World Navies of 2020

Among the greatest changes over the past year was the commissioning of the Royal Navy's second carrier, Prince of Wales - an event perhaps slightly overshadowed by the commissioning of the PLAN's second carrier, Shandong, just seven days later.

As we begin the new year, it is a good time to assess the current naval balance of power. However, ranking navies is always a complex and subjective task as even something as simple as merely counting how many ships a navy has soon devolves into debates over what exactly constitutes a "ship" (just look at the never-ending battle over what should be included in the US Navy's official strength).

Observing these debates, I have devised my own system for quantifying a navy's strength. This system classifies vessels into broad categories, assigning different (and admittedly somewhat arbitrary) points values for different types of ships. In order to avoid terminology debates, I have also used more generic labels (eg "combatant" for all cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and cutters over 100 meters in length). And although this does group ships with vastly different capabilities, I believe that in this case delving deeper into the nuances of sensors and weapons is beginning to miss the forest for the trees - especially given the prevalence of peacetime operations were the exact combat capability of a ship is largely academic.

I have also strived to include all vessels operated by the national governments in this ranking (although I know that I have undoubtably failed to include many of these ships as information on them is usually sparse). While often overlooked, numerous nations operate sizable fleets of paramilitary ships that undeniably contribute to their overall seapower in both peace and war (the United States for instance has two such fleets - the Coast Guard and the Military Sealift Command). However, I have not included reserve ships as these do not contribute to seapower in their current state. I have also not attempted to include aircraft in these rankings. While aircraft are indeed an inseparable part of modern naval operations, it is effectively impossible to draw a line between "naval" and "non-naval" aircraft and so any ranking that includes aircraft would soon become a ranking of airpower rather than seapower.

There have been a few changes to the Top 20 Navies since last year. The UK's commissioning of its second Queen Elizabeth-class carrier allowed it to take France's 7th place position (aided by France decommissioning a nuclear submarine and an air defense combatant). Indonesia also managed to overtake Australia and claim 14th place by adding a 5th submarine and landing platform to its fleet. Finally, bringing up the rear, Singapore (formerly tied for 20th place) has advanced to 19th place after Brazil divested itself of a submarine and a pair of small combatants. This means that Iran is now tied with Brazil for 20th place. However, this situation should only last a few months as Brazil will soon commission its first Scorpene-class submarine, vaulting it over Singapore to 19th place and pushing Iran back out of the Top 20.


1. United States of America - 913 points
11 carriers, 9 assault carriers
14 ballistic missile submarines, 56 nuclear submarines
91 air defense combatants, 30 combatants, 14 small combatants
28 landing platforms, 103 auxiliaries, 11 mine hunters

2. People's Republic of China - 507 points
2 light carriers
5 ballistic missile submarines, 9 nuclear submarines, 56 submarines
58 air defense combatants, 46 combatants, 55 small combatants, 60 missile boats
6 landing platforms, 32 landing ships, 74 auxiliaries, 36 mine hunters

3. Russia - 378 points
1 light carrier
11 ballistic missile submarines, 27 nuclear submarines, 23 submarines
13 air defense combatants, 24 combatants, 16 small combatants, 39 missile boats
20 landings ships, 51 auxiliaries, 42 mine hunters

4. Japan - 198 points
4 helicopter carriers
21 submarines
28 air defense combatants, 40 combatants, 46 small combatants, 6 missile boats
3 landing platforms, 13 auxiliaries, 24 mine hunters

5. India - 138 points
1 light carrier
1 ballistic missile submarine, 1 nuclear submarine, 14 submarines
19 air defense combatants, 24 combatants, 24 small combatants, 8 missile boats
1 landing platform, 5 landing ships, 7 auxiliaries

6. Republic of Korea - 124 points
1 assault ship
17 submarines
9 air defense combatants, 31 combatants, 34 small combatants, 18 missile boats
8 landing ships, 7 auxiliaries, 9 mine hunters

7. United Kingdom - 120 points
2 escort carriers
4 ballistic missile submarines, 6 nuclear submarines
6 air defense combatants, 13 combatants, 4 small combatants
5 landing platforms, 14 auxiliaries, 13 mine hunters

8. France - 112 points
1 carrier, 3 assault ships
4 ballistic missile submarines, 5 nuclear submarines
3 air defense combatants, 13 combatants, 13 small combatants
6 auxiliaries, 14 mine hunters

9. Republic of China - 86 points
4 submarines
20 air defense combatants, 10 combatants, 9 small combatants, 44 missile boats
7 landing ships, 2 auxiliaries, 9 mine hunters

10. Italy - 79 points
2 escort carriers
8 submarines
12 air defense combatants, 7 combatants, 10 small combatants
3 landing platforms, 4 auxiliaries, 10 mine hunters

11. Turkey - 71 points
12 submarines
12 air defense combatants, 4 combatants, 14 small combatants, 19 missile boats
3 landing ships, 3 auxiliaries, 11 mine hunters

12. Egypt - 53 points
2 assault ships
8 submarines
4 air defense combatants, 5 combatants, 4 small combatants, 34 missile boats
3 auxiliaries, 14 mine hunters

13. Greece - 51 points
11 submarines
4 air defense combatants, 9 combatants, 17 missile boats
5 landing ships, 3 auxiliaries, 4 mine hunters

14. Indonesia - 50 points
5 submarines
7 combatants, 10 small combatants, 16 missile boats
5 landing platforms, 9 landing ships, 6 auxiliaries, 8 mine hunters

15. Australia - 48 points
2 assault ships
6 submarines
12 air defense combatants
1 landing platform, 2 auxiliaries, 4 mine hunters

16. Spain - 47 points
1 assault carrier
3 submarines
11 air defense combatants, 8 small combatants
2 landing platforms, 3 auxiliaries, 6 mine hunters

17. Germany - 41 points
6 submarines
7 air defense combatants, 2 combatants, 5 small combatants
11 auxiliaries, 12 mine hunters

18. Canada - 38 points
4 submarines
12 air defense combatants
6 auxiliaries, 12 mine hunters

19. Singapore - 33 points
4 submarines
6 air defense combatants, 5 small combatants, 6 missile boats
4 landing platforms, 4 mine hunters

20t. Brazil - 32 points
1 assault ship
5 submarines
9 combatants, 4 small combatants
1 landing platform, 2 landing ships, 2 auxiliaries, 6 mine hunters

20t. Iran - 32 points
4 submarines
1 combatant, 6 small combatants, 64 missile boats
7 auxiliaries

22. Norway - 30 points
6 submarines
4 air defense combatants, 4 combatants, 4 small combatants, 6 missile boats
2 auxiliaries, 6 mine hunters

23. Democratic People's Republic of Korea - 29 points
10 submarines
2 combatants, 2 small combatants, 24 missile boats

24t. Netherlands - 28 points
4 submarines
4 air defense combatants, 6 combatants
2 landing platforms, 1 auxiliary, 6 mine hunters

24t. Vietnam - 28 points
6 submarines
4 combatants, 7 small combatants, 21 missile boats
1 landing ship, 8 mine hunters

26. Peru - 27 points
6 submarines
8 combatants, 1 small combatant, 6 missile boats
1 landing platform, 2 landing ships, 2 auxiliaries

27. Algeria - 26 points
6 submarines
5 combatants, 3 small combatants, 15 missile boats
1 landing ship, 1 auxiliary, 2 mine hunters

28t. Thailand - 25 points
1 helicopter carrier
3 air defense combatants, 5 combatants, 8 small combatants
1 landing platform, 2 landing ships, 1 auxiliary, 5 mine hunters

28t. Chile - 25 points
4 submarines
2 air defense combatants, 6 combatants, 4 small combatants, 3 missile boats
1 landing platform, 4 auxiliaries

30. Pakistan - 24 points
5 submarines
1 air defense combatant, 8 combatants, 7 missile boats
2 auxiliaries, 3 mine hunters

31. Malaysia - 21 points
2 submarines
4 combatants, 8 small combatants
2 landing platforms, 3 auxiliaries, 4 mine hunters

32t. Venezuela - 18 points
2 submarines
7 combatants, 4 small combatants, 3 missile boats
4 landing ships, 1 auxiliary

32t. Argentina - 18 points
2 submarines
5 combatants, 11 small combatants, 2 missile boats
6 auxiliaries

34t. Sweden - 16 points
5 submarines
9 missile boats
2 auxiliaries, 9 mine hunters

34t. Bangladesh - 16 points
2 submarines
6 combatants, 6 small combatants, 6 missile boats
5 mine hunters

36t. Denmark - 15 points
5 air defense combatants, 4 combatants, 3 missile boats

36t. Mexico - 15 points
1 combatant, 19 small combatants
4 landing ships

38t. Israel - 14 points
5 submarines
3 small combatants, 8 missile boats

38t. Poland - 14 points
1 submarine
2 air defense combatants, 3 small combatants, 3 missile boats
21 mine hunters

38t. Myanmar - 14 points
1 submarine
5 combatants, 4 small combatants, 18 missile boats
1 landing platform

41t. Colombia - 12 points
2 submarines
4 combatants, 5 small combatants
2 auxiliaries

41t. Saudi Arabia - 12 points
7 combatants, 13 missile boats
2 auxiliaries, 3 mine hunters

43t. South Africa - 11 points
3 submarines4 combatants
1 auxiliary, 2 mine hunters

43t. Portugal - 11 points
2 submarines
5 combatants, 3 small combatants
1 auxiliary

45. Philippines - 10 points
3 combatants, 1 small combatant
2 landing platforms, 2 landing ships, 1 auxiliary

46t. Ecuador - 8 points
2 submarines
2 combatants, 9 missile boats

46t. Romania - 8 points
3 combatants, 5 small combatants, 3 missile boats
2 auxiliaries, 4 mine hunters

48t. Oman - 7 points
9 small combatants, 4 missile boats
1 landing ship

48t. Sri Lanka - 7 points
5 combatants, 1 small combatant, 2 missile boats

50t. Bulgaria - 6 points
3 combatants, 1 small combatant, 1 missile boat
10 mine hunters

50t. New Zealand - 6 points
2 combatants, 2 small combatants
1 landing platform, 1 auxiliary

52. United Arab Emirates - 5 points
1 small combatant, 16 missile boats
2 mine hunters

53. Nigeria - 4.5 points
3 combatants, 2 small combatants
2 mine hunters

54. Morocco - 4 points
1 combatant, 6 small combatants

55t. Bahrain - 3.5 points
1 air defense combatant, 6 missile boats

55t. Belgium - 3.5 points
2 combatants
6 mine hunters

55t. Finland - 3.5 points
2 small combatants, 4 missile boats
6 mine hunters

58. Ireland - 3 points
6 small combatants

59. Kuwait - 2.5 points
10 missile boats

60t. Uruguay - 2 points
1 combatant
1 auxiliary, 2 mine hunters

60t. Cuba - 2 points
2 combatants

62t. Ukraine - 1.75 points
1 combatant, 1 missile boat
1 auxiliary, 1 mine hunter

62t. Azerbaijan - 1.75 points
1 small combatant, 3 missile boats
2 mine hunters

62t. Qatar - 1.75 points
7 missile boats

65. Equatorial Guinea - 1.5 points
1 combatant, 1 small combatant

66. Croatia - 1.25 points
5 missile boats

67t. Latvia - 1 point
5 mine hunters

67t. Montenegro - 1 point
2 small combatants

67t. Namibia - 1 point
1 combatant

70t. Estonia - 0.75 points
3 mine hunters

70t. Tunisia - 0.75 points
3 missile boats

72t. Iceland - 0.5 points
1 small combatant

72t. Kenya - 0.5 points
1 small combatant

72t. Lithuania - 0.5 points
2 mine hunters