Editing Royal Navy (section)

===Personnel===
[[File:BRNC-Dartmouth.jpg|thumb|[[Britannia Royal Naval College]] in [[Dartmouth, Devon]]]]
{{HMS|Raleigh|shore establishment|6}} at [[Torpoint, Cornwall]], is the basic training facility for newly enlisted ratings. [[Britannia Royal Naval College]] in [[Dartmouth, Devon]] is the initial officer training establishment for the Royal Navy. Personnel are divided into a [[Officer Corps of the Royal Navy|warfare branch]], which includes Warfare Officers (previously named seamen officers) and [[Fleet Air Arm|Naval Aviators]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/roles-and-specialisations/services/surface-fleet/warfare-officer|title=Welfate Officer|publisher=Royal Navy|access-date=9 May 2020}}</ref> as well other branches including the [[Royal Naval Engineers]], [[Royal Navy Medical Branch]], and [[Logistics Officer]]s (previously named [[Supply Officer]]s). Present-day officers and ratings have several different [[Uniforms of the Royal Navy|uniform]]s; some are designed to be worn aboard ship, others ashore or in ceremonial duties. Women began to join the Royal Navy in 1917 with the formation of the [[Women's Royal Naval Service]] (WRNS), which was disbanded after the end of the First World War in 1919. It was revived in 1939, and the WRNS continued until disbandment in 1993, as a result of the decision to fully integrate women into the structures of the Royal Navy. Women now serve in all sections of the Royal Navy including the [[Royal Marines]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1395974/First-woman-wins-Marines-green-beret.html|title=First woman wins Marines' green beret|date=1 June 2002|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809215001/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1395974/First-woman-wins-Marines-green-beret.html|archive-date=9 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2019, the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] published figures showing that the Royal Navy and Royal Marines had 29,090 full-time trained personnel compared with a target of 30,600.<ref>{{cite news | title = Strength of British military falls for ninth year | work = [[BBC News Online]] | date = 16 August 2019 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49365599 | access-date = 18 August 2019 }}</ref> In 2023, it was reported that the Royal Navy was experiencing significant recruiting challenges with a net drop of some 1,600 personnel (4 percent of the force) from mid-2022 to mid-2023. This was posing a significant problem in the ability of the navy to meet its commitments.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Royal Navy failing to get enough recruits into basic training |url=https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-failing-to-get-enough-recruits-into-basic-training/ |date=2 November 2023 |website=Navy Lookout |language=en|access-date=3 November 2023}}</ref> 

In December 2019 the [[First Sea Lord]], [[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] [[Tony Radakin]], outlined a proposal to reduce the number of Rear-Admirals at [[Navy Command (Ministry of Defence)|Navy Command]] by five.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ripley|first=Tim|title=Admirals thrown to sharks as 'top-heavy' navy tries to cut costs|newspaper=[[The Times]]|language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/defence/article/admirals-thrown-to-sharks-as-top-heavy-navy-tries-to-cut-costs-bhwm5d856|access-date=11 May 2020|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> The fighting arms (excluding [[Commandant General Royal Marines]]) would be reduced to [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|commodore]] (1-star) rank and the surface flotillas would be combined. Training would be concentrated under the [[Fleet Commander]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Royal Navy To Cut Back On Senior Personnel|url=https://www.forces.net/news/royal-navy-cut-back-senior-personnel|date=23 December 2019|website=Forces Network|language=en|access-date=30 August 2020}}</ref>

In 1952, Royal Navy ratings belonged to one of eleven branches: Seaman (may specialise as Boom Defence Rating; Gunnery Rating; Physical and Recreational Training Instructor; Quartermaster; Radar Plotter; Sailmaker; Surveying Recorder; Torpedo and Submarine Detection Rating); Naval Aviation (Aircraft Artificer; Aircraft Handler; Aircraft Mechanic (Airframes); Aircraft Mechanic (Engines); Aircraft Mechanic (Ordnance); Meteorological Observer; Photographer; Safety Equipment Rating); Communications (Signalman; Telegraphist); Shipwright (Shipwright Artificer); Electrical (Electrician; Electrician (Air); Electrical Artificer; Electrical Artificer (Air); Radio Electrical Artificer; Radio Electrical Artificer (Air); Radio Electrician; Radio Electrician (Air)); Engineering (Engine Room Artificer; Stoker Mechanic); Ordnance (Ordnance Artificer); Regulating (Master-at-Arms; Patrol Rating); Supply and Secretarial (Cook; Steward; Stores Rating; Writer); Medical (Laboratory Assistant; Operating Room Assistant; Physiotherapist (Masseur); Radiographer; Sanitary Inspector; Sick Berth Attendant); and Dental (Dental Surgery Attendant).<ref name="Chaffe">G. H. Chaffe (ed.), ''Careers Encyclopædia'', Avon Press: London, 1952.</ref>