Navy comparison: 
Spain vs 
Italy
Italy's 314-ship navy outnumbers Spain's 94 vessels (3.3:1 advantage). Of these, 87 and 313 are in active service respectively.
SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Spain
Italy
Bars: weighted contribution to the SEAS Index (hulls × category weight) · figures: active hulls at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
| Spain | Italy | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name | Spanish Navy | Italian Navy | |
| Total ships | 94 | 314 | 🇮🇹 3.3× |
| Active ships | 87 | 313 | 🇮🇹 3.6× |
| On order / planned | 5 | 0 | 🇪🇸 |
| Submarines | 2 | 8 | 🇮🇹 4.0× |
| Principal surface combatants | 11 | 12 | 🇮🇹 1.1× |
| Aircraft carriers | 1 | 1 | — |
| Amphibious ships | 2 | 4 | 🇮🇹 2.0× |
Show full breakdown · 3 more rowsHide the 3 extra rows
| Patrol boats | 21 | 19 | 🇪🇸 1.1× |
| Mine warfare | 6 | 10 | 🇮🇹 1.7× |
| Auxiliaries | 44 | 259 | 🇮🇹 5.9× |
Backbone classes one per tier held
Analyst Assessment
Run the wargame simulation →Verdict
Edge: Italy
Italy holds the clear overall edge over Spain, fielding a deeper and more balanced fleet: eight submarines against two, ten FREMM frigates plus two Horizon-class destroyers, and a far larger support and auxiliary tail. Spain remains a capable second-tier European navy with a strong amphibious-aviation core in Juan Carlos I and five Álvaro de Bazán air-defence frigates, but it is smaller across almost every scored category.
Domain by domain
Surface combatants
Edge: Italy
🇪🇸 SpainEleven frigates: five Álvaro de Bazán AEGIS/SPY-1D air-defence ships and six ageing Santa María (Perry derivatives), with four F110 Bonifaz building to replace the latter. No destroyers.
🇮🇹 ItalyTwelve principal combatants: two Horizon-class air-defence destroyers with PAAMS/Aster and ten FREMM multirole frigates, a younger and more uniformly modern force with stronger ASW fit.
Submarines
Edge: Italy
🇪🇸 SpainTwo boats only: a single legacy Agosta-class plus limited availability, with one S-80 Plus AIP submarine on order and further units expected. A genuine near-term capability trough.
🇮🇹 ItalyEight boats, including four Nazario Sauro-class and Type 212A-derived AIP units, giving a sustained Mediterranean patrol cycle and credible undersea deterrent.
Carriers & naval aviation
Edge: Italy
🇪🇸 SpainOne Juan Carlos I LHD acting as STOVL carrier with AV-8B Harrier II, whose retirement horizon is not yet covered by a fixed-wing replacement in the data.
🇮🇹 ItalyOne Cavour, purpose-built and F-35B-capable, backed by amphibious decks; a longer-term fixed-wing path and larger organic rotary/ASW aviation base.
Amphibious & expeditionary
Edge: Italy
🇪🇸 SpainTwo Galicia-class LPDs plus Juan Carlos I, supporting a well-regarded marine infantry tradition; small but coherent for battalion-scale lift.
🇮🇹 ItalyFour amphibious vessels including three San Giorgio-class LPDs, plus new-generation LHD capacity, giving greater simultaneous lift and sea-basing depth.
Shipbuilding & sustainment
Edge: Italy
🇪🇸 SpainNavantia yards sustain frigate, submarine and LHD construction and export work; five hulls on order (F110, S-80 Plus) keep the pipeline warm despite programme delays.
🇮🇹 ItalyFincantieri delivers frigates, submarines and carriers at scale; the 108 support and 151 other hulls indicate an unusually deep auxiliary and logistic base, though no orders are listed here.
Wildcards
- Two-ocean basing versus one Spain lists five bases spanning Ferrol and Cartagena to Las Palmas and Rota, covering Atlantic, Mediterranean and mid-Atlantic approaches. Italy's single listed base, La Spezia, reflects a more concentrated Mediterranean posture.
- Allied access and hosting Rota hosts allied destroyer presence and serves as a major transatlantic hub, giving Spain leverage disproportionate to fleet size. Italy's ports similarly anchor NATO Mediterranean operations, with both navies deeply integrated into alliance command structures.
- Auxiliary tail and endurance Italy's very large unscored support and other-ship count implies sustained out-of-area endurance; Spain's seven support hulls constrain independent deployment length, making coalition logistics more necessary for extended operations.
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Editorial assessment produced from the figures on this page and public sources; it is an informed reading, not a military assessment or a prediction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more naval ships, Spain or Italy?
Italy has a larger navy with 314 ships compared to Spain's 94 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, Spain or Italy?
Italy operates more submarines with 8 compared to Spain's 4.
Which country has more aircraft carriers, Spain or Italy?
Italy has 1 aircraft carrier(s) compared to Spain's 1.
Which navy has more destroyers, Spain or Italy?
Italy operates 3 destroyers compared to Spain's 0.
Which navy has more frigates, Spain or Italy?
Spain operates 16 frigates compared to Italy's 10.
How do the Spain and Italy navies compare in size?
Italy's navy is 3.3 times larger than Spain's in terms of total ships (314 vs 94).