1967-1978

During this period the Navy continued to shrink, from a manpower total of 100,000 in 1967 to 76,500 in 1978. The Government withdrew from permanent commitments east of Suez, and the Far East Fleet was abolished in 1971. In 1972 the Principle Warfare Officer was introduced and the Operations Branch was formed in 1975.

For some time since the end of the Second World War, it was apparent that supersonic jet aircraft could easily overload a manually operated action information system which required a large number of expensive and highly trained operators. A system called the comprehensive display system (CDS) was fitted to the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Eagle in the 1950s, but it was only semi automatic and still required operators to input radar data. During her 1959 refit, a new system called ADA was installed in HMS Eagle. Action Data Automation had arrived, utilising Ferranti Poseidon analogue computers to collect, process and coordinate all the information from the ship's sensors and provide the direction and control for the weapon systems and aircraft. This system complemented a new radar suite of Types 984 3-D air warning, 965 (AKE-2) long range air search and 963 carrier approach. GWS 22 Seacat was also included as the point defence protector. The system was later greatly improved to become the Action Data Automation Weapon System (ADAWS 1) based on the Ferranti FM1600 series of digital computers, where it was fitted to the Batch 2 County class destroyers. ADAWS 2 was fitted in HMS Bristol (completed in 1973), ADAWS 3 was earmarked for the cancelled carrier CVA-01, ADAWS 4, a modified Mk 2 version was to be fitted in the new Type 42 air defence destroyers.

The new Type 21 frigates were fitted with another Ferranti FM1600 digital computer based system, the Computer Assisted Action Information System (CAAIS). CAAIS was also fitted to Exocet and Seawolf modified Leander Class frigates and batch 1 Type 22 frigates.

In 1972, the Leander frigate, HMS Penelope was refitted in order to conduct trials with a new and exciting point defence missile system, the GWS 25 Seawolf. The trials lasting until 1977.

Meanwhile, in 1973, HMS Bristol was launched and became the trials ship for the GWS 30 Seadart AAW area defence surface to air missile and GWS 40 Ikara ASW (the anti-submarine torpedo carrying missile system). The Batch 2 County class destroyer began refitting in 1972 to accommodate the French MM 38 Exocet (GWS 50) surface to surface missile system. Again in 1972, eight Batch 1 Leanders had their guns removed in favour of the Ikara GWS40 ASW system while the Batch 2 group of Leander class frigates were converted to carry the Exocet GWS50 in 1975.

Sonar sets were also improving, the type 12 frigates were fitted with the Type 170 attack sonar for Squid and Limbo, Type 174/177 medium range search and Type 162 bottom search. Leanders were initially fitted with the new generation Type 184 medium range search sonar, sonar Type 162 side scan and the Type 199 variable depth sonar which was trailed out behind the ship.

The submarine was also (and perhaps especially) at the forefront of technical advancement; nuclear propulsion and ballistic missiles had appeared and the Royal Navy had won the awesome responsibility of providing the nations nuclear deterrent. The first nuclear attack boat, HMS Dreadnought, was launched in 1960 and the first nuclear Polaris strategic missile boat, HMS Resolution, in 1964. Both and subsequent types were fitted with die most up to date sonar available with a special and increasing reliance on passive sonar techniques due to the paramount need to maintain silence in their crucial roles.

Communications crossed a threshold in 1969 when the Skynet satellite communications system came on line. The satellite was stationed above the Indian Ocean and serviced eight earth stations. Ashore were the facilities at Oakhanger Hampshire, (the controlling base), Hong Kong, Ghan and Cyprus; two were afloat in HMS Ark Royal and HMS Hermes whilst the remaining two were air transportable reserves. In 1970 the Type 15 frigate HMS Grenville was refitted to carry out trials with the new SCOT satellite communications terminals.

Nearly all major surface vessels now had, or were in the process of being fitted with, one or more missile systems, computerised operations rooms were becoming standard, sensors were more efficient and reliability had improved with the advent of the micro chip. The Royal Navy was now well and truly in the Nuclear and Missile age.