TAB 10    Ships

Even though the Navy has evolved into a complex organization with various missions and many different kinds of equipment to accomplish them, ships are the core element of the Navy. Even imagined space travel and galactic conflict, such as in Star Trek and Star Wars, usually rely on spaceships as the technological centerpiece. It should come as no surprise that this basic element is so embedded into Navy culture that even at shore installations floors are often referred to as decks, ceilings as overheads, etc. This is a source of pride that Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen emulate even though it often confuses and amuses civilians and those who serve in non-sea services.

Major Topics Covered:

           Ship characteristics

           Ship construction

           Ship systems

           Ship types

           Ship classifications

To Learn More:

            www.usni.org/BlueAndGoldProfessionalBooks/TheBluejacketsManual

            Basic Military Requirements (NAVEDTRA 14325)

            Naval Vessel Register, www.nvr.navy.mil

            Navy Program Guide (current year)

            The Naval Institute Guide to Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 19th ed., by Norman Polmar (Naval Institute Press, 2013)

            Ship information, http://www.navy.mil/navydata/our_ships.asp

Associated Tabs:

            TAB 10-A: Ships and Craft

            TAB 10-B: Ship Type Classifications

10-A    Ships and Craft

For reference purposes, ships and craft are separated into two groups, combatants and auxiliaries. Combatants are listed alphabetically by their type (“cruiser” or “destroyer,” for example) followed by their ship type classification (“CG” or “DDG,” for example). See TAB 10-B for a complete list of classifications. Auxiliaries are grouped according to their general functions (underway replenishment, fleet support, and service craft).

COMBATANTS

Aircraft Carriers (CVN)

These enormous ships have been described as the “world’s largest combatant ships and the world’s smallest airfields.” They are longer than 3 football fields laid end-to-end, can displace as much 100,000 tons and carry between 60 and 80 aircraft of various types. The number of personnel required to operate an aircraft carrier and its aircraft is nearly 5,000.

Aircraft carriers carry an assortment of aircraft capable of performing a wide variety of missions, including air support to troops ashore, bombardment missions, antisubmarine operations, rescue missions, reconnaissance, and antiair warfare. Because of their powerful engines and four screws, carriers are capable of high speed, and they are capable of staying at sea for long periods of time, making them a potent weapon in a wide variety of scenarios.

[10-A-1] Aircraft carrier (CVN)

Besides having a huge flight deck for loading, launching, and recovering many different types of aircraft, CVNs also have a large hangar deck beneath the flight deck where aircraft can be safely stowed and maintained. This area is so large that it can accommodate such things as boxing matches, concerts, and basketball games.

Equipped with catapults for launching and arresting gear for recovering, CVNs can handle specially designed fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters.

Amphibious Assault Ships (LHA/LHD)

Of all the Navy’s ship types, only CVNs are larger than these. They resemble CVNs, but with both a flight deck and a well deck, they are capable of simultaneous air and landing-craft operations. Unlike CVNs, these ships do not have the catapults or arresting gear needed for normal fixed-wing aircraft and can only operate helicopters and vertical-landing-and-take-off fixed-wing aircraft. They can also function as sea-control ships, when necessary, by operating antisubmarine helicopters and AV-8B Harrier V/STOL (vertical/short takeoff and landing) airplanes.

Amphibious Command Ship (LCC)

Originally designed to function as command centers for amphibious operations, LCCs currently serve as fleet flagships, providing control and communication facilities for the fleet commander and her or his staff.

There are currently only two LCCs in the Navy: USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20). Although these ships were commissioned in 1971, they have been modernized and are expected to remain in service until 2039.

Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD)

These ships are similar to the LSD (see below) in that they deliver troops and equipment in landing craft or vehicles carried in a well deck and floated out through a stern gate, but their helicopter capacity is more extensive, including hangar facilities where aircraft can be stowed and maintained. The modern San Antonio–class LPDs are 684 feet long and displace 25,000 tons. They have 20,000 square feet of space that can accommodate a large number of vehicles, have 34,000 cubic feet for cargo, and can accommodate as many as eight hundred troops. Their medical and dental facilities are larger and more capable than those on the LSDs. Other advanced features include an enclosed mast and sensor (radar, electronic warfare, etc.) array that makes them harder to detect and allows easier maintenance, state-of-the-art C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) and self-defense systems, a shipboard wide-area network linking shipboard systems with embarked Marine Corps platforms, and significant quality of life improvements.

[10-A-2] Amphibious assault ship (LHA)

[10-A-3] Amphibious command ship (LCC)

Coastal Riverine Force

This force extends the Navy’s reach from traditional “blue water” (oceans and seas) areas into coastal (sometimes called “green water”) and riverine (“brown water”) areas. It uses a variety of small, combat-capable craft ranging from rubber combat raiding craft to 85-foot coastal patrol boats.

[10-A-4] Amphibious transport dock (LPD)

[10-A-5] Coastal Riverine Squadron 1 patrol boats

Cruisers (CG)

During World War II, there were heavy cruisers (CA) and light cruisers (CL), the difference being primarily in their gun armament. Today, the Navy’s cruisers are all Ticonderoga-class guided-missile (designated CG) ships, which are powered by gas turbines and equipped with the very sophisticated Aegis combat system that can handle multiple engagements at the same time.

These ships displace about 10,000 tons and are particularly potent in antiair missions, but are capable of a number of other missions as well, including antisurface and antisubmarine. They are equipped with a variety of weapons, including missiles that can knock out incoming raids from enemy aircraft or missile attacks. With other specially designed missiles, they are able to deliver an offensive punch, hitting land or sea targets at substantial distances.

Destroyers (DDG)

In today’s Navy, destroyers perform a wide range of duties. They can serve as part of a screen unit in a carrier task group, protecting it from various forms of attack. They can detect and engage enemy submarines, aircraft, missiles, and surface ships. In an amphibious assault, a destroyer’s weapons can help protect against enemy forces at sea and ashore. In short, destroyers have a well-deserved reputation of being the “workhorses” of the fleet.

[10-A-6] Guided-missile cruiser (CG)

Previous classes of destroyer were rather small—some displacing as little as 400 tons—but today’s Arleigh Burke–class destroyers displace more than 8,000 tons and are over 500 feet long. Modern destroyers are powered by gas-turbine engines and can go from “cold iron” (meaning no engines on the line) to full speed in twelve minutes, in sharp contrast to their steam-powered predecessors, which took hours to power up. The weapons of today’s destroyers include torpedoes, guns, antisubmarine rockets, and a variety of missiles. Before the inclusion of missiles, destroyers were designated DDs, but all of today’s destroyers are equipped with sophisticated missile systems and are therefore designated as DDGs. Like the Ticonderoga-class cruisers, Arleigh Burke–class destroyers are equipped with the Aegis system, making it the most potent class of destroyer ever built.

[10-A-7] Arleigh Burke–class guided-missile destroyer (DDG)

Another, even more sophisticated destroyer is the Zumwalt class. These ships are in many ways very different from any other destroyers. Designed to operate alone or as part of a task force, their capabilities include enhanced survivability in the face of enemy aircraft, missiles, submarines, mines, and small boat attacks. Given the hull number 1000, the Navy currently plans on building three of these technological wonders.

Dock Landing Ship (LSD)

These ships have a well deck inside the vessel that can be flooded so that waterborne landing craft and vehicles can be floated out of the ship’s stern gate. They also have a limited capacity (a flight deck but no hangar space) for handling troop-carrying helicopters or Osprey hybrid aircraft. LSDs are equipped with a vehicle turning area and tactical logistics communication spaces to facilitate and coordinate troop/vehicle movement and logistics. These ships have a doctor and dentist assigned as ship’s company, two dental examination rooms, and one medical operating room.

[10-A-8] Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG)

[10-A-9] Dock landing ship (LSD)

Expeditionary Transfer Docks (T-ESD)/ Expeditionary Mobile Base Ships (T-ESB)

The Expeditionary Transfer Dock (T-ESD) is a large (785 feet long and displacing approximately 80,000 tons), highly flexible ship that provides logistics movement from sea to shore in order to support a broad range of military operations. These ships can operate within “Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadrons” that are stationed at key points in the world to be mobile sea bases that are ready to support U.S. military operations during times of crisis. Designed to support the delivery of needed equipment, they have sophisticated vehicle delivery systems and 25,000 square feet of stowage space for vehicles and equipment, as well as 380,000 gallons of fuel storage capacity.

Later versions include a flight deck, berthing spaces to accommodate 250 troops, and repair spaces among other things, and are called “Expeditionary Mobile Base Ships” (T-ESB).

[10-A-10] An artist’s rendering of the Military Sealift Command expeditionary transfer dock USNS Montford Point (T-ESD1).

Frigates (FF) and Littoral Combat Ships (LCS)

The frigate first appeared in the U.S. Navy during World War II as the destroyer escort (DE). In 1975 destroyer escorts were redesignated as frigates (FF). The inclusion of missiles further transformed them into FFGs.

Another class of ship began as a littoral combat ship (LCS), but because “L” has traditionally been used for amphibious ships (originally meaning “landing”), these ships are expected to transition to the more appropriate designation of FF.

These ships have been designed to allow them to be configured (or reconfigured) for different missions, depending upon “modules” that can be added or removed. The same ship can be configured for surface, antisubmarine, or mine countermeasures, depending upon what modules are used. If missile systems are added, they will likely be re-designated as FFGs.

Although their missions are the same, these ships are being built in two distinct variants: the Freedom variants have more traditional designs built primarily of steel and all have odd hull numbers, while the Independence variants have an all-aluminum “stabilized monohull” (that looks something like a catamaran when viewed from astern) and they all have even hull numbers.

[10-A-11] Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS)

[10-A-12] Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS)

Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC)

This specialized landing craft is usually carried by larger amphibious ships (such as LPDs and LHDs). Because it rides on a cushion of air, it can operate on both land and water. LCACs are used to transport the weapons systems, equipment, cargo, and personnel of the assault elements of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force from ship to shore and across the beach. They can carry heavy payloads, such as an M-1 tank, at high speeds. Air cushion technology allows this vehicle to reach more than 70 percent of the world’s coastline, while only about 15 percent of that coastline is accessible by conventional landing craft.

Landing Craft, Mechanized and Utility (LCM/LCU)

Landing craft are used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to the shore. They are also used to support civilian humanitarian/maritime operations. Capable of transporting cargo, tracked or wheeled vehicles, and troops from amphibious assault ships to beachheads or piers, LCMs are 74 feet long and have a bow ramp for onload/offload, while the larger LCUs are 135 feet long and have both bow and stern ramps for onload/offload. LCUs have the ability to operate at sea for up to ten days.

[10-A-13] Landing craft, air cushion (LCAC)

[10-A-14] A pair of LCMs headed for the beach

[10-A-15] An LCU carrying a pair of tanks

Littoral Combat Ships

See Frigates (FF) and Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) above.

Mine Countermeasures Ships (MCM)

These ships have fiberglass sheathed wooden hulls and use sonar and video systems, cable cutters, and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control to remove or destroy enemy mines.

Patrol Coastal Ships (PC)

PCs are used for a variety of missions including special warfare and coastal interdiction operations. They include patrol craft of the Cyclone (PC 1) class. Measuring 170 feet long with a 35-knot speed and armed with two 25mm guns, Stinger missiles, and lighter weapons, PCs are considerably smaller than frigates but larger than coastal and riverine craft.

[10-A-16] Mine countermeasures ship (MCM)

[10-A-17] Patrol coastal ship (PC)

Submarines (SSN/SSBN/SSGN)

The Navy has three basic types of submarine: attack submarines designated SSN, fleet ballistic-missile submarines designated SSBN, and guided-missile submarines designated SSGN. All U.S. submarines currently are nuclear powered.

The primary mission of attack submarines is to attack other submarines and ships, but they are also assigned secondary missions, which may include surveillance and reconnaissance, direct task-force support, landing-force support, land attack, minelaying, and rescue. An SSN’s principal weapons are high-speed, wire-guided torpedoes and cruise missiles for use against surface and land targets.

Fleet ballistic-missile submarines have a strategic mission, in that they are meant to deter or participate in a nuclear-missile exchange. Their highly sophisticated, very potent ballistic missiles are capable of hitting targets many thousands of miles away and causing tremendous destruction. These vessels must remain submerged for long periods of time, virtually out of contact with the rest of the world, waiting to carry out a mission that could be devastating to the whole world. This is a stressful environment for the crews, and to alleviate some of that stress, SSBNs are operated during alternate periods by two separate crews. One is called the blue crew and the other the gold crew. On return from an extended patrol, one crew relieves the other, and the ship returns to patrol following a brief period alongside her tender or in port. The relieved crew enters a month-long period of rest, recreation, and leave, followed by two months of training. This system allows each crew time ashore, while keeping the entire force of SSBNs cruising on deep patrol except for very brief periods.

[10-A-18] Attack submarine (SSN)

The primary missions of the guided-missile submarine are to conduct land attacks and to insert and support Special Operations Forces (SOF). Secondary missions are similar to those of the SSNs and include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), battle space preparation, and sea control. Armed with up to 154 Tomahawk or Tactical Tomahawk land attack missiles, they have the ability to carry and support a team of 66 SOF personnel for up to 90 days. Clandestine insertion and retrieval of these Special Operations Forces are enhanced by the ability to host dual dry deck shelters.

[10-A-19] Fleet ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN)

AUXILIARIES

Underway-Replenishment Ships

If they are going to be combat effective, warships must be able to remain at sea for weeks at a time with fuel, provisions, parts, and ammunition. The U.S. Navy is highly proficient at underway replenishment (UNREP) techniques that use special cargo-handling gear to make transfers from one ship to another while the two are steaming abreast or, in some cases, astern. Vertical replenishment (VERTREP) is a form of UNREP in which cargo-carrying helicopters are used to transfer goods from one ship to another. Much of the UNREP capability of the Navy today is carried out by Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships, such as oilers (T-AO), ammunition ships (T-AE), and fast combat support ships (T-AOEs).

[10-A-20] Fast combat support ship (T-AOE)

Fleet Support Ships

UNREP vessels are only one type of the auxiliaries that help carry out the Navy’s many missions. A number of other ships play vital roles in keeping the fleet operating at peak efficiency. For example, salvage vessels provide rapid firefighting, dewatering, battle-damage repair, and towing assistance to save ships that have been in battle or victims of some other disaster from further loss or damage. Equipped with specialized equipment and manned by salvage divers, these ships can also perform rescue and salvage operations underwater.

Service Craft

Also among the Navy’s waterborne resources is a large and varied group of service craft. Some are huge vessels like the large auxiliary floating dry docks that can take very large vessels aboard and raise them out of the water for repairs. Barracks craft accommodate crews when their ships are being overhauled or repaired. Lighters are barges used to store and transport materials and to house pier-side repair shops. Some gasoline barges, fuel-oil barges, and water barges are self-propelled; those that are not depend on tugs. Floating cranes and wrecking derricks are towed from place to place as needed. Diving tenders support diving operations, and ferryboats or launches, which carry people, automobiles, and equipment, are usually located at Navy bases, where facilities are spread out over large distances. Best known of the service craft are the harbor tugs, large and small, that aid ships in docking and undocking, provide firefighting services when needed, perform rescues, and haul lighters from place to place.

[10-A-21] A large harbor tug (YTB) showing off some of her firefighting capability

10-B    Ship Type Classifications

Used as part of a ship’s official designation, the Navy uses letter symbols to identify the types of ships and service craft. This is called “type classification.” Some of the more common type classifications are listed below. Keep in mind that many of these type classifications are not in use currently, but they are listed because you may come across them historically or they may be reactivated at some later date.

 

ACS	Auxiliary crane ship
AD	Destroyer tender
AE	Ammunition ship
AFDL	Small auxiliary floating dry dock
AFDM	Medium auxiliary floating dry dock
AFS	Combat store ship
AFSB	Afloat forward staging base
AGF	Miscellaneous command ship
AGM	Missile range instrumentation ship
AGOR	Oceanographic research ship
AGOS	Surveillance ship
AGS	Surveying ship
AH	Hospital ship
AK	Cargo ship
AKR	Vehicle cargo ship
AO	Oiler
AOE	Fast combat-support ship
AOR	Replenishment oiler
AOT	Transport oiler
APL	Barracks craft (non-self-propelled)
ARC	Cable repair ship
ARDM	Medium auxiliary repair dry dock
ARS	Salvage ship
AS	Submarine tender
ASR	Submarine rescue ship
ATF	Fleet ocean tug
AVB	Aviation logistics support ship
BB	Battleship
CA	Heavy cruiser
CC	Command ship
CG	Guided-missile cruiser
CGN	Guided-missile cruiser (nuclear propulsion)
CL	Light cruiser
CLG	Guided-missile light cruiser
CSP	Causeway section, powered
CV	Multipurpose aircraft carrier
CVA	Attack aircraft carrier
CVHE	Escort helicopter aircraft carrier
CVN	Multipurpose aircraft carrier (nuclear propulsion)
CVS	Antisubmarine warfare aircraft carrier
DD	Destroyer
DDG	Guided-missile destroyer
DE	Destroyer escort
DER	Radar picket escort ship
DL	Destroyer leader
DLG	Guided-missile destroyer leader
DLGN	Guided-missile destroyer leader (nuclear propulsion)
DSRV	Deep-submergence rescue vehicle
EDD	Self-defense test ship
FF	Frigate
FFG	Guided-missile frigate
FFR	Radar picket frigate
FFT	Frigate (reserve training)
FSF	Fast sea frame
IX	Unclassified miscellaneous
JHSV	Joint high speed vessel
HST	High speed transport
HSV	High speed vessel
LCAC	Landing craft, air cushion
LCC	Amphibious command ship
LCM	Landing craft, mechanized
LCPL	Landing craft, personnel, large
LCS	Littoral combat ship
LCU	Landing craft, utility
LCVP	Landing craft, vehicle and personnel
LHA	Amphibious assault ship (general purpose)
LHD	Amphibious assault ship (multipurpose)
LPD	Amphibious transport dock
LPH	Amphibious assault ship (helicopter)
LSD	Dock landing ship
LSSC	Light SEAL support craft
LST	Tank landing ship
MCM	Mine countermeasures ship
MCS	Mine countermeasures support ship
MHC	Coastal minehunter
MLP	Mobile landing platform
MPFUB	Maritime prepositioning force utility boat
MSC	Coastal minesweeper
MSO	Ocean-going minesweeper
PB	Patrol Boat
PBR	River patrol boat
PC	Patrol coastal ship
PCE	Patrol escort
PCF	Fast patrol craft (“swift boat”)
PCG	Guided-missile patrol craft
PCH	Patrol craft (hydrofoil)
PG	Patrol combatant
PGG	Guided-missile patrol combatant
PHM	Patrol combatant missile (hydrofoil)
PT	Patrol torpedo boat
PTF	Patrol torpedo, fast
RAB	Riverine assault boat
RCB	Riverine command boat
RPB	Riverine patrol boat
SBX	Mobile radar platform
SDV	SEAL delivery vehicle
SLWT	Side-loadable warping tug
SS	Submarine
SSAG	Auxiliary submarine
SSBN	Ballistic-missile submarine (nuclear propulsion)
SBX	Sea-based X-band radar ship
SSC	Ship to shore connector
SSG	Guided-missile submarine
SSGN	Missile (non-ballistic) submarine (nuclear propulsion)
SSN	Submarine (nuclear propulsion)
YC	Open lighter
YCV	Aircraft transportation lighter
YD	Floating crane (non-self-propelled)
YDT	Diving Tender
YFB	Ferry boat or launch
YFD	Yard floating dry dock
YFN	Covered lighter
YFNB	Large covered lighter
YFND	Dry dock companion craft (non-self-propelled)
YFNX	Lighter (special purpose)
YFP	Floating power barge (non-self-propelled)
YLC	Salvage lift craft, light (non-self-propelled)
YOGN	Gasoline barge
YON	Fuel oil barge
YOS	Oil storage barge
YP	Yard patrol (patrol craft, training)
YR	Floating workshop (non-self-propelled)
YRB	Repair and berthing barge (non-self-propelled)
YRBM	Repair, berthing, and messing barge (non-self-propelled)
YRDH	Floating dry dock workshop, hull (non-self-propelled)
YRDM	Floating dry dock workshop, machine (non-self-propelled)
YRR	Radiological repair barge (non-self-propelled)
YSD	Seaplane wrecking derrick
YTB	Large harbor tug
YTL	Small harbor tug
YTM	Medium harbor tug
YTT	Torpedo trials craft
YWN	Water barge
YWO	Waste oil barge

Ships of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) are distinguished from other Navy ships by having a “T” before their letter designations. Below are some examples of MSC ship types.

T-AE	Ammunition ships
T-AFS	Combat stores ship
T-AG	Offshore petroleum distribution system ship
T-AGOS	Ocean surveillance ship
T-AGS	Oceanographic survey
T-AH	Hospital ship
T-AK	Maritime prepositioning ship
T-AKE	Dry cargo ship
T-AKR	Vehicle cargo ship
T-AO	Oiler
T-AOE	Fast combat support ship
T-AOT	Transport oiler (tanker)
T-ARC	Cable repair
T-ARS	Rescue and salvage ship
T-ATF	Fleet ocean tug
T-MLP	Mobile landing platform

Notes: When these classifications are paired with a hull number (as in DDG 51, or CVN 76) there should not be a hyphen in between (as in DDG-51)—although, in truth you will frequently see this (incorrectly) done. When a “T” is used to designate a ship as an MSC asset, a hyphen is used to separate it from the rest of the classification (as in T-AO, or T-MLP).