The Royal Australian Navy is a modern military organisation operating advanced vessels and aircraft with personnel expertly trained to defend Australia and its interests, and perform a variety of maritime duties. The Navy also engages in a variety of peacetime activities such as search & rescue and humanitarian assistance. In accurately representing Australia's multi-cultural society, Navy men and women are drawn from a diverse range of social and ethnic backgrounds. From engineering to medicine, and public relations to chaplaincy, the Navy offers many fulfilling positions. Depending on their role, Navy officers and sailors can be posted to any one of 16 naval bases and command offices across Australia, home to more than 18,000 sailors and officers, though much of their time will be spent serving at sea. The Navy is equipped with a formidable fleet of ships and helicopters, featuring sophisticated technology that supports a variety of strategic needs. The Royal Australian Navy was the first of the Australian Defence services to be founded more than a century ago, born of the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies.