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Navy comparison: Flag of North Korea North Korea vs Flag of Turkey Turkey

North Korea operates a fleet of 421 ships compared to 217 for Turkey. Of these, 391 and 195 are in active service respectively.

SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Naval ensign of North Korea North KoreaWorld #25 17.9
SEAS Index / 100

Turkey leads on 5 of 9 categories

Naval ensign of Turkey TurkeyWorld #12 25.7
  • 2 Destroyersweight ×50 · size, era 0
  • 21 Submarinesweight ×45 · size, era 13
  • 2 Frigatesweight ×30 · size, era 17
  • 9 Corvettesweight ×15 · size, era 9
  • 0 Amphibiousweight ×12 · size, era 7
  • 0 Mine warfareweight ×5 · size, era 11
  • 187 Patrol boatsweight ×2 · size, era 41
  • 0 Unmannedweight ×2 · size, era 7
  • 170 Coastal boatsweight ×1 · size, era 0
  • 0 Support shipsnot scored 40
  • 0 Cargo shipsnot scored 3
  • 0 Other shipsnot scored 47
North Korea Turkey Bars: weighted contribution to the SEAS Index (hulls × category weight × size, era and propulsion factors, minor vessels capped at 30 % of the combatant points; the air-wing, sustainment, armament and availability multipliers apply on top) · figures: active hulls at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
North Korea Turkey Ratio
Official name Korean People's Army Naval Force Turkish Navy
Total ships 421 217 🇰🇵 1.9×
Active ships 391 195 🇰🇵 2.0×
On order / planned 2 20 🇹🇷 10×
Submarines 21 13 🇰🇵 1.6×
Principal surface combatants 4 17 🇹🇷 4.2×
Amphibious ships 0 7 🇹🇷
Show full breakdown · 5 more rowsHide the 5 extra rows
Corvettes 9 9 —
Patrol boats 187 41 🇰🇵 4.6×
Mine warfare 0 11 🇹🇷
Coastal boats 170 0 🇰🇵
Auxiliaries 0 90 🇹🇷
Backbone classes one per tier held
🇰🇵 North KoreaRomeo-class ×20Choe Hyon-class ×2Najin-class ×2
🇹🇷 TurkeyType 209-class ×12Meko 200-class ×8Burak-class ×5
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North Korea vsSouth KoreaUnited StatesTaiwanVietnamSaudi Arabia
Turkey vsUnited StatesGreeceEgyptPakistanIsrael

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more naval ships, North Korea or Turkey?
North Korea has a larger navy with 421 ships compared to Turkey's 217 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, North Korea or Turkey?
North Korea operates more submarines with 22 compared to Turkey's 18.
Which navy has more destroyers, North Korea or Turkey?
North Korea operates 4 destroyers compared to Turkey's 0.
Which navy has more frigates, North Korea or Turkey?
Turkey operates 24 frigates compared to North Korea's 2.
How do the North Korea and Turkey navies compare in size?
North Korea's navy is 1.9 times larger than Turkey's in terms of total ships (421 vs 217).