The US currently has the largest and most advance navy in the world. Its fleet tonnage is larger than the next 13 largest navies combined. It also possesses the largest carrier fleet in the world.

Recent improvement in the Russian economy has resulted in a significant increase in the defence budget and numbers of ships under construction with the focus on the Petersburg (Lada) class and nuclear Severodvinsk (Graney) class submarines The Steregushchiy class corvettes is the first new surface construction since the collapse of the USSR. The new Admiral Sergei Gorshkov class frigates mark the first attempt of the Navy to return to the building of large blue water capable ships.

The oldest branch of Her Majesty Armed Forces, the Royal Navy used to be the most powerful navy in the world until after the Second World War. Today it holds the title as the second largest navy in the NATO Alliance.

The JMSDF is tasked with the naval defense of Japan after the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II. It has a large fleet with blue-water operating capabilities. The JMSDF is based strictly on defensive capabilities and its main tasks are to patrol the nation's sea lanes and territorial waters. Officially, its strength is 46,000 personnel operating 119 major warships, inclusive of 20 submarines, 53 destroyers and frigates, 29 mine warfare ships, 9 patrol craft and 9 amphibious ships. It also has 179 fixed-wing aircraft and 135 helicopters.

With around 400,000 personnel, the PLAN over the last few years had made tremendous progress in modernizing its fleet. The class of ships that made up its more modern fleet included Sovremenny class destroyers ,Kilo class submarines, Lanzhou class destroyers and the Yuan class submarines.