The Belkan Navy, also called the Belkan Princely Naval Service and formerly the Belkan Federation Naval Service, was the naval warfare branch of the Principality of Belka. Since the country primarily projected its power through the air and on the ground, the Navy was the least developed branch of the Belkan Armed Forces. Its primary role for much of its history was coastal defense, up until the 1980s, at which point it was rapidly expanded under Grand Admiral Johan Lundburg. It played a significant role during the Belkan War of 1995 and was devastated during the conflict. The Treaty of Lumen imposed strict restrictions on the country's military, preventing the Navy from building any cruisers, battleships, submarines, or carriers. Since 1996 the Navy returned to its role of coastal defense and has been greatly downsized as part of the Belkan demilitarization program.
Belkan ships have been using the title SHS (Sein Hoheitsschiff, "His Highness' Ship") for their vessels since the formation of the Principality in 1987.
History[]
Not much is known about the history of the Navy up until the 1970s, when a naval arms race began in preparation for a potential future conflict against Osea. In 1978 the High Seas Fleet was formed as part of the naval armament program, consisting of some of the navy's best ships and crewmen. It served as the main home defense fleet, while squadrons were also established elsewhere in allied countries, including in Nordland, Erusea, and
From 1988 to 1995, the Belkan Navy worked closely with the Federal Erusian Navy in training exercises, as the Belkan government hoped to improve their fleet crews' abilities by learning from one of the best navies in the world. This included a joint war game off the Erusian coast, which included the Belkan High Seas Fleet, the Erusian Aegir Fleet, and the Royal Nordlands Navy.
Structure[]
Command[]
The Navy is commanded and administered by the Princely Belkan Admiralty. It had wide responsibilities, including operational command of all naval units, planning naval construction and maintenance programs, directing the procurement of naval supplies, advising the parliament on naval matters, promotions, and appointments. The head of the Admiralty administered the Naval Service under the authority of the chancellor and the supreme command of the Prince of Belka. Known chiefs of the admiralty included:
- Grand Admiral Johan Lundburg (1983–1992)
- General Admiral Aleksandar Baranazec (1992–1994)
- General Admiral Reinhard von Loringhoven (1994–1995)
- Admiral Hugo von Braunschweig (1995–1996; interim)
- Admiral Ernst Kaether (1996–2001)
- Admiral Bruno Ritter von Wietersheim (2001–2004)
- Vice Admiral Hellmut Bärenfänger (2004–2010)
- Admiral Prince Albrecht (2010–2015)
- Vice Admiral Yaroslav Fyodorov (2015—present)
Ranks[]
- Officers
- Grand Admiral
- General Admiral
- Admiral
- Vice Admiral
- Rear Admiral
- Commodore
- Captain at Sea
- Frigate Captain
- Corvette Captain
- Lieutenant Captain
- Lieutenant at Sea
- Lieutenant
- Officer cadets
- Ensign
- Junior Ensign
- Sea Cadet
- Non-commissioned officers
- Senior Chief Petty Officer
- Chief Petty Officer Class
- Petty Officer 1st Class
- Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Enlisted
- Seaman
- Seaman Volunteer
- Seaman Recruit
Tactical organization[]
The navy uses the following order of battle: line (2–5 ships), division (6–10 ships), squadron (11–25 ships), fleet (26+ vessels). The main land organizational unit is a station, which administers anything from a line to a squadron depending on its importance. The sea battalions (marines) use a similar order of battle to the Belkan Army.
Known Fleets[]
- High Seas Fleet — The large fleet of the Navy charged with the defense of Belkan territorial waters, consisting of the majority of the Navy's ships. It was largely destroyed during the Belkan War and was dissolved in 1996, with many of its surviving vessels being given to the victorious countries of the Allied Powers.
- Nordland Station — A formation headquartered in the Nordlands, which was allied with Belka up until the war. The Nordland Station was responsible for carrying out operations near the Usean continent and often took part in joint drills with the Erusian Navy. When the conflict began, the Nordlander government declared neutrality and gave the Belkan ships a total of 48 hours to leave their country. Being hunted by Allied navies, only four of its original fifteen ships made it back to Belka.
- Verusa Squadron — Based at a port in the Republic of Estovakia, it was responsible for projecting Belkan power on the Verusan continent and helped train the Estovakian Navy in the 1970s.
Ship classes[]
- Bismarck-class battleship
- Sverdlov-class cruiser
- Duca d'Aosta-class cruiser
- Admiral Hipper-class cruiser
- Town-class cruiser
- Slava-class cruiser
- Nanuchka-class corvette
- Oscar II-class submarine