List of hull classifications

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The list of hull classifications comprises an alphabetical list of the hull classification symbols used by the United States Navy to identify the type of a ship.

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 has "T-" preceding it, that symbolizes that it is a ship of the Military Sealift Command, with a primarily civilian crew.

1 A
2 B
3 C
4 D
5 F
6 I
7 L
8 M
9 N
10 P
11 S
12 W
13 X
14 Y
15 Z
16 See also

[edit] A

AB: Crane Ship
AC: Collier
ACR: Armored Cruiser (pre-1920)
ACS: Auxiliary Crane Ship
ACV: Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier (Escort carrier) (1942)
AD: Destroyer Tender
AE: Ammunition Ship
AFDB: Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock
AFDL: Small Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock
AFDM: Medium Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock
AFS: Combat Stores Ship
AG: Miscellaneous Auxiliary
AGDE: Testing Ocean Escort
AGDS: Deep Submergence Support Ship
AGER: Environmental Research Ship
AGF: Miscellaneous Command Ship
AGFF: Testing Frigate
AGM: Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
AGOR: Oceanographic Research Ship
AGOS: Ocean Surveillance Ship
AGP: Patrol Craft Tender
AGS: Surveying Ship
AGSS: Auxiliary Submarine
AGTR: Technical research ship
AH: Hospital ship
AK: Cargo Ship
AKA: Attack Cargo Ship
AKR: Vehicle Cargo Ship
AKS: Store Issue Ship
AM: Minesweeper
AMb: Harbor Minesweeper
AMc: Coastal Minesweeper
AMCU: Underwater Mine Locater
AN: Net Laying Ship
AO: Fleet Oiler
AOE: Fast Combat Support Ship
AOG: Gasoline Tanker
AOR: Replenishment Oiler
AOSS: Submarine Oiler (retired)
AOT: Transport Oiler
AP: Transport
APA: Attack Transport
APB: Self-Propelled Barracks Ship
APD: High Speed Transport
APL: Barracks Craft
APSS: Transport Submarine (retired)
AR: Repair Ship
ARC: Cable Repair Ship
ARD: Auxiliary Repair Dry Dock
ARDM: Medium Auxiliary Repair Dry Dock
ARL: Small Repair Ship
ARS: Salvage Ship
AS: Submarine tender
ASR: Submarine Rescue Ship
ASSP: Transport Submarine (retired)
AT: Ocean Going Tug
ATA: Auxiliary Ocean Tug
ATF: Fleet Ocean Tug
ATS: Salvage and Rescue Ship
AVB: Aviation Logistics Support Ship
AVG: Auxiliary Aircraft Ferry (Escort carrier) (1941-2)
AVP: Seaplane Tender
AVT: Auxiliary Aircraft Landing Training Ship
AW: Distilling Ship

[edit] B

B: Battleship (pre-1920)
BB: Battleship
BM: Monitor (retired)

[edit] C

C: Cruiser (pre-1920 Protected Cruisers and Peace Cruisers)
CA: (first series) Cruiser (retired, composed all surviving pre-1920 Protected and Peace Cruisers)
CA: (second series) Heavy Cruiser, category later renamed Gun Cruiser (retired)
CAG: Heavy Cruiser, Guided Missile (retired)
CB: Large cruiser (retired)
CBC: Large Command Cruiser (retired, never used operationally)
CC: Battlecruiser (retired, never used operationally)
CC: (second usage) Command Cruiser (retired); cruiser
CG: Guided Missile Cruiser
CGN: Guided Missile Cruiser (Nuclear-Propulsion)
CL: Light Cruiser (retired)
CLAA: Antiaircraft Cruiser (retired)
CLG: Light Cruiser, Guided Missile (retired)
CLGN: Light Cruiser, Guided Missile (Nuclear propulsion) (retired)
CLK: Hunter-Killer Cruiser (abolished 1951)
CM: Minelayer
CMc: Coastal Minelayer
CS: Scout Cruiser (retired)
CSGN: Strike Cruiser (Proposed, never used operationally.
CV: Aircraft Carrier
CVA: Attack Aircraft Carrier (retired)
CVB: Large Aircraft Carrier (category merged into CVA, 1952)
CVE: Escort aircraft carrier (retired) (1943-retirement of type)
CVHA: Assault Helicopter Aircraft Carrier (retired in favor of various L-series amphibious assault ship hull codes)
CVHE: Escort Aircraft Carrier, Helicopter (retired)
CVL: Light aircraft carrier (retired)
CVN: Aircraft Carrier (Nuclear-Propulsion)
CVS: Antisubmarine Aircraft Carrier (retired)
CVT: Training Aircraft Carrier (changed to AVT (Auxiliary))
CVU: Utility Aircraft Carrier (retired)

[edit] D

D: Destroyer (pre-1920)
DD: Destroyer
DDE: Escort destroyer (category abolished 1962)
DDG: Guided missile destroyer
DDK: Hunter-Killer Destroyer (category merged into DDE, 4 March 1950)
DDR: Radar Picket Destroyer (retired)
DE: Destroyer Escort (World War II, later became Ocean Escort)
DE: Ocean Escort (abolished 30 June 1975)
DEG: Guided Missile Ocean Escort (abolished 30 June 1975)
DER: Radar Picket Destroyer Escort (abolished 30 June 1975)
DL: Destroyer Leader (later Frigate) (retired)
DLG: Guided Missile Frigate (abolished 30 June 1975)
DLGN: Guided Missile Frigate (Nuclear-Propulsion) (abolished 30 June 1975)
DM: Destroyer Minelayer (retired)
DM: Destroyer Minesweeper (retired)
DSRV: Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle
DSV: Deep Submergence Vehicle

[edit] F

FF: Frigate (retired)
FFG: Guided Missile Frigate
FFR: Radar Picket Frigate (retired)
FFT: Frigate (Reserve Training) (retired)
FS: Corvette

[edit] I

IX: Unclassified Miscellaneous Unit
IXSS: Unclassified Miscellaneous Submarine

[edit] L

LCAC: Landing Craft, Air Cushioned
LCC: Amphibious Command Ship
LCH: Landing Craft, Heavy
LCIL: Landing Craft, Infantry (Large)
LCM: Landing Craft, Mechanized
LCS: Littoral Combat Ship
LCSL: Landing Craft, Support (Large) (World War II era)
LCT: Landing Craft, Tank (World War II era)
LCU: Landing Craft, Utility
LCVP: Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel
LHA: Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose)
LHD: Amphibious Assault Ship (Multi-Purpose, i.e. added Landing Craft ability versus LHA)
LKA: Amphibious Cargo Ship (out of commission)
LPA: Landing Platform, Amphibious
LPD: Amphibious Transport, Dock (aka Landing Platform, Dock)
LPH: Landing Platform, Helicopter (out of commission)
LPSS: Amphibious Transport Submarine (retired)
LSD: Landing Ship, Dock
LSH: Landing Ship, Heavy
LSIL: Landing Ship, Infantry (Large) (formerly LCIL)
LSL: Landing Ship, Logistics
LSM: Landing Ship, Medium
LSSL: Landing Ship, Support (Large) (formerly LCSL)
LST: Landing Ship, Tank
LSV: Landing Ship Vehicle