USN Ship Designations
Warships in the United States Navy were first designated and numbered in system originating in 1895. Under this system, ships were designated as "Battleship X", "Cruiser X", "Destroyer X", "Torpedo Boat X" and so forth where X was the series hull number as authorized by the US Congress. These designations were usually abbreviated as "B-1", "C-1", "D-1", "TB-1," etc. This system became cumbersome by 1920, as many new ship types had been developed during World War I that needed new categories assigned, especially in the Auxiliary ship area. On 17 July 1920, the designation system was revised so that all ships were now designated with a two letter code and a hull number, with the first letter being the ship type and the second letter being the sub-type. For example, the destroyer tender USS Melville, first commissioned as "Destroyer Tender No. 2" in 1915, was now re-designated as "AD-2" with the "A" standing for Auxiliary, the "D" for Destroyer (Tender) and the "2" meaning the second ship in that series. Ship types that did not have a subclassification simply repeated the first letter. So, Battleships became "BB-X" and Destroyers became "DD-X" with X being the same number as previously assigned. Ships that changed classifications were given new hull numbers within their new designation series.
The designation "USS" standing for "United States Ship" was adopted in 1907. Prior to that time, no designation was used in official documents.
It should be noted that in the United States Navy, unlike European Navies, the first ship in a class to be authorized by the US Congress is the designated class leader (class name ship), regardless of the order in which the ships of that class are laid down, launched or commissioned. For example, contrary to many European texts, for the last class of "Standard" battleships, the battleship USS Colorado BB-45 (commissioned 30 August 1923) is the class leader under USN designation standards, not USS Maryland BB-46 (commissioned 21 July 1921). These battleships are thus properly designated as being "USS Colorado BB-45 Class" and not as "USS Maryland BB-46 Class."
This list includes current US Ship designations - US Navy, Coast Guard, and Army.
Designations in italics are no longer carried by active ships,
but are commonly seen nonetheless.
Prefixes
USS = United States Ship (Naval vessel manned by military personnel)
USNS = United States Naval Ship (Vessel manned by civilian crew)
USCGC = United States Coast Guard Cutter
MTS = Moored Training Ship (ex SSBNs converted to training hulks)
Non self propelled craft are marked with an asterisk (*)
Warships
CVN Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier
CV Aircraft Carrier
CGN Nuclear Power Guided Missile Cruiser
CG Guided Missile Cruiser
DDG Guided Missile Destroyer
DD Destroyer
FFG Guided Missile Frigate
FF Frigate
SSBN Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine
SSN Nuclear Powered Submarine
Other Combatants, Patrol Boats and Landing Craft
LCC Command Ship [Joint Command Ship]
AGF Flagship [Joint Command Ship]
LHD Amphibious Assault Ship
LHA Amphibious Assault Ship
LPH Amphibious Assault Helicopter Carrier
LKA Amphibious Cargo Ship
LPD Amphibious Transport Dock
LSD Dock Landing Ship
LST Tank Landing Ship
AOE Fast Combat Support Ship
AOR Replenishment Oiler
AE Ammunition Ship
AFS Combat Stores Ship
AO Fleet Oiler
MCS Mine Countermeasures Support Ship
MCM Mine Countermeasures Ship
MHC Coastal Minehunter
PC Coastal Patrol Craft
LCAC Air Cushion Landing Craft
LCM Mechanized Landing Craft
LCPL Large Personnel Landing Craft
LCU Utility Landing Craft
LCVP Vehicle and Personnel Landing Craft
SDV Swimmer Delivery Vehicle
SLWT Side Loading Warping Tug
Auxiliaries
ACS Crane Ship
AD Destroyer Tender
AG Miscellaneous Auxiliary
AGM Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
AGOR Oceanographic Research Ship
AGOS Ocean Surveillance Ship
AGS Surveying Ship
AGSS Experimental Submarine
AK Cargo Ship
AH Hospital Ship
AKR Roll-on/Roll-off (Vehicle) Cargo Ship
AOG Gasoline Tanker
AOT Transport Oiler
ARC Cablelayer
ARS Salvage Ship
AS Submarine Tender
ASR Submarine Rescue Ship
ATF Fleet Tug
ATS Salvage Tug
AVB Aviation Logistics Support Ship
Support Craft
AFDL Small Floating Drydock (*)
AFDM Medium Floating Drydock (*)
ARDM Medium Repair Dock (*)
APL Floating Barracks (*)
DSRV Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle
DSV Deep Submergence Vehicle
IX Unclassified Miscellaneous
NR Nuclear Powered Research Submersible (unofficial designation)
TWR Torpedo Retriever (unofficial designation)
YC Lighter (*)
YCF Car Float (*)
YCV Aircraft Transportation Lighter (*)
YD Floating Crane (*)
YDT Diving Tender
YF Covered Lighter
YFB Ferry
YFN Covered Lighter (*)
YFNB Large Covered Lighter (*)
YFND Dry Dock Companion Craft (*)
YFNX Special Purpose Lighter (*)
YFP Power Barge (*)
YFRT Range Tender
YFU Harbor Utility Craft
YGN Garbage Barge (*)
YLC Salvage Lift Craft (*)
YM Dredge
YNG Gate Craft (*)
YO Oil Barge
YOG Gasoline Barge
YOGN Gasoline Barge (*)
YON Oil Barge (*)
YOS Oil Storage Barge (*)
YP Seamanship Training Craft
YPD Pile Driver (*)
YR Repair Barge (*)
YRB Repair and Berthing Barge (*)
YRBM Repair, Berthing, and Messing Barge (*)
YRDH Hull Repair Barge (*)
YRDM Machinery Repair Barge (*)
YRR Radiological Repair Barge (*)
YRST Salvage Craft Tender (*)
YSR Sludge Removal Barge (*)
YTB Large Tug
YTL Small Tug
YTT Torpedo Trials Craft
YWN Water Barge (*)
Coast Guard
WHEC High Endurance Cutter
WMEC Medium Endurance Cutter
WPB Patrol Boat
WAGB Icebreaker
WIX Training Ship
WLB Seagoing Buoy Tender
WLM Coastal Buoy Tender
WLI Inland Buoy Tender
WLIC Inland Construction Tender
WLR River Buoy Tender
WTGB Large Icebreaking Tug
WYTL Small Harbor Tug
Army
BC Cargo Barge (*)
BCDX Enclosed Barge (*)
BD Floating Crane (*)
BG Liquid Cargo Barge (*)
BK Cargo Barge (*)
BPL Elevating Pier (*)
BR Refrigerated Barge (*)
FB Ferry
FMS Marine Repair Shop (*)
J Small Work Boat
LARC Amphibious Cargo Lighter
LCM Mechanized Landing Craft
LCU Utility Landing Craft
LCV Vehicle Landing Craft
LT Large Tug
Q Work Boat
ST Small Tug
T Inshore Transport
