Editing Royal Australian Navy (section)

=== Post war to present ===
[[File:Wessex 92.jpg|thumb|RAN Wessex helicopter in 1962]]
After the Second World War, the size of the RAN was again reduced, but it gained new capabilities with the acquisition of two aircraft carriers, [[HMAS Sydney (R17)|''Sydney'']] and [[HMAS Melbourne (R21)|''Melbourne'']].<ref>Gillett & Graham 1977, p. 94.</ref> The RAN saw action in many [[Cold War]]–era conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region and operated alongside the Royal Navy and United States Navy off Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam.<ref>Dennis et al. 1995, pp. 519–520.</ref> Since the end of the Cold War, the RAN has been part of Coalition forces in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, operating in support of [[Operation Slipper]] and undertaking counter piracy operations. It was also deployed in support of Australian peacekeeping operations in [[INTERFET|East Timor]] and the [[RAMSI|Solomon Islands]].<ref name=workingpaper>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Working_Paper_18.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227081723/http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/Working_Paper_18.pdf |title=Database of Royal Australian Navy Operations, 1990–2005 |publisher=Sea Power Centre |series=Working Paper No. 18 |archive-date=27 February 2012 |access-date=24 August 2014}}</ref>

The high demand for personnel in the Second World War led to the establishment of the [[Women's Royal Australian Naval Service]] (WRANS) branch in 1942, where over 3,000 women served in shore-based positions. The WRANS was disbanded in 1947, but then re-established in 1951 during the Cold War. It was given permanent status in 1959, and the RAN was the final branch to integrate [[women in the Australian military]] in 1985.<ref name=Dennis607>Dennis et al. 1995, pp. 607–608.</ref>