# How many admirals in the US Navy? How many ships **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528 "2009-08-15T16:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/1 "2009-08-15T16:16:30Z")
A co-worker who is active in the Naval Reserve told me there are more then two admirals for every ship in the navy. Very amusing, and even moreso if true. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/2 "2009-08-15T16:29:37Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised. There is more to the Navy than commanding ships and not every ship is run by an admiral. First of all, there are four kinds of admirals: Rear admiral (lower), rear admiral (upper), vice admiral and admiral who have one to four stars respectively. Some of the admirals are the top JAG officers, some are the top medical officers, others are in charge of bases, others are in charge of various logistics, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/3 "2009-08-15T16:32:33Z")
It’s a good thing the navy has more than 4 ships, or there would be more _kinds_ of admirals than there would be ships. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/4 "2009-08-15T17:03:35Z")
There are 285 active ships in the Navy. This number includes about 48 submarines. Total officer complement (from Ensign to four-star Admiral) is 52,291. Wikipedia says: > [@](#): > > U.S. Code of law explicitly limits the total number of admirals that may be on active duty at any given time. The total number of active duty flag officers is capped at 216 for the Navy.[2] For the Navy, no more than 16.3% of the service’s active duty flag officers may have more than two stars, and no more than 25% of those may have four stars.[3][4][5] This corresponds to 9 admirals. (Translated, that says that the total number of Rear, Vice, and full Admirals is 216, that no more than 35 may be three or four stars, and that no more than nine may be four-star Admirals – and they only get the fourth star if appointed to a position that is to be held by a full Admiral. These caps may be waived by the President in time of war or national emergency.) So clearly the statement which the OP questioned is invalid, at least at the present time. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/5 "2009-08-15T17:37:34Z")
I would have expected more. The cite says that this is for active duty admirals. There are probably a few more in the reserves and guard. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/6 "2009-08-15T18:47:14Z")
Thank you Polycarp. Too bad, it’s a good line to use. I think “Vice Admiral” would be a cool job – I assume they would run all the numbers games and whore houses. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/7 "2009-08-15T20:56:53Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > How many ships? I have to dig up some old (but useful) links: [Where are the carriers?](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/where.htm) And, the [US Armed Forces Order of Battle](http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9059/usaob.html)–an amateur page, but has an interesting breadth of units and forces. It’s pretty comprehensive, IMHO. Tripler General, Chairborne Forces ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/8 "2009-08-15T20:58:37Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > …Rear admiral (lower), rear admiral (upper)… I always thought that sounded goofy. They should never have abolished the rank of commodore. ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/9 "2009-08-16T03:10:21Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I would have expected more. The cite says that this is for active duty admirals. There are probably a few more in the reserves and guard. Doubtful. There is no national guard equivalent in the Navy, there’s just the Naval Reserve. It’s inconceivable for a sailor to work his/her way up to even a Rear Admiral just being in the Naval Reserve alone. By the time a sailor reached that rank, they would certainly be eligible to retire anyway, since you aren’t going to find any one-star generals or rear admirals who have been in the military less than 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/10 "2009-08-16T04:50:03Z")
> [@Camus](#): > > Doubtful. There is no national guard equivalent in the Navy, there’s just the Naval Reserve. It’s inconceivable for a sailor to work his/her way up to even a Rear Admiral just being in the Naval Reserve alone. By the time a sailor reached that rank, they would certainly be eligible to retire anyway, since you aren’t going to find any one-star generals or rear admirals who have been in the military less than 20 years. Couldn’t someone put in 20 years active duty and then transfer into the reserves with a fairly high rank? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/11 "2009-08-16T05:08:45Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > There are 285 active ships in the Navy. This number includes about 48 submarines. Does that inclde sunken ones like the _Arizona_, or retired tourist attractions like the _Constitution_('Old Ironsides)? I was once told that some of them were maintained on the ‘active’ list. Officially, to honor their service, but it also inflates the number of active ships, which is helpful when Congress is appropriating money for the Navy. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/12 "2009-08-16T05:32:30Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Does that inclde sunken ones like the _Arizona_, or retired tourist attractions like the _Constitution_('Old Ironsides)? [It does not appear so.](http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/lists/shipalpha.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/13 "2009-08-16T14:05:47Z")
> [@IAmNotSpartacus](#): > > [It does not appear so.](http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/lists/shipalpha.asp) I agree, to a point; even the NVR has the [Arizona](http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/BB39.htm) dedicated as a memorial. But the [Constitution](http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/oldiron.htm) is still listed as “Active, In Commission”. Tripler Look at the page name of the Constitution: “oldiron.htm”. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/14 "2009-08-16T15:18:38Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I agree, to a point; even the NVR has the [Arizona](http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/BB39.htm) dedicated as a memorial. But the [Constitution](http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/oldiron.htm) is still listed as “Active, In Commission”. Yeah, I was just looking for the Arizona and other sunken ships, didn’t even dawn on me to look for the Constitution, which is a very special and unique ship in itself. Curiously (or not-- this _is_ the Navy we’re talking about) the [USS Intrepid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Intrepid_(CV-11)) does not appear to be on the list From the remarks: THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY (J. WILLIAM MIDDENDORF, II) DIRECTED THE RECLASSIFICATION OF USS CONSTITUTION FROM “IX 21” TO “NONE” EFFECTIVE 1 SEPTEMBER 1975. SHE IS LISTED ON THE NAVAL VESSEL REGISTER (NVR) AS A COMMISSIONED SHIP AND BY NAME ONLY. CONSTITUTION IS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, REFER ENCE NO. 66000789 AND DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK ON 12/19/1960. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/15 "2009-08-16T15:35:02Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I think “Vice Admiral” would be a cool job – I assume they would run all the numbers games and whore houses. Funny. And how did “Rear” admiral come about? They just sit in their ass in HQ somewhere? Or are they all so cowardly they are never on the front lines, but hover back in the rear? Or what? ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/16 "2009-08-16T15:37:51Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > Funny. And how did “Rear” admiral come about? They just sit in their ass in HQ somewhere? Or are they all so cowardly they are never on the front lines, but hover back in the rear? Or what? > [@](#): > > It originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons and can trace its origins to the Royal Navy. Each Naval Squadron would be assigned an admiral as its head, who would command from the centre vessel and direct the activities of the squadron. The admiral would in turn be assisted by a vice admiral, who commanded the lead ships which would bear the brunt of a naval battle. In the rear of the Naval Squadron, a third admiral would command the remaining ships and, as this section of the squadron was considered to be in the least danger, the admiral in command of the rear would typically be the most junior of the squadron admirals. This has survived into the modern age, with the rank of rear admiral the most-junior of the admiralty ranks of many navies. > **[Rear admiral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_admiral)** > > Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. > Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is usually equivalent to the rank of major general in armies. In the U.S. Navy and some other navies, there are two rear admiral ranks. > The term originated in the days of naval sailing squadrons and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. Each naval sq... ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/17 "2009-08-16T15:51:34Z")
Why is the military so in love with all caps, by the way? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/18 "2009-08-16T19:10:13Z")
Dating from the 1950s the military has had the quasi-equivalent of e-mail via teletype networks. For most of those years, teletypes were all-caps only. Doing that let the engineers get away with fewer bits per byte (in modern parlance). And when sending 100 bits per \*minute \*was fast, cutting the bits/byte by 20% was a huge increment in capability. Nowadays all that’s been replaced with modern gear. Conventional SMTP email, gigibit LAN, etc. But many written messages are still prepared and sent in allcaps. (or at least they were when I was involved back in the 1980s.) So when you want to evoke an “urgent orders from headquarters” look to any mil-related writing, go with ALLCAPS and a few mysterious 12-digit number/letter groups at the beginning or end. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/19 "2009-08-16T20:17:39Z")
I’ll have to start doing that at work for no good reason. 5362DH3782J8 COFFEE CAKE IN STAFF ROOM 838462836JS8 ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528/20 "2009-08-16T21:37:53Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Why is the military so in love with all caps, by the way? Caps schmaps. The military’s prowess for horseshit acronyms is legendary. Let’s D-SPEC the DAAADS so DAACA can use the DABS to get a DACC over the DAIL and DARFAX SEATELCOM the SECAP from the SECAR \*I make no promise these terms are used correctly [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-admirals-in-the-us-navy-how-many-ships/506528.md?page=2)