歷史悠久、家大業大的皇家海軍(Royal Navy)，憑藉著工業革命發源地以及後來的工業實力大力發展海上勢力，並成立最早的近代議會政治，英國稱霸於地球海洋的時代還遠遠長於美國海軍，英國海軍憑藉著靈活的戰術與戰略運用，在打敗法國拿破崙與西班牙的無敵艦隊(Armada)聯合艦隊後，取代原祖日不落國西班牙王國的海上霸主地位，可說當時在五大洋找不到任何足以匹敵的海上對手，也隨著工業革命發展的產業技術推展，英國當時的科學與工業技術領導世界，成為世界工廠，也在之後打響日不落國的名號。在後來的海軍艦艇發展有很多劃時代的發明，如無畏艦、最早的航空母艦、現代航艦的三大發明(斜角甲板、蒸氣彈射器與光學降落輔助系統。)還有短廠起降航空母艦都是英國人發明的。
直到二戰結束後，聯合王國的海外殖民地一個一個相繼獨立，英國首屈一指的國際地位與海上霸權相繼大幅度衰退，雖然目前仍是世界三大藍水海軍之一，以及也是聯合國安全理事會的常任理事國，英國所領導的大英國協(Commonwealth of Nations)依然有很大的世界影響力，但整體國力與軍事力已經無法與美國甚至二戰前的大英帝國相比了。
二次大戰結束後，執政的工黨政府決定將英國的傳統起降艦隊航艦於1970年代結束前全數除役，到了1980年代，英國與阿根廷兩國為了福克蘭群島主權問題發生福克蘭戰爭，所幸當時英國還保有三艘短場起降航艦才得以直接投射空中戰力到遠在南美洲的福克蘭群島(雖然當時也保有火神式戰略轟炸機，但畢竟只能做轟炸用途，並無法直接做海軍與陸戰隊的攻擊支援。)，並取得最後的勝利，如果當時英國傳統起降航艦沒有全數除役，或許就不會發生福克蘭戰爭，因為在當時傳統起降航艦的艦載機無論作戰半徑與載彈量都遠超過短場起降航艦的艦載機。
話雖如此，目前皇家海軍的實力仍是世界少數同時具備SSBN與SSN的國家之一，不同於法國自力開發SLBM，核子動力艦艇主要是商規並不是軍規、英國的SSBN跟美國用的是同樣的潛射三叉戟二型D5核子彈道飛彈，皇家海軍也是美法之外，全數是核子動力潛艇服役的國家。皇家海軍整體的海空軍軍力依然可以傲視美國之外的很多國家，目前也有兩艘重型伊莉莎白女王級航艦在服役。
英國思想家與科學家、工程師人才輩出，如提出天賦人權的洛克、提出國富論的亞當·斯密，建立現代物理基礎的牛頓，發明顯微鏡的虎克，計算出哈雷彗星軌道的哈雷，近代電學宗師法拉第，發明蒸汽機的瓦特，建造蒸汽火車的史蒂文生，以及黑洞大師史蒂芬·霍金等等。
相較於美國，英國畢竟歷史文化較為悠久，軍艦命名也更為多樣化以及更抽象化，甚至皇家頭銜以及希臘神話的英雄人物與怪物也是軍艦的命名來源。著名艦名有皇家方舟(傳統艦名，源自於諾亞方舟)，威爾斯親王(英國皇儲)、無畏(劃時代的鐵甲戰鬥艦)、光輝、無敵、不屈、前鋒等等英文形容詞，但在翻譯時譯成名詞。
皇家海軍一戰二戰時的命名規則
|
艦艇 |
命名規則 |
範例 |
|
艦隊航艦 |
傳統艦名(早期航艦)、形容詞、猛禽 |
皇家方舟(傳統艦名)、光輝(形容詞) |
|
輕型航艦 |
希臘神話人物、希臘神話怪物、xx者(租借輕航) |
獵戶座(希臘神話人物)、半人馬(希臘神話怪物)、攻擊者(xx者) |
|
主力艦 |
著名人物、英國國王女王、頭銜、形容詞、傳統艦名、貓科動物 |
納爾遜(海軍將領)、威爾斯親王(頭銜)、英勇(形容詞)、厭戰(傳統艦名)、虎(貓科動物) |
|
戰鬥巡洋艦 |
R字母開頭(限名望級)、傳統艦名、人名(主要是將領) |
名望(R字母開頭，源於原計劃的R級主力艦)、胡德(海軍將領) |
|
郡級重巡洋艦 |
英國本土郡名 |
諾福克、肯特郡、倫敦(1970年倫敦廢郡治) |
|
城市級輕巡洋艦 |
英國本土城市名 |
貝爾法斯特、愛丁堡 |
|
城市級以外輕巡洋艦 |
神話或者歷史人物、英國殖民地 |
阿基里斯(神話人物)、斐濟(英國殖民地) |
|
C級輕巡洋艦 |
每級皆是C開頭的字母 |
庫拉索 |
|
字母級驅逐艦 |
每級皆是同開頭的字母 |
A級、J級 |
|
部族級驅逐艦 |
大英國協下殖民地原住民名稱 |
愛斯基摩、毛利 |
Ark Royal
Ark Royal (1587), the flagship of the English fleet during the Spanish Armada campaign of 1588
HMS Ark Royal (1914), planned as freighter, built as seaplane carrier during the First World War, renamed Pegasus in 1934
HMS Ark Royal (91), British aircraft carrier launched in 1937 that participated in the Second World War and was sunk by a U-boat in 1941
HMS Ark Royal (R09), an Audacious-class aircraft carrier launched in 1950, decommissioned in 1979
HMS Ark Royal (R07), an Invincible-class aircraft carrier, launched in 1981, decommissioned in 2011
Avenger
HMS Avenger was a sloop-of-war launched in 1778 as the 8-gun fireship HMS Lucifer. She was renamed HMS Avenger on her conversion to a sloop in 1779 and was sold in 1783.
HMS Avenger (1794) was a 16-gun sloop-of-war, formerly the French Vengeur. She was captured in 1794 and sold in 1802.
HMS Avenger (1803) was a sloop-of-war, previously the civilian vessel Elizabeth. She was purchased in 1803 and foundered later that year.
HMS Avenger (1804) was an 18-gun sloop-of-war, formerly the collier Thames. She was purchased in 1804 and wrecked in 1812.
HMS Avenger (1845) was a wooden paddle frigate launched in 1845 and wrecked off North Africa in 1847.
HMS Avenger (1915) was an armed merchant cruiser torpedoed and sunk on 14 June 1917 by SM U-69.
HMS Avenger (D14) was an Avenger-class escort carrier, laid down as the merchant vessel Rio Hudson but converted and launched in 1940. She was transferred to the Royal Navy under lend-lease and was sunk by U-155 in 1942.
HMS Avenger (LST 3011) was a Landing Ship, Tank launched in 1945 as LST 3011. She was renamed HMS Avenger in 1947 and was sold to the Royal Indian Navy in 1949, being renamed Magar in 1951.
HMS Avenger (F185) was a Type 21 frigate launched in 1975. She fought in the Falklands War, and was sold to Pakistan in 1994 and renamed Tippu Sultan.
Illustrious
HMS Illustrious (1789) was a 74-gun third rate, and launched at Buckler's Hard in 1789. She had two engagements against the French Navy, at Toulon in 1793 and at Genoa where she suffered severe damage and won a battle honour. While returning home in tow for repairs she ran aground due to an extremely violent storm. Shortly afterwards she was set ablaze and abandoned.
HMS Illustrious (1803) was launched at Rotherhithe in 1803 and was like her predecessor a 74-gun third rate. She was involved in battles off the Basque Roads, in which she won a battle honour, and off Java in Indonesia. In 1854 she became a training ship and continued as one until she was broken up in 1868 in Portsmouth.
HMS Illustrious (1896) was a Majestic-class battleship, launched in 1896 and scrapped in 1920. Two of her 12-inch guns were remounted in the Tyne Turrets.
HMS Illustrious (87) was an Illustrious-class aircraft carrier commissioned in 1940. In the same year she became the first carrier to strike against an enemy fleet, and was in service until 1954.
HMS Illustrious (R06) was an Invincible-class aircraft carrier commissioned in 1982 and decommissioned in 2014.
Indomitable
HMS Indomitable (1907) was the first battlecruiser in the world, beating sister ship HMS Inflexible by four months. She was launched in 1907 and scrapped in 1922.
HMS Indomitable (92) was an Illustrious-class armoured fleet aircraft carrier launched in 1940. She served in the Second World War and was scrapped in 1955.
HMS Indomitable was to have been an Invincible-class aircraft carrier. She was renamed HMS Ark Royal in 1978, before being launched in 1980.
Invincible
HMS Invincible (1747) was originally the French 74-gun ship of the line L'Invincible, captured off Cape Finisterre in 1747. She was the first purpose-built 74-gun ship of the line to serve in the Royal Navy. The ship sank in February 1758 when she hit a sandbank in the East Solent.
HMS Invincible (1765) was a 74-gun third rate launched in 1765 at Deptford Dockyard and commissioned at Portsmouth in 1776. Her career saw her involvement in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780) (against the Spanish fleet) and the Battle of St. Kitts and the Glorious First of June (both against the French fleet). She was also involved in the capture of St. Lucia, Trinidad and Surinam. She was wrecked off the Norfolk coast in 1801, with the loss of 400 lives.
HMS Invincible (1808) was a 74-gun ship, launched at Woolwich in 1808. She saw action in the Peninsular War, supporting the British forces. She was paid off in 1814, and broken up in 1861, in Plymouth.
HMS Invincible was to have been the world's second ocean-going iron-hulled armoured frigate, and sister to HMS Warrior, but she was renamed HMS Black Prince before her launch.
HMS Invincible (1869) was an armoured "broadside battleship" built in 1869. She was renamed Erebus in 1904 and Fisgard II in 1906, before foundering in a storm in 1914.
HMS Invincible (1907) was a battlecruiser of the First World War attached to the 1st Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet at the end of 1908. She saw action at Battle of Heligoland Bight, the Battle of the Falkland Islands, and the Battle of Jutland, where she blew up and sank after taking a hit from SMS Lützow, with the loss of 1,026 crew. Only six crew members survived.
HMS Invincible (R05) was a light aircraft carrier, the first of three in the Invincible class. She served from 1980 to 2005, including service in the Falklands War.[1] She was scrapped in Turkey in 2011.
Vanguard
- English ship Vanguard (1586) was a 31-gun galleon launched in 1586, rebuilt twice and was broken up in 1630, with some parts being reused in the next HMS Vanguard.
HMS Vanguard (1631) was a 56-gun second rate launched in 1631, active in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and scuttled in 1667.
HMS Vanguard (1678) was a 90-gun three-decker second-rate launched in 1678, sunk in 1703 but raised in 1704, rebuilt twice and renamed HMS Duke in 1728. She was broken up in 1769.
HMS Vanguard (1748) was a 70-gun third rate launched in 1748 and sold in 1774.
HMS Vanguard (1780) was a 4-gun gunvessel captured in 1780, purchased in 1781 and sold in 1783.
HMS Vanguard (1787) was a 74-gun third rate launched in 1787. She became a prison ship in 1812, a powder hulk in 1814 and was broken up in 1821.
HMS Vanguard (1835) was a 78-gun third rate launched in 1835, renamed HMS Ajax in 1867, and broken up in 1875.
HMS Vanguard (1869) was an Audacious-class ironclad battleship launched in 1869 and sunk in a collision with HMS Iron Duke in 1875.
HMS Vanguard (1909) was a St Vincent-class battleship launched in 1909 and sunk in an explosion in 1917.
HMS Vanguard (23) was a battleship, the last in the world to be launched. She was launched in 1944 and broken up in 1960.
HMS Vanguard (S28) is a Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarine launched in 1992 and currently in service.
Dreadnought
- English ship Dreadnought 1553 was a 40-gun ship built in 1553.[1]
English ship Dreadnought (1573) was a 41-gun ship launched in 1573, rebuilt in 1592 and 1614, then broken up in 1648.
HMS Dreadnought (1654) was a 52-gun third-rate ship of the line launched in 1654 as the Torrington for the Commonwealth of England Navy, renamed Dreadnought at the Restoration in 1660, and lost in 1690.
HMS Dreadnought (1691) was a 60-gun fourth-rate ship of the line launched in 1691, rebuilt in 1706 and broken up 1748.
HMS Dreadnought (1723) was a 60-gun ship of the line built at Portsmouth
HMS Dreadnought (1742) was a 60-gun fourth rate launched in 1742 and sold 1784.
HMS Dreadnought (1801) was a 98-gun second rate launched in 1801, converted to a hospital ship in 1827, and broken up 1857.
HMS Dreadnought (1856) was a hospital ship, formerly HMS Caledonia.
HMS Dreadnought (1875) was a battleship launched in 1875 and hulked in 1903, then sold in 1908.
HMS Dreadnought (1906) was a revolutionary battleship, launched in 1906 and sold for breakup in 1921.
HMS Dreadnought (S101) was the UK's first nuclear-powered submarine, launched in 1960 and decommissioned in 1980.
HMS Dreadnought will be the first of the UK's new Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines.
Eagle
- HMS Eagle (1592) was an ex-merchantman purchased in 1592 and in use as a careening hulk. She was sold in 1683.
HMS Eagle (1648) was a 6-gun shallop sloop, listed until 1653.
HMS Eagle (1650) was a 12-gun ship, previously the French ship Aigle, captured in 1650 and sold in 1655.
HMS Eagle (1660) was a 22-gun armed ship, previously named HMS Selby. She was renamed HMS Eagle in 1660, used as a fireship from 1674 and sunk as a foundation in 1694.
HMS Eagle (1670) was a 6-gun fireship captured from the Algerians in 1670 and expended in 1671.
HMS Eagle (1672) was a 6-gun fireship purchased in 1672 and foundered in 1673.
HMS Eagle (1679) was a 70-gun third rate launched in 1679, rebuilt in 1699 and wrecked in 1707.
HMS Eagle (1696) was a 10-gun advice boat launched in 1696 and wrecked in 1703.
HMS Eagle (c.1745 fireship) was a fireship sunk in 1745 as a breakwater.
HMS Eagle (1745) was a 58-gun fourth rate launched in 1745 and sold in 1767.
HMS Eagle (1754) was a 14-gun sloop launched in 1745. Her fate is unknown.
HMS Eagle (1774) was a 64-gun third rate launched in 1774. She was attacked by the submersible Turtle during the American Revolution, was placed on harbour service from 1790 and renamed HMS Buckingham in 1800. She was broken up in 1812.
HMS Eagle (1794) was a 4-gun gunvessel, formerly a Dutch hoy purchased in 1794. She was sold in 1804.
HMS Eagle (1803) was a 12-gun gun-brig, previously the French Venteux. Loire captured her in 1803. The Royal Navy renamed her HMS Eclipse in 1804 and sold her in 1807.
HMS Eagle (1804) was a 74-gun third rate launched in 1804. She was reduced to 50 guns in 1830 and then became a training school in 1860, being renamed HMS Eaglet in 1918. She was lost in a fire in 1926; the wreck was sold in 1927.
HMS Eagle (1812) was a one-gun brig built in 1812 that served as a tender to Poictiers. The American fishing smack Yankee used a stratagem to capture Eagle on 4 July 1812.
HMS Eagle (1814) was an American gunboat captured at the Battle of Lake Borgne on 14 December 1814. She remained in service until at least 4 June 1815.[1] Prize money for her and the other vessels captured at the battle was paid in July 1821.[2]
HMS Eagle (shore establishment) was the name of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve training facility at Liverpool from 1904. It was renamed HMS Eaglet in 1918.
HMS Eagle (1918) was an early aircraft carrier, converted from an unfinished Chilean battleship, Almirante Cochrane, launched in 1918, and sunk in 1942.
HMS Eagle was to have been an Audacious-class aircraft carrier, laid down in 1944, but cancelled in 1945.
HMS Eagle (R05) was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier originally designated HMS Audacious, launched in 1946 and broken up in 1978.
Prince of Wales
HMS Prince of Wales (1765) was a 74-gun third rate launched in 1765. She had been originally planned as HMS Hibernia, but the name was changed prior to launch. She was broken up in 1783.
HMS Prince of Wales (1794) was a 98-gun second rate launched in 1794 and broken up in 1822.
HMS Prince of Wales (1795) was a 38-gun transport purchased in 1795, and still on the records in 1801.
HMS Prince of Wales (1860) was a 121-gun screw-propelled first rate launched in 1860. She was converted to a training ship and renamed HMS Britannia in 1869, hulked in 1909 and sold in 1914. She was finally broken up in 1916.
HMS Prince of Wales (1902) was a London-class battleship launched in 1902 and sold for scrap in 1920.
HMS Prince of Wales (53) was a King George V-class battleship launched in 1939 and sunk in a Japanese airstrike in 1941 shortly after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.
HMS Prince of Wales (R09) is the second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.
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