It has tripled to 36 the number of surface combatants carrying anti-ship cruise missiles.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Underestimating China

An MRC in the Western Pacific will probably require more surface combatants and sealift than were deployed in OIF.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Section IV: Building a Two-MRC Force for the 21st Century

It says the Chinese navy possesses about 75 principal surface combatants, like destroyers and frigates, and around 60 submarines.

WSJ: China Adds Aircraft Carrier to Its Navy

The Navy currently has a fleet of 88 large surface combatants.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Section IV: Building a Two-MRC Force for the 21st Century

Decisions to retire older tactical aircraft, strategic bombers, and surface combatants have been taken based on the assumption that modernization programs would rapidly deliver improved capability.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | The Measure of a Superpower: A Two Major Regional Contingency Military for the 21st Century | Page: 2

Two of the three new surface combatants that the Navy announced in 2001 have been canceled, and the third is still a long way from proving its warfighting utility.

FORBES: How To Waste $100 Billion: Weapons That Didn't Work Out

The U.S. Navy provided five carrier battle groups with one more in transit to the theater, two amphibious ready groups, and two amphibious task forces for a total of more than 70 surface combatants and submarines plus 37 Military Sealift Command ships.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Section IV: Building a Two-MRC Force for the 21st Century