Navy
The Navy is a military organization primarily focused on operations at sea, equipped with a variety of warships, auxiliary vessels, and shore-based maintenance facilities. Its history dates back to ancient Greece in the fifth century B.C.E., where early specialized navies began to take shape. For many centuries, naval operations were limited to coastal areas due to technological constraints. However, advancements in navigation, weaponry, and ship design during the fifteenth century significantly expanded the capabilities of navies. The sixteenth century marked the emergence of large, heavily armed ships designed to protect trade routes, while the eighteenth century saw navies engaging in global conflicts. By the late nineteenth century, innovations such as steam power and ironclad vessels transformed naval warfare, culminating in the development of the modern battleship, characterized by heavy armor, speed, and powerful long-range artillery. Understanding the evolution of navies provides insights into their strategic importance in global affairs and maritime security.
Navy
A military organization whose primary function is fighting at sea. Navies are composed of warships, auxiliary vessels, maintenance facilities on the shore, and, beginning in the twentieth century, ship-based airplanes. The earliest known specialized navies appeared in Greece in the fifth century b.c.e. For the following 2,000 years, technical restrictions kept naval operations close to shorelines. By the fifteenth century, however, the compass, gunpowder artillery, and improved sailing vessels had broadened the scope of naval warfare. The sixteenth century witnessed the advent of large, heavily armed men-of-war—the defenders of mercantilistic traffic. By the eighteenth century, European warships had shaken off the navigational safety of the coasts and were battling each other around the globe. Steam power and iron-clad warships came into their own during the last half of the nineteenth century. The basic form of the modern battleship was developed in the late nineteenth century: heavily armored, swiftly moving vessel armed with large, powerful, extremely accurate long-range guns.
