Do you want to know which country has the largest and strongest navy in the world in 2024? To know the strength of any country, it is important to know the strength of its navy. While the United States Navy is considered to be the most powerful navy, the People’s Liberation Army Navy is no less. Here we have listed the top 10 largest navies in the world in 2024. Let’s take a look at it!
However, while studying modern navies, one must be careful not to confuse the largest navies with the strongest navies. While countries like China and Russia have the largest navies in the world, their capabilities are at par or less than their counterparts in the US Navy, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Royal Navy.
The Indonesian Navy is one of the top 10 largest navies in the world in 2024. It is the naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, led by the Chief of Staff of the Navy.
The Indonesian Navy consists of three major fleets known as “armada”, which are Komando Armada I based in Jakarta, Komando Armada II based in Surabaya, and Komando Armada III. The Navy also leads the Marine Corps.
In addition, the Nosena was established on 10 September 1945 to protect Indonesia’s maritime strategic interests, defend its surrounding islands, and defend against maritime threats.
The Indonesian Navy is one of the few navies in the world that use the same rank titles as its army, except for flag officers and lower-rank enlisted sailors.
The Italian Navy is the navy of the Italian Republic. It is one of the four branches of the Italian Armed Forces and was formed in 1946 from what remained of the Regia Marina (Royal Navy) after World War II.
The Italian Navy had 30,923 active personnel, with approximately 184 ships in service, including smaller auxiliary vessels. It is considered a multi-regional and blue water navy.
The Italian Navy is one of the top 10 largest navies in the world in 2024. The Regia Marina was formed on 17 March 1861 following the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy.
The Italian Navy assumed its current name after the Italian monarchy was abolished following a popular referendum held on 2 June 1946.
At the end of its five-year involvement in World War II, Italy was a devastated nation. The Regia Marina, which at the start of the war was the fourth largest navy in the world with a mix of modern and new warships, began a long and complex rebuilding process after the war.
The Republic of Korea Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean Armed Forces. It is one of the top 10 largest navies in the world, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which serves as a branch of the Navy.
In addition, the ROK Navy has approximately 70,000 regular personnel, including 29,000 Republic of Korea Marines. The Navy has approximately 140 authorised ships, including approximately 70 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft in the Naval Aviation Force.
The ROK Marine Corps has approximately 300 tracked vehicles, including assault amphibious vehicles. The Republic of Korea Navy was established on November 11, 1945, as a maritime defence group following the liberation of Korea from the Empire of Japan.
As South Korea’s economy grew, the ROK Navy was able to build a larger and better-equipped fleet locally to deter aggression, protect sea lines of communication, and support the country’s foreign policy.
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. It has 67,252 active and 75,000 reserve personnel in service and has a fleet of 150 ships and submarines and 300 aircraft. The Indian Navy is one of the top 10 largest navies in the world in 2024.
The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the Navy. It also undertakes regular deployments of two to three months at a time to the South and East China Seas as well as the Western Mediterranean.
The primary objective of the Navy is to defend the maritime borders of the nation and to deter or defeat any threat or aggression against the territory, people or maritime interests of India in conjunction with the other armed forces of the Union, both in war and peace.
As of September 2022, the operational fleet consists of 2 active aircraft carriers and 1 amphibious transport dock, 8 landing ship tanks, 11 destroyers, 13 frigates, 1 ballistic missile submarine, 16 conventionally powered attack submarines, 24 corvettes, one mine countermeasures vessel.
06. Royal Navy, United Kingdom
Active personnel: 34,130
Aircraft: 160
Aircraft carrier: 2
Submarines: 10
Assets: 117
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval fighting force of the United Kingdom. The Royal Navy has 70 operationally commissioned ships, plus 13 ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), and five Merchant Navy ships on order for the RFA under the Private Finance Initiative.
Although warships have been used by English and Scottish kings since the early mediaeval period, the first major sea battles were fought in the Hundred Years’ War against France.
From the mid-18th century until World War II, it was the most powerful navy in the world. Because of this historical prominence, it is common to refer to it as “the Royal Navy” without qualification, even among non-British people.
After World War I, it was greatly reduced in size, although it was still the world’s largest at the start of World War II. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, its focus has returned to expeditionary operations around the world and it remains one of the world’s leading blue-water navies.
The Royal Navy has a fleet of technologically advanced ships, submarines and aircraft, including 2 aircraft carriers, 2 amphibious transport docks, 4 ballistic missile submarines, 6 nuclear fleet submarines, 6 guided missile destroyers, 11 frigates, 9 mine-countermeasure ships and 26 patrol vessels.
The French Navy is the maritime branch of the French Armed Forces and one of France’s five military service branches. It is one of the largest and most powerful navies in the world, ranking seventh in combined fleet tonnage and fifth in number of naval vessels.
The French Navy consists of six main components: the Naval Action Force, the Submarine Force (FOST and ESNA), French Naval Aviation, the Naval Riflemen (including Naval Commandos), the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion, and the Marine Gendarmerie.
The French Navy employs 44,000 personnel, over 180 ships, 200 aircraft, and six commando units; as of 2014, its reserve element numbered approximately 48,000.
As a blue-water navy, the French Navy is capable of operating globally and conducting expeditionary missions, maintaining a significant presence abroad.
It operates a wide range of combat vessels, including various aviation forces, attack and ballistic missile submarines, frigates, patrol boats, and auxiliary vessels, with the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle serving as the focal point of most expeditionary forces.
04. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Active personnel: 50,800
Ships: 150+
Helicopter carrier: 4
Submarines: 21
Assets: 155
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Force, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) after World War II. The JMSDF has a fleet of 154 ships, 346 aircraft, and 50,800 personnel.
The JMSDF officially has a strength of 50,000 personnel, but currently has about 50,800 active personnel. The navy is projected to be one of the top 10 largest navies in the world by 2024.
Also, as a result of Japan’s economic growth and continued effective defense investment due to the end of the Cold War, the JMSDF became the world’s fourth largest navy by total tonnage by 2000.
Japan has the eighth largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world. And the JMSDF is responsible for protecting this large area.
As an island nation, dependent on maritime trade for most of its resources, including food and raw materials, maritime operations are a very important aspect of Japanese defense policy.
03. Russian Navy
Active personnel: 160,000
Ships: 355+
Aircraft carrier: 1
Submarines: 70
Assets: 781
The Russian Navy is the naval branch of the Russian Armed Forces, considered the third largest navy in the world with 781 total assets.
It has existed in various forms since 1696, but its current form was created in January 1992 when it replaced the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The Imperial Russian Navy was founded in October 1696 by Peter the Great. The St. Andrew’s Ensign, the symbol of the Russian Navy, and most of its traditions were personally established by Peter I.
The Russian Navy accounts for the vast majority of the former Soviet naval forces, and currently includes the Northern Fleet, the Pacific Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, the Baltic Fleet, the Caspian Flotilla, the Permanent Task Force in the Mediterranean Sea, naval aviation, and naval aviation.
02. People’s Liberation Army Navy, China
Active personnel: 260,000
Ships: 623+
Aircraft carrier: 2
Submarines: 78
Assets: 730
The People’s Liberation Army Navy is the maritime service branch of the People’s Liberation Army, with a total strength of 730. It is also the world’s largest naval force with the largest number of ships. The PLAN traces its origins to naval units fighting during the Chinese Civil War and was established on 23 April 1949.
In the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and a shift towards a more forward-looking foreign and security policy, Chinese military leaders ceased to worry about border disputes.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy is composed of five branches – the Submarine Force, Surface Force, Coastal Defense Force, Marine Corps, and Naval Air Force.
With a personnel strength of 260,000 personnel, including 15,000 Marines and 26,000 Naval Air Force personnel, it is the world’s second largest navy in terms of tonnage.
It has the largest number of major surface combatant ships of any navy globally, with a total combat force of approximately 350 surface ships and submarines – in comparison, the United States Navy’s combat force is approximately 293 ships.
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.
The USN is the world’s largest and most powerful navy, with the estimated tonnage of its active battle fleet alone exceeding those of the next 13 navies combined, including 11 of the United States’ allies or partner nations, as of 2015.
It has the largest combined battle fleet by tonnage and the largest aircraft carrier fleet in the world, with eleven in service, two new carriers under construction, and five more carriers planned.
With 336,978 personnel on active duty and 101,583 personnel in ready reserve, the United States Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel.
The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and effectively disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter.
The Department of the Navy is itself a military department of the Department of Defense, headed by the Secretary of Defense. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the most senior naval officer serving in the Department of the Navy.
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Hi, here a list of the top 10 largest navies in the world.