Indian Navy

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. It currently has approximately 55,000 personnel on active duty, including 5,000 members of the naval aviation branch and 2,000 marine commandos, making it the world's fifth largest navy. The Indian Navy currently operates more than 155 vessels, including the INS Viraat, the only full-deck aircraft carrier operated by a country in Asia or the Western Pacific, along with operational jet fighters.




Though the primary objective of the navy is to secure national maritime borders, India also uses its navy to enhance its international relations through joint exercises, port visits and humanitarian missions, including disaster relief. In recent years, the Indian Navy has undergone extensive modernization and expansion with an intention to increase its capabilities as a recognized blue-water navy. By 2015, the Navy is expected to operate three aircraft carriers and three nuclear submarines.

Soviet Navy

The Soviet Navy (Russian: Военно-морской флот СССР, Voyenno-morskoy flot SSSR, literally "Naval Fleet of the USSR") was the naval part of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have been instrumental in any perceived Warsaw Pact role in an all-out war with NATO when it would have to stop the naval convoys bringing reinforcements over the Atlantic to the Western European theatre. Such a conflict never occurred, but the Soviet Navy still saw considerable action during the Cold War.

The Soviet Navy was divided into several major fleets: Northern Fleet, the Pacific Ocean Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, and the Baltic Fleet. The Caspian Flotilla was a semi-independent formation administratively under the Black Sea Fleet command while the Soviet Indian Ocean Squadron drew its units from and was under the jurisdiction of the Pacific Ocean Fleet. Other components included the Naval Aviation, Naval Infantry (the Soviet equivalent of marines), and coastal artillery. The Soviet Navy was reformed into the Russian Navy after the end of the Cold War in 1991.

Imperial Japanese Navy

The Imperial Japanese Navy Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun or 日本海軍 Nippon Kaigun), literally Navy of the Empire of Greater Japan also called the Empire of the Sun was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes. It was the third largest navy in the world by 1920 behind the Royal Navy and United States Navy,. It was supported by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service for aircraft and airstrike operation from the fleet. It was the primary opponent of the Allies in the Pacific War.

The origins of the Imperial Japanese Navy trace back to early interactions with nations on the Asian continent, beginning in the early medieval period and reaching a peak of activity during the 16th and 17th centuries at a time of cultural exchange with European powers during the Age of Discovery. After two centuries of stagnation during the country's ensuing seclusion policy under the shoguns of the Edo period, Japan's navy was comparatively backward when the country was forced open to trade by American intervention in 1854. This eventually led to the Meiji Restoration. Accompanying the re-ascendance of the Emperor came a period of frantic modernization and industrialization. The navy's history of successes, sometimes against much more powerful foes as in the Sino-Japanese war and the Russo-Japanese War, ended in almost complete annihilation during the concluding days of World War II largely by the United States Navy (USN). The IJN was officially dissolved in 1947.

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service). From the mid-18th century to the middle of the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s. In World War II, the Royal Navy operated almost 900 ships. During the Cold War, it was transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the GIUK gap. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, its role for the 21st century has returned to focus on global expeditionary operations.

The Royal Navy is the second-largest navy of the NATO alliance, in terms of the combined displacement of its fleet, after the United States Navy. There are currently 89 commissioned ships in the Royal Navy, including aircraft carriers, a helicopter carrier, landing platform docks, ballistic missile submarines, nuclear fleet submarines, guided missile destroyers, frigates, mine counter-measures and patrol vessels. There are also the support of 16 vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The Royal Navy's ability to project power globally is considered second only to the U.S. Navy.

The Royal Navy is a constituent component of the Naval Service, which also comprises the Royal Marines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Marines Reserve. The Royal Navy numbers 37,500 people of whom approximately 6,000 are in the Royal Marines.

United States Navy

The United States Navy (USN), or US Navy is the sea branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy currently has approximately 331,682 personnel on active duty as of December 31, 2008 and 124,000 in the Navy Reserve. It operates 283 ships in active service and more than 3,700 aircraft. The United States Navy is the largest in the world with a battle fleet tonnage greater than that of the next 13 largest combined. The U.S. Navy also possesses the world's largest carrier fleet, with 11 in service and 1 under construction.

United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was disbanded shortly thereafter. The United States Constitution provided the legal basis for a seaborne military force by giving Congress the power "to provide and maintain a navy". Depredations against American shipping by Barbary Coast corsairs spurred Congress to employ this power by passing the Naval Act of 1794 ordering the construction and manning of six frigates.[5] The U.S. Navy came to international prominence during the 20th century, especially during World War II. It was a part of the conflict from the onset of American military involvement—the attack on Pearl Harbor—to Japan's official surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri. In the subsequent Cold War, the U.S. Navy evolved into a nuclear deterrent and crisis response force while preparing for a possible global war with the Soviet Union.

The 21st century United States Navy maintains a sizable global presence, deploying in such areas as East Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. It is a blue water navy with the ability to project force onto the littoral regions of the world, engage in forward areas during peacetime, and rapidly respond to regional crises, making it an active player in American foreign and defense policy.

The Navy is administratively managed by the Department of the Navy, which is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Navy. The Department of the Navy is, itself, a division of the Department of Defense, which is headed by the Secretary of Defense. The highest ranking Naval officer is the Chief of Naval Operations.

Naval Force

The roots of the Lithuanian Navy

Although the origin of Lithuanian Navy dates back to the period between World War I and II, the history of the evolvement in naval battles exited earlier. Baltic tribe Aistians that settled down in the Baltic Sea shore built ships and used them for trade as well as for war fighting purposes. Furthermore, according to annals, in 13 century other Baltic tribes, the Coronians and Samogitians tried to destroy the castle of Riga coming by ships. It is also known about Lithuanians’ victory in the ship battle in Nemunas River at the time when duke Vytenis ruled Duchy of Lithuania. The loss of territories near the Baltic Sea had a negative impact on Lithuanian’s maritime development.

The establishment of Lithuanian Navy

After the World War I Lithuanian Government attempted to establish maritime defense force. However, due to various political and economical reasons the maritime defense force was only partially implemented.

In 1923 Lithuania regained the control of Klaipeda harbor and gradual development of maritime defense force started. The purchase of mine sweeper in 1927 was one of the first significant steps to implement Lithuanian Government aims. The ship was commissioned as the training ship “Prezidentas Smetona” (“President Smetona”). Captain Antanas Kaskelis was assigned as ship’s commanding officer. Several small boats carried out patrol duties in Klaipeda harbor. Naval officers were educated abroad.

On the 1rst of September 1935 chief in command of Lithuanian Armed Forces General Stasys Rastikis officially established the Lithuanian Navy as a branch of Lithuanian Armed Forces.

The impact of the World War II on Lithuanian Navy

Before the beginning of World War II on the 22nd of March 1939 Klaipeda region was occupied by Germany. Once the war started Lithuanian naval ship was forced to leave Klaipeda for Liepaja harbor in Latvia.

During Soviet occupation Lithuanian Navy was attached to Soviet Union’s Baltic maritime defense force. Ship “Prezidentas Smetona” was renamed to “Korall” and participated in the sea battles against German Navy. On 11th of January 1945 the ship triggered the mine and sank in the Gulf of Finland.

The development of Lithuanian Navy after the declaration of independence

After declaration of independence on the 11th of March 1990 the main task of Lithuania was the establishment of its sovereignty as well as organization of state’s defense system. At that time the units of Lithuanian armed forces were formed. On the 4th of July 1992 Lithuanian Navy was re-established. Juozapas Algis Leisis was appointed as commander of Lithuanian Navy.

In the fall of 1992 Lithuanian Navy procured two light frigates “Zemaitis” (F11) and “Aukstaitis“ (F12). After crew training period in June 1992 both frigates participated in international exercise US Baltops 93. This was the beginning of the international cooperation of Lithuanian Navy with other navies.

Another milestone in the Lithuanian Naval history was the establishment of the Sea Coastal Surveillance Company in 1993 which later was transformed into Sea Coastal Surveillance Service.

On the 1rst of April 2004 Lithuania became an official member of NATO alliance. This had a positive impact on the development of Lithuanian Navy.