The Myanmar Navy (Burmese: တပ်မတော် (ရေ); [taʔmədɔ̀ jè]) is the naval warfare branch of the armed forces of Myanmar. With 24,000 personnel on duty, the navy operates more than 150 vessels. Prior to 1988, the navy was small, and its role in counter-insurgency operations was smaller than those of the army and the air force. The navy has since been expanded to take on a more active role in defense of Myanmar’s territorial waters.