Green-water navy
Encyclopedia
A Green-Water Navy is a naval term that refers to a naval force whose power projection capability is regional in nature. This is a relatively new terminology, as earlier non blue-water navies used to be collectively referred to as brown-water navy
Brown-water navy
Brown-water navy is a term that originated in the United States Navy, referring to the small gunboats and patrol boats used in rivers, along with some of the larger ships that supported them as "mother ships," from which they operated...
.
Green-water navies are usually capable of sending their naval ships overseas on friendly port-visits, for joint-exercise. They did this with other navies and can sustain short-term regional deployments. But usually they either lack the ability for sustained long-distance combat operations or their naval-doctrine does not envisage deployments far away from their home bases.
In comparison to Green-Water Navy, a Blue-water navy
Blue-water navy
The term blue-water navy is a colloquialism used to describe a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans. While what actually constitutes such a force remains undefined, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at wide ranges...
is one which has a capability to project power anywhere across all oceans and is able to sustain itself for long-duration deployment far away from the home base. All Blue-water navy
Blue-water navy
The term blue-water navy is a colloquialism used to describe a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans. While what actually constitutes such a force remains undefined, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at wide ranges...
have aircraft carriers in their fleet, to provide air cover for defensive as well as offensive operations.
Until some years back, one main difference between Blue-water Navy and Green-water navies was that Green-Water navies usually lacked aircraft carriers, and depended on land-based aircraft for air cover. However, in the current scenario, there are some navies which though do not technically qualify as Blue-water navy
Blue-water navy
The term blue-water navy is a colloquialism used to describe a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans. While what actually constitutes such a force remains undefined, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at wide ranges...
, but nevertheless can deploy full fledged Carrier Battle Group centered around an Aircraft Carrier, and these navies are considered a force to reckon with, for example - Italian Navy.
List of Green-Water Navies
Chinese NavyThe navy of the People's Republic of China is undergoing a rapid modernization and acquisition programme and is actively developing it's capabilities from a regional to a blue water force. Recently it has seen deployments in the mediterranean and off the Somali coast as part of an international anti-piracy task force.
It currently consists of one 67,500 ton aircraft carrier, 3 transport docks, ~73 principal surface combatants (destroyers/frigates) and up to 63 submarines(nuclear and conventional), along with hundreds of auxiliary/support vessels and landing ships.
The People's Liberation Army Navy also includes an extensive naval air arm of over 500 aircraft and 56,000 naval infantry marines.
Russian Navy
In the Cold War era the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
(1917-1991) was an equal competitor to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, its name changed to Russian Navy and the fleet experienced a rapid deterioration due to lack of financing. The present status of Russian Navy is controversial: fleet is reported to have 300 ships, but less than half are operational. Of 11 ICBM submarines, only 2 are reported to be in immediate combat readiness. Russian Navy is planned to undergo an extensive rearmament program in 2011-2020.
Italian Navy
The Italian Navy
Italian Navy
Italian Navy may refer to:* Pre-unitarian navies of the Italian states* Regia Marina, the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Italy * Italian Navy , the navy of the Italian Republic...
has a naval fleet that includes Aircraft Carriers - Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi. Along with that, it also operates San Giorgio class LPDs.
- Carrier Battle Group - centered around Portaerei Cavour
- Carrier Battle Group - centered around Giuseppe Garibaldi
- Amphibious Capability - centered around San Giorgio
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
has a naval fleet that includes Aircraft Carrier - INS Viraat. Along with that, it also operates INS Jalashwa LPD.
- Carrier Battle Group - centered around INS ViraatINS ViraatINS Viraat is a Centaur class aircraft carrier currently in service with the Indian Navy. INS Viraat is the flagship of the Indian Navy, the oldest carrier in service and one of two aircraft carriers in the Indian Ocean Region.The Viraat was completed and commissioned in 1959 as the Royal Navy's...
- Amphibious Capability - centered around INS JalashwaINS JalashwaINS Jalashwa is an amphibious transport dock currently in service with the Indian Navy. Formerly the , she was procured from the United States by India for USD 48 million. She was commissioned on 22 June 2007....
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
operates Hyuga Class Helicopter Carrier. Naval aviation consists of 179 fixed-wing aircraft and 135 helicopters.
- Helicopter Carrier - JDS HyūgaJDS Hyūga (DDH-181)JDS Hyūga is a Hyūga class helicopter destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force .The ship was built by IHI Marine United and commissioned into service on 18 March 2009.-Service:...
- Helicopter Carrier - JDS IseJDS Ise (DDH-182)JDS Ise is a Hyūga class helicopter destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . It is the second ship to be named Ise, the first being the Imperial Japanese Navy World War II era battleship Ise....
Republic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy
Republic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...
aims to operate a blue-water navy by 2020. It has embarked upon an ambitious construction program.
- Amphibious Warfare Ship - ROKS Dokdo
- Amphibious Warfare Ship - ROKS Marado (Under Construction)
- Amphibious Warfare Ship - ROKS Baeknyeongdo (Under Construction)
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
is changing its role from national defence to intervention. Royal Netherlands Navy operates Rotterdam class amphibious ships. Lead Ship was HNLMS Rotterdam, the second ship of the class is HNLMS Johan de Witt.
- Amphibious Warfare Ship - HNLMS RotterdamHNLMS Rotterdam (L800)The Rotterdam class is a Landing Platform Dock or LPD amphibious warfare ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy. It is equipped with a large helicopter deck for helicopter operations and a dock for large landing craft....
- Amphibious Warfare Ship - HNLMS Johan de Witt
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was the most powerful maritime force in the world in the 16th and early 17th centuries. After a gradual decline in the second half of the 17th century, becoming almost inoperative at the beginning of the 18th, the revival started and by the later half of 18th century it became the third strongest in the world. Since the mid-20th century the Spanish Navy began a process of reorganization that leads her back to become one of the major navies of the world.
- Carrier Battle Group - centered around Principe de AsturiasSpanish aircraft carrier Principe de AsturiasThe Príncipe de Asturias , originally named Almirante Carrero Blanco, is an aircraft carrier, the flagship of the Spanish Navy...
- Carrier Battle Group - centered around Juan Carlos
- Amphibious Capability - Galicia Class LPDGalicia class landing platform dockThe Galicia class is a class of two 13,900 t landing platform dock ships, belonging to the Spanish Navy. Built in Ferrol, their mission is to carry amphibious warfare by transporting the bulk of the Infantería de Marina....
Royal Australian Navy
In December 2007 the Royal Australian Navy ordered 2 Canberra Class Helicopter Landing Docks (LHD) from a Spanish Company based on the design of the Spanish Navy's Juan Carlos. It is expected that they will receive the two ships starting in 2014.