GlobalMilitary.net Open-source military intelligence Updated daily
Head-to-head

Navy comparison: Flag of North Korea North Korea vs Flag of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

North Korea's 395-ship navy outnumbers Saudi Arabia's 37 vessels (11:1 advantage). Of these, 392 and 30 are in active service respectively.

SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Naval ensign of North Korea North KoreaWorld #7 41.5
SEAS Index / 100

North Korea leads on 5 of 7 categories

Naval ensign of Saudi Arabia Saudi ArabiaWorld #37 19.0
  • 1 Destroyersweight ×50 0
  • 22 Submarinesweight ×45 0
  • 2 Frigatesweight ×30 7
  • 10 Corvettesweight ×15 9
  • 0 Mine warfareweight ×5 3
  • 187 Patrol boatsweight ×2 9
  • 170 Coastal boatsweight ×1 0
  • 0 Support shipsnot scored 2
North Korea Saudi Arabia 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
North Korea Saudi Arabia Ratio
Official name Korean People's Army Naval Force Royal Saudi Navy
Total ships 395 37 🇰🇵 11×
Active ships 392 30 🇰🇵 13×
On order / planned 2 5 🇸🇦 2.5×
Submarines 22 0 🇰🇵
Principal surface combatants 3 7 🇸🇦 2.3×
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Corvettes 10 9 🇰🇵 1.1×
Patrol boats 187 9 🇰🇵 21×
Mine warfare 0 3 🇸🇦
Coastal boats 170 0 🇰🇵
Auxiliaries 0 2 🇸🇦
Backbone classes one per tier held
🇰🇵 North KoreaRomeo-class ×20Choe Hyon-class ×1Najin-class ×2
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaAl Madinah-class ×4Avante 2200-class ×5
Explore this matchup
Go deeper · same matchup, other lenses
Military strength Air forces Armies Wargame simulator
Change opponent
North Korea vsSouth KoreaUnited StatesVietnamIndonesiaSingapore
Saudi Arabia vsUnited StatesIranTaiwanPakistanIsrael

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more naval ships, North Korea or Saudi Arabia?
North Korea has a larger navy with 395 ships compared to Saudi Arabia's 37 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, North Korea or Saudi Arabia?
North Korea operates more submarines with 22 compared to Saudi Arabia's 0.
Which navy has more destroyers, North Korea or Saudi Arabia?
North Korea operates 4 destroyers compared to Saudi Arabia's 0.
Which navy has more frigates, North Korea or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia operates 11 frigates compared to North Korea's 2.
How do the North Korea and Saudi Arabia navies compare in size?
North Korea's navy is 10.7 times larger than Saudi Arabia's in terms of total ships (395 vs 37).