Ventoran Navy

The  (: Armada de Ventora) is the maritime military component of the Ventoran Armed Forces. Although various naval forces existed off and on among duchies within the Kingdom of Ventora, the service's unbroken lineage stretches back to 1763 when King Telmo II established the permanent navy. Today, the navy ensures the protection of Ventoran shipping on the high seas and has responsibility for the seaborne defense of the homeland.

Ventora's navy is comparatively robust considering the size of the country, rostering about 97 vessels on the official naval fleet register. Including minor auxiliary vessels, there are approximately 97 vessels in naval service, accounting for more than 335000 t of total fully-loaded displacement. The navy's manpower is deceptively small, however, at 15,135 active duty personnel, including some 6,300 naval infrantry. This is because the navy itself does not have many support personnel since these services are purview of the military's Logistics Corps.

Origins
The Ventoran Navy has its origins in the various armadas that put to sea on behalf of the various individual duchies before the 18th century. There was no uniformity among these fleets and many operated as privateers. In 1763, King Telmo II levied a naval tax uniformly on all the duchies in order to establish a permanent navy for the benefit of the entire kingdom. The coastal duchies that had some semblence of naval fleets were encouraged to transfer them to the kingdom by means of tax reductions. This gave King Telmo a permanent military force at little not expense since the costs were born by the duchies.

Organization
Operationally, the navy consists of the Naval High Command under the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations. Captain-General Horacio Fabián Borja y Chavarría is the current Chief of Naval Operations. Ships are assigned either to the High Seas Fleet or the Coastal Fleet. The Naval Air Group and Naval Infantry Group may be assigned to fleets as may be necessary. The Air Group typically operates with the High Seas Fleet, since that's where the navy's aviation cruiser, Florián III, is assigned. While naval infantry may operate with the High Seas Fleet, they more frequently support the Coastal Fleet in its homeland defense role.

Ships and submarines
The navy operates 59 combatant vessels including:
 * 1 aviation cruiser
 * 1 guided missile cruiser
 * 4 submarines
 * 3 destroyers
 * 7 frigages
 * 9 corvettes
 * 22 patrol
 * 6 amphibious warfare
 * 6 mine warfare

Aircraft
Naval aviation includes the V/STOL attack aircraft, most of which are stationed aboard the Florián III. Some are land-based for training and reserve purposes. The other fixed-wing aircraft operated by the Navy Air Group is the maritime patrol aircraft. THis unique aircraft can land on the seas or at traditional airfields. It also has cargo and executive transport varients operated by the Logistics Corps sister service.

Rotary-wing aircraft operated by the Air Group include the attack and  utility helicopters.

Personnel
With 15,135 active duty members, the Navy is the smallest, by manpower, of the armed forces. Approximately a third of the personnel are fulfilling their obligatory service requirement. The remainder, who make up the bulk of the non-commissioned and officer ranks, are careerists. There are navy has a reserve force of 77,190 personnel and the support of 11,350 civilian employees.