Naval Ships Around the World
Besides the U.S. Navy, there are plenty of other naval ships around the world to consider. Here is a rundown of other national navies to reckon with.
The United Kingdom
Britain's navy was once the envy of the world, connecting its far-flung colonies and pioneering new naval technologies, like the dreadnought at the beginning of the 20th century. However, by World War II the United States had eclipsed Britain's naval dominance, and both nations now lag behind Asia in terms of shipbuilding output. Britain still maintains the second largest navy in NATO, next to the U.S.
China
China is now the world's busiest manufacturer of ships, according to the Chinese newspaper the People's Daily. In 2010, China filled 46 percent of the world's shipbuilding orders.
China's navy is called the People's Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN. It has fleets in the North Sea, East Sea and South Seas, and maintains more submarines than any other Asian navy. According to GlobalSecurity.org, the Chinese navy also possesses destroyers, frigates and aircraft carriers. China's dream is to build a "blue water navy" like the U.S. and Britain have, which can operate in all the oceans of the world.
Russia
The Russian Navy has one of the most distinguished histories of any navy in the world. Russia has been a naval power since the early medieval period, establishing its supremacy on the Baltic Sea. In the late seventeenth century, under threat by the Ottoman Empire, Tsar Peter the Great consolidated the country's disparate naval forces into the Imperial Russian Navy. His successor Catherine the Great created the Black Sea Fleet.
Russia's navy was humiliated by the Japanese in the Russo-Japanese War at the turn of the century. However, the formation of the Soviet Union (which stemmed partially from a naval revolt on board the Battleship Potemkin, later immortalized in the classic film of the same name) revitalized the Russian Navy, which became the Soviet Navy. During the Cold War, its nuclear submarines (like the Typhoon class, the largest submarines in the world) won grudging admiration, and fear, from the West. The modern Russian Federation has slowed down its ship construction, and many Russian admirals fear that their country's navy is in decline.
France
The French Navy is a force to be reckoned with, possessing a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and ten nuclear submarines. The Mistral class of amphibious assault ships can accomodate up to 900 people, with a typical crew of 160.
