SYMBOL OF HULL CLASSIFICATION - USA NAVY

The United States Navy uses hull classification symbols to identify the types of its ships. See also pennant number, a somewhat analogous system used by the Royal Navy and some European navies.
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' symbolssometimes change without anything being done to the physical ship.
Many of these symbols are not presently in use.
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.

1 Warships

Warships are designed to participate in combat operations.

1.1 Aircraft Carrier Type

All ships designed primarily for the purpose of conducting combat operations by aircraft which engage in attacks against airborne, surface, sub-surface and shore targets. "CV" is from the original description, "Cruiser, Aviation" -- CA was already in use for "Cruiser, Armored".

• CV Multi-purpose Aircraft Carrier
• CVA Attack Aircraft Carrier (retired)
• CVB Large Aircraft Carrier (category merged into CVA, 1952)
• CVE Escort aircraft carrier (retired)
• CVHE Escort Helicopter Aircraft Carrier (retired)
• CVL Light Aircraft Carrier (retired)
• CVN Multi-purpose Aircraft Carrier (Nuclear-Propulsion)
• CVS Antisubmarine Aircraft Carrier (retired)

1.2 Surface Combatant Type

Large, heavily armed, surface ships which are designed primarily to engage enemy forces on the high seas.

• ACR Armored cruiser (retired)

• BB Battleship (originally just "B")

• C Cruiser
• CA (first series) Armored Cruiser (retired)
• CA (second series) Heavy Cruiser, category later renamed Gun Cruiser (retired)
• CAG Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser (retired)
• CB Large Cruiser (retired)
• CBC Large Command Cruiser (retired)
• CC Battle Cruiser (retired)
• CC (second usage) Command Cruiser (retired)
• CG Guided Missile Cruiser
• CGN Guided Missile Cruiser (Nuclear-Propulsion)
• CL Light Cruiser (retired)
• CLAA Antiaircraft Cruiser (retired)
• CLG Guided Missile Light Cruiser (retired)
• CLGN Guided Missile Light Cruiser (Nuclear-Propulsion) (retired)
• CLK Hunter-Killer Cruiser (abolished 1951)
• CS Scout Cruiser (retired)
• CSGN Strike Cruiser

• DD Destroyer
• DDE Escort Destroyer (not to be confused with Destroyer Escort, DE - an Escort Destroyer, DDE, was a Destroyer, DD, converted for antisubmarine warfare) (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 (abolished 30 June 1975)
• 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)

A word about the DE type symbol is in order here. There were two distinct breeds of DE, the World War II Destroyer Escorts (some of which were converted to DERs) and the postwar DE/DEG classes, which were known as Ocean Escorts despite carrying the same type symbol as the WWII Destroyer Escorts. All DEs, DEGs, and DERs were reclassified as FFs, FFGs, or FFRs, 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)

The DL category was established in 1951 with the abolition of the CLK category. CLK 1 became DL 1 and DD 927-930 became DL 2-5. By the mid-1950s the term Destroyer Leader had been dropped in favor of Frigate. Most DLGs and DLGNs were reclassified as CGs and CGNs, 30 June 1975. However, DLG 6-15 became DDG 37-46. The old DLs were already gone by that time.

• DM Destroyer Minelayer (retired)

• FF Frigate (retired)
• FFG Guided Missile Frigate
• FFR Radar Picket Frigate (retired)
• FFT Frigate (Reserve Training) (retired)

The FF, FFG, and FFR designations were established 30 June 1975 as new type symbols for ex-DEs, DEGs, and DERs.

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