The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February , the RCN operates 12 Halifax -class frigates , 12 Kingston -class coastal defence vessels , 4 Victoria -class submarines , 4 Harry DeWolf -class offshore patrol vessels , 8 Orca -class patrol vessels , and several auxiliary vessels.
In , its historical title of "Royal Canadian Navy" was restored. The bill received Royal Assent on 4 May Just before the end of the war in , the Royal Canadian Naval Air Service was established with the purpose of carrying out anti-submarine operations; however, it was disbanded after the armistice of 11 November.
After the war, the RCN took over certain responsibilities of the Department of Transport 's Marine Service and slowly started to build its fleet, with the first warships specifically designed for the RCN being commissioned in During the Battle of the Atlantic , the RCN sank 31 U-boats and sank or captured 42 enemy surface vessels, while completing 25, merchant crossings.
The navy suffered the loss of 33 ships and 1, sailors. Starting in May , when Canada began drafting plans to assume a larger role in the Pacific Theatre after achieving victory in Europe, the Canadian government recognized that the RCN would require much larger vessels. From to , during and after the Korean War , Canadian destroyers maintained a presence off of the Korean peninsula, engaging in shore bombardments and maritime interdiction.
During the Cold War, the Navy developed an anti-submarine capability to counter the growing Soviet naval threat. From through , under Prime Minister Lester B.
