The US Has 5x as Many Military Submarines Than the Next NATO Power

Submarines reign king in covert maritime warfare. They are a staple of the top tier naval powers on the planet. As the strongest military alliance in the world, NATO has a bevy of these naval vessels at the ready. Most of these come from the United States which is the world’s dominant naval power. However, there are a number of other NATO nations that have these high-tech underwater assets in their arsenals as well. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is exploring which NATO nations have the most military submarines.

To identify the NATO countries with the most military submarines, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Countries were ranked on the total number of military ships and submarines in their fleet. We included supplemental information regarding aircraft carriers, destroyers, corvettes, patrol vessels, and frigates, as well as each country’s overall military strength score and defense budget. Countries with no submarines were excluded.

Here is a look at the countries with the most military submarines in NATO:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding NATO’s military dynamics is important when looking at the state of global security. Since its inception, NATO has played a pivotal role in shaping international relations through its collective defense and security framework. As geopolitical tensions continue to rise and new threats emerge, knowing and understanding NATO’s military capabilities is important for getting a clearer picture of the world stage. Not to mention, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, among others, contribute significantly to NATO’s military strength, influencing global power balances and regional stability.

14. Poland

• Submarines: 1
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 2
• Corvettes: 2
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 3
• Mine warfare: 26
• Total naval vessels: 62
• Military defense budget: $48,700,000,000 – #12 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.3776 – #22 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Poland has a total of 23,138 military vehicles which include 614 tanks, 196 MLRS units, and 677 artillery units. Poland has 202,100 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 38.75 million.

13. Portugal

• Submarines: 2
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 5
• Corvettes: 2
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 20
• Mine warfare: 0
• Total naval vessels: 194
• Military defense budget: $4,627,000,000 – #52 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6856 – #39 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Portugal has a total of 10,828 military vehicles which include 34 tanks and 139 artillery units. Portugal has 24,000 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 10.64 million.

12. Spain

• Submarines: 2
• Aircraft carriers: 1
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 11
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 22
• Mine warfare: 6
• Total naval vessels: 152
• Military defense budget: $23,397,000,000 – #22 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.3242 – #17 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Spain has a total of 17,626 military vehicles which include 317 tanks and 382 artillery units. Spain has 133,282 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 47.28 million.

11. Netherlands

• Submarines: 3
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 6
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 4
• Mine warfare: 4
• Total naval vessels: 64
• Military defense budget: $27,000,000,000 – #18 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6412 – #36 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, the Netherlands has a total of 2,755 military vehicles which include 18 tanks, 2 MLRS units, and 46 artillery units. The Netherlands has 41,380 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 17.77 million.

10. Canada

• Submarines: 4
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 12
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 24
• Mine warfare: 0
• Total naval vessels: 73
• Military defense budget: $41,000,000,000 – #15 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.5179 – #28 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Canada has a total of 21,704 military vehicles which include 74 tanks. Canada has 68,000 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 38.79 million.

9. Sweden

• Submarines: 4
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 7
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 179
• Mine warfare: 8
• Total naval vessels: 308
• Military defense budget: $13,000,000,000 – #28 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.4835 – #27 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Sweden has a total of 6,795 military vehicles which include 110 tanks and 26 artillery units. Sweden has 24,400 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 10.59 million.

8. Germany

• Submarines: 6
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 11
• Corvettes: 5
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 0
• Mine warfare: 12
• Total naval vessels: 61
• Military defense budget: $50,000,000,000 – #11 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.2601 – #14 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Germany has a total of 83,260 military vehicles which include 296 tanks, 33 MLRS units, and 134 artillery units. Germany has 181,600 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 84.12 million.

7. Norway

• Submarines: 6
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 4
• Corvettes: 6
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 18
• Mine warfare: 5
• Total naval vessels: 43
• Military defense budget: $9,710,000,000 – #32 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6811 – #38 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Norway has a total of 6,552 military vehicles which include 44 tanks and 42 artillery units. Norway has 23,250 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 5.510 million.

6. Italy

• Submarines: 8
• Aircraft carriers: 2
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 10
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 3
• Patrol vessels: 19
• Mine warfare: 10
• Total naval vessels: 196
• Military defense budget: $30,890,000,000 – #16 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.2164 – #10 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Italy has a total of 73,480 military vehicles which include 200 tanks, 21 MLRS units, and 172 artillery units. Italy has 165,500 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 60.96 million.

5. France

• Submarines: 9
• Aircraft carriers: 1
• Helicopter carriers: 3
• Frigates: 11
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 11
• Patrol vessels: 20
• Mine warfare: 17
• Total naval vessels: 129
• Military defense budget: $55,000,000,000 – #9 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1878 – #8 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, France has a total of 110,932 military vehicles which include 215 tanks, 9 MLRS units, and 96 artillery units. France has 200,000 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 68.37 million.

4. United Kingdom

• Submarines: 9
• Aircraft carriers: 2
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 8
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 6
• Patrol vessels: 26
• Mine warfare: 7
• Total naval vessels: 109
• Military defense budget: $71,500,540,000 – #6 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1785 – #6 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, the United Kingdom has a total of 38,200 military vehicles which include 227 tanks, 29 MLRS units, and 197 artillery units. The United Kingdom has 184,860 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 68.46 million.

3. Greece

• Submarines: 10
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 13
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 39
• Mine warfare: 7
• Total naval vessels: 192
• Military defense budget: $6,500,000,000 – #44 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.5337 – #30 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Greece has a total of 61,888 military vehicles which include 1,344 tanks, 152 MLRS units, and 1287 artillery units. Greece has 142,700 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 10.46 million.

2. Turkey

• Submarines: 13
• Helicopter carriers: 1
• Frigates: 17
• Corvettes: 9
• Destroyers: 0
• Patrol vessels: 41
• Mine warfare: 11
• Total naval vessels: 182
• Military defense budget: $47,000,000,000 – #13 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1902 – #9 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, Turkey has a total of 61,173 military vehicles which include 2,238 tanks, 296 MLRS units, and 2,745 artillery units. Turkey has 355,200 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 84.12 million.

1. United States

• Submarines: 70
• Aircraft carriers: 11
• Helicopter carriers: 9
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 26
• Destroyers: 81
• Patrol vessels: 0
• Mine warfare: 8
• Total naval vessels: 440
• Military defense budget: $895,000,000,000 – #1 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.0744 – #1 out of 145

In terms of its ground forces, the United States has a total of 391,963 military vehicles which include 4,640 tanks, 641 MLRS units, and 1,883 artillery units. The United States has 1,328,000 active-duty personnel, and a total population of 341.96 million.

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