sci.military.naval FAQ, Part B
General Terminology & Definitions


Revised 28 April 2002
Version 1.56
Compiled and Maintained by: Andrew Toppan
SMN FAQ Main Page: http://www.hazegray.org/faq/

Contents of this section:
Section B.1: Common Internet abbreviations
Section B.2: Common naval abbreviations
Section B.3: Naval vessel designations (USA/NATO)
Section B.4: Naval vessel designations (USSR/Russia)
Section B.5: Warship naming
Section B.6: Meaning of warship status categories
Section B.8: Ship Displacements
Section B.9: Conversion factors


Section B.1: Common Internet abbreviations
    :-)    = Smile
    :)     = Smile
    :-(    = Frown
    :(     = Frown
    ;-)    = Wink
    ;) 	   = Wink
    AFAIK  = As Far As I Know
    AKA    = Also Known As
    BTW    = By The Way
    FAQ    = Frequently Asked Questions
    FWIW   = For What It's Worth
    FYI    = For Your Information
    IIRC   = If I Remember Correctly
    IMHO   = In My Humble Opinion
    IMNSHO = In My Not So Humble Opinion
    IMO    = In My Opinion
    ISTR   = I Seem To Recall/Remember
    ROTFL  = Rolling On The Floor Laughing
    WRT    = With Respect To
    YMMV   = Your Mileage May Vary

Section B.2: Common naval abbreviations

This is a list of the most common abbreviation used in naval discussions. It is not a comprehensive list, nor does it include very common abbreviations such as US, UK, ft. and km. See http://www.hazegray.org/faq/ for a more comprehensive list of abbreviations and acronyms. See below for ship designations.

    AA      = Anti-Aircraft
    AAA     = Anti-Aircraft Artillery
    AAM     = Air-to-Air Missile
    AAW     = Anti-Aircraft Warfare
    AEW     = Airborne Early Warning
    ALCM    = Air-Launched Cruise Missile
    AMRAAM  = Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (Sparrow replacement)
    AP      = Armour Piercing (shell/shot)
    ARPA    = Advanced Research Projects Agency (USA)
    ASM     = Air-to-Surface Missile (sometimes Anti-Ship Missile)
    ASROC   = Anti-Submarine Rocket (rocket-boosted torpedo or depth charge)
    ASW     = Anti-Submarine Warfare
    ASuW    = Anti-Surface Warfare
    AVGas   = Aviation Gasoline
    AVMF    = Aviatsiya Voenno-Morsko Flota (Naval Air Force) (Russia)
    AWACS   = Airborne Warning and Control System
    bhp     = brake horsepower
    BPDMS   = Basic Point Defense Missile System (Sea Sparrow)
    BU      = Broken Up
    BuShips = US Bureau of Ships
    CAG     = Carrier Air Group (obsolete) or Air Wing Commander (derived
                from Commander, Air Group)
    Cal     = Caliber
    CAP     = Combat Air Patrol
    CAS     = Close Air Support
    CAW     = Carrier Air Wing (obsolete)
    CEC     = Cooperative Engagement Capability
    CIC     = Combat Information Center
    CIS     = Commonwealth of Independent States
    CIWS    = Close In Weapons System
    CNO     = Chief of Naval Operations
    CO      = Commanding Officer
    COD     = Carrier On-Board Delivery
    CODAG   = Combined Diesel and Gas (turbine) propulsion
    CODOG   = Combined Diesel or Gas (turbine) propulsion
    CODLAG  = Combined Diesel-Electric and Gas (turbine) propulsion
    COGAG   = Combined Gas (turbine) and Gas (turbine) propulsion
    COGOG   = Combined Gas (turbine) or Gas (turbine) proplulsion
    COH     = Complex Overhaul
    COIN    = Counter-Insurgency
    Comm    = Commissioned
    CONAS   = Combined Nuclear And Steam (turbine) propulsion
    COSAG   = Combined Steam (turbine) and Gas (turbine) propulsion
    CSAR    = Combat Search and Rescue
    CT      = Conning Tower
    CTOL    = Conventional Take-Off and Landing
    CVW     = Carrier Air Wing
    DARPA   = Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (USA) (now ARPA)
    DASH    = Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter
    DBS     = Doppler Beam Sharpening
    DC      = Depth Charge
    decom   = decommission(ed)
    D/F or DF = Direction-Finder, Direction-Finding
    DOD     = Department of Defense (USA)
    DP      = Dual Purpose (gun)
    ECCM    = Electronic Counter-Countermeasures
    ECM     = Electronic Countermeasures
    ehp     = equivalent horsepower
    ELINT   = Electronic Intelligence
    EMP     = Electromagnetic Pulse
    EPM     = Electronic Protective Measures (i.e. ECCM)
    ESM     = Electronic Support/Surveillance Measures
    EW      = Electronic Warfare
    FAC     = Forward Air Control
    FCS     = Fire Control System
    FLIR    = Forward-Looking Infrared
    FOD     = Foreign Object Damage
    FRAM    = Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernization
    FSU     = Former Soviet Union
    FUSSR   = Former USSR
    FY      = Fiscal Year
    GB      = Great Britain
    GFCS    = Gun Fire Control System
    GIUK    = Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (gap)
    GP      = General Purpose
    GPS     = Global Positioning System
    GRP     = Glass Reinforced Plastic (fiberglass)
    GT      = Gas Turbine
    GUPPY   = Greater Underwater Propulsive Power (submarine modification)
    HA      = High Angle (gun)
    HC      = High Capacity (shell) (high explosive, for shore bombardment)
    HE      = High Explosive (shell or warhead)
    H/F or HF = High Frequency
    HF/DF   = High Frequency Direction Finding (for ASW)
    HMS     = His/Her Majesty's Ship (UK)
    HMAS    = His/Her Majesty's Australian Ship
    HMCS    = His/Her Majesty's Canadian Ship
    HMNZS   = His/Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship
    HP      = High Pressure (usually steam)
    hp      = horsepower
    HUK     = Hunter-Killer (ASW group)
    ICIR    = In Commission, In Reserve
    IFF     = Identification Friend-or-Foe
    IFR     = in-flight refuelling
    ihp     = indicated horsepower
    IJN     = Imperial Japanese Navy
    INS     = Inertial Navigation System
    IR      = Infrared
    ISAR    = Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar
    JATO    = Jet-Assisted Take-Off
    JMSDF   = Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (Japanese Navy)
    JPATS   = Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (T-34-T-37 replacement)
    JTIDS   = Joint Tactical Information Distribution System
    LAMPS   = Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (ASW helicopter)
    LANTIRN = Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (pod)
    LGB     = Laser-Guided Bomb
    LP      = Low Pressure (usually steam)
    LTA     = Lighter Than Air (blimp/aerostat)
    MAD     = Magnetic Anomaly Detection
    MARAD   = Maritime Administration (USA)
    MIRV    = Multiple Independently Targetted Re-entry Vehicle
    MG      = Machine Gun
    MoD     = Ministry of Defense (UK)
    MPA     = Maritime Patrol Aircraft
    MSC     = Military Sealift Command (USA)
    MSTS    = Military Sea Transportation Service (USA) (now MSC)
    MTB     = Motor Torpedo Boat
    MTS     = Moored Training Ship
    NAS     = Naval Air Station
    NATF    = Naval Advanced Tactical Fighter
    NATO    = North Atlantic Treaty Organization
    NAVSAT  = Navigation Satellite
    NBC     = Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Warfare
    NDRF    = National Defense Reserve Fleet (USA)
    NECPA   = National Emergency Command Post Afloat
    NGFS    = Naval Gunfire Support
    nm      = nautical mile(s)
    NRF     = Naval Reserve Force (USA)
    NRO     = National Reconniassance Office (USA)
    NSSM    = NATO Sea Sparrow Missile
    NTDS    = Naval Tactical Data System
    NVG     = Night Vision Goggles
    NVR     = Naval Vessels Register (USA)
    OPV     = Offshore Patrol Vessel
    PDMS    = Point Defense Missile System
    pdr     = pounder
    PGM     = Precision Guided Munition(s)
    psi     = pounds per square inch (pressure)
    PWR     = Pressurized Water Reactor
    QF      = Quick Firing (gun)
    RAF     = Royal (British) Air Force
    RAN     = Royal Australian Navy
    RATO    = Rocket-Assisted Take-Off
    RCN     = Royal Canadian Navy
    RCOH    = Refuelling/Comprehensive Overhaul
    RCS     = Radar Cross-Section
    R&D     = Research & Development
    Recce   = Reconnaissance
    Recon   = Reconnaissance
    RIO     = Radar Intercept Officer
    RF      = Rapid Fire (gun)
    RN      = Royal Navy (UK)
    ROH     = Regular Overhaul
    rpgpm   = rounds per gun per minute
    rpm     = rounds per minute (gun) or revolutions per minute
    RPV     = Remote-Piloted Vehicle
    RRF     = Ready Reserve Fleet (USA)
    SAM     = Surface-to-Air Missile
    SAR     = Search and Rescue
    SAR     = Synthetic Aperture Radar
    SATCOM  = Satellite Communication
    SEAD    = Suppression of Enemy Air Defences
    SHAR    = Sea Harrier
    shp     = shaft horsepower
    SLAM    = Standoff Land Attack Missile
    SLAR    = Sideways-Looking Airborne Radar
    SLBM    = Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile
    SLEP    = Service Life Extention Program
    SLUF    = Short Little Ugly F***er (A-7)
    SOSUS   = Sound Surveillance Sustem
    SP      = Single Purpose
    SR      = Strike Rescue (same as CSAR)
    ST      = Steam Turbine
    STOL    = Short Take-Off and Landing
    STOVL   = Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing
    str     = stricken
    SUBROC  = Submarine (ASW) Rocket
    TACAMO  = Take Charge and Move Out (strategic communications aircraft)
    TACAN   = Tactical Air Navigation Aid
    TACTASS = Tactical Towed Array Surveillance System
    TARPS   = Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System
    TASM    = Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile
    TCS     = Television Camera System
    TFCC    = Tactical Flag Command Center
    TFR     = Terrain-Following Radar
    TLAM    = Tomahawk Land Attack Missile
    TRAM    = Target Recognition and Attack Multi-Sensor
    TS      = Training Ship
    TT      = Torpedo Tube(s)
    UAV     = Unmanned Air Vehicle
    UHF     = Ultra High Frequency
    UNREP   = Underway Replenishment
    USAF    = United States Air Force
    USCG    = United States Coast Guard
    USCGC   = United States Coast Guard Cutter
    USMC    = United States Marine Corps
    USN     = United States Navy
    USNS    = United States Naval Ship (civilian manned USN vessel)
    USS     = United States Ship (commissioned USN vessel)
    VDS     = Variable Depth Sonar
    VIFF    = Vectoring in Forward Flight (Harrier)
    VLF     = Very Low Frequency
    VLS     = Vertical (missile) Launch System
    V/STOL  = Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing
    VTE     = Vertical Triple Expansion (reciprocating engines)
    VTO     = Vertical Take-Off
    VTOL    = Vertical Take-Off and Landing
    WIG     = Wing In Ground-Effect
    WSO     = Weapon Systems Officer
    W/T     = Wireless Telegraphy (obsolete)
    XO      = Executive Officer (2nd in command)

Section B.3: Naval vessel designations (US/NATO)

This list is not comphrehensive; it includes only the more common designations. There are literally hundreds of obscure designations. See http://www.hazegray.org/faq/ for more complete lists. These designations are US Navy designations, but they are often unofficially applied to foreign warships. Designations are listed by type, then in alphabetical order.

It is important to realize that these are designations, not abbreviations or acronyms. Thus, the letters may not individually "stand for" anything; it is the designation as a whole that has some assigned meaning or definition. These definitions can be changed without changing the letters of the designation.




Section B.4: Naval vessel designations (USSR/Russia)

All information in this section provided by Brooks Rowlett.

Abbrev.	Classification			 Translation
=====	==============			 ===============
AK    Avianosnyy Kreyser                 Aircraft Carrying Cruiser
AKA   Artilleriyskiy Kater               Artillery Cutter
AKVP  Amfibiynyy Kater Na Vozdushnoy     Air Cushion Amphibious Craft
         Rechnoyy
AKVP  Amfibiynyy Kater Na Vozdushnoy     Air Cushion Amphibious Craft
         Podushke Rechnoyy
BDK   Bol'shoy Desantnyy Korabl'         Large Landing Ship
BPK   Bol'shoy Protivolodochnyy Korabl'  Large Antisubmarine Ship
BPKR  Bol'shoy Protivolodochnyy Kreyer   Large Antisubmarine Cruiser
BRK   Bol'shoy Raketnyy Korabl'          Large Missile Ship
BT    Bazovyy Tral'shchik                Base Minesweeper
BTK   Bol'shoy Torpednyy Kater           Large Torpedo Cutter (craft)
DK    Desantnyy Korabl'                  Landing Ship
DKA   Desantnyy Kater                    Landing Cutter (craft)
DKVP  Desantnyy Korabl' Na
        Vozdushnoy Podushke              Air Cushion Landing Ship
DS    Desantnyy Sudno                    Landing Vessel
EHOS  Expeditsionnoye
        Okeanograficheskoye Sudno        Expeditionary Oceanographic Vessel
EM    Eskadrenny Minonosets              Destroyer  (literally: squadron
                                           mine vessel)
ENS   Elektrostanttsiye Nalivatel'noye
         Sudno                           Electric Power Station Vessel
GKS   Gidroakusticheskoye
         Kontrol'noye Sudno              Hydroacoustic Monitoring Vessel
GP    Gidrografichekoye Pribrezhnyy Bot  Inshore Survey Craft
GS    Gidrograficheskoye Sudno           Hydrographic Vessel
KIL   Kilektor                           Lift Ship
KR    Kreyser                            Cruiser
KRZ   Korabl' Razvedyvatel'nyy           Intelligence Ship
KS    Kabel'noye Sudno                   Cable Vessel
KSV   Korabl' Svyazey                    Communications Ship
KT    Kater Tral'shchik                  Minesweeping Cutter (craft)
KTs   Kontrol'naya Tsel'                 Controlled target
KVN   Korabl' Vozdushnogo
          Nablyudeniya                   Radar Surveillance Ship
LDK   Ledokol                            Icebreaker
MB    Morskoy Buksir                     Seagoing Tug
MPK   Malyy Protivolodochnyy Korabl'     Small Antisubmarine Ship
MRK   Malyy Raketnyy Korabl'             Small Missile Ship
MT    Morskoy Tral'shchik                Seagoing Minesweeper
MVT   Morskoy Vodnyy Tanker              Seagoing Water Tanker
OS    Opitnoye Sudno                     Experimental Vessel
PB    Plavuchaya Baza                    Floating Base
PKA   Protivolodochnyy Kater             Antisubmarine Cutter
PKR   Protivolodochnyy Kreyser           Antisubmarine Cruiser
PL    Podvodnaya Lodka                   Submarine
PLA   Podvodnaya Lodka Atomnaya          Submarine (nuclear)
PLARB Podvodnaya Lodka Atomnaya
           Raketnaya Ballistecheskaya    Ballistic Missile Submarine (nuclear)
PLARK Podvodnaya Lodka Atomnaya
           Raketnaya Krylataya           Cruise Missile Submarine (nuclear)
PLRB  Podvodnaya Lodka Raketnaya
           Ballistecheskaya              Ballistic Missile Submarine
PLRK  Podvodnaya Lodka Raketnaya
           Krylataya                     Cruise Missile Submarine
PLK   Protivolodochnyy Korabl'           Antisubmarine Ship
PM    Plavuchaya Masterskaya             Floating Workshop
PSKR  Pogranichniy Storoshevoy
           Korabl'                       Border Patrol Ship
PZHK  Pozharnyy Kater                    Firefighting Cutter (craft)
PZHS  Pozharnoye Sudno                   Firefighting Vessel
RKA   Raketnyy Kater                     Missile Cutter
RKR   Raketnyy Kreyser                   Missile Cruiser
RT    Reydovoy Tral'shchik               Roadstead Minesweeper
SB    Spasatel'nyy Buksir                Rescue Tug
SBR   Sudno Bol'shogo
           Razmagnichivanya              Large Deperming Vessel
SDK   Srednyy Desantnyy Korabl'          Medium Landing Ship
SKA   Storozhevoy Kater                  Patrol Cutter (craft)
SKR   Storoshevoy Korabl'                Patrol Ship
SR    Sudno Razmagnichivanya             Deperming Vessel
SS    Spasatel'noye Sudno                Salvage Vessel
SSV   Sudno Svyazey                      Communications Vessel
TAKR  Takticheskoye Avianosnyy
            Kreyser                      Tactical Aircraft Carrying Cruiser
TKA   Torpednyy Kater                    Torpedo Cutter
TPKR  Tyazholyi Protivolodochnyy         Heavy Antisubmarine Cruiser
        Kreyser
US    Uchebnoye Sudno                    Training Vessel
VT    Voyenyy Tanker                     Military Tanker
VT    Vspomagatek'byy Tral'shchik        Auxiliary Minesweeper
VTR   Voyenyy Transport                  Military Transport
ZM    Zaggraditel' Minnyy                Minelayer
Soviet/Russian ship classifications by class
Class	  Classification
=====	  ===============
Typhoon   PLARB
Delta     PLARB
Yankee    PLARB
Hotel     PLARB
Golf      PLRB
Oscar     PLARK
Papa      PLARK
Charlie   PLARK
Echo      PLARK
Juliett   PLRK
Sierra    PLA
Akula     PLA
Mike      PLA
Alfa      PLA
Victor    PLA
November  PLA
Kilo      PL
Tango     PL
Foxtrot   PL
Romeo     PL
Zulu      PL (some converted to PLRB)
Whiskey   PL (some converted to PLRK)

Kuznetsov TAKR
Gorshkov  TAKR
Kiev      TAKR, ex-BPKR, ex-TPKR
Moskva    PKR
Kirov     RKR
Slava     RKR
Kara      BPK
Kresta II BPK
Kresta I  RKR  (orginally BPK)
Kynda     RKR
Senyavin  KU
Zhdanov   KU
Sverdlov  KR
Udaloy    BPK
Sovremennnyy  EM
Mod Kashin  BPK
Kashin    BPK  (originally EM, then BRK)
Kanin     BPK
Mod Kildin  BRK
SAM Kotlin  EM
Kotlin    EM
Skoryy    EM
Krivak    SKR
Koni      SKR
Grisha    MPK (originally SPK)
Petya     SKR (originally PLK)
Mirka     SKR (originally PLK)
Riga      SKR
Tarantul
Nanuchka  MRK
Pauk      MPK (PSKR in KGB service)
Poti      MPK
T-58 (patrol) SKR naval, PSKR, KGB
T-58 radar picket:  KVN
Matka     TKA
Osa       RKA
Turya     TK
Shmel     AK
Alesha    ZM
Natya     MT
Yurka     MT
T-43      MT
Sonya     BT
Zhenya    BT
Vanya     BT
Yevgenya  RT
Baltika   VT
Ivan Rogov BDK
Ropucha   BDK
Alligator BDK
Polnocny  SDK
Vydra     DK
Aist      DKVP
Ugra      PB
Don       PB
Atrek     PB
Malina    PM
Amur      PM
Oskol     PM
Dnepr     PM
El'Brus   SS
Ingul     SS
Nepa      SS
Prut      SS
Pamir     SS
Sura      KIL
Neptun    KIL
Emba      KS
Klazma    KS
Lama      PM, but two are PB
Mod. Andizhan   VTR
"MP 6"    VTR
Berezina  VTR
Dubna     VT
Boris Chilikin  VT
Altay     VT
Olekhma   VT
Pevek     VT
Sofia     VT
Uda       VT
Koda      VT
Khobi     VT
Nercha    VT
Kazbek    VTR
Polyarnik VT
Manych    MVT
Voda      MVT
Mayak     VTR
Vytegrales VTR
Keyla     VTR
Chulym    VTR
Donbass   VTR
Smol'nyy  US
Wodnik    US
Ugra (training)  US
Potok     OS
Kolomna   OS
Tomna     ENS
Pelym     SR
Khabarov  SR
Onega     GKS
Sliva     SB
Goryn     MB, except three are SB
Sorum     MB
Okhtenskiy MB or SB
Orel      SB
Roslavl    MB, one is SB
Osa Targets:  KT
Bal'zam   SSV
Moma      SSV (one ship is GS)
'Mayak'   GS
'Okean'   GS
Yug       EHOS
Akademik Krylov  EHOS
Akademik Kurchatov  EHOS
Nikolay Zubov   EHOS
Polyus    EHOS
Desna     OS
Sibir'    OS
Krivak III  PSKR
Grisha II   PSKR
All small combatants in KGB Maritime Border Patrol service are PSKR

Section B.5: Warship naming

People often wonder how names for warships are selected, particularly in the US Navy. USN has a long-standing (100+ years) naming tradition, but the scheme has been corrupted in recent years, mostly for political purposes.

It is often thought that ships are never named for a person while the person was still alive. This was true until the 1970's. The first ship named for a then-living person was USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), named in 1975. Other examples of ships named for then-living people include the following:
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51)
USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 709)
USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23)
USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR 300)

This list includes the traditional and current naming schemes for most major US warship/auxiliary types, and exceptions to the schemes. When ships were reclassified from one type to another after commissioning the original name was almost always retained; these examples are not listed as exceptions.

Aircraft Carriers (CV/CVA/CVAN/CVB/CVL/CVN/CVS):
        Traditional: Famous battles and famous ships (CV 1-CVA 58, CVA 60-66)
        Current: Generally political figures, presidents, naval leaders
			(CVA 59, CVA 67, CVN 68-CVN 76) 
        Exceptions: CV 1 named for an aviation pioneer (Langley),
                CV 38 named for a mythical place (Shangri-La), in
                honor of the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, CVB 42 named
                for a president (FD Roosevelt).

Escort Carriers (AVG/ACV/CVE/CVHE/CVU):
        Initially named for bays, later vessels named for WWII battles.
        Many transferred to England and received new names, but kept US
        names on USN documents.
        Exeptions: Four Sangamon class converted from oilers reatained
                original ('river') names; Charger retained intended
                Royal Navy name.

Battleships (BB):
        States. Exception: Congress directed that Kearsarge (BB 5) be named to
        honor the Civil War vessel of that name.

Monitors:
        Traditional/Civil War Era: Indian tribes, bays.
        "New Navy": States, renamed to cities/locations 1908-1909.
        Exceptions: Initial vessel USS Monitor gave her name to
                the type; Puritan, Dictator, Terror had non-traditional names.
        (there was a very confusing renaming after the Civil War; the 
	ships ended up returning to their original names.)

Cruisers:
        All named for cities, except:
                Battlecruisers (CC): Early US warships.
                Large Cruisers (CB): Territories.
                Armored Cruisers (ACR-): States, renamed to cities
                        1912-1920.  Exception: Brooklyn (ACR-3).
        
Guided Missile Cruisers (CG):
        Famous battles and famous ships (many WWII carriers).  Exception: 
	CG 51 named for a person.  Note: Many CG/CGN were changed from other
        classifications, keeping original names.

Destroyer type ships (DD, DDG, DE, DEG, FF, FFG, DL, DLG and variants):
        Naval heroes and leaders.  Exceptions: DLGN 36-41 named for states,
        DDG 47-50 named for famous battles (all later changed to CG/CGN).

Submarines (SS/SSN and variants):
        Traditional: Fish; some assigned alphanumeric names (i.e. F-2).
                (officially "denizens of the deep")
        Later: Cities (SSN 688-725,750-773)
	Current: States (SSN 22, SSN 774, SSN 775)
        Exceptions: SSN 680, 686, 687, 685, 709, 23 named for people;
		SSN 21 used assigned a traditional name.
       
Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBN):
        Traditional: Famous Americans. (SSBN 598-602,608-611,616-620,622-636,
                640-645,654-659)
        Current: States. (SSBN 726-743)
        Exceptions: Some "famous Americans" were foreigners, SSBN 730
		named for a person (ex-USS Rhode Island).

Patrol Vessels:
        PG, PR, PF: Small cities, except converted yachts were named
         for precious stones, ex-British corvettes (PG) were given
         positive-trait and "action" names.
        PHM: Mythological.
        PC: Natural phenomena.
        Others: mostly unnamed.

Mine Craft:
        Traditional: Birds, later "action" words and militant characteristics,
                except minelayers named for mountain ranges.
        Current: MCM: Militant characteristics.
                 MHC: Birds.

Amphibious Ships:
        LHD: WWII aircraft carriers; previous LPHs
        LPH/LHA: Marine Corps battles.
        LCC: Mountains and mountain ranges.
        LKA/LST: Counties and parishes (LSTs originally unnamed)
        LPD: Cities honoring explorers and pioneers.
        LSD: Historic places and cities.

Auxiliaries: (major vessels only)
        ACS: State nicknames.
        AD: Geographic areas, except AD 37 named for a labor leader.
        AE: Explosives and volcanoes.
        AFS: Cities, except some mythological names.
        AG: Various.
        AGC: Mountains and mountain ranges.
        AGM: Widely varied.
        AGOR: Mostly oceanographers.
        AGOS: Traits of capability or accomplishment.
        AGS: Mostly oceanographers.
        AH: "Mercy" names.
        AK/AKR: Star and constellation names, except prepositioned sealift
                ships named for military heroes, RRF ships given "Cape" names.
        AO: Rivers with indian names, except AO 187-195 named for
                industrialists, engineers and naval architects.
        AOE: Cities, except AOE 6-8,10 carry names of previous logistics ships.
        AOG: Indian names.
        AOR: Cities.
        AOT: As AO, except widely varied for chartered ships.
        AP: Heroes, presidents, generals, admirals, leaders.
        AR/ARC: Mythological.
        ARS: Salvage equipment, activities and terms.
        AS: Mythological and submarine pioneers.
        ASR: Birds.
        ATA/ATF: Indian names.
        ATS: US cities with British namesakes.
        AV: Bays and sounds.
        AVB: Aviation pioneers.

Section B.6: Meaning of warship status categories

People often wonder what the various vessel status categories are. The most basic are fairly simple, but there are some rather obscure ones.

The following categories are primarily from US Navy practice, but are widely used and are fairly universal.


Section B.8: Ship Displacements

What do all those displacement terms mean? The following is a general guide; the exact definitions vary from nation to nation and change over time.

The following are measures of volume not weight, and are applied only to merchant vessels:


Section B.9: Conversion factors
Length
    Inch           = 2.540 cm
    Foot           = 0.3048 m
    Yard           = 0.9144 m
    Mile           = 1.609 km
    Nautical mile  = 1.852 km

Volume
    Gallon (US)    = 3.785 L
    Gallon (UK)    = 4.546 L

Mass
    Pound          = 0.4536 kg
    Short ton      = 907.2 kg
    Long ton       = 1016 kg

Speed
    Mile per hour  = 1.609 km/h
    Knot           = 1.852 km/h

Force
    Pound force    = 4.448 N
    Kilogram force = 9.807 N

Power
    Horsepower     = 0.7457 kW

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This FAQ created and maintained by Andrew Toppan
Copyright © 1997-2003, Andrew Toppan.
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