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NavyA navy is the branch of the armed forces of a nation that operates primarily on water. Most nations that have coastlines have navies; however, a few landlocked countries also possess navies, often as a matter of national prestige. The navy is almost always distinct from the army and the air force, in terms of organizations, uniforms, and traditions. Naval personnel usually wear navy blue or black uniforms in winter and white uniforms in summer. Unlike the army and the air force, naval uniforms often make clear distinctions between officers and enlisted service members as well as the various ratings. A modern navy typically uses a combination of ships, boats, and sometimes submarines, as well as aircraft based on aircraft carriers, conventional warships, or the shore. Some navies include amphibious forces (Marines) to fight on land and defend sea craft. In some countries, the navy is the oldest branch of the armed services. Hence, for example, the British term "the Senior Service." In Russia, by contrast, the navy is traditionally considered "the junior service". Merchant navy is a British and Commonwealth term for the civilian seafaring industry, recognizing both the shared hazards of seafaring activity during wartime, as well as the expectation that civilian vessels may be put under various kinds of control by military authorities during wartime. In the United States the equivalent term is merchant marine. The word navy came from Latin via the Old French word "navigium". See also Other meanings Types of naval vessel For a list of the prefixes used with ship names (HMS, USS, &c.) see ship prefix. External links
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