The Austro-Hungarian Navy was essentially a coastal defence force until the 20th century. With the active support of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the navy was expanded rapidly after 1904.

By 1914 the navy had 3 modern dreadnoughts, 18 destroyers,, 7 cruisers and 9 battleships (pre-dreadnought design) and 5 submarines. The bulk of the fleet was based at the northern Adriatic port of Pula.