Asia Looks Seaward

Introduction 5

Table 1.1 Regional Naval Force Structures

Aircraft

carrier Destroyer

Frigates

and

corvettes

Total

surface

combatants

Con-

ventional

submarines

Nuclear

attack

sub-

marines

Total

sub-

marines

China 0 27 47 74 69 7 76

India 1 8 38 47 16 0 16

Japan 0 44 9 53 18 0 18

South

Korea

0 6 37 43 20 0 20

Taiwan 0 4 22 26 4 0 4

United

Kingdom

3 11 20 34 0 11 11

France 2 12 20 34 0 6 6

Source:Figures on individual navies are drawn fromJane’s Sentinel Security Assessment,http://
http://www.janesonline.com. For China, see http://www4.janes.com/subscribe/sentinel/CNAS_doc_view.jsp?
Sent_Country=China&Prod_Name=CNAS&K2DocKey=/content1/janesdata/sent/cnasu/chins130.htm@
current. For India, see http://www4.janes.com/subscribe/sentinel/SASS_docview.jsp?Sent
Country=India&Prod_Name=SASS&K2DocKey=/content1/janesdata/sent/sassu/indis130.htm@current.
For Japan, see http://www4.janes.com/subscribe/sentinel/CNAS_doc_view.jsp?Sent_Country=Japan&
Prod_Name=CNAS&K2DocKey=/content1/janesdata/sent/cnasu/japns130.htm@current. For the
Republic of Korea, see http://www4.janes.com/subscribe/sentinel/CNAS_doc_view.jsp?Sent_Country=
Korea,%20South&Prod_Name=CNAS&K2DocKey=/content1/janesdata/sent/cnasu/skors130.htm@current.
For Taiwan, see http://www4.janes.com/subscribe/sentinel/CNAS_doc_view.jsp?Sent_Country=Taiwan&
Prod_Name=CNAS&K2DocKey=/content1/janesdata/sent/cnasu/taiws130.htm@current.

Table 1.2 Force Structure Trends, 1990–

Surface ships

(1990)

Surface ships

(2006)

Submarines

(1990)

Submarines

(2006)

China 55 76 93 58

India 37 58 19 16

Japan 68 53 15 16

South Korea 38 43 3 20

Taiwan 34 33 4 4

Source:International Institute of Strategic Studies,The Military Balance(London: IISS, 1990 and
2006). We used figures fromJane’sin Table 1.1 to provide the most accurate, up-to-date snapshot possible
of regional naval forces. Table 1.2 relies on theMilitary Balanceto chart long-term trends.