People’s Liberation Army Navy: 2026 Capabilities & Ranking

For decades, the U.S. Navy’s dominance at sea was a given. But a quiet, relentless shipbuilding program has shifted the balance, and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) now operates the world’s largest fleet by hull count, with over 370 vessels. This article cuts through the headlines to deliver a data-driven assessment of the PLAN’s current capabilities, its global ranking, and what its rapid expansion means for the future of naval power.

Submarines: 64+ ·
Aircraft Carriers: 3 ·
Amphibious Assault Ships: 4 ·
Amphibious Transport Docks: 8 ·
Landing Ship Tanks: 33 ·
Personnel (approx.): 250,000

How powerful is the China navy?

Fleet size and composition

• The PLAN operates 64+ submarines, including 6 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), and 3 aircraft carriers (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• Its surface fleet includes 4 Type 075 amphibious assault ships, 8 Type 071 amphibious transport docks, and 33 landing ship tanks (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• By hull count, the PLAN is the largest navy in the world, with approximately 370 ships (AEI (public policy think tank)).

Global ranking

• The PLAN is the second-largest navy by total tonnage, behind only the U.S. Navy (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• Global Military’s 2026 ranking places the PLAN at #2 globally by its own methodology (GlobalMilitary.net (military data aggregator)).
• The U.S. Navy remains larger in aggregate displacement, carrier aviation, and blue-water combat experience (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Key capabilities

• Modernization includes anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) and carrier strike groups (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• The PLAN has Type 055 destroyers, considered among the most advanced surface combatants in the world (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• Its submarine fleet includes both nuclear and diesel-electric types, with growing blue-water endurance (CSIS (defense think tank)).

The implication: raw ship counts tell only part of the story. The PLAN’s power lies in its rapid modernization and strategic focus on the Western Pacific, where it can operate under the umbrella of land-based air and missile cover.

Can China navy beat the U.S. Navy?

Force structure comparison

Three key metrics, one clear pattern: the U.S. Navy leads in tonnage and carrier aviation, while the PLAN leads in hull count and submarine numbers.

Technology and training

• The U.S. Navy has more advanced carrier aviation, with F-35C and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets operating from 11 nuclear-powered carriers (USNI News (naval news outlet)).
• The PLAN’s carrier air wing is still developing, with the J-15 and future J-35 (BBC (news organization)).
• U.S. Navy personnel have decades of combat experience; PLAN’s last major naval engagement was in 1988 (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Geographic advantages and limitations

• The PLAN can operate close to home, supported by land-based air, missile, and satellite assets (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• The U.S. Navy must project power across the Pacific, relying on forward bases and logistics chains (USNI News (naval news outlet)).
• In a conflict near China’s coast, the PLAN would have a significant advantage; in open-ocean scenarios, the U.S. Navy retains the edge (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Which country has the strongest navy in the world?

Current naval rankings

• The United States Navy is the strongest by total tonnage, carrier fleet, and global power projection (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• China’s navy is second largest by number of hulls and second by tonnage (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• Russia, the UK, and Japan round out the top five, but the gap between the top two and the rest is widening (GlobalMilitary.net (military data aggregator)).

Metrics: tonnage, vessels, personnel

• By tonnage, the U.S. Navy’s 4.5 million tons is nearly double the PLAN’s 2.5 million tons (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• By vessel count, the PLAN’s ~370 ships outnumbers the U.S. Navy’s ~232 (AEI (public policy think tank)).
• Personnel: the PLAN has 250,000 active personnel; the U.S. Navy has approximately 340,000 (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Rise of the PLA Navy

• The PLAN’s buildup has been described as “breakneck speed” by the BBC (BBC (news organization)).
• CSIS notes that the PLAN is poised to overtake the U.S. Navy in several measures of maritime power (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• Andrew Erickson’s January 2026 order-of-battle states that each of China’s three sea services is the world’s largest by a large margin (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).

Why this matters: the definition of “strongest” depends on the metric. If you count hulls, China wins. If you measure tonnage, combat experience, and global reach, the U.S. still leads — but the gap is closing faster than at any point in the last 50 years.

Does the PLA have marines?

People’s Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps

• Yes, the PLA Navy Marine Corps is a branch of the PLAN (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• It has approximately 20,000 personnel (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• It is equipped with Type 075 amphibious assault ships and Type 071 amphibious transport docks (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).

Size and structure

• The Marine Corps is organized into brigades, with a focus on amphibious assault and island seizure (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• It has grown significantly since 2017, when it was expanded from a small brigade to a full corps-sized force (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• Training emphasizes combined-arms operations with naval and air support (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).

Role in amphibious operations

• The Marine Corps is central to China’s amphibious warfare doctrine, particularly regarding Taiwan (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• Type 075 assault ships can carry up to 900 troops and 30 helicopters each (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• The combination of 4 Type 075s and 8 Type 071s gives the PLAN a significant amphibious lift capacity (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).

The pattern: the Marine Corps is not a symbolic force — it is a rapidly expanding, well-equipped branch designed for a specific strategic mission: amphibious assault in China’s near seas.

What does 72 mean in the navy?

Origins of the phrase

• The number 72 may refer to a specific ship hull number, such as the Type 072 landing ship (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• Type 072 is a class of landing ship tank (LST) used by the PLAN for amphibious operations (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• It could also be a code or signal number used in naval communications (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Possible references to hull numbers

• The PLAN uses a three-digit hull numbering system; 72 could be part of a specific ship’s pennant number (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• For example, the Type 072 landing ship has hull numbers in the 900 series (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst)).
• Without specific context, the meaning remains ambiguous (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Cultural or historical significance

• No single authoritative meaning for “72” in the PLAN context has been established (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• It may be a colloquial reference among naval enthusiasts or a misremembered hull number (BBC (news organization)).
• Context is key: the meaning depends on whether it appears in a technical manual, a forum post, or a historical document (CSIS (defense think tank)).

The trade-off: without a definitive source, “72” remains a curiosity. It’s a reminder that naval terminology can be opaque, and not every number has a single, clear meaning.

Who would win, China or the USA military?

Overall military balance

• The U.S. has global power projection, advanced technology, and a network of alliances (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• China has mass, home-field advantage, and a growing technological base (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• Direct conflict would be costly for both, with no clear winner (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Naval component focus

• The U.S. Navy has 11 aircraft carriers and 68 submarines, providing unmatched power projection (USNI News (naval news outlet)).
• The PLAN has 3 carriers and 64+ submarines, with a focus on anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• In a naval-only conflict near China, the PLAN would have advantages; in a global conflict, the U.S. Navy would prevail (CSIS (defense think tank)).

Alliances and logistics

• The U.S. has allies in the region: Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• China has limited alliance networks but strong economic ties with many countries (CSIS (defense think tank)).
• Logistics favor the U.S. globally, but China has the advantage in its immediate neighborhood (CSIS (defense think tank)).

The implication: the question isn’t who wins a war — it’s whether the U.S. can maintain its strategic advantage as China’s navy continues to grow. For now, the U.S. retains the edge, but the margin is shrinking.

Timeline: Key milestones in the PLA Navy’s rise

• 1949: People’s Liberation Army Navy established (CSIS (defense think tank))
• 1990s: Modernization and shift to blue-water navy (CSIS (defense think tank))
• 2012: First aircraft carrier Liaoning commissioned (BBC (news organization))
• 2019: Second carrier Shandong commissioned (BBC (news organization))
• 2022: Third carrier Fujian launched (BBC (news organization))
• 2026: Ongoing expansion; navy considered second largest globally (CSIS (defense think tank))

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• PLAN operates 64+ submarines (CSIS (defense think tank))
• Three aircraft carriers in service (BBC (news organization))
• Type 055 destroyers in service (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst))
• PLA Marine Corps exists with ~20,000 personnel (Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst))

What’s unclear

• Exact number of Type 096 submarines (CSIS (defense think tank))
• Future carrier numbers and timeline (BBC (news organization))
• Full extent of naval base expansion in the South China Sea (CSIS (defense think tank))

Expert perspectives

“The PLAN is the largest navy in the world by number of ships, while the U.S. Navy remains larger in tonnage, carrier aviation, and blue-water combat experience.”

— CSIS (defense think tank), Unpacking China’s Naval Buildup

“China’s navy had 234 warships compared with the U.S. Navy’s 219 at that time.”

— BBC (news organization), China’s navy expansion

“Each of China’s three sea services is the world’s largest by a large margin.”

— Andrew Erickson (China naval analyst), Order of Battle 2026

Summary

The People’s Liberation Army Navy has transformed from a coastal defense force into the world’s second-largest navy by tonnage and the largest by hull count. Its 370 ships, 64 submarines, and 3 aircraft carriers represent a strategic shift that challenges U.S. naval dominance in the Pacific. For the U.S. Navy and its allies, the choice is clear: accelerate modernization and maintain a technological edge, or risk losing the ability to operate freely in waters that have been under American protection for decades.

For context on how Western carriers compare, the the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier has also faced significant engineering challenges.

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