Poland

Since there is not a dedicated page for Pan-Asian/European and Commowealth nation this is it for now.

The "Commonwealth of Nations" was born in the early twentieth century during the waning years of the British Empire. Officially formed in December 1931 via the Statute of Westminster, the original seven member states were the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and Newfoundland. Today, it is made up of 52 sovereign states that span the globe, and currently includes nations that had no previous political or economic ties to the United Kingdom or the British Empire.

Several of the various nation-states that comprise the Commonwealth deploy their own military forces. Collectively, they are represented in World of Warships under a single flag, but each navy has its own history and traditions.

HMCS Haida, Tier VI destroyer

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the British Empire faced a unique dilemma: the challenge of protecting its many dominions across the world. In the case of the Dominion of Canada, there were two easy solutions: either provide the Royal Navy the resources to protects borders of the Dominion, or take the necessary steps to allow Canada to provide for her own defense. The latter path was chosen, and soon the government put forth a Naval Service Bill organizing a permanent and volunteer force, as well founding as a naval college to train future personnel. Thus, in 1910 the Naval Service of Canada was born; it was later designated the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)^[1] by King George V on 29 August 1911.

The nucleus of the nascent navy came in the shape of two cruisers: HMCS Rainbow and HMCS Niobe, both seeing service primarily as training vessels. Despite government contention on the logistics and practicality of fielding a navy, the citizens of Canada were supportive of the institution and bolstered the manpower of the volunteer reserve forces (RNCVR).

By the start of the First World War, the RCN had grown to four cruisers and two submarines. This rather small force spent the majority of the conflict patrolling both coastlines of North America, with most of these assets being deemed unfit for service before the war’s end. The lack of growth of the Navy was largely attributed to the decision by the Canadian government to allow citizens to choose whether they wished to serve with the Royal Canadian Navy or the British equivalent; many chose to serve in the latter.

The end of World War I saw a reduction of manpower plus a transition to conducting civilian duties, with its handful of destroyers and single cruiser. On the other hand, enthusiasm in the RNCVR stayed strong and continued to grow through the interwar years. By the 1930's, the RCN was slowly seeing new life breathed into it via the acquisition of two new destroyers built in England – the first ships purpose-built for the RCN. Further investment in the service was spurred on by rising tensions and aggression in Europe and Asia; more destroyers and training vessels were acquired.

The events of the Second World War saw an explosion of growth for the Royal Canadian Navy; ships were simultaneously produced at home and acquired from abroad, with new recruits drawing in from all across the country. The Navy primarily operated in the North Atlantic and was solely responsible for the oversight of the entire Northwest Theater of operations. The RCN fulfilled two primary functions: convoy protection and submarine hunting. During six years of active combat duty, the RCN proved its potential through the destruction or capture of twenty-seven (27) German submarines and forty-two (42) Axis ships. Even more impressive was the fact that the Navy successfully escorted over 25,000 convoy crossings, delivery nearly 182,000,000 tons worth of men and materials critical for the war effort from North America to the United Kingdom. Tragically, this did come at the cost of twenty-four (24) vessels and nearly 2,000 personnel.

By the end of World War II, the RCN had transformed from an inexperienced service to a formidable force; it was the third-largest navy in the entire world, despite consisting predominantly of destroyers. None could question the diligence displayed by the personnel of the RCN; years of submarine hunting had shaped the service into masters of anti-submarine warfare. That experience would come in handy during the Cold War while tracking the Soviet submarines. To this day, the proud traditions of the RCN adhere to the prestige forged by their founders and predecessors.

HMAS Vampire, Tier II destroyer

With the vast majority of its population spread along the long coastlines of the country, Australia relied upon detached units from the Royal Navy to provide naval defense for more than a century. This arrangement remained the status quo until 1909, when talks began of a dedicated naval unit to be deployed to Australian waters. It was decided between the British Admiralty and the Australian Government that Australia would purchase a "fleet unit" consisting of six destroyers, three cruisers, three submarines, various auxiliaries, and a battlecruiser. The first two ships, HMAS Yarra and HMAS Parramatta, reached Australian waters in November 1910, and on 10 July 1911 King George V granted the title of Royal Australian Navy (RAN)^[2] to the Commonwealth Naval Forces. By 1913, the completed Australian fleet — led by battlecruiser HMAS Australia — entered Sydney Harbour for the first time.

The RAN served on the frontlines of World War I, supporting Australian landings in the invasion of the German New Guinea colonies and attacking the Ottoman Navy in the Sea of Marmora during the Gallipoli campaign. HMAS Sydney faced off alone against SMS Emden in the middle of the Indian Ocean and won — earning the RAN's first victory at sea — while HMAS Australia was later involved in the Battle of Jutland. After the war, the RAN — like most other navies around the world — was forced to make changes as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. They had to scrap their only battlecruiser as a result of the treaty, but gained several pre-war submarines and destroyers.

During the inter-war period, older ships were sold for scrap while newer heavy cruisers, light cruisers, submarines, destroyers, and a seaplane carrier^[3] found their way into RAN service. Hampered by the inter-war disarmament policies due to shifting economic and political situations, the RAN rose once again to fight in World War II. Throughout 1940, the RAN distinguished itself in the Mediterranean with the famous destroyers of the "Scrap Iron Flotilla". RAN units returned to defend the Australian homeland when war broke out in the Pacific and enemy ships prowled Australian waters, fighting against the encroaching Empire of Japan as close to home as the Coral Sea.

Since the end of the Second World War, the Royal Australian Navy has served in operations from the Korean Theater to East Timor, focusing on protecting Australia’s interests in the southwestern Pacific region and peacekeeping around the globe with a 50-strong fleet of modern destroyers, frigates, submarines, and auxiliaries.

Much like their neighbors across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand was protected by the Royal Navy from its founding well into the twentieth century. The residents of New Zealand took an active role in contributing to their own defense early on, providing spar torpedo boats to their assigned division of the Royal Navy late in the nineteenth century as well as fully funding the Indefatigable-class battlecruiser HMS New Zealand commissioned into His Majesty's service in 1911. New Zealand served throughout the duration of World War I, seeing action at Heligoland Blight, Dogger Bank, and in the Battle of Jutland.

The "New Zealand Naval Forces" were formally organized as a part of the Naval Defence Act of 1913, and referred to as the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy^[4] from 1921 onwards. The New Zealand Division was largely comprised of cruisers^[5] and lighter units, including HMS Leander, HMS Achilles, and a pair of Danae-class cruisers. With the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, New Zealand joined the rest of the British Empire in declaring war on Germany. Recognizing that the existing New Zealand Division was already largely independent and self-sufficient, King George VI christened it the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN)^[6] on 1 October 1941. The RNZN contributed ships and men in several key theaters of operations during the course of the war, seeing action — and suffering losses — in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea.

Having grown to nearly sixty ships by August 1945, the RNZN was drastically scaled down in size following the conclusion of the Second World War. Nevertheless, RNZN forces continued to participate in combat operations in conjunction with the United Nations by contributing ships to both the Korean War and intervention efforts in East Timor. The modern RNZN has fewer than a dozen ships in service: a mix of frigates, coastal patrol vessels, and other light craft that patrol home waters and ensure the sovereignty and safety of their homeland.

The modern Indian Navy was created by the British Empire in 1612 to help expand the influence of the East India Company, which oversaw trade in British India, and de facto governed India. The Bombay Marine saw victories against Portugal and skirmishes in Burma during the period of company rule. In 1858, the East India Company was nationalized, and India fell under direct British rule. The Bombay Marine soon became the Royal Indian Navy. During World War I, it did little more than minesweeping and transport duty. At the start of World War II, India only had eight warships, but the war saw an expansion of the navy. Indian warships saw action in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, & Pacific Ocean, greatly contributing to Allied victories. After the war in 1946, the crews of more than fifty Indian warships mutinied in demand of better serving conditions and an end to British colonial rule. In 1947, the Empire of India was partitioned into the Dominion of India & Dominion of Pakistan, and the Royal Indian Navy was divided between the two countries. In 1950, India declared itself a republic and was finally fully independent from the British Empire, thus the Royal Indian Navy became, simply the Indian Navy (Bhaarateey Nausena). In the post-independence years, India saw an large import of foreign warships, mostly former British vessels, and has since risen to a major naval power. In 1971, it saw major success in India's war against Pakistan. Today the Indian Navy remains among the world's largest and most powerful.

The Pan-Asia faction does not cover a specific nation, but includes ships from various nations within the Asia-Pacific region. Ships from six navies are currently represented in World of Warships: the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Republic of Korea (South Korea), the Republic of Indonesia, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Federation of Malaysia. In-game, each ship can fly the individual ensign of their respective navy (as shown below) or the Pan-Asian flag (as shown on the left).

CNS Huanghe, Tier V cruiser

Formally organized in September 1950, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)^[7] was initially built upon units that defected from the Republic of China Navy during the Chinese Civil War. Nominally a branch of the People's Liberation Army, their subordinate status to their ground-pounding brethren led to a variety of growing pains.

Early expansion in the 1950's was primarily the result of purchasing hand-me-down frigates and destroyers from the Soviet Navy while the People's Republic of China developed shipbuilding and naval architecture skills from within its own borders (with Soviet assistance). The PLAN remained largely focused on littoral and riverine combat until the late 1980s and the break-up of the Soviet Union. China's more prominent role in world — and naval — affairs in the years hence has led to explosive growth of the modern PLAN and development of green water capabilities that continue to expand today. The PLAN operates at least one modern aircraft carrier — purchased as surplus from the Russian Federation Navy — while developing their own carrier construction program; they launched their first nuclear ballistic missile submarine in 1981, and continue to progress improvements to their own designs of surface vessels and submarines.

ROCS Loyang, Tier VII destroyer

The roots of the Republic of China Navy (ROCN)^[8] date back to 1912 and the establishment of the Ministry of the Navy, following the fall of the Qing Dynasty and subsequent creation of the Republic of China. The ROCN remained loyal to the Kuomintang government throughout the political chaos of the late teens and 1920's, and maintained a focus on river patrols and littoral combat, knowing it was unable to challenge the might of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) at sea.

Their meager forces devastated in the opening days of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the ROCN effectively ceased to exist again until the close of World War II. Re-constituted and bolstered by the transfer of decommissioned ships from Allied navies — and captured ships from the IJN — the ROCN was again decimated by Chinese internal politics, as some units defected to support Communist forces during the Chinese Civil War that broke out in March 1946. Loyal ROCN units were instrumental in assisting with and protecting the evacuation of over a million refugees from mainland China to the island of Taiwan in October 1949 following the defeat of Chiang Kai-shek's Chinese Nationalist forces at the hands of Mao Zedong's Communists.

Much to the irritation of the People's Republic of China, Western navies — such as the United States Navy — quickly developed relations with the exiled armed forces of the Republic of China and have supported them in the decades since. Transfers of technology and materiel have kept the ROCN modern and relevant as concerns developed in the early 1990's around the PLAN's ability to potentially blockade the island. Local shipbuilding lacks the capability to deliver submarines, but has successfully built and commissioned a mix of frigates, corvettes, and local patrol vessels into ROCN service. Combined with a mix of surplus vessels purchased from the United States, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the modern ROCN continues to pursue a mission of local littoral control and anti-blockade measures in the shadow of an expanding PLAN.

ROKS Chung Mu, Tier IX destroyer

Though not formally founded until shortly after the creation of the Republic of Korea on 15 August 1948, the modern Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN)^[9] traces its origins to the Marine Defense Group that was organized on 11 November 1945 following the Japanese withdrawal from the Korean peninsula. Originally charged with local patrols and littoral defense of Korean waters, the Marine Defense Group evolved into the Korean Coast Guard before being re-organized into the ROKN.

The young navy barely had time to develop assets before finding itself embroiled in the Korean War that broke out in June 1950. Bolstered by sales and donations of surplus World War II ships and material from friendly navies — as well as the active participation of navies from the member states of the United Nations — the ROKN quickly developed a reputation of aggressiveness, competence, and effectiveness in combat. The cease-fire that ended the war three years later has given way to a long, uneasy peace between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) on the southern half of the peninsula and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) on the northern half.

Since the end of the Korean War, the ROKN has concentrated its efforts on building naval forces to hold in check the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Navy (DPRKN) and their littoral naval capabilities. By the late 1970's, the growth of the South Korean economy and shipbuilding industry allowed them to grow their naval fleet with destroyers, frigates, and corvettes built indigenously. The modern ROKN continues to pursue missions of deterring aggression, protection of national maritime rights, and supporting the nation's foreign policy; as a part of their overall mission, it has engaged in several peacekeeping operations since the turn of the 21st century.

KRI Gadjah Mada, Tier VI destroyer

Founded on 10 September 1945 — during the opening days of the Indonesian National Revoultion — the Republic of Indonesia Navy^[10] (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Laut, or TNI–AL) was initially comprised primarily of Indonesian sailors with experience serving in the Royal Dutch or Imperial Japanese navies. Initially bolstered by captured Japanese ships, they clashed with the Dutch Navy several times over the course of the conflict.

The end of the revolution marked the beginning of the development of the Indonesian Navy into a modern naval force. In accordance with the results of the Round Table Conference in December 1949, the TNI-AL was transferred a variety of war equipment and naval bases. Over the next decade, the TNI-AL enhanced its strength and improved its capabilities, reorganizing itself into distinct fleet forces, founding a Marine Corps — the Naval Commando Corps Command (Korps Komando-Angkatan Laut, or KKO-AL) — while building a focus on naval aviation. Their access to naval combat equipment grew in scope and size, both from the Netherlands and various other countries.

With their increased capabilities, the TNI-AL helped deal with a myriad of separatist movements that sprung up during the 1950s. By the height of the Cold War, a fledgling Indonesia had been largely saved from disintegrating from within and found itself embroiled in the larger conflict between the United States and Soviet Union that permeated the globe. A number of ex-Soviet Navy vessels found their way into TNI-AL service as the nation developed closer ties with the Soviets. Amidst the fallout of a September 1965 coup d'état, Indonesia severed ties with the Soviet Union. Several years of additional political turmoil ultimately resulted in a more democratic government that pursued closer ties with — and economic investment from — Western nations like the U.S.A. and United Kingdom.

The TNI-AL undertook a significant modernization effort in the 1980s, adding missile cruisers and other advanced technology to their arsenal. Currently, Indonesia fields the largest navy of any southeast Asian nation, and is notable for its capability to build modern missile cruisers and submarines via treaties with South Korea.

HTMS Phra Ruang, Tier II destroyer

Following conflicts with both the British Empire and France — both of whom occupied neighboring countries — Siam began to reorganize its military in the latter portion of the 19th century. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN)^[11] was founded in 1875, when it was originally known as the Royal Siamese Navy. Despite royal backing, Siam was without modern warships until the conclusion of World War I, when Siamese citizens donated money for King Mongkut to purchase an R-class destroyer — HMS Radiant — from the Royal Navy. Re-named and commissioned into her new navy, HTMS Phra Ruang was the first state-of-the-art warship that saw service with the RTN.

Siam later placed orders with Japanese shipyards for the construction of two coastal monitors, two submarines, and number of destroyers. These ships were involved in the 1932 coup d'état that transformed the absolute monarchy of Siam into the constitutional monarchy of Thailand, as well as the Franco-Thai War, which saw Thailand take advantage of the fall of France in 1940 to reclaim territory lost to the French during the conflicts of the 19th century. The conclusion of the Franco-Thai War was mediated by Japan and the treaty signed in Tokyo on 9 May 1941. Barely seven months later, Japan invaded and subjugated Thailand, forcing her government to declare war on the Allied powers in January 1942.

The conclusion of World War II in the summer of 1945 brought additional political turmoil to southeast Asia; the withdrawal of the Japanese and the weakening of colonial European forces left room for many countries to undergo significant leadership changes. Backed by the Soviet Union and China, communist ideology began to expand throughout the Indochina peninsula. With the aid of the United States — and royal influence — Thailand was able to resist communist influence and join the United Nations, allowing units of the RTN to participate in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars (in cooperation with South Korea and South Vietnam, respectively).

Today, the modern RTN continues to develop their overall capabilities, and is notable as the only southeast Asian nation to operate an aircraft carrier. Like their counterparts in Taiwan, local shipbuilding also has the ability to deliver modern frigates and destroyers without the need to purchase them from Western navies.

KD Rahmat, Tier VI cruiser

The Royal Malaysian Navy^[12] (Tentara Laut Diraja Malaysia, or TLDM) can trace its roots to the formation of the Straits Settlement Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (SSRNVR) in Singapore on 27 April 1934 by the British colonial government in Singapore. The SSRNVR was formed to assist the Royal Navy in the defence of Singapore, upon which the defence of the Malay Peninsula was based. Also behind its formation were political developments in Asia, particularly the rise of a Japan that was increasingly assertive in Asia. In 1938, the SSRNVR was expanded with a branch in Penang.

The Malay Navy was reactivated on 24 December 1948 at the outbreak of the Malayan Emergency, the communist-inspired insurgent war against the British colonial government. The Malayan Naval Force (MNF) regulation was gazetted on 4 March 1949 by the colonial authorities, and was based at an ex-Royal Air Force radio base station in Woodlands, Singapore. By 1950, the MNF fleet had expanded to include the ex-Japanese minelayer HMS Laburnum, Landing Craft Tank (LCT) HMS Pelandok ("Mousedeer"), motor fishing vessel HMS Panglima ("Marshal"), torpedo recovery vessel HMS Simbang and several seaward defence motor launches (SDML). In August 1952, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the title "Royal Malayan Navy" on the Malayan Naval Force in recognition of its sterling service in action during the Malayan Emergency.

On 12 July 1958, soon after attaining its independence on 31 August 1957, the Federation of Malaya negotiated with the British government to transfer the British Navy assets to the newly formed Royal Malayan Navy. With the hoisting of the Federation naval ensign – the White Ensign modified by the substituting the Union Flag with the Federation flag in the canton – the Royal Malayan Navy became responsible for Malaya's maritime self-defence. The new force had an operational and training base at HMMS Malaya, and a small coastal fleet of one LCT, one coastal minelayer, six Ham-class minesweepers and seven Ton-class minesweeper (the ex-RN 200th Patrol Squadron) on transfer from the Royal Navy.

In 1977, the RMN acquired the frigate HMS Mermaid from the Royal Navy to replace the decommissioned Hang Tuah. The ship was also named KD Hang Tuah, but retained HMS Mermaid's pennant number of F76. KD Rahmat (ex-Hang Jebat) (F24) joined the RMN in 1972. The 2,300-ton ship was a one-off Yarrow light frigate design for the RMN. The ship was originally named Hang Jebat but renamed after initial propulsion problems during pre-commissioning trials.

Today, the modern RMN consists of Laksamana-class corvettes, Lekiu-class frigates, Kasturi-class corvettes, Scorpène-class submarines, Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels and a batch of Keris-class littoral mission ships to boost the fleet. In addition, the construction of six new Maharaja Lela-class frigate also will make the RMN as a formidable power in the region.

Destroyers

Gameplay

ROCS Shenyang, Tier III destroyer

None of the various units that comprise the Pan-Asian destroyer branch originated in the countries whose flag they fly in World of Warships; every single hull was purchased from a foreign navy prior to seeing service in their respective Asian navies. As such, the line is an odd mix of play styles that dabbles in each of the other destroyer lines currently in the game: from Longjiang’s roots in the Kaiserliche Marine, to Phra Ruang’s and Gadjah Mada’s prior service in the Royal Navy, to Shenyang’s time flying the Rising Sun of the IJN, to Fushun’s Red Fleet origins, to the surplus World War II-vintage United States Navy hulls that comprise the high end of the line. Main battery performance varies widely from hull-to-hull based on the country of origin; the one unifying trait that all Pan-Asian destroyers share is that they equip deep-water torpedoes. Unlike the torpedoes mounted on other destroyers, these fish are set to run at depths of 5-6 meters, meaning that enemy destroyers cannot take hits from them; conversely, they are highly lethal to all opposing battleships and carriers, as well as most enemy cruisers. Starting with Tier VIII's Hsienyang, Pan-Asian destroyers also gain access to a modified version of the Surveillance Radar 

consumable with a shorter duration and range than that found on cruisers of similar tiers; unfortunately, they must sacrifice their Smoke Generator 

in order to mount it.

The Pan-Europe faction does not cover a specific nation, but includes ships from various nations within the European region. Ships from these navies are currently represented in World of Warships: Sweden, Poland, Greece, and Austria-Hungary, with the Netherlands now their own country (since Update 0.10.6) In-game, each ship can fly the individual jack of their respective navy (as shown below) or the Pan-European flag (as shown on the left).

ORP Błyskawica, Tier VI destroyer

Political enthusiasm for a fully fledged Polish Navy (Marynarka Wojenna)^[13] had always been tepid; a relatively short coastline and access to the Atlantic restricted by its Scandinavian neighbors led the Polish leadership to relegate what little naval assets Poland had to river and coastal defense. The first attempt at a proper navy, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Navy, achieved great success against Sweden in the Polish-Swedish War (1600-1629), but was completely destroyed by Denmark in 1637. No serious attempts at rebuilding the navy were made throughout the rest of the Commonwealth's existence, and its dissolution at the Partitions of Poland in the late 18th century meant that any hopes of doing so had all but vanished. It was Józef Piłsudski, then-Commander in Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, who founded what is now known as the modern Polish Navy on 28 November 1918, nearly three centuries after its destruction. Once again, her primary purpose was to protect the Polish coastline against various threats, with an emphasis on fast submarines, powerful destroyers, and judicious use of mines. However, the Great Depression limited the Polish Navy's major combat vessels to a mere four destroyers, five submarines, and the minelayer ORP Gryf at the onset of World War II.

Initially deciding on a strategy of harassment and indirect engagement, Polish naval command realized that the small, mostly landlocked Baltic Sea was well within range of the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe, and that any ship would be quickly found and sent to the bottom if they were to remain there. Thus on 29 August 1939, the Peking Plan was executed with assistance from the Royal Navy, evacuating the destroyers stationed in the Baltic — ORP Burza, ORP Błyskawica and ORP Grom — to the naval base at Leith, Scotland, just 3 days before the invasion of Poland and the outbreak of war. Initially seen as "abandoning" their country, the operation was a wise decision by the Polish naval command, preserving the destroyers to allow them to take part in the defense of Norway, Operation Dynamo, the Battle of the Atlantic, and dozens of escort and convoy missions. Moreover, supplemented by ships from the Royal Navy, the Polish Navy in exile as a whole also participated in major engagements such as the sinking of Bismarck, Operation Jubilee, and Operation Overlord. On the other hand, ORP Gryf and ORP Wicher, who had remained behind in the Baltic Sea, were sunk within the first three days of the war.

Poland's years as a Warsaw Pact country did not diminish her need for a naval presence in the Baltic Sea, and that remained the focus of her navy for a half century following the close of World War II. Joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on 29 March 1999 forced a change in that mindset; the Polish Navy of the 21st century has re-focused on greater levels of international cooperation and sea-going patrols in cooperation with her new NATO partners, developing a specialization in sub-surface combat.

SMS Viribus Unitis, Tier IV battleship

Austro-Hungarian Navy (Kaiserliche und königliche Kriegsmarine)

Austria first gained access to the ocean in 1382, yet it would take over one hundred years for armed warships to be flying the Austrian colors starting in very small numbers in 1528. This small group mainly served as coastal defense, and was only under a very local command. It was only in 1797 that Austria truly started to maintain a navy, when Venice became a part of Austria and the Venecian fleet would become the Austrian fleet. This however only lasted for a mere 50 years before the Guerre d'indipendenza italiane, the Italian war for independence, broke out, in which the majority of the crews of Italian origin would turn against the Austrian rule. Having lost almost their entire Naval power, it became clear that Austrian interests on the ocean could only be secured by a proper Austrian Navy. Emperor Franz Joseph drew the consequences and began laying the foundation of a full Austrian Navy. With the inclusion of Hungary in 1867 the navy became the Austro-Hungarian Navy^[14]. Despite the everlasting budget issues, the Austro-Hungarian Navy would become one of the larger navies and would follow the latest naval trends, or even set one themselves like with the construction of the first torpedo.

During the first world war the Austro-Hungarian Navy was blocked the access to the Mediterranean Sea by Italian, French and British forces, and would be delegated to a Fleet-In-Being. However the smaller forces would continuously be active in the Mediterranean, in particular submarines^[15] which would over the course of the war sink 196,000 GRT with a further 41,000 GRT being possibly sunk. On top of that numerous warships would be crippled and sunk by smaller forces. The only vessel that would see action outside the Mediterranean would be the cruiser^[16] Kaiserin Elisabeth, which would otherwise become known as the first target of a ship-launched aircraft.

The end of the Great War in 1918 marked the end of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and as such the end of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The remaining vessels would become parts of other navies, or in the case of the battleship^[17] Viribus Unitis get sunk by Italian divers before they could be redistributed. Austria became a nation in central Europe with no access to the ocean, rendering the need for a large navy impractical.

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HswMS Östergötland, Tier VIII destroyer

Swedish Royal Navy (Svenska marinen) The Swedish Royal Navy^[18] has officially existed since the 7th of June, 1522. Formed in the middle of the Swedish War of Liberation (1521-1523), where Sweden fought for her independence from the Kalmar Union, the Swedish Navy took part in numerous wars in the ensuring centuries. However, Sweden's armed neutrality has lasted from the end of the Swedish-Norwegian war (1814) to the present day, though Swedish forces have become intervened in other conflicts. Swedish ships use the prefix HMS (Hans/Hennes majestäts skepp, or His/Her Majesties' ship), but in English they are normally given the prefix HswMS, to avoid confusion with the Royal Navy.

Sweden's navy was the main enforcer of her neutral policies during both World Wars. While Sweden has never fielded a 'true' battleship, she has kept seaworthy coastal defense battleships since 1886. Indigenous shipbuilders built these coastal defense battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, which were in service from before the first World War until the decommissioning of the Halland in 1987. Sweden's coastal defense battleships have been cited as a reason Germany did not invade Sweden like her Scandinavian neighbors, but how much impact these ships had compared to the military, industrial, and political concessions to the Reich is debatable.

As the Cold War began, it was thought that large Swedish Navy ships would not survive any sort of nuclear attacks in the enclosed Baltic. Thus, construction of ships larger than frigates was stopped, with many larger ships being sold to South American nations or scrapped outright. Destroyer Småland survives as a museum ship in Gothenburg.

Greece's naval history goes back to ancient times with various Greek city-states having their own navies. Notably, they came together during the Persian Wars at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. The Greek states were later conquered by various empires throughout history, and thus no Greek naval forces existed, though seafaring traditions continued. In 1821, the Greek people revolted against the Ottoman Empire and demanded independence.

The modern Hellenic Navy (Ελληνικό Πολεμικό Ναυτικό) was born in 1821 during the Greek War of Independence, using converted merchant ships as the base for the navy. During the war, the young Hellenic Navy saw some surprise victories against the Ottoman Navy. As international support for Greek independence grew, the leading world powers intervened and helped Greece secure their independence by 1827. The Hellenic Navy was small in size, but received some warships from foreign powers to help it build up. The ascension of King Otto and the creation of the Kingdom of Greece in 1832 saw the formal creation of the Royal Hellenic Navy and underwent further expansion, opening the first naval schools. During the Crimean War, Greece was blockaded by the Royal Navy to prevent it from attacking the Ottoman Empire and aiding Russia. In 1855, the first steam-powered warships arrived. In 1866, the Greek island of Crete revolted against Ottoman rule, but the Royal Hellenic Navy was in no position to support it, and thus the revolt failed. This made the Greek government realize the importance maintaining a navy. The Royal Hellenic Navy underwent a modernization and new ironclad warships were built. In 1889, Greece saw its first battleships come into service. The Greco-Turkish War of 1897 saw no naval action, but the Royal Hellenic Navy dominated the Aegean Sea, though Greece was defeated on land. In 1909, the Royal Hellenic Navy's most famous warship, the armored cruiser, RHS Georgios Averof was commissioned, and more modern warships also came into service alongside her.

In 1912 the First Balkan War broke out with Greece leading a coalition against the Ottoman Empire. During the war, Greece's most famous admiral, Pavlos Kountouriotis, commanded the Royal Hellenic Navy from the Georgios Averof. He led the Greek fleet to decisive victories at the Battle of Elli in December 1912 and at the Battle of Lemnos in January 1913. These battles secured Greece's victory in the war. Immediately after the war, the Royal Hellenic Navy sought to expand its fleet and purchased two pre-dreadnought battleships from the United States, and an unfinished protected cruiser from China. Greece also put in orders to foreign shipyards for more modern destroyers, light cruisers, and dreadnought battleships, to counter a similar build-up by the Ottoman Empire. However, the outbreak of World War I in 1914 prevented most of these orders from being delivered, and halted Greece's naval expansion. Greece attempted to remain neutral during World War I, but this led to an internal political conflict, and the French Navy confiscating and disarming the Greek fleet in Athens. Greece eventually entered the war on the Entente side in July 1917 and France returned the Greek ships, but too late to see any real action in the war. The Greek fleet deployed to support the Allied Intervention in Russia and the Greco-Turkish War of 1919, in which Turkey defeated Greece on land.

In the interwar years, Greece undertook a naval modernization with assistance of foreign powers. In August 1940, Italy invaded Greece, dragging them into World War II. Greece fell to the Axis powers by April 1941, and the Royal Hellenic Navy suffered heavy losses, including both of their battleships. The Luftwaffe was responsible for the destruction of most of the Greek fleet. What survived of the Royal Hellenic Navy continued to operate alongside the Royal Navy for the rest of the war, and saw it resupplied with ships transferred from the Royal Navy to help recover its losses. The armored cruiser Georgios Averof had escaped and served as the Greek flagship during the war. She would be used as the Suez Canal guardship. The rest of the fleet took part in convoy escort missions in the Mediterranean Sea and some ships took part in the D-Day landings.

After the war, the Royal Hellenic Navy imported a number of foreign ships, mostly from the United States, to rebuild its fleet. Greece joined NATO in 1952 and it only helped further expand their navy and their operations. In 1967, Greek military leaders ousted a democratic government in a coup d'etat and declared a military dictatorship. Greece's King Constantine II attempted a counter coup, but failed and was forced into exile. The Greek monarchy was later abolished in 1973, and the Hellenic Republic was declared, and the navy becoming the Hellenic Navy. That same year, the Greek destroyer, HS Velos refused to sail home from Italy in protest of the dictatorship, gaining international attention. The Greek junta fell in 1974 and democracy was restored. The Hellenic Navy was deployed that year to Cyprus to reinforce their garrison and the Cyprus Army against the Turkish invasion, though no major naval action occurred between either side.

Today the Hellenic Navy remains a major force in Southern Europe and operates a large modern fleet of frigates, fast attack craft, and submarines. It is very capable of controlling the Aegean Sea, the Adriatic Sea, and portions of the Mediterranean Sea. It participates actively in NATO operations alongside fellow allies.

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Norway's naval history goes back to the Viking era, but a formal navy wasn't established until 1814, after Norway's brief independence from Denmark. The same year, Norway entered into a union with Sweden, but retained its own independent military. During this time, it saw massive growth, and by the late 19th century it consisted of a handful of coastal defense ships and torpedo boats. Norway gained full independence from Sweden in 1905 and formally became the Royal Norwegian Navy (Sjøforsvaret). Shortly after independence, Norway's first destroyers entered service and a slow naval modernization began. In 1912, the Royal Norwegian Naval Air Service was founded, beginning Norway's era of naval aviation. Norway managed to remain neutral in World War I, despite U-boat attacks on its merchant ships.

Norway's hopes of remaining neutral in World War II were shattered when Germany invaded on April 8 1940. On the first day of the invasion, Norway's coastal defenses at Oscarsborg Fortress sank the German heavy cruiser Blücher in Drøbak Sound, just outside of Oslo. Norway's most powerful warships, the coastal defense ships HNoMS Norge & HNoMS Eidsvold were sunk at Narvik by a flotilla of German destroyers. Norway's fjords and coast became a battleground between the Royal Navy & Kreigsmarine in 1940. Norway fell on 10 June 1940, and the only Norwegian warships that were able to escape were two destroyers and a submarine, with all other warships being sunk or captured. Germany used occupied-Norway as a major base for operations in the Atlantic & Arctic. The Royal Navy would transfer a number of ships to the Royal Norwegian Navy to make up for their losses. The Free Norwegian Navy continued to operate alongside the Royal Navy and was heavily involved in the Battle of the Atlantic performing convoy escort duties. Other notable actions during the war included the the destroyer HNoMS Stord torpedoing the German battleship Scharnhorst at the Battle of the North Cape on 26 December 1943, and ten Norwegian warships took part in the D-Day landings, in which the destroyer HNoMS Svenner was sunk by German torpedo boats, and its special operations unit, called the Shetland Bus, which carried out raids in Occupied-Norway.

After the war, Norway became a founding member of NATO, and with its new allies, helped rebuild its navy. During the Cold War, the Royal Norwegian Navy trained heavily to counter any possible attack by the Soviet Union.

Today, the Royal Norwegian Navy operates a modest force of destroyers, patrol ships, minesweepers, and submarines. It actively participates in joint exercises and patrols alongside NATO allies, and remains vigilant for any possible threat.

Turkey's naval history goes back to the 14th century as the Ottoman Navy (Osmanlı Donanması), and participated in numerous conflicts. Most notably, its victory at the Battle of Preveza against the Holy League in 1538. As history progressed, the Ottoman Empire declined and gradually lost territory. In 1821, Greece declared its independence, and during the Greek War of Independence, the Ottoman Navy saw massive defeats at the hands of the Great Powers. These losses would continue during the 1853-1856 Crimean War and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The Ottoman Empire was financially unable to modernize or expand its fleet to the extent that it needed. In 1886, it did make some technological advances with submarines, having the first submarine to fire a torpedo while submerged. By the turn of the 20th century, the Ottoman Empire had help modernizing its navy with ships ordered or purchased used from the Great Powers, to include battleships.

In 1911, the Italo-Ottoman War broke out with disastrous results for the Ottoman Navy, with the following 1912-1913 Balkan Wars against Greece being even more disastrous. This led for a push of further modernization. The Ottoman Empire ordered two dreadnought battleships from British shipyards, but were seized by the Royal Navy upon the outbreak of World War I in 1914. To compensate and gain their loyalty, Germany transferred the battlecruiser SMS Goeben and light cruiser SMS Breslau to them that year. German Admiral Wilhelm Souchon was appointed commander-in-chief of the Ottoman Navy and commanded the Ottoman fleet from the Goeben, now renamed Yavuz Sultan Selim. The Ottoman Empire joined World War I in November 1914 and took action against Russia in the Black Sea, conducting raids along Russia's Black Sea Coast. Twice during the war, Yavuz Sultan Selim took on five Russian pre-dreadnoughts alone. The Ottoman Navy was not capable of taking on the Entente navies in open water, so getting to the Ottoman coast was easy for them. The Galipoli Campaign of 1915 proved to be a successful defense of the Dardanelles Strait for the Ottomans, and three Entente battleships were sunk by Ottoman mines, still the battleship Barbaros Hayridden was sunk by the submarine HMS E11. The last major action of the Ottoman Navy was the Action of 8 January 1916 when the Yavuz Sultan Selim engaged the Russian dreadnought, Imperatritsa Ekaterina II in the Black Sea. The Ottoman Empire would lose World War I and the Ottoman Empire was dissolved.

Political chaos followed the Ottoman Empire's defeat resulted in the Turkish War of Independence, which saw the abolition of the Ottoman Sulanate, the creation of the Republic of Turkey, and the ousting all Entente troops on their soil. The surviving Ottoman warships became incorporated into the Turkish Naval Forces (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri), with the battlecruiser Yavuz Sultan Selim, now renamed TCG Yavuz as its flagship. The immediate post-war years saw a decline in the state of the Turkish Naval Forces, and in the 1930's, saw new destroyers custom built for them by Italian shipyards. The outbreak of World War II in 1939 slowed Turkey's build-up, but were still able to receive two destroyers from the United Kingdom in 1942. Turkey managed to remain neutral in World War II and refused to allow warships from either side to pass through the Bosphorus. Turkey did eventually declare war on the Axis powers in Spring 1945, but too late to see any action.

In the post-war years, Turkey imported a number of warships from the United Kingdom & United States. Turkey joined NATO in 1952, which only expanded its market. In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus, during which, the Turkish Air-Force accidentally sank the destroyer TCG Kocetepe, after mistaking it for a Greek ship.

Today the Turkish Naval Forces remains a major regional naval power, operating a large fleet of frigates, fast attack craft, submarines, and amphibious warships. It is capable of projecting power in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and abroad. It continues to operate alongside various NATO allies.