The Sultan's Navy is the seagoing arm of the Kyrenaian Armed Forces, sometimes also called the Royal Kyrenaian Navy. Current Lord Commander of the Navy is Crown Prince Ilia ibn-Razia and operative commander is Grand Admiral Admir Safina. Their marine arm is called the Fleet Ground Forces.
History
The first formal fleet raised by a Sultan, which was called the 'Sultan's Navy', was raised by Sultan Mehment III. in 1271, as part of a campaign. This fleet was not to last, though.
The permanent establishment of a Sultan's Navy came about in 1546, the official founding year of the Sultan's Navy.
Third Kyrenaian Civil War
Late 19th to Earl 20th Centuries
No one in the general area, as it turned out by the beginning of the 1860s, could touch the Sultan's Navy due to its simple and sheer power and bulk. Tremendous changes in technology, however, proved this position to be more fragile then thought - with the self-propelled torpedo (Whitehead, perfected 1866) and the consecutive development of the Torpedo Boat, submarines entering believeable operational service, aircraft for military usage, the position began to be challenged more and more.
In 1880, TZA-1, the first Kyrenaian Torpedo Boat Destroyer, was commissioned, standing in a long line of development, which leads ultimately to modern destroyers. The first Pattern 1 Destroyers were put in commission between 1886 and 1890 and proved their worth quickly as small vessels capable of sinking or at least scaring away torpedo boats while being able to accompany the Battle Fleet.
In 1920, the Oil War of 1920 challenged Kyrenaia at sea and did so by teaching Kyrenaia a few valuable lessons about the power of aircraft especially submarines.
Together with the lessons of the Jawiyun-War of 1921, the Naval Planners rethought, and in 1923, Kyrenaia commissioned its first aircraft carrier, RKN Ramili of the Almuhafaza-class Aircraft Carrier. By the Coronation Fleet Review for Sultan Kian in 1939, there were dozens of aircraft carriers in service.
However, as Kyrenaia was never bound by any arms control treaty,
Decolonization Wars (1923-1965)
Roadtrip
With the end of the Decolonization Wars in 1965, the Navy lost much of its standing and reputation, many of the Old Reactionaries blaming the Navy for the loss of many of the colonies. Over the next few years, many of its ships and shipclasses were decommissioned and the Navy itself shrunk.
The Navy fell into a hole, searching for its own place in Kyrenaia and the world - with a Sultana from 1972, which preferred to spent money domestically to repair the country and guarantee its future and place in the world, the Navy shrunk even more. This time is usually referred to as the Naval Roadtrip.
The Interests of the Sultanate
In the 2000s, the Navy began to be one of the representations of the Interests of the Sultanate again, both in peace, like with cruises of the Labiwa, in protection, like with the protection of trade convoys passing Kyrenaian Waters, and in war and things approaching it, like the 2020 Ferinan-Archipelago Crisis.
In 2021, starting at the Day of the Barley Seeding, the RKN commenced a huge structural reorganization.
See also
- Military History during the Kyrenaian Middle Ages (942-1463).
- Structure of the Sultan's Navy in 1930.
- Structure of the Sultan's Navy in 2020.
Command and organization
See also
Appearance
Uniforms
Sailor Blue Dress
Sailor of the Sultan's Navy in Blue Dress. The popsicle is not part of the uniform. (Able Sailor Rasha Qadir, Aide-de-Camp of Crown Prince Ilia ibn-Razia)
Non-commissioned officers and ratings of both the Fleet Ground Forces and the Fleet wear the same blue dress, known as the Sailor Blue Dress.
Fleet Officer Blue Dress
Officer of the Fleet in Blue Dress. (Admiral Abbas Lahia, Commanding Officer, Carrier Group 5.)
The Fleet Officer Blue Dress is the
Fleet Ground Forces Blue Dress
Two models posing in the Fleet Ground Forces' Blue Dress for a charity calender (Ida Urramach of the Tribe of Monaghan and Ida Imeall of the Tribe of Louth).
The officer's blue dress of the Fleet Ground Forces and the Fleet differ quite heavily due to historic reasons: In times long past, the Fleet Ground Forces were not a part of the Fleet, but an attached mercenary force - to differ between these mercenaries and the regular fleet, the officers were dressed in different uniforms. That redressing did not affect the crews or the simple soldiers of what would become the Fleet Ground Forces. When they were integrated into the Fleet, the tradition of two different uniforms were kept.
The uniform consists of a light grey blouse worn underneath a black jacket with a double-row of brass buttons and a high collar. Golden edging along the collar signifies an officer, silver edging a flag officer. The jacket has tails. Both male and female officers wear a pair of black pants, which is held up by a white belt.
Officers of the Fleet Ground Forces wear decorations along the collar.
Ranks and Rank Structure
Supreme Commander of the Navy is the Sultana, who gave the command to the Lord Commander of the Navy, Crown Prince Ilia ibn-Razia, as he attained the rank of a Rear Admiral. He, however, is less of a formal commander of the Navy, more of a figurehead, as Grand Admiral Admir Safina leads the Navy.
Awards
Generally, the RKN does not award individuals with decorations, but units and, especially, ships.
Dhilishiq
One of the most sought-after awards is the Dhilishiq, available in Bronze, Silver and Gold, as well as Gold with Tassels. Awarded for initiative, bravery, outstanding achievements and/or honorable conduct in the face of hostility, the Dhilishiq is a triangular swallowtail pennon flown from the Main Mast.
The Dhilishiq comes with the honour of serving on a vessel awarded with one, especially when one was aboard, when the Dhilishiq was awarded to the vessel, and a small pay rise.
Traditions
Beach Footvolley
One of the younger traditions of the RKN is Beach Football, the first organized game being played in 1943 on a beach of Shajarat Alnakhil.
Every major vessel and many smaller ones have their own teams, which compete in their own leagues within the Fleet Groups, land-stations and Squadrons. These, on the other hand, assemble a Group Selection from the best players of their respective Ship Groups, which compete in the Naval Beach Football Cup.
Special reason to be proud of their team has Carrier Group 5, the consecutive winner of the Naval Beach Football Cup over the last four years.
As with on land, female soldiery has a long tradition, but by the oldest of traditions, every woman serving in the Navy aboard a vessel has to serve with her hair cut short, not only for practicality, but also due to superstitions
Tayar aljanah almafqud/Wingman Lost
The tayar aljanah almafqud or Wingman Lost is a formation of aircraft of the Naval Air Force, the Kyrenaian Equivalent of the Missing Man Formation, performed as a flyover in memory of people of high renown. While it is usually associated with the funeral of highly decorated military aviators, such formations had been flown at civilian funerals and memorial services as well.