Called "the nation's premier naval reference book," Combat Fleets of the World is internationally acknowledged as the best one-volume reference to the world's naval and paranaval forces. Updated regularly since 1976, it has come to be relied on for all-inclusive, accurate and up-to-date data on the ships, navies, coast guards and naval aviation arms of more than 170 countries and territories. Large fleets and small maritime forces get equally thorough treatment. Comprehensive indexes make the book easy to use and allow for quick comparisons between ships and fleets.

This new edition, the first in five years, presents timely information on major and even minor developments that could impact the world scene. More than four thousand illustrations and multi-view drawings present the user with the most detailed views available for identification and comparison purposes. Additional aids for the user include a section on how to use the book, lists of terms and abbreviations, an informative ship-name index, and more. An expanded chapter on the Chinese navy provides major updates on the status of their new aircraft carrier and the latest Chinese submarines, surface ships and naval missiles. Dozens of detailed line drawings depict exactly where weapons and sensors are located on the world's combatants such as the Iranian Ghadir-class submarines, the French Forbin-class destroyers, and the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ships.

The ship data section for each country provides full coverage of all ships, from the largest aircraft carriers to the smallest training and auxiliary craft. The vessels of the world's coast guards and customs services are given thorough treatment as well. But the book is much more than a ship encyclopaedia. It includes information on the personnel strengths of each country's naval forces, major base locations, and details on maritime radar, sonar, naval aircraft, and weapon systems currently in service.