On May 4, 1910, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is founded. Initially known as the the Canadian Naval Service, the service was granted permission by King George V to name itself the Royal Canadian Navy on August 29, 1911. The RCN patrolled the waters off the coasts of North America during World War One. During World War Two, the Royal Canadian Navy became one of the largest navies in the world, following the US Navy, British Royal Navy, Imperial Japanese Navy, and Soviet Navy. The RCN also continued to conduct combat operations into the Korean War and developed and conducted anti-submarine operations in order to counter the Soviets during the Cold War. An aircraft carrier, the HMCS Bonaventure, during the early Cold War before it was finally decommissioned in 1970.

In 1968, the separate services of the Canadian military (the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Canadian Army) were unified as the Canadian Armed Forces (also known as the Canadian Forces or CF). Under this arrangement, the RCN became Maritime Command. Maritime Command participated in further operations including the Gulf War, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and the Gulf of Aden. In 2011, the Canadian restored the traditional names of the different branches, including the Royal Canadian Navy.

The Royal Canadian Navy currently consists of approximately 13,600 personnel, including both regular and reserve personnel. The RCN fleet currently consists of 30 ships and a number of additional auxiliary vessels.