Royal Australian Navy Regiment

the Royal Australian Navy Regiment (RAN Regt)
The Royal Australian Navy Regiment (RAN Regt) is the navy's coastal and riverine force, supplying personnel, equipment and capabilites for security in the "Brown Water" and "Greeen Water" environments between the open "Blue Water" ocean and the shoreside ground environment proper.

The RAN Regiment is an integral part of the RAN's Naval Expeditionary Warfare Command (NAVEXWARCOM). Through it's higher command it supplies combat ready expeditionary coastal and riverine forces to each of the three geographic Australian Unified Joint Operations Commands.

The Regiment operates in harbors, rivers, bays, across the littorals and ashore. The primary mission of the RAN Regiment is to conduct maritime security operations across all phases of military operations by defending high value assets, critical maritime infrastructure, ports and harbors both inland and on coastal waterways against enemies and when commanded conduct offensive combat operations

Mission
The RAN Regiment is manned, trained, and equipped to conduct a large number of missions in the coastal and riverine environment including but not limited to the following


 * port and harbor security
 * high-value unit security and escort
 * surveillance and reconnaissance
 * insertion and extraction of small units
 * command and control for supporting and assigned units

The regiment is capable of conducting these and other relevant missions 24 hours a day and in all weather conditions and climates.

Structure
The regiment loosely follows a typical ground regiment structure with a Regimental HQ holding administrative control over several battalion sized squadrons. Three of the squadrons are the general "Coastal and Riverine" Squadrons, whilst the fourth squadron is of a slightly different structure and is known as the "Riverine Combat " squadron.

RAN Regiment


 * Regimental HQ and HQ Company


 * 1st Coastal and Riverine Squadron
 * Squadron HQ and HQ Company
 * Squadron ISR Company
 * A Coastal and Riverine Company
 * Company HQ
 * ISR Team
 * 1 x PBR-CC + Crew
 * 4 x PBL
 * 1 Platoon
 * 2 Platoon
 * 3 Platoon
 * Inshore Boat Team
 * 4 x PBI + crews
 * Riverine Boat Team
 * 2 x PBR + crews
 * 2 x PBR-FS + Crews
 * Coastal Boat Team
 * 2 x PBC + Crews
 * B Coastal and Riverine Company
 * C Coastal and Riverine Company
 * D Coastal and Riverine Company
 * Operational Support Company
 * 2nd Coastal and Riverine Squadron
 * 3rd Coastal and Riverine Squadron
 * 4th Riverine Combat Squadron
 * Operational Service & Support Squadron

RAN Regiment Patrol Craft
Each of the Regiment's Coastal Riverine Squadrons include several different boat types and their crews. The Patrol Boat, Coastal (PBC) is the largest of the primary vessel class and serves the role as a long range, high endurance green water patrol craft. The Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR) is heavily armed and heavily armoured and is able to carry 18 troops in the littoral and brown water zones, The Patrol Boat, Inshore (PBI) is designed for port security and inshore patrols and is lightly armed and not designed for long range or high endurance.

In addition the PBR comes in 3 specialized variants. The Command and Control variant (PBR-CC), that has more robust signals and communication equipment and areas for a small HQ staff. The Intelligence, reconnaissance and Surveillance variant (PBR-ISR), which has an extendable mast mounted sensor mast and launch, recovery and control systems for three unmanned systems, the UAV-LM, the UUV-LW and the USV-S. The final variant is the fire support vessel (PBR-FS) with twin automatic, turret mounted 120mm mortars and a quadruple LWM launcher. All three of these variants use the same hull and basic machinery, but the PBR-FS has a totally different topside layout to the other variants which are all basically similar.

Patrol Boat, Coastal (PBC)
The Patrol Boat, Coastal is the primary vessel for use in the "Green Water" zone. It has a high endurance and comfortable crew berthing allowing it to undertake patrols of reasonable duration.

Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR)
The Patrol Boat, Riverine is heavily armed and heavily armoured, It has a bow ramp allowing easy loading/off loading of troops and equipment. It can carry 18 troops in the troop landing mode. It has a versatile weapons load with a twin LWM launcher capable of launching guided missiles and guided/unguided rockets, and is capable of laying mines and depth charges.

[[File:US_Navy_050303-N-0000X-002_Sailors_assigned_to_Inshore_Boat_Unit_Two_Four_(IBU-24)_conduct_a_security_patrol_in_the_waters_near_Kuwait_Naval_Base.jpg|frame|Patrol Boat, Inshore]]
The Patrol Boat, Inshore is meant for port control, security and force protection missions. It is lightly armed and is more of a general purpose light vessel than some of the other models in the unit.

Patrol Boat, Riverine - Fire Support
The Fire Support version of the Patrol Boat, Riverine uses the same hull design as the regular PBR bur has a completely redesigned top side layout. It retains the bow ramp set up of the regular PBR and is also heavily armoured. The weapons layout is particularly strong, based around twin automatic 120mm mortars and a quadruple LWM launcher for guided missiles or guided/unguided rockets.

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