date=2 June 2011 |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref>

==Battle honours==
Prior to 1989, the battle honour system of the [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN) was linked to that of the [[Royal Navy]]. The [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|British Ministry of Defence]] and the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] were responsible for approving and assigning battle honours, although from 1947, this was done on advice from the RAN Badges, Names and Honours Committee.<ref name=Cassells233>Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 233</ref> The only uniquely Australian battle honour during this time was "Vietnam 1965–72" (and smaller date units thereof) for deployments to the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name=Cassells1>Cassells, ''The Destroyers'', p. 1</ref> Ships of the RAN inherited honours from British ships of the same name, in addition to Australian predecessors.<ref name=Cassells233/>

In 1989, the RAN [[Chief of Navy (Australia)|Chief of Naval Staff]], Admiral [[Michael Hudson (admiral)|Michael Hudson]] approved a decision to have Australian warships only carry battle honours earned by previous Australian vessels.<ref name=Cassells233/> The creation and awarding of battle honours came completely under RAN control.<ref name=Cassells233/>

A complete overhaul of the RAN battle honours system was unveiled on 1 March 2010, to celebrate the navy's 109th anniversary of creation.<ref name=newhonours>{{cite news |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |title=Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours |date=1 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613184920/http://www.navy.gov.au/Navy_Marks_109th_Birthday_With_Historic_Changes_To_Battle_Honours |archive-date=13 June 2011 |publisher=Royal Australian Navy |access-date=23 December 2012}}</ref> New honours were created for operations during the 1990s and 2000s—the last approved honour prior to this was "Kuwait 1991", for [[Gulf War]] service—and the service history of previous vessels was updated to include 'due recognition' of previous actions.<ref name=newhonours/>

==Women in the RAN==
[[File:US Navy 050704-N-4309A-443 Australian Petty Officer ET Tarah Clark, stationed aboard the guided missile armed frigate HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06), drives a Rigid Hull Inflatible Boat (RHIB) back to her ship after making a passenger.jpg|thumb|right|Women are expected to play a greater role in the RAN in the future]]

From 1911 to 1941 women were forbidden from serving in the RAN; the demands [[World War II]] placed on personnel and resources led to a change of policy.<ref name="Women in the RAN">{{cite journal |date=November 2006 |title=Women in the RAN: The Road to Command At Sea |journal=Semaphore |volume=2006 |issue=19 |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/semaphore-november-2006-0 |access-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> On 21 April 1941, the Australian Naval Board sent a letter authorising the entry of women into the RAN to the Commodore-in-Charge, Sydney. The letter led to the formation of the [[Women's Royal Australian Naval Service]] (WRANS) and the [[Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service]] (RANNS). The two separate women's services existed until 1984, when they were incorporated into the permanent force. Today,{{when|date=November 2021}} female members of the RAN have a wide variety of roles open to them; women serve on submarines, command ships and shore postings and are expected to play an increasingly important role in the future of the RAN.<ref>"Women in the RAN".</ref>

==The current navy==
[[File:HMAS Sheean, Fremantle.jpg|thumb|HMAS ''Sheean'' at Fremantle Harbour]]

The Royal Australian Navy today{{when|date=November 2021}} is a medium-sized modern navy in world terms but is one of the strongest navies in the [[Asia Pacific]] Region. The combat fleet of the RAN is made up of three {{sclass|Hobart|destroyer}}, eight {{sclass|Anzac|frigate}}, twelve patrol boats of the {{sclass|Armidale|patrol boat|4}}, and six {{sclass|Collins|submarine}}. The RAN also comprises an amphibious and supply force to transport the [[Australian Army]] and to resupply the combat arm of the navy.<ref>[http://www.navy.gov.au/ Royal Australian Navy Official Website]. Retrieved 10 August 2013.</ref> The RAN is divided into seven [[Force Element Group]]s (FEGs): Surface Combatants, Amphibious Warfare Forces and Afloat Support Force, [[Fleet Air Arm (RAN)|Naval Aviation]], [[Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service|Submarine Force]], Mine Warfare and [[Clearance Diving Team (RAN)|Clearance Diving]], [[Australian Patrol Boat Group|Patrol Boat Force]] and the [[Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service|Hydrographic Force]]. The FEG's were formed to manage the operations of the separate sections of the RAN in a more efficient way.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.defencelife.com.au/royal-australian-navy/|title=About the Royal Australian Navy|website=Defence Life Magazine for Defence Families}}</ref>

[[File:HMAS Anzac F-150.jpg|thumb|left|HMAS ''Anzac'' operating in support of [[Operation Enduring Freedom]]]]
The modern RAN began to form during the late 1970s when the [[Malcolm Fraser|Fraser]] Government announced the purchase of four {{sclass|Oliver Hazard Perry|frigate}}s, all to be built in America; in 1980 they announced an additional two vessels both to be built in Australia. The fifteen Australian-built vessels of the {{sclass|Fremantle|patrol boat|4}} made up Australia's patrol boat from 1979 to 2007; they have now been replaced by the fourteen {{sclass|Armidale|patrol boat}}s.

The {{sclass|Collins|submarine|4}} is the newest class of Australian submarines, built in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy. They were constructed by the [[Australian Submarine Corporation]] in Adelaide, South Australia, and replaced the six {{sclass|Oberon|submarine}}s in the Australian fleet. The first vessel, {{HMAS|Collins|SSG 73|6}}, was laid down in 1990 and commissioned in 1996, with all six vessels of the class in service and based at {{HMAS|Stirling}} in [[Western Australia]].

The {{sclass|Anzac|frigate|4}} is the current main fleet unit of the Royal Australian Navy; the class has eight vessels. The lead vessel of the class, {{HMAS|Anzac|FFH 150|6}}, was commissioned in 1996 and the final vessel, {{HMAS|Perth|FFH 157|6}}, was commissioned on 26 August 2006. Along with the eight Australian vessels, two ''Anzac''s were also constructed for the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]]. The ''Anzac'' class were jointly constructed in New Zealand and Australia with the final fitout in [[Williamstown, Victoria]].

The amphibious and supply arm of the RAN as at January 2021 is made up of; [[HMAS Choules]], a [[Bay-class landing ship|Bay-class LSD]], [[HMAS Adelaide (L01)|HMAS Adelaide]] and [[HMAS Canberra (L02)|HMAS Canberra]], both of which are [[Canberra-class landing helicopter dock|Canberra-class LHD's]], twelve LHD Landing Craft (LLC) of the [[LCM-1E]] type, two {{sclass|Leeuwin|survey vessel}}s, four {{sclass|Paluma|motor launch}}es, the fleet oiler {{HMAS|Sirius|O 266|6}}, and the Dual Stores Replenishment Vessel {{HMAS|Success|OR 304|6}}. The RAN also has six {{sclass|Huon|minehunter}}s.

The Royal Australian Navy maintains several bases around Australia. Under the RAN's Two-Ocean Policy, {{HMAS|Stirling}} (Fleet Base West) and {{HMAS|Kuttabul|naval base|6}} (Fleet Base East) are the primary bases for all major fleet unit of the RAN. The majority of the patrol boat and amphibious forces are located at {{HMAS|Cairns|naval base|6}} and {{HMAS|Coonawarra}}, while all [[Fleet Air Arm (RAN)|Fleet Air Arm]] squadrons are based at {{HMAS|Albatross|air station|6}}.

==See also==
* [[Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia)]]
* [[Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre]]
* [[Military history of Australia]]
* [[List of Royal Australian Navy losses]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* Burnell, Frederick. (1914). How Australia took German New Guinea : An illustrated record of the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force. Australasian News, Sydney.
*{{cite book |last=Cassells |first=Vic |title=The Capital Ships: their battles and their badges |year=2000 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=East Roseville, NSW |isbn=0-7318-0941-6 |oclc=48761594}}
*{{cite book |last=Cassells |first=Vic |title=The Destroyers: their battles and their badges |year=2000 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=East Roseville, NSW |isbn=0-7318-0893-2 |oclc=46829686}}
*{{cite book |last=Frame |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Frame (bishop) |title=No Pleasure Cruise: the story of the Royal Australian Navy |year=2004 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=Crows Nest, NSW |isbn=1-74114-233-4 |oclc=55980812}}
*{{cite book|last=Frame |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Frame (bishop) |title=A Cruel Legacy: the HMAS Voyager tragedy |year=2005 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=Crows Nest, NSW |isbn=1-74115-254-2 |oclc=61213421}}
* Macdougall, A. (1991). Australians at War A Pictorial History, The Five Mile Press, {{ISBN|1-86503-865-2}}
* Nash, Greg and David Stevens (2006). ''Australia's Navy in the Gulf. From Countenance to Catalyst, 1941–2006''. Topmill, Sydney.
* Stevens, David (1996). ''The Royal Australian Navy in World War II''. Allen & Unwin, Sydney, {{ISBN|1-74114-184-2}}
*{{cite book |last=Stevens |first=David |title=A Critical Vulnerability: the impact of the submarine threat on Australia's maritime defense 1915–1954 |series=Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs |volume=15 |year=2005 |publisher=Sea Power Centre Australia |location=Canberra |isbn=0-642-29625-1 |oclc=62548623 |issn=1327-5658 |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/enwiki/w/index.php/Publication:Papers_in_Australian_Maritime_Affairs_No._15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613221149/http://www.navy.gov.au/enwiki/w/index.php/Publication:Papers_in_Australian_Maritime_Affairs_No._15 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-06-13 }}
*{{cite book |editor=Stevens, David |title=The Royal Australian Navy |series=The Australian Centenary History of Defence (vol III) |year=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=South Melbourne, VIC |isbn=0-19-555542-2 |oclc=50418095}}
* Stevens, David ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20170219073454/http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/ajrp2.nsf/437f72f8ac2c07238525661a00063aa6/225b90b97196e29bca256a1d00130203?OpenDocument Japanese submarine operations against Australia 1942–1944]''
*{{cite book |last=Jenkins |first=David |title=Battle Surface! Japan's Submarine War Against Australia 1942–44 |year=1992 |publisher=Random House Australia |location=Milsons Point, NSW |isbn=0-09-182638-1 |oclc=0091826381}}
* [[Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918]]
** Jose, A.W. (1941).  [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1069926/ ''Volume IX – The Royal Australian Navy, 1914 – 1918 (9th edition, 1941)'']. [[Australian War Memorial]], Canberra.
* [[Australia in the War of 1939–1945]]
** Gill, G. Hermon (1957). [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070207/ ''Australia in the War of 1939 – 1945. Series 2 – Navy. Volume I – Royal Australian Navy, 1939–1942'']. [[Australian War Memorial]], Canberra.
** Gill, G. Hermon (1968). [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070208/ ''Australia in the War of 1939 – 1945. Series 2 – Navy. Volume II – Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945'']. [[Australian War Memorial]], Canberra.
** Long, Gavin (1973). ''The Six Years War. A Concise History of Australia in the 1939–45 War''. Australian War Memorial and Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
* Royal Australian Navy Sea Power Centre
** [http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/semaphore Semaphore Series – Newsletter of the Sea Power Centre – Australia]
** [http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/australian-maritime-doctrine Australian Maritime Doctrine]
** [http://www.navy.gov.au/History RAN Histories]

==Further reading==
*{{cite journal|last=Haken|first=John|title=The Formation of Naval Forces in the Commonwealth of Australia|journal=Sabretache|publisher=Military Historical Society of Australia|location=Garran, Australian Capital Territory|volume= LVI|issue= 3, September|date=2015|page=54|issn=0048-8933}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090123072727/http://www.adf-history.com/ran.html Royal Australian Navy Articles] from ADF-History.com
* [https://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/ships-boats-craft Navy Fleet]

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