AZ_HighCountry
INT'L MOD
- Thread starter
- #61
That's actually not hard to look up.
Global Naval Power Rankings 2026 - US Navy Retains Top Ranking
- Thread starter AZ_HighCountry
- Start date
AZ_HighCountry
INT'L MOD
- Thread starter
- #62
Tonnage is one thing. Capability is another. For example, the US is the gold standard for carrier operations that everyone else aspires to.
Waz
Administrator
| US Navy Capability | China's Counter / Equivalent | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Aircraft Carriers | 3 aircraft carriers (Liaoning, Shandong, Fujian) plus hundreds of mainland-based combat aircraft | U.S. has a major advantage in carrier aviation. China compensates by relying on land-based airpower near its coast. |
| 9 Amphibious Assault Ships | Type 075 amphibious assault ships (3+ in service) and Type 076 under development | China has rapidly expanded amphibious capability, primarily for regional operations. |
| F-35B/C stealth fighters | J-20 stealth fighter (land-based), J-35 stealth fighter (carrier version under development/testing) | The J-20 is a capable long-range stealth fighter but is land-based. The J-35 is intended to narrow the carrier aviation gap. |
| EA-18G Growler | J-16D electronic warfare aircraft | The J-16D performs a similar electronic attack and suppression role, though it has not been combat-tested like the Growler. |
| E-2D Hawkeye AEW&C | KJ-500 AEW&C, KJ-600 carrier AEW&C (entering service) | KJ-500 provides extensive land-based airborne early warning. KJ-600 is intended to provide carrier-based capability similar to the E-2D. |
| 70 nuclear submarines | Type 093 SSNs, Type 095 (future), Type 094 SSBNs, Type 096 (future), plus large fleet of Type 039 diesel-electric submarines | The U.S. retains a substantial qualitative and quantitative advantage in nuclear submarines. China offsets this with numerous quiet diesel-electric boats in regional waters. |
| 75 Destroyers | Type 055 cruisers/large destroyers, Type 052D destroyers, Type 052C destroyers | China now fields one of the world's largest modern destroyer fleets, although U.S. crews have much greater operational experience. |
| 7 Cruisers | Type 055 Renhai-class (often compared in size and capability to cruisers) | Type 055 ships are among the most capable surface combatants outside the U.S. Navy. |
Integrated Air Defence
| US Capability | Chinese Equivalent | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| ESSM | HQ-10 point-defence missile | Comparable role for close-in ship defence. |
| SM-2 | HHQ-9B naval SAM | Long-range fleet air-defence missile. |
| SM-3 | No direct operational equivalent | China emphasizes offensive anti-ship and anti-satellite capabilities rather than sea-based ballistic missile defence. |
| SM-6 | HHQ-9B, evolving long-range interceptors | China lacks a direct equivalent with the same publicly known multi-mission capability as the SM-6. |
Networked Warfare
| US Capability | Chinese Equivalent | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) | Integrated command-and-control through the PLA's Integrated Joint Operations Command System, secure datalinks, and networked sensors | China has developed extensive networked warfare capabilities, but public evidence suggests the U.S. CEC remains more mature and combat-proven. |
| Space-integrated networking | BeiDou satellite navigation, Yaogan reconnaissance satellites, Tianlian data relay satellites, extensive ISR satellite constellations | China has built one of the world's largest military space infrastructures to support targeting, communications, and navigation. |
China is closing the gap and the breakdown has been done on the forum. It's not that far off, even senior US navy personal say this.
That being said the USN is top for sure and has overwhelming advantages in certain key areas e.g. carrier strike. China is second, the thing is no navy comes close to China so hence why they should stand on their own.
MMM-E
Elite Member
Yes , China is second
but the thing is No Navy comes close to USA
Aircraft Carrier
USA : 11
China : 3 + India : 2 + Russia 1 + The UK : 2 + France : 1 + Italy : 1 = total of 10
Amphibious Assault Ships
USA : 9
China : 3
AEWC
USA : 70 E-2D
China : 6 KJ-600
Stealth Fighter Jet
USA : 65-70 F-35C ( The Navy ) and 190 F-35B + 52 F-35C ( USMC )
China : 20-30 J-35 ( The Navy )
ASW Aircraft
USA : 130 P-8A
China : 50 KQ-200
Electronic Attack
USA : 153 EA-18G Growler
China : 20-30 J-16D ( but PLAAF )
Carrier based Fighter Jets
USA : 420+ F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
China : 80-90 J-15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nuclear powered Submarine
USA : 70
China : 32
Destroyers
USA : 75 .... ( USA has also 7 Cruisers )
China : 62 .... ( Chiha has also 44 Frigates )
Total VLS
USA : 9100-9400
China : 4400-4600
Quad-pack Capability
The United States Navy is mastering the Quad-Pack
The Chinese Navy currently has no operational quad-packed missiles in active service
Air Defense Missiles
USA : SM-3 and SM-6 ( unique in the world )
China : No equal to SM-3 and SM-6
SLBM
USA : 280 ( simultaneously deployed at sea )
China : 72 ( simultaneously deployed at sea )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Space-integrated networking
USA : Global
China : Regional Focus (Dense over East/South China Seas)
The US Navy possesses such a power that there's a huge difference even between it and the second-ranked player.
indo17787
Registered Member
indo17787
Registered Member
The “Military Balance 2025” report cited by the IISS analysis states that, as of early 2025, China possessed 12 operational nuclear-powered submarines, six ballistic-missile submarines, and six guided-missile or attack submarines. China has a sizeable fleet of 46 conventionally powered diesel electric submarines.
ety
Trusted Member
Correction. China has at least 16 and maybe substantially more, not 12, nuke subs. 6 ballistic missiles subs and 10 SSN subs are well confirmed.
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ety
Trusted Member
Yes, Chinese warships have quad-packed missile capability. [1, 2]
The standard Chinese Universal Vertical Launch System (UVLS), officially designated under technical standard GJB 5860-2006, explicitly includes a requirement for its shortest cells (3.3 meters deep) to "quad-pack" four smaller missiles into a single launch cell. This system is heavily utilized on China's premier surface combatants, such as the Type 052D and Type 055 destroyers. [1, 2, 3]
Quad-Pack Implementations and Hardware
- HHQ-9C Air Defense Missile: During military parades, China showcased the HHQ-9C shipborne air defense missile, noting that Type 055 destroyers can quad-pack this variant to drastically increase the ship's defensive capacity. [1]
- DK-10A / FM-3000N: Analysts and military displays have also highlighted smaller medium-range missiles—like the DK-10A (the naval variant of the PL-12) and the FM-3000N—as primary candidates optimized for quad-packing, acting similarly to the U.S. Navy’s Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM).
ChineseTiger1986
Registered Member
The 12 nuclear submarines is the undercounted figure.
There is clear evidence that China even got 10 SSBN boats that exclude the old Type 092.
China has already commissioned many Type 093B, and even the previous Type 093 and Type 093A are much more numerous.
China has already launched 5-6 SSN hulls in the first half of 2026.
Even China from the 2015-2020 era got more than 12 nuclear submarines.
ChineseTiger1986
Registered Member
Many American military fans have also pointed out that the US military has purposely hyped up China's destroyer threat to get more fund, yet also downplay China's nuclear submarine capability in order to put everyone into a false sense of security.
It is a very childish mentality, and they just bury their head into the sand and refuse to believe that China gonna surpass the US nuclear submarines in both quality and quantity in 2030-2035 at this rate of building speed.
nahtanbob
Elite Member
definition of naval unit is rather arbitrary
nahtanbob
Elite Member
we are damned if we do. we are damned if we do not
wangdefa
Registered Member
I have no interest in rankings. Whether it's the navy or the air force, China's update and iteration period was in 2015, and ten years is too short. The goal for the Chinese navy is to be fully formed by 2035-2040, with a fleet of nine aircraft carriers.
So far, for me, it's just taking shape. The first two aircraft carriers we call training ships.
The first-generation iteration goals have been achieved, and the second-generation navy, which extensively employs hybrid propulsion systems, is underway. Starting with the Fujian ship, the Type 055 is also undergoing improvements.
So far, for me, it's just taking shape. The first two aircraft carriers we call training ships.
The first-generation iteration goals have been achieved, and the second-generation navy, which extensively employs hybrid propulsion systems, is underway. Starting with the Fujian ship, the Type 055 is also undergoing improvements.
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KingQamaR
Elite Member
Truth is . We have no idea how Chinese sailors will do in such a conflict. And it really comes down to that. Will they use their advantages well or will they break when people start getting hit?
KingQamaR
Elite Member
US has 11 carriers but only 2-3 of them are combat ready. The rest are sitting at the dock waiting for maintenance and some of those aging carriers are approaching their retirement age, but new carriers are not ready yet. On paper US has 11 carriers but in practice it’s a different story.
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