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The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world’s most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world’s largest aircraft carrier fleet, with eleven in service, one undergoing trials, two new carriers under construction, and six other carriers planned as of 2024. With 336,978 personnel on active duty and 101,583 in the Ready Reserve, the U.S. Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 299 deployable combat vessels and about 4,012 operational aircraft as of 18 July 2023. The U.S. Navy is one of six armed forces of the United States and one of eight uniformed services of the United States.
The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was effectively disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter. After suffering significant loss of goods and personnel at the hands of the Barbary pirates from Algiers, the United States Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794 for the construction of six heavy frigates, the first ships of the Navy. The United States Navy played a major role in the American Civil War by blockading the Confederacy and seizing control of its rivers. It played the central role in the World War II defeat of Imperial Japan. The United States Navy emerged from World War II as the most powerful navy in the world. The modern United States Navy maintains a sizable global presence, deploying in strength in such areas as the Western Pacific, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. It is a blue-water navy with the ability to project force onto the littoral regions of the world, engage in forward deployments during peacetime, and rapidly respond to regional crises, making it a frequent actor in American foreign and military policy.
The United States Navy is part of the Department of the Navy, alongside the United States Marine Corps, which is its coequal sister service. The Department of the Navy is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Navy. The Department of the Navy is itself a military department of the Department of Defense, which is headed by the Secretary of Defense. The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the most senior Navy officer serving in the Department of the Navy.
| United States Navy | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the United States Navy |
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| Founded | 27 March 1794 (231 years, 4 months) (in current form) 13 October 1775 |
| Country |  United States |
| Type | Navy |
| Size | 334,896 active duty personnel 54,741 Navy Reserve personnel 387,637 total uniformed personnel (official data as of 31 July 2023) 279,471 civilian employees (As of 2018) 480 ships total, of which 300 are deployable (As of 2019) 2,623 aircraft (As of 2018) |
| Part of | Armed forces of the United States Department of the Navy |
| Headquarters | The Pentagon Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Motto(s) | Semper Fortis (‘Always Courageous’), (unofficial). Non sibi sed patriae (‘Not for self but for country’) (unofficial) |
| Colors | Blue and gold |
| March | “Anchors Aweigh” |
| Anniversaries | 13 October |
| Equipment | List of equipment of the United States Navy |
| Engagements |
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| Website |
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| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief |  President Donald Trump |
| Secretary of Defense |  Pete Hegseth |
| Secretary of the Navy |  John Phelan |
| Chief of Naval Operations |  ADM James W. Kilby (acting) |
| Vice Chief of Naval Operations |  ADM James W. Kilby |
| Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy |  MCPON James Honea |
| Insignia | |
| Flag |  |
| Ensign |  |
| Jack |  |
| Pennant |  |
| Logo |  |
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Encyclopaedia Britannica. “United States Navy.” Last modified 2023. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-States-Navy.
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U.S. Navy Official Website. “United States Navy: History and Facts.” Last modified 2024. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.navy.mil/About/.
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Department of Defense. “The United States Department of Defense.” Last modified 2024. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.defense.gov.
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History.com. “Naval Act of 1794.” Last modified 2023. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/navy-acts.
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Naval History and Heritage Command. “U.S. Navy Origins: Continental Navy and Barbary Wars.” Last modified 2023. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/our-heritage.html.
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U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings. “World War II and the U.S. Navy.” Last modified 2023. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings.
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Global Firepower. “Navy Fleet Statistics.” Last modified 2023. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.globalfirepower.com/navy-strength.
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U.S. Navy. “Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).” Last modified 2024. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.navy.mil/About/CNO/.
Back to the United States Navy Portal
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