This Country Has the Most Powerful Navy, But It’s Not the Largest

On Monday, April 28, 2025, the United States Navy announced that an F/A-18E Super Hornet, along with the tow tractor that was pulling it, fell off the deck of the U.S.S. Harry Truman and into the Red Sea. The fighter jet is estimated to be worth $67 million. It’s sinking coincides with a Houthi rebel statement claiming they had launched ballistic missiles towards the Truman and other U.S. warships in the area. US-led naval forces have been defending commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels since the Houthis hijacked a commercial ship in November 2023. The U.S. and the UK began an air strike campaign against Houthi targets in January 2024.

As tensions rise in the Middle East, 24/7 Wall St. examined which nations possess the strongest naval forces in terms of size and capability. With 71% of the earth covered in oceans, navies have long been key to the military balance of power among the world’s nations, and this has not changed in the modern world. Countries with powerful empires and strong economies also have strong navies. Nations such as the U.S., Russia, and China, along with some NATO members, are home to these powerful navies and economies. 24/7 Wall St. wanted to take a closer look at the largest naval military powers in the world. Although the U.S. is known to have the most powerful navy in the world, it’s not the largest.

24/7 Wall St. identified the countries with the most military ships and submarines by reviewing data from the 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We ranked countries on the total number of military ships and submarines in their fleet. We added information regarding all the vessels, including submarines, aircraft carriers, destroyers, corvettes, patrol vessels, and frigates, as well as each country’s overall military strength score and defense budget.

(This article was updated on May 1, 2025, to reflect recent news regarding the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea and the sinking of a U.S. fighter jet on Monday.)

Why Are We Covering This Now?

The ongoing conflict in the Red Sea serves as a reminder of how critical naval power remains in preserving world peace.  Understanding global military dynamics is incredibly important due to the interconnected nature of international relations and conflicts. As long as civilization has existed, the world has witnessed shifting power balances and alliances that have ultimately shaped the current geopolitical landscape. While key players like the United States, China, and Russia are considered the strongest military powers in the world, there are a number of other nations with their own spheres of influence and strengths that impact global relations from a military perspective.

Here is a look at the countries with the largest navies in the world:

30. Philippines

• Total naval vessels: 113
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 2
• Corvettes: 1
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 58
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 11,878
• Tanks: 10
• MLRS units: 0
• Artillery units: 306
• Military defense budget: $4,380,000,000 – #55 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6987 – #41 out of 145

29. Qatar

• Total naval vessels: 115
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 4
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 105
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 5,024
• Tanks: 99
• MLRS units: 16
• Artillery units: 58
• Military defense budget: $9,432,000,000 – #34 out of 145
• Military strength score: 1.4307 – #72 out of 145

28. Bangladesh

• Total naval vessels: 118
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 7
• Corvettes: 6
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 2
• Patrol vessels: 61
• Mine warfare vessels: 5
• Total military vehicles: 11,584
• Tanks: 320
• MLRS units: 110
• Artillery units: 602
• Military defense budget: $4,374,000,000 – #56 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6062 – #35 out of 145

27. Pakistan

• Total naval vessels: 121
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 9
• Corvettes: 9
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 8
• Patrol vessels: 69
• Mine warfare vessels: 3
• Total military vehicles: 17,516
• Tanks: 2,627
• MLRS units: 600
• Artillery units: 3,291
• Military defense budget: $7,640,000,000 – #38 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.2513 – #12 out of 145

26. Kuwait

• Total naval vessels: 123
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 106
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 5,636
• Tanks: 367
• MLRS units: 27
• Artillery units: 74
• Military defense budget: $6,950,000,000 – #41 out of 145
• Military strength score: 1.6982 – #79 out of 145

25. France

• Total naval vessels: 129
• Aircraft carriers: 3
• Helicopter carriers: 3
• Frigates: 11
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 11
• Submarines: 9
• Patrol vessels: 20
• Mine warfare vessels: 17
• Total military vehicles: 110,932
• Tanks: 215
• MLRS units: 9
• Artillery units: 58
• Military defense budget: $55,000,000,000 – #9 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1878 – #8 out of 145

24. Chile

• Total naval vessels: 130
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 8
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 4
• Patrol vessels: 40
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 8,832
• Tanks: 386
• MLRS units: 8
• Artillery units: 297
• Military defense budget: $5,032,500,000 – #48 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.8361 – #47 out of 145

23. Nigeria

• Total naval vessels: 133
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 1
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 109
• Total military vehicles: 8,962
• Tanks: 330
• MLRS units: 37
• Artillery units: 379
• Mine warfare vessels: 2
• Military defense budget: $3,160,000,000 – #59 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.5771 – #31 out of 145

22. Egypt

• Total naval vessels: 150
• Aircraft carriers: 2
• Helicopter carriers: 2
• Frigates: 13
• Corvettes: 7
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 8
• Patrol vessels: 62
• Mine warfare vessels: 17
• Total military vehicles: 41,102
• Tanks: 3,620
• MLRS units: 528
• Artillery units: 2,018
• Military defense budget: $5,879,500,000 – #46 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.3427 – #19 out of 145

21. Spain

• Total naval vessels: 152
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 11
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 2
• Patrol vessels: 22
• Mine warfare vessels: 6
• Total military vehicles: 17,626
• Tanks: 317
• MLRS units: 0
• Artillery units: 387
• Military defense budget: $23,397,000,000 – #22 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.3242 – #17 out of 145

20. Japan

• Total naval vessels: 159
• Aircraft carriers: 4
• Helicopter carriers: 4
• Frigates: 6
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 42
• Submarines: 24
• Patrol vessels: 6
• Mine warfare vessels: 22
• Total military vehicles: 31,964
• Tanks: 521
• MLRS units: 54
• Artillery units: 629
• Military defense budget: $57,000,000,000 – #7 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1839 – #7 out of 145

19. Mexico

• Total naval vessels: 167
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 1
• Corvettes: 3
• Destroyers: 5
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 140
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 19,658
• Tanks: 0
• MLRS units: 0
• Artillery units: 90
• Military defense budget: $7,600,000,000 – #39 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.5965 – #32 out of 145

18. United Arab Emirates

• Total naval vessels: 181
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 11
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 34
• Mine warfare vessels: 2
• Total military vehicles: 8,707
• Tanks: 354
• MLRS units: 49
• Artillery units: 264
• Military defense budget: $2,212,360,382 – #70 out of 145
• Military strength score: 1.0186 – #54 out of 145

17. Turkey

• Total naval vessels: 182
• Aircraft carriers: 1
• Helicopter carriers: 1
• Frigates: 17
• Corvettes: 9
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 13
• Patrol vessels: 41
• Mine warfare vessels: 11
• Total military vehicles: 61,173
• Tanks: 2,238
• MLRS units: 296
• Artillery units: 2,745
• Military defense budget: $47,000,000,000 – #13 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1902 – #9 out of 145

16. Greece

• Total naval vessels: 192
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 13
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 10
• Patrol vessels: 39
• Mine warfare vessels: 7
• Total military vehicles: 61,888
• Tanks: 1,344
• MLRS units: 152
• Artillery units: 1,287
• Military defense budget: $6,500,000,000 – #44 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.5337 – #30 out of 145

15. Portugal

• Total naval vessels: 194
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 5
• Corvettes: 2
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 2
• Patrol vessels: 20
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 10,838
• Tanks: 34
• MLRS units: 0
• Artillery units: 139
• Military defense budget: $4,627,000,000 – #52 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6856 – #39 out of 145

14. Italy

• Total naval vessels: 196
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 10
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 3
• Submarines: 8
• Patrol vessels: 19
• Mine warfare vessels: 10
• Total military vehicles: 73,480
• Tanks: 200
• MLRS units: 21
• Artillery units: 172
• Military defense budget: $30,890,000,000 – #16 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.2164 – #10 out of 145

13. North Korea

• Total naval vessels: 207
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 2
• Corvettes: 4
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 13
• Patrol vessels: 155
• Mine warfare vessels: 1
• Total military vehicles: 18,288
• Tanks: 4,344
• MLRS units: 1,500
• Artillery units: 0
• Military defense budget: $4,736,000,000 – #51 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6016 – #34 out of 145

12. South Korea

• Total naval vessels: 227
• Aircraft carriers: 2
• Helicopter carriers: 2
• Frigates: 17
• Corvettes: 5
• Destroyers: 13
• Submarines: 22
• Patrol vessels: 35
• Mine warfare vessels: 14
• Total military vehicles: 58,880
• Tanks: 2,236
• MLRS units: 426
• Artillery units: 7,670
• Military defense budget: $46,300,000,000 – #14 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1656 – #5 out of 145

11. Myanmar

• Total naval vessels: 232
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 6
• Corvettes: 3
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 3
• Patrol vessels: 146
• Mine warfare vessels: 2
• Total military vehicles: 5,980
• Tanks: 445
• MLRS units: 180
• Artillery units: 305
• Military defense budget: $2,948,000,000 – #62 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.6735 – #37 out of 145

10. Colombia

• Total naval vessels: 233
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 7
• Corvettes: 2
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 4
• Patrol vessels: 217
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 3,460
• Tanks: 0
• MLRS units: 0
• Artillery units: 116
• Military defense budget: $10,541,500,000 – #30 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.8353 – #46 out of 145

9. Finland

• Total naval vessels: 264
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 8
• Mine warfare vessels: 18
• Total military vehicles: 11,704
• Tanks: 200
• MLRS units: 76
• Artillery units: 774
• Military defense budget: $6,779,661,000 – #42 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.8437 – #48 out of 145

8. Sri Lanka

• Total naval vessels: 270
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 5
• Corvettes: 0
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 59
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 3,190
• Tanks: 44
• MLRS units: 28
• Artillery units: 96
• Military defense budget: $1,265,400,000 – #82 out of 145
• Military strength score: 1.3941 – #69 out of 145

7. Thailand

• Total naval vessels: 293
• Aircraft carriers: 1
• Helicopter carriers: 1
• Frigates: 7
• Corvettes: 6
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 0
• Patrol vessels: 49
• Mine warfare vessels: 5
• Total military vehicles: 16,935
• Tanks: 635
• MLRS units: 26
• Artillery units: 639
• Military defense budget: $5,887,883,500 – #45 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.4536 – #26 out of 145

6. India

• Total naval vessels: 293
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 14
• Corvettes: 18
• Destroyers: 13
• Submarines: 18
• Patrol vessels: 135
• Mine warfare vessels: 0
• Total military vehicles: 148,594
• Tanks: 4,201
• MLRS units: 264
• Artillery units: 4,075
• Military defense budget: $75,000,000,000 – #4 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.1184 – #4 out of 145

5. Sweden

• Total naval vessels: 308
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 7
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 4
• Patrol vessels: 179
• Mine warfare vessels: 8
• Total military vehicles: 6,795
• Tanks: 110
• MLRS units: 0
• Artillery units: 26
• Military defense budget: $13,000,000,000 – #28 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.4835 – #27 out of 145

4. Indonesia

• Total naval vessels: 331
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 7
• Corvettes: 25
• Destroyers: 0
• Submarines: 4
• Patrol vessels: 211
• Mine warfare vessels: 12
• Total military vehicles: 20,440
• Tanks: 331
• MLRS units: 63
• Artillery units: 549
• Military defense budget: $10,600,000,000 – #29 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.2557 – #13 out of 145

3. Russia

• Total naval vessels: 419
• Aircraft carriers: 0
• Helicopter carriers: 0
• Frigates: 12
• Corvettes: 83
• Destroyers: 10
• Submarines: 63
• Patrol vessels: 123
• Mine warfare vessels: 47
• Total military vehicles: 131,527
• Tanks: 5,750
• MLRS units: 3.005
• Artillery units: 13,673
• Military defense budget: $126,000,000,000 – #3 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.0788 – #2 out of 145

2. United States

• Total naval vessels: 440
• Aircraft carriers: 9
• Helicopter carriers: 9
• Frigates: 0
• Corvettes: 26
• Destroyers: 81
• Submarines: 70
• Patrol vessels: 0
• Mine warfare vessels: 8
• Total military vehicles: 391,963
• Tanks: 4,640
• MLRS units: 641
• Artillery units: 1,883
• Military defense budget: $895,000,000,000 – #1 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.0744 – #1 out of 145

1. China

• Total naval vessels: 754
• Aircraft carriers: 4
• Helicopter carriers: 4
• Frigates: 47
• Corvettes: 72
• Destroyers: 50
• Submarines: 61
• Patrol vessels: 150
• Mine warfare vessels: 36
• Total military vehicles: 144,017
• Tanks: 6,800
• MLRS units: 2,750
• Artillery units: 4,490
• Military defense budget: $266,850,000,000 – #2 out of 145
• Military strength score: 0.0788 – #3 out of 145

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