Who has the most powerful navy in the world?

Question

What are the top 5 Navy's from top to bottom.

MAJ Kev · Accepted Answer

In the modern world, you have to look at the ability to project power as a blue-water naval force;  this includes both nuclear weapons and conventional sea control.

While the Russian and Chinese navies both have nuclear weapons, neither are really capable of projecting power anywhere on the globe they want.  The  Chinese currently lack the blue-water capability, and the poor Russians are barely able to put their modern ships to sea and keep them there.

There are only three navies that have the ability to project their national will anywhere on the planet, relatively quickly, and also control sea launched nuclear weapons.  The are in descending order of capability:

1 - United States Navy
2 - French Navy
3 - Royal Navy

There are some regional powerhouses that can project their national will on a limited local basis.  In no particular order, but generally descending:

4 - Japanese Navy (recently renamed from the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force
5 - Chinese Navy
6 - Russian Navy
7 - Australian Navy
8 - Republic of Korea Navy
9 - ROC Navy
10 - German Navy
11 - Indian Navy
12 - Brazilian Navy
13 - Italian Navy
14 - Turkish Navy
15 - Chilean Navy

There are other navies, like Canada, Spain, and New Zealand, that are modern, well trained, well equipped, and capable of out-of-area operations - but only in concert with one of their much larger partners.  But these navies are in reality only a par above that of a Coast Guard for all their ability to control their own local areas.

Kevin · Answer

Obviously the U.S. Navy is by far the most capable. Mainly amount of ships and man power but mostly because of the fact that we have the capability to go anywhere in the world and utilize the ports available world wide.
For a Navy to have full autonomy they must have the ability to utilize all areas of the globe via ports to dock and work and resupply with respect to the owners of such. This is why you must have MANY allies to help with this.
Russia and China do not have enough "FRIENDS" through out the world to be able to just go where ever they wish. You must have authorization from the countries to utilize their ports.

Armed with Inkstick · Answer

MAJ Kev-that's the best description I've ever seen an Army guy(or anyone, for that matter) give on how to rank navies.  BZ.

Original Poster-just give the question to MAJ Kev.

Anonymous · Answer

The United States is first dude ! 
 The rest of the world second !
 They can all get together & still be second !

Questioner · Answer

Definitely the US followed by either the UK or possibly Russia.

lana_sands · Answer

USN, Russia, China, UK, France. Gets fuzzy after those.

Bugs · Answer

USA,Russia,China and most of the European countries have good Naval programs.

Crysta · Answer

Honestly, this question is a matter of opinion. I don't think there is a way to "measure" the world's best navies. However, using Google I was able to find this link:

http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1847

And this one...

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-countries-with-largest-navies-map.html

And this one...

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100112074759AAmSOrK

drailing · Answer

1.US
2.US
3.US
4.US
5.US

The US Navy has the power to essentially knock any country in the world back to the stone ages in a matter of seconds.

Trending News

Who has the most powerful navy in the world?

9 Answers