[a 1] Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee is the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and chief of the Naval Staff.

Just before the end of the war in 1918, 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.

[7] The Canadian government agreed to acquire two carriers on loan from the Royal Navy, with an option to purchase them, but they were not ready before the war ended.

[7] Postwar budget cuts meant that Canada could only afford to operate one aircraft carrier, instead of two as originally planned.

[7] The RCN operated HMS Warrior from 1946 to 1948, before exchanging it with the Royal Navy for the slightly larger HMCS Magnificent.

During the Cold War, the Navy developed an anti-submarine capability to counter the growing Soviet naval threat.

[8][9] In November 1956, HMCS Magnificent was chosen to transport men and supplies to Egypt as part of Canada's response to the Suez Crisis.

All personnel, ships, and aircraft became part of Maritime Command (MARCOM), an element of the Canadian Armed Forces.

[15] The unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968 was the first time that a nation with a modern military combined its formerly separate naval, land and air elements into a single service.

More recently, Maritime Command provided vessels to serve as a part of Operation Apollo and to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia.

"[18] As of August 2015, with the loss of area air defence and (temporarily) resupply capabilities, the RCN was then classified as a Rank 5 navy (offshore regional coastal defence) on the Todd-Lindberg navy classification system of naval strength, dropping from Rank 3 (multiregional power projection) in 2005.

The RCN is directed through Naval Staff HQ by the Commander of the RCN, as the Chief of Naval Staff, whose mission is to lead the strategic development and generation of combat capable multi-purpose maritime forces and to provide advice in support of maritime operations.

[a 4] Comprising 15 warships and several auxiliary vessels homeported in Esquimalt, the Pacific Fleet is responsible for Canada's exclusive economic zone on the West Coast and Canada's area of responsibility in the Pacific Ocean and the western Arctic Ocean.

The Royal Canadian Air Force's 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, based at Patricia Bay Heliport but under the control of 12 Wing Shearwater, provides shipborne helicopter support for the Pacific Fleet, while 19 Wing Comox provides fixed-wing maritime air support for MARPAC through 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron.

Other Pacific Fleet facilities are CFAD Rocky Point, an ammunition depot, and Naval Radio Section Aldergrove.

The primary mission of the NAVRES is to force generate sailors and teams for CAF operations, including: domestic safety operations as well as security and defence missions, while at the same time supporting the Navy's efforts in connecting with Canadians through the maintenance of a broad national presence.

[21] The surface ships, which carry the designation His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS), consist of twelve Halifax-class multi-role patrol frigates, twelve Kingston-class coastal defence vessels and four offshore patrol vessels of the Harry DeWolf class.

In addition to the surface vessels, the RCN operates four Victoria-class submarines that were acquired from the Royal Navy in 1998.

Among the auxiliary ships operated by the navy are eight Orca-class patrol class training tenders, CFAV Firebrand and five Glen-class harbour tugs.

The Naval Large Tugboat project is intended to secure four new tugs to replace the Glen class and Firebrand with vessels with combined tug and firefighting capabilities, and is being conducted with shipbuilder Ocean Industries Inc, with project completion expected in 2024.

The RCN has some ships assigned with a UAV: The following major projects have been announced by the Government of Canada to modernize the Royal Canadian Navy: Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces have ranks ranging from the NATO standard ranks of OF-1 to OF-9.

The highest position occupied in the current RCN structure is OF-8, a vice-admiral who is the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Chief of the Naval Staff.

NCOs who are offered such promotions are typically petty officer 1st class or higher, with 20 or more years of service.

The current colours consist of a ceremonial standard with the Maple Leaf flag in the top left canton, Elizabeth II's personal Commonwealth cypher (a capital E on a blue background, surrounded by a circlet of gold roses and laurels, surmounted by a crown) and an anchor and naval crown (from the Canadian Naval Ensign) on the lower right fly.

The original design included nine maple leaves, representing the then nine provinces of Canada, and a Tudor Crown.

After Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, an updated design was approved on 17 July 1952, which had ten maple leaves.