How to Identify U.S. Naval Ships
- 1). Find the hull number on the ship. The hull number is a set of letters and numbers that usually is found on the hull or side of the ship. On aircraft carriers, the hull number is located on the tower, which is the part of the ship that extends above the flight deck. On an aircraft carrier, you will only see numbers.
- 2). Note the series of letters, numbers or both you find on the ship.
- 3). Go to the United States Navy's website. Click on the tab "About the Navy" to find a listing of U.S. Navy ships.
- 4). Determine which category to look under based on the letters in the hull number. Here is a list of which letters represent each ship type:
CVN = nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (Remember, you will not see letters on an aircraft carrier. You will know it is a carrier based on the fact that there is only a set of numbers on the tower.)
LHA, LHD or LPD = amphibious assault ship
CG = cruiser
DD or DDG = destroyer
FFG = frigate
SSN, SSBN or SSGN = submarine - 5). Go to the "Fact File" link once you are in the correct category. From there, you can scroll down the page to find a list of ships in that category. Identify the ship by finding the correct number.
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