|source=-Imperial Navy litany{{Fn|20a}}

|Content2 =[[Terra_Terra#Notable Locations|Naval Headquarters]], [[Terra]]

[[Image:BFG Box.jpg|thumb|right|350px|An Imperial Navy warfleet{{Fn|21}}]]During the early Imperium in the [[Great Crusade]]-era, the Imperial Navy was originally a subbranch of the [[Imperial Army]] known as the [[Imperialis Armada]]. During this time, the Imperialis Armada was primarily used for the defense defence of Imperial space while planetary invasion was left to the fleets of the [[Legiones Astartes]].{{Fn|19}} However, after the devastating [[Horus Heresy]], which saw widespread rebellion from within the Army, [[Lord Commander of the Imperium]] [[Roboute Guilliman]] felt it prudent to separate the Army and Navy in order to lessen the threat of future insurrections.{{Fn|17}}{{Fn|18}}

The Imperial Navy is organized organised into five fleets, each assigned to one of the [[Segmentum|Segmentae Majoris]]. Each fleet is named for the Segmentum in which it is based, such as the [[Battlefleet Solar]].

* [[Segmentum Solar]] - [[Mars]] * [[Segmentum Pacificus]] - [[Hydraphur]] * [[Segmentum Obscurus]] - [[Cypra Mundi]]* [[Segmentum Tempestus]] - [[Bakka]]* [[Segmentum Ultima]] - [[Kar Duniash]]

*{{Main|Imperial Navy Hierarchy}} 

The lowest level of personnel in the Navy hierarchy are bondsmen, who are little more than slaves[[slave]]s. Alongside [[Servitor]]s, these poor souls, organized organised into '''Press Gangs'''{{Fn|25}} undertake the most thankless and dangerous tasks on a vessel. Bondsmen are acquired by various means, such as rounding up criminals or unsavory elements of Imperial society or simply being born into their status aboard a vessel. Other times, if a ship is low on such menials they may round up the nearest bystanders at random on the nearest world.{{Fn|25}} Bondsmen's duties include cleaning, hauling ammunition into weapons chambers, shoveling fuel, and manual labor. Working long hours and only fed meager rations, Bondsmen are met with brutal discipline should they protest their status.{{Fn|11a}}

*{{Main|Imperial Navy Vessels (List)}}

Construction Another source of Imperial Navy warships is complicated, obscenely expensive, and often takes place over decades or even centuries. The vast majority of construction is done in orbital shipyards by the new [[Adeptus Mechanicusvoidship]], but the Navy itself sends specialist technicians to oversee certain critical elements. Other such specialist s are sent by the [[Departmento MunitorumForge World|forge worlds]] and [[Administratum]] to give ritual attention to specialized areas. However the [[Tech-Priest]]s do not take part in the construction of two highly classified of the warship: the [[Astropathic Choir]] (which is built by the [[Adeptus Astra TelepathicaMechanicus]]) and . While most of the chamber newly constructed vessels are destined for the ship's their [[NavigatorBasilikon Astra|own fleet]]s (which is built by , a number of them are supplied to the [[Navis Nobilite]])Imperial Navy. These Mechanicus-build hulls are marvels of engineering, oftentimes incorporating rare technologies.{{Fn|20b26}} While most Though the construction of a single new Imperial Navy vessels are constructed in the Navy's own shipyardscruiser may take more than a decade even for a well-supplied shipyard, a number are build by planetary shipyards forge world can commission multiple new cruisers per years, thanks to economies of [[Hive World|hive]]scale, [[Factory World{{Fn|factory]] 24a}} having at any given time a dozen or other worlds as part more hulls in varying stages of the [[Tithe|tithe]]construction.{{Fn|2624b}}

Another source Sometimes, the Imperial Navy expands its numbers by salvaging old wrecks. This practice uses up less resources than the construction of a new voidships ship, but is considered far more dangerous because these wrecks are the often home to predatory [[Forge World|forge worldsalien]] s. Even less likely is the discovery of a spaceworthy wreck which is part of the a [[Adeptus MechanicusSpace Hulk]]. While most of Securing such a hulk is considered worth the newly constructed vessels are destined for their [[Basilikon Astra|own fleet]]risk, a number of them even if they are supplied to the Imperial Navyvery high. These Mechanicus-build hulls Sometimes, these wrecks are marvels of engineering, oftentimes incorporating rare technologies.{{Fn|26}} Though an older pattern or mark the Imperium no longer has the construction of a single new cruiser may take more than a decade even for a well-supplied shipyard, a forge world can commission multiple new cruisers per years, thanks ability to economies of scale,{{Fn|24a}} having at any given time a dozen reproduce or feature [[archaeotech]] or more hulls in varying stages of constructionother assorted riches.{{Fn|24b26}}

Sometimes, the Imperial Navy expands its numbers by salvaging old wrecks. This practice uses up less resources than In the construction of a new ship, but is considered far more dangerous because these wrecks are often home to predatory [[alienEra Indomitus]]s. Even less likely is , the discovery of a spaceworthy wreck which is part return of a [[Space HulkRoboute Guilliman]]. Securing such has heralded a hulk is considered worth the riskrenaissance in Imperial shipbuilding, even if they are very high. Sometimes, these wrecks are of an older pattern or mark forwarded by the Imperium no longer has the ability to reproduce or feature multitalented [[archaeotechBelisarius Cawl]] or other assorted riches. This has led to new, novel patterns of voidship to be created which are blessed with the finest technologies.{{Fn|2628}}

===Battleships===

===Cruisers===

While naval warships can be defined along a fairly limited number of classes based on weapon configurations approved by the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]], the form these vessels takes varies widely throughout the Imperium. For example, a ''Lunar'' class constructed above [[Cypra Mundi]] in [[Segmentum Obscurus]] may bear little resemblance to a ''Lunar'' class constructed above [[Kar Duniash]] in [[Ultima Segmentum]] and even less so to a ''Lunar'' class, constructed among the vast shipyards of [[Mars]]. Nonetheless, they will all have roughly the same operating characteristics and weapon configuration, and thus can be easily serviced by any orbital facility throughout Imperial space.{{Cite ThisFn|22a}}

*{{Main|Imperial Aircraft}}*{{Main|Aeronautica Imperialis}}

*{{Main|Imperial Fleet Equipment}}*{{Main|Imperial Navy Weaponry}}

NavyImage2Port Maw Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook pg46.jpg|'''Imperial Navy''' shipsat [[Port Maw]]

*{{Endn|2}}: [http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat480005a&categoryId=1100007&section=&aId=4300022 Battlefleet Gothic Resources], {{Cite ThisCME}}

*{{Endn|10}}: [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/06/30/warhammer-in-world-of-warships/ Warhammer Community: Warhammer in World of Warships (posted on 30/06/2020)] ''(last accessed on 30 June 2020)''

*{{Endn|16}}: [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/08/24/join-the-imperial-navy-discover-ancient-xenos-cultures-and-destroy-them/ Warhammer Community: Join the Imperial Navy, Discover Ancient Xenos Cultures… and Destroy Them (posted 24/8/2022)] ''(last accessed 25/8/August 2022)''

*{{Endn|26}}: [[Kill Team: Into the Dark]] Book , pg. 11*{{Endn|27}}: [[Rogue Trader: Battlefleet Koronus]], pg. 111*{{Endn|28}}: [[Archmagos (Novel)]], Chapter 1