The Myanmar Navy, officially the Defence Services (Navy) (; ), is the naval warfare branch of the Myanmar Defence Services (Tatmadaw), the combined military of Myanmar. With 19,000 active personnel, the navy operates more than 227 vessels. Its official name was Burma Navy () before being renamed to Defence Services (Navy) () in 1956. Prior to 1988, the navy was small, and its role in counter-insurgency operations was smaller than those of the army and the air branches. The navy has since been expanded to take on a more active role in defense of Myanmar's territorial waters.
History
Pre-independence
The naval arm of the Royal Armed Forces consisted mainly of shallow draft river boats. Its primary missions were to control the Irrawaddy River, and to protect the ships carrying the army to the front. The major war boats carried up to 30 musketeers and were armed with 6- or 12-pounder cannon.Lieberman, pp. 164–167 By the mid-18th century, the navy had acquired a few seafaring ships, crewed by European and foreign sailors, that were used to transport the troops in Siamese and Arakanese campaigns.
The Arakanese and the Mon, from maritime regions, maintained more seaworthy flotillas than the inland riverborne "navy" of the Royal Burmese Army.
Founding and the Second World War On 1 April 1937, Burma became a separately administered colony of Britain, and thereafter became responsible for her own local naval defence. It was decided that a naval volunteer reserve force should be formed to implement this responsibility and so provide a local force for the naval administration and defence of the ports and coast of Burma in time of war.
On the recommendation of Vice Admiral Sir James Fownes Somerville, then Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, Lieutenant Commander Kenneth Sidebottom Lyle from Royal Navy was sent to Burma and arrived in Rangoon in June 1939, commissioned to form the volunteer reserve force and to be appointed Naval Office-in-Charge, Rangoon, on the outbreak of war.
On 6 September 1940, Burma Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve was officially formed under the Burma Act XV, 1940. The Burma R.N.V.R was placed under the operational orders of Vice Admiral Sir Herbert Fitzherbert, commanding the Royal Indian Navy, but retains its own identity and its own administration under the Government of Burma.
Burma R.N.V.R, although very small, played an active part in Allied operations against the Japanese during the Second World War. By 1 December 1945, the Royal Navy has been withdrawn and the Burma R.N.V.R assumed all naval responsibilities on the coast and waters of Burma.
Burmese independence
In December 1947, the Union of Burma Navy was formed with 700 men mostly from Burma R.N.V.R. The fleet initially consisted of a small but diverse collection of ships transferred from the Royal Navy under the arrangements made for Burma's independence in January 1948. It included the , an ex-Royal Navy , and four Landing Craft Gun (Medium).p.28, Janes Fighting Ships 1963-64 British Defense Ministry sold with the original 25-pounder guns on naval mountings and Oerlikon 20mm cannons which were reinstalled later.
1950s In 1950 and 1951, the United States provided 10 coast guard cutters (CGC) under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP). The Myanmar Navy played an important part in the government's fight against the ethnic and ideological insurgent groups which threatened the Union Government in its early days. The Myanmar Navy performed both defensive and offensive roles, protecting convoys, carrying supplies, ferrying troops and giving much-needed fire support. It was instrumental in relieving the port city of Moulmein, which was captured by Karen insurgents in 1948, and the Irrawaddy Delta town of Bassein. Although one armed patrol boat defected to the Karen insurgents, throughout the turbulent years of post independence in Myanmar, the navy was largely unopposed and maintained control over Myanmar's crucial inland waterways.Hugh Tinker, Union of Burma, p.325
In 1956 and 1957, the Burmese government acquired five Saunders-Roe convertible motor torpedo/motor gunboats, followed by an in 1958 from the United Kingdom.Jane's Fighting Ships 1963-1964 p.28 In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the United States sold the Burmese Navy six PGM type coastal patrol craft and seven CGC-type patrol boats.Jane's Fighting Ships 1982-83 p.60 In 1958, Myanmar's Navy took delivery of 10 Y-301-class river gunboats from Yugoslavia, followed by 25 smaller Michao-class patrol craft.
1960s
Efforts were made to produce locally made naval vessels with assistance from Yugoslavia. In 1960, the Myanmar Navy commissioned two Nawarat-class corvettes. Their armaments include 25-pounder field gun and 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun.Janes Fighting Ships 1997-98 p.79 Myanmar shipyards also built a number of smaller patrol craft and a number of landing craft. Landing craft and auxiliary ships are usually armed with Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns and heavy machine guns.Janes Fighting Ships 1997-98 p.82 In the mid-1960s, the Myanmar Navy took delivery of ex-US Navy PCE-827 class corvette and a , both of which were commissioned in the mid-1940s.
1970s Although it expanded rapidly during the 1950s and 1960s, the navy was unable to keep pace with loss or deterioration of older vessels in the 1970s. In 1978, the United States provided the Myanmar Navy with six small river patrol craft.Jane's Fighting Ships 1997-1998 p.79 A naval replacement program was initiated by BSPP Government in 1979.
1980s In 1980, the navy acquired six Carpentaria-class inshore patrol boats from Australia followed by three 128-ton Swift-type coastal patrol boats from Singapore and three 385-ton Osprey-class offshore patrol vessels built in Denmark. The Osprey- and Swift-class boats have a range of , respectively, and were armed with Oerlikon 20 mm cannons and 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns. In the early 1980s, Burmese naval shipyards built three 128-ton PGM type patrol boats based upon US PGM-class patrol boats. Each boat was armed with two 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.
1990s The Myanmar Navy purchased six missile escort boats and ten submarine chasers from China. Since 1998, the navy has built two Anawrahta-class corvettes (771 and 772) and four fast attack craft (551-554).
2000s 2008 Naval Clash with Bangladesh In 2008 a naval encounter took place between the Bangladesh Navy and the Myanmar Navy. The confrontation was a direct result of the Myanmar Navy allowing companies to drill for natural gas and oil in a disputed area of the Bay of Bengal.
May 2008 Cyclone Nargis As many as 25 Burmese naval ships may have been sunk in the storm caused by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, while an unknown number of naval personnel and their family members were killed or are listed as missing. The Network for Democracy and Development in Thailand reported that 30 officers and 250 Burmese naval personnel were declared missing, while 25 vessels were destroyed by the cyclone in three naval regional command centres: Panmawaddy Regional Command on Hainggyi Island; Irrawaddy Regional Command; and Danyawaddy Regional Command in Sittwe in Arakan State.
2010s As part of international engagement of the US with the Myanmar's armed forces, the visited Myanmar in early 2013.
In 2014, the Myanmar Navy began its annual 'Sea Shield' combined fleet exercise in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The annual manoeuvres usually involved live-fire exercises by several of the Myanmar Navy's strategic vessels.
The navy participated in the Indian and Myanmar Navy Exercise 2018, held in the Bay of Bengal. On the Burmese side, vessels included the Kyan Sittha-class frigate UMS Sin Phyu Shin (F-14) and offshore patrol vessel UMS Inle and on the Indian side, vessels included anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta, Shivalik (Project 17)-class frigate INS Sahyadri, and a Type 877EKM Kilo-class submarine, along with one helicopter and two advanced aircraft. In September 2019, Myanmar Navy's UMS Kyan Sittha participated in the first US-Asean Maritime Exercise (AUMX) to improve disaster management and maritime cooperation in the region.
The navy has maintained relationships with regional navies. It has hosted navies from the region such as the Royal Australian Navy, the PLA Navy and the Indian Navy. Likewise, the navy's ships have visited countries in the region including Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore.
Organisation
Administrative and support units
Naval headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Naypyidaw) Naval Shipyard (Yangon) Strategic Naval Command (headquarters in Naypyidaw) Central Naval Command (Seikkyi) Naval Training Command (Seikkyi) Central Naval Hydrographic Depot (Yangon) Central Naval Diving and Salvage Depot (Yangon) Central Naval Engineering Depot (Botataung, Yangon) Central Naval Logistic Depot (Yangon) Central Naval Communications Depot (Yangon) Central Naval Armaments Deport (Seikkyi)
Naval regional commands and bases
Irrawaddy Regional Command (headquarters in Yangon) - Commodore Zaw Oo Thanhklyet Soon Naval Base Thanlyin Naval Base Thilawa Naval Base Coco Island Base (including Naval Radar Unit) Danyawaddy Regional Command (headquarters in Sittwe) - Commodore Khin Zaw Kyaukpyu Naval Base Thandwe (Sandoway) Naval Base No.(71) Submarine Base (Ownchein Island) which was established in 2007. It is near Kyaukphyu SEZ. Panmawaddy Regional Command (headquarters on Haigyi Island) - Commodore Myat Min Mawyawaddy Regional Command (headquarters in Mawlamyine) - Commodore Aung Myo Hlaing Tanintharyi Regional Command (headquarters in Myeik) - Commodore Kyaw Swar Htet Zadetkyi Island Naval Base Mali Kyun (Tavoy Island) Naval Base Palai Island Naval Base Kadan Naval Base Sakanthit Naval Base Lambi Naval Base Pearl Island Naval Base Zadetkale Naval Base (Radar Unit)
Naval infantry The Myanmar Navy formed a naval infantry battalion of 800 men in 1964, and a second battalion in 1967. They battalions traditionally are deployed mainly in the Arakan, Tenasserim, and Irrawaddy delta coastal regions primarily to assist in the army's counter-insurgency operations (COIN).
Navy SEALs The Myanmar Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Myanmar Navy SEALs () were probably formed in the early 2010s. The Myanmar Navy SEALs are particularly trained for special operation missions such as hostage rescue, counter-terrorism and counter narcotic operations. The selection process and training curriculum is claimed to be similar to United States Navy SEAL selection and training. The Myanmar Navy SEALs are officially known as the Myanmar Navy Special Operations Task Force.
Naval base air defence force Previously, Myanmar Naval air defence forces used Bofors 40mm & ZPU-2 AAA for naval bases.
Rank structure
Commissioned officer ranks The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Other ranks The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Equipment
Modernisation The Myanmar Navy has undertaken a modernisation program since the early 2000s. It has added larger and more advanced ships, mostly by constructing them locally with foreign supplied equipment.
Frigates