Back Koninklike Australiese Vloot Afrikaans البحرية الملكية الأسترالية Arabic Armada Real Australiana AST Armada Reial Australiana Catalan ھێزی دەریاییی شاھانەی ئوسترالیا CKB Australské královské námořnictvo Czech Royal Australian Navy Danish Royal Australian Navy German Βασιλικό Αυστραλιανό Ναυτικό Greek Royal Australian Navy English
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy of Australia. It is part of the Australian Defence Force. It was created in 1901, and was formed out of the Commonwealth Naval Forces to become the small navy of Australia. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom continued to defend Australia in the Pacific Ocean until World War II, when the RAN became much bigger and modern, adding many ships including aircraft carriers.
Today the RAN is one of the largest naval forces in the Pacific region and the Indian Ocean. As of December 2011, the RAN fleet consisted of 54 vessels. This includes frigates, submarines, patrol boats and auxiliary ships. Ships commissioned into the RAN are given the prefix "Her Majesty's Australian ships" (Or HMAS for short), because by constitution the Queen owns them and has command over them.