Naval Bases are strategic facilities used to berth, repair and maintain naval ships. Naval personnel also live in the premises of these bases which help safeguard the maritime borders of the country, ensure maritime safety and security and also provide disaster relief and humanitarian aid in times of crisis. They can also help combat piracy and narcotics trafficking and promote bilateral relations between two nations through joint naval exercises, joint training etc.
In this article, let us look at the 10 biggest naval bases in Asia.
1. Naval Base Karwar, India
Also called the INS Kadamba, this naval facility in the Indian State of Karnataka is expected to become the largest naval base in Asia once all expansion work is completed.
It was constructed under Project Seabird, with the first phase being completed in 2005. Development of Phase II began in 2011.
The base will cover 1,328 acres and have 4 covered dry berths for warships, berths for 2 aircraft carriers, a 2700 m main runway, a cross runway, and maintenance and logistics facilities. It will also accommodate submarines, 40 helicopters and 32 ships.
Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya are based here. It also features India’s first sealift facility, a ship lift and transfer system for docking and undocking vessels.
Phase II A is ongoing which has created 7000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs. Under this, a 350m long pier for Offshore Patrol Vessels and a residential accommodation for officers was inaugurated in April 2024.
Naval Base Karwar lies near one of the busiest shipping routes between the Persian Gulf and East Asia, which gives it a strategic advantage.
2. United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan
This U.S Navy Base in Yokosuka, Japan supports the U.S Naval Forces Japan, the U.S. Seventh Fleet and other forces operating in the Western Pacific.
It covers 568 acres and lies at the entrance of Tokyo Bay, around 30 km south of Yokohama in the Kanto region of the Pacific Coast in Central Honshu, Japan.
It was constructed in 1870 and served as a strategic facility in naval battles fought during the World War Era, the Korean War and even the Vietnam War.
55 tenant commands make up this installation and support the U.S. forces including the only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, the Carrier Strike Group Five and Destroyer Squadron 15.
3. Jianggezhuang Naval Base, China
Also known as Submarine Base No.1, this Chinese naval base is around 24 km east of Qingdao on the Yellow Sea. It covers 1.9 km and the main facilities of the base are located in the eastern portion of the bay.
The base is an enclosed harbour with breakwaters and has a single entrance. It hosts China’s Type 092-class ballistic missile submarine and Type 091-class nuclear attack submarines.
The base has 6 piers to accommodate various submarines and surface vessels. It also boasts a dry dock for maintenance and repairs.
The Underground Submarine Tunnel is an expensive underground facility built to protect submarines from nuclear and conventional attacks. It has cavers for missile loading and maintenance of nuclear reactors.
It also has specialised facilities for safely loading ballistic missiles onto submarines.
4. Changi Naval Base, Singapore
Also known as RSS Singapura, this naval base of the Republic of Singapore Navy lies around 1.5 km east of Changi Air Base and was constructed on reclaimed land. It was opened in 2004 and a navy museum was also built at the entrance of the base in 2012.
It has 6.2 km of berthing space for an aircraft carrier. It also accommodates submarines, frigates, missile gunboats etc.
The base is automated and has an ammunition depot, enabling ammunition to be loaded onto ships and also an automated warehouse system.
The base is often used by visiting ships of the Royal Navy and the U.S. Navy ships for logistics and re-supplies while Singapore uses American airbases for ground training of their forces.
In 2017, India and Singapore entered into a bilateral agreement that would allow Indian naval vessels access to the base for refuelling and logistical support if required.
5. Vishakhapatnam Naval Base, India
This base is home to the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command which is responsible for all naval forces in the Bay of Bengal and parts of the Indian Ocean along with naval establishments on India’s east coast.
The 2700-acre base was established in 1968 and can accommodate 50 ships and nuclear-powered submarines of the Arihant-class.
A few kilometres from this base is INS Varsha, a new 20 square-kilometre base being developed for naval use. This project was undertaken to deal with congestion and heavy traffic.
The Eastern Navy fleet is distributed among the navy’s many bases at Tuticorin, Chennai, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Kakinada. The Indian Navy also opened a naval air base called IN Baaz, at the southernmost end of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to secure the vital trade routes including the Straits of Malacca and another naval air station in Kolkata to house an unmanned aerial vehicle squadron.
JMSDF Sasebo Naval Base, Japan
Also known as the Sasebo Naval Base, this facility comprises a group of ports and land facilities of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force deployed in several districts of Sasebo City, Kyushu.
The base ensures the safety and security of the region and undertakes disaster dispatch and logistics support for front units like the Self-Defense Fleet and the removal of naval mines and explosive items along with civil-military cooperation.
It was established in 1953 and several forces including the Self Defense Fleet, Communications Command, Kure District Force, Training Squadron, Mine Warfare Force, Fleet Submarine Force and Oceanographic and ASW Support Command call it home.
7. RMN Lumut Naval Base, Malaysia
This is the largest naval base of the Royal Malaysian Navy in Lumut, Perak, 160 km from Kuala Lumpur.
Covering 1800 acres, this base is the headquarters of the Navy’s Western Fleet Command. It is also home to a naval shipyard, a training centre, and a heliport.
This massive naval installation houses several naval units including the KD Malaya, KD Rajawali, RMN Education and Training Command Headquarters, Diving and Mine Warfare Headquarters etc.
The naval base has many other buildings for the personnel and staff including clubs, shopping arcades, religious buildings, sports facilities, a military hospital, schools etc.
8. Busan Naval Base, South Korea
This Korean naval base consists of several ports and land facilities of the Republic of Korea Navy at Nam-Gu, Busan. The headquarters of the U.S. Naval Forces Korea are also located in this facility.
This base can accommodate 30 ships, including the Doko-class amphibious assault ship and the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
This facility took five years to be completed with work beginning in 2001 and ending in 2006. It began operations in 2007 when the Korean Navy relocated to Busan from the Jinhae Naval Base.
The reason for relocation was speed restrictions around Jinhae that slowed operations at the base.
9. Longpo Naval Base, China
Also referred to as the East Yulin Naval Base, this facility for nuclear submarines lies along Hainan Island’s southern shores.
It is an underground base which can accommodate or hide around 20 nuclear submarines. The harbour is large enough to accommodate aircraft carriers.
Two of its 950 m piers and three small ones can accommodate amphibious assault ships or two carrier strike groups.
The submarine base lies at the point closest to the continental shelf and is also near the disputed Parcel Islands or the city of Da Nang, Vietnam.
There are reports that China might expand this base to exert its influence in the region, given its strategic geographical location.
The base is also close to Sanya, a famous tourist hub and Yalong Bay which has several resort hotels.
10. INS Jarawa, India
This naval base of the Indian Armed Forces is under the joint-services Andaman and Nicobar Command located in Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was commissioned in 1964 but repair facilities were started in 1979.
The base is named after Andaman’s indigenous tribe, Jarawa. The amphibious warfare ship, INS Magar was the first major ship to have this base as its home port.
Close to INS Jarawa is a naval air station called INS Utkrosh. There is a naval hospital named INHS Dhanvantari and a floating dock which is used to accommodate several ships under the Andaman and Nicobar Command. There is another smaller dock as well.
Conclusion
As we have seen, Asia is home to some of the largest naval bases in the world which play a vital role in the region’s geopolitical dynamics. They not only support military operations but also protect maritime trade routes, ensure national security and are tools of power projection and deterrence.
From India’s extensive facilities to Japan’s sophisticated naval hubs, these facilities are home to the world’s most advanced warships. With evolving geopolitical relations between countries, the naval bases will also modernize and remain central to the region’s stability and global balance of power.
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