Every vessel on the US Navy list is given a distinctive serial number, prefaced by initials, a hull classification symbol (sometimes called hull codes), denoting the category to which it belongs. The Royal Navy and some European and Commonwealth navies (19 in total) use a somewhat analogous system of Pennant numbers. All hull classification symbols are at least two letters; for basic types the symbol is the first letter of the type name, doubled, except for aircraft carriers.
The combination of symbol and hull number identify a modern Navy ship uniquely. A heavily modified or repurposed ship may receive a new symbol, and either retain the hull number or receive a new one. Also, the system of symbols has changed a number of times since it was introduced in 1907, so ships' symbols sometimes change without anything being done to the physical ship.
Many of the symbols listed here are not presently in use. The Naval Vessel Register maintains an online database of US Navy ships.
The 1975 ship reclassification of cruisers, frigates, and ocean escorts brought US Navy classifications into line with other nations' classifications, and eliminated the perceived "cruiser gap" with the Soviet Navy.
If a ship's hull classification symbol begins with "W", it is a ship of the United States Coast Guard. If it begins with "T-", it is part of the Military Sealift Command and has a primarily civilian crew.
Hull numbers are assigned classification by classification. Duplication between, but not within, classifications is permitted. Hence, CV-1 was the USS Langley and BB-1 was the USS Indiana.
Nato Stanag (1)
AA | Auxiliary-General | AH | Hospital ship | AP | Personnel Transport |
CA | Cruiser, Gun | CC | Cruiser-General | CG | Cruiser, Guided Missile |
CGH | Cruiser, Guided Missile, Helicopter | CGN | Cruiser, Guided Missile, Nuclear | CV | Aircraft Carrier |
CVG | Aircraft Carrier, Guided Missile | CVH | Aircraft Carrier, V/STOL/ Helicopter | CVN | Aircraft Carrier, Nuclear |
CVS | Aircraft carrier, ASW | DD | Destroyer- General | DDE | Destroyer, Escort |
DDG | Destroyer, Guided Missile | DDH | Destroyer, Helicopter | FF | Frigate/Corvette- General |
FFG | Frigate, Guided Missile | FFH | Frigate, helicopter | FS | Corvette |
FSG | Corvette, Guided Missile | LCC | Amphibious Command ship | LCM | Landing Craft, Mechanised |
LCP | Landing Craft, Personnel | LCU | Landing Craft, Utility | LCVP | Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel |
LHA | Amphibious General Assault Ship | LHD | Amphibious Assault Ship | LL | Amphibious Vessel, General |
LPA | Amphibious Transport, Personnel | LPD | Amphibious Transport, Dock | LPH | Amphibious Assault Ship |
LSD | Landing Ship, Dock | LSM | Landing Ship, Medium | LST | Landing Ship, Tank |
MM | Mine Warfare Vessels, General | MCM | Mine Countermeasures Vessel | MH (i) | Minehunter, General (Inshore) |
MH(c) | Minehunter, General (Coastal) | MH(o) | Minehunter, General (Ocean) | MHS | Minehunter and Sweeper, General |
MLC | Minelayer, Coastal | MSC | Minesweeper, Coastal | MSO | Minesweeper, Ocean |
OPV | Offshore Patrol Craft | PC(f) | Patrol Craft, General (fast) | PG | Patrol Ship, General |
PG(F) | Patrol or Gunship (Fast) | PG(G) | Patrol or Gunship (Guided Missile) | PHM | Patrol Combatant, Guided Missile |
PT(H) | Patrol/ Torpedo Boat (Hydrofoil) | SS | Submarine, General | SSA | Submarine, Missile |
SSBN | Submarine, Ballistic Missile, Nuclear | SSGN | Submarine, Attack, Surface Missile, Nuclear | SSK | Submarine, Patrol |
SSN | Submarine, Attack, Nuclear. | AVG | Auxiliary Aircraft Ferry | CVE | Escort aircraft carrier |
Earlier US Navy (2)
Sea Going Fighting Ships
BB | Battleships | CB | Large Cruisers/ Battlecruisers | CV | Fleet Aircraft Carriers |
CVB | Large Fleet Aircraft Carriers | CVE | Escort Aircraft Carriers | CVL | Light Fleet Aircraft Carriers |
CA | Heavy Cruisers | CL | Light Cruisers | DD | Destroyers |
DE | Escort Vessels | SS | Submarines | SM | Submarines (Minelaying) |
CM | Minelayers | CMc | Minelayers (Coastal) | DM | Light Minelayers (ex-Destroyers) |
DMS | Fast Minesweepers (ex-Destroyers) | AM | Fleet Minesweepers | AMc | Minesweepers (Coastal) |
AMc (U) | Minesweepers (Coastal) Underwater Locator | AMb | Minesweepers, Harbour (Base) type | PG | Gunboats, Sloops and Corvettes |
PGM | Gunboats (Motor) | PF | Escort Vessels ( Frigates) | PY | Escort Vessels (Converted Yachts) |
PYe | Escort Vessels, Coastal type (Converted Yachts) | PT | Motor Torpedo Boats | PC | Submarine Chasers (Steel) |
PCE | Submarine Chasers (Steel), Escort type | PCE(R) | Submarine Chasers (Steel), fitted for rescue work | PCS | Submarine Chasers (wooden) fitted for minesweeping |
SC | Submarine Chasers (wooden) |
Auxilliaries
AB | Crane ship | AC | Collier | AD | Destroyer tender |
AE | Ammunition ship | AF | Provision Stores ship | AG | Miscellaneous auxiliary |
AGC | Amphibious Force flagship | AGL | Lighthouse tender (Coast Guard) | AGP | Motor torpedo boat tender |
AGS | Surveying ship | AH | Hospital ship | AK | Cargo Cargo ship |
AKA | Cargo ship-Attack | AKD | Deep hold cargo ship | AKN | Net cargo ship |
AKS | General stores issue ship | AKV | Cargo ship/ aircraft ferry | AL | Lightship (Coast Guard) |
AN | Net laying ship | AO | Oil tanker | AOG | Gasoline tanker |
AP | Transport | APA | Transport-Attack | APB | Barrack ship-Self Propelled |
APc | Coastal transport (small) | APD | High speed transport | APF | Administration flagship |
APG | Supporting gunnery ship | APH | Transport fitted for evacuation of wounded | APL | Labour transport or barrack ship |
APM | Mechanized artillery-transport | APN | Non Mechanized artillery-transport | APR | Rescue transport |
APV | Transport and aircraft ferry | AR | Repair ship | ARB | Repair ship-battle damage |
ARC | Cable repairing or laying ship | ARD | Floating dry dock | ARDC | Repair dock-concrete |
ABD | Advance base dock | ABSD | Advance base sectional dock | AFD | Mobile floating dry dock |
ARG | Repair ship-internal combustion engine | ARH | Heavy hull repair ship | ARL | Repair ship-landing craft |
ARM | Heavy machinery repair ship | ARS | Salvage vessel | ARS(D) | Salvage lifting vessel |
ARS(T) | Salvage Craft Tender | ARV(A) | Aircraft Repair Ship (Airframe) | ARV(E) | Aircraft Repair Ship (Engine) |
AS | Submarine Tender | ASR | Submarine Rescue Vessel | ATA | Ocean Tug -Auxiliary |
ATF | Ocean Tug -Fleet | ATO | Ocean Tug -Old | ATR | Ocean Tug -Rescue |
AV | Seaplane Tender | AVC | Catapult Lighter | AVD | Seaplane Tender (Destroyer) |
AVP | Seaplane Tender (Small) | AVR | Aircraft Rescue Vessel | AVS | Aviation Supply Ship |
AW | Distilling Ship | AWK | Water Tanker | AZ | Airship Tender (Lighter-than-air) |
IX | Unclassified Vessel |
Yard and District Craft
YA | Ash Lighter | YAG | District Auxiliary, Miscellaneous | YC | Open Lighter |
YCF | Car Float (Railroad) | YCK | Open Cargo Lighter | YCV | Aircraft Transportation Lighter |
YD | Floating Derrick | YDG | Degaussing Vessel | YDT | Diving Tender |
YE | Ammunition Lighter | YF | Covered Lighter | YFB | Ferry Boat or Launch |
YFD | Floating Dry Dock | YFT | Torpedo Transportation Lighter | YG | Garbage Lighter |
YH | Ambulance Boat | YHB | House Boat | YHT | Heating Scow |
YLA | Open Landing Lighter | YM | Dredge | YMS | Motor Mine Sweeper |
YN | Net Tender | YNg | Gate Vessel | YNT | Net Tender (tug class) |
YO | Fuel Oil Barge | YOG | Gasoline Barge | YOS | Oil storage Barge |
YP | District Patrol Vessel | YPD | Pile Driver (floating) | YPK | Pontoon Stowage Barge |
YR | Floating Workshop | YRD(H) | Floating Workshop-Drydock, Hull | YRD(M) | Floating Workshop- Drydock, Machinery |
YS | Stevedoring Barge | YSD | Seaplane Wrecking Derrick | YSP | Salvage Pontoon |
YSR | Sludge Removal Barge | YTB | Harbour Tug-Big | YTL | Harbour Tug-Little |
YTM | Harbour Tug-Medium | YTT | Torpedo Testing Barge | YW | Water Barge |
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