# What was the size of the U.S. navy in 1990? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 28, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116 "2002-05-28T00:25:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/1 "2002-05-28T00:25:13Z")
I’m here at my mother’s house with my grandfather. He’s had some lousy experience with message boards, so I’m here to show him the amazing powers of the SDMB. He’s got a question: What was the size of the United States Navy in 1990? How many ships were in the entire fleet at that time? He’s not asking, but just for fun, let’s break it down by type of ship as well. I’m not sure where you would find this information, but I thought someone here might. Can the SDMB step up to the plate and impress my grandfather? I’d bet on hell yeah, if I was a betting man. . . . DaLovin’ Dj ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/2 "2002-05-28T02:54:58Z")
```auto Type 9/30/90 Battleships 4 Carriers 13 Cruisers 43 Destroyers 57 Frigates 99 Submarines 93 SSBNs 33 Command Ships 4 Mine Warfare 22 Patrol 6 Amphibious 59 Auxiliary 137 Surface Warships 203 Total Active 570 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/3 "2002-05-28T02:58:25Z")
BTW: I’d have had the answer to you a full two hours ago, if the Server hadn’t been acting-up. ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/4 "2002-05-28T07:08:54Z")
That’s what I’m talkin’ about. How did you get the info? Is there a public place to access this kind of stuff or was it a jopb-related thing? Thanks! DaLovin’ Dj ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/5 "2002-05-28T12:09:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Total Active 570 Is the USS Constution part of this list, if so what is it classified under? IIRC it was never retired from active service. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/6 "2002-05-28T12:50:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by k2dave \* > \*\* > > Is the USS Constution part of this list, if so what is it classified under? \*\* “Auxiliaries” – at least according to the current fleet list at [www.hazegray.org](http://www.hazegray.org) ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/7 "2002-05-28T14:30:49Z")
Sorry about that… It’s from a publicly accessable military resource, but I knew about it from my days in the Nav: www.history.navy.mil The actual page is: www.history.navy.mil/branches/org9-4.htm ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/8 "2002-05-28T18:48:03Z")
When I add up those numbers, I get 773, not the claimed 570. It looks to me like there might be some overlap in the categories: I would imagine that the four “Command Ships” are carriers, for example, and aren’t SSBNs submarines? Wait, I just realized that that last category is “surface warships”, all of which are in one of the other categories as well, so there’s my double-counting. But that means that “Command Ships” are, in fact, distinct from the other classes, and SSBNs (aren’t those ballistic missile subs?) are not counted as submarines. For that matter, the Constitution is a frigate, but it’s probably not what they have in mind with the “frigate” classification there. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/9 "2002-05-28T22:46:10Z")
Presumably “submarines” means SSNs – did the USN have any conventional subs then? – i.e. ‘attack’ submarines. Command ships, IIRC, are separate vessels [such as these](http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/ships/ship-agf.html). ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/10 "2002-05-28T23:32:31Z")
Command ships are indeed seperate from both auxilliaries _and_ surface combatants. Acting as command and control centers for entire fleets, they aren’t _auxilliary_, but at the same time, they aren’t combatants, either. SSBNs are indeed different from run-of-the-mill submarines. In 1990, IIRC, the Navy still had to deisel-electric attack subs. I assisted in decommisioning one, but I can’t recall at the moment if it was in '90, or '89. Also, not all auxilliaries are surface ships. Fer instance, [AGSS](http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/AGSS555.htm)-[555](http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/ships/ship-tagss.html), the USS Dolphin. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/11 "2002-05-28T23:46:40Z")
A quick dig uncovers the following non-nuclear subs that might have been in service (I dunno, just curious really): [USS Blueback](http://www.subnet.com/FLEET/ss581.htm) (decomissioned late 1990) [This site](http://www.hlla.com/reference/subs.html) claims 3 diesel subs were in use in 1987. Any idea what the other two were? ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-size-of-the-u-s-navy-in-1990/111116/12 "2002-05-29T00:06:52Z")
That’s the one. I couldn’t remember if it was the Blueback or the Blue_fish_. Most of my work on that one was rewinding motors, rebuilding controllers, and other tender-based repair (51A/B) work, as the Navy was thinking of selling it to a South American country (the buyers rejected it as un-economical). In '87, I was still on the Russell, and wasn’t paying any attention to diesel boats, so I’ve no answer for you there.