I.

Introduction

Navy, organized maritime military force of a nation. It includes not only ships and personnel but also air and missile forces, and shipyards and shore bases for the building and maintenance of fleets.

Unlike the merchant marine, or merchant navy, which is engaged in seaborne commerce, military navies are used primarily for defence and, in former eras, conquest. In peace, navies have diplomatic functions, such as showing the national flag, and they have often played valuable roles in exploration. In war, modern navies operate under and over the sea as well as on its surface. They protect a nation’s coast and merchant shipping; launch attacks against enemy coasts and commerce; reinforce allies; land amphibious forces on hostile shores; and, through the use of aircraft and missiles, project their power into the interior of an enemy nation.