Warship Classification

DN Dreadnought (A standardised classification albeit entirely fictional. Outside of fictio n 'Dreadnought' has never been a ship classification, it only historically means a qualit y battleship of the pre-WW1 era) BB Battleship >35000 BC Battle Cruiser >25000 tons CV Fleet Carrier CVL Light Carrier CA Heavy Cruiser (includes both the Cruiser and Heavy Cruiser/Gunship) 25000< tons CL Light Cruiser >10000 tons DD Destroyer 5000-10000 tons DE Escort FF Frigate 2000-5000 tons FFL or K or FS Corvette 500-2800 tons(some corvettes over 2800tons) SS Submarine LCS: Littoral Combat Ship >2000 tons PC Patrol Craft 50-550 tons PHM Patrol Missile Hydrofoil FAC Fast attack craft PGG (Patrol Gunboat with guided missile system) Destroyers (DD or DDG) A destroyer is currently the largest type of surface combatant currently under construc tion for world navies. Destroyers have steadily grown in size (now 5,000 to 10,000 ton s), expense (nearly US$700 million apiece) and capability. Generally, a destroyer is con sidered to be a ship that has all of the sensors (including a sophisticated phased-array radar), combat systems, and weapons needed to operate in a high-threat environment. A number of world navies are currently building ships that, while called frigates, more a ccurately represent destroyers in size and capability. Examples include the Spanish F-1 00, the German F-124, and the Dutch De Zeven Provincien classes (all are highly capab le ships displacing over 5,000 tons and carrying phased-array radars). Frigates (FF or FFG) A frigate is a medium-sized surface combatant (between 2,000 and 5,000 tons) that is either suited for one specific role (anti-submarine warfare or anti-air warfare), or has le sser all-around capabilities than a destroyer. A frigate may be less capable than a destr oyer, but is still a relatively sophisticated and expensive (averaging around US$325 mil lion apiece) platform. A frigate is generally the smallest surface combatant that can co nduct extended blue-water missions in a high-threat environment. Corvettes (FS- Small Frigate) Corvettes are fast (around 25 knots or better), well-armed ships that displace between 700 and 2000 tons. A corvette is generally not intended for extended ocean-going oper ations, and is best suited for regional operations. Corvettes are generally the smallest platforms capable of accommodating the sensors, weapons, and combat systems need ed to operate in a medium threat environment. Corvettes are sometimes referred to as light frigates (FFLs). It can be assumed that the hull design for a corvette and that of a n offshore patrol vessel are very similar. The differences will be in propulsion and outfit ting. Corvettes will have higher speed and therefore less endurance and range than OP V, much greater armament, and less space for provisions and habitability. Corvette is a French word given to (nautical, historical) a flush-decked warship of the 1 7th-18th centuries having a single tier of guns; it ranked next below a frigate; In the m

odern navy, a lightly armed and armored blue water warship, smaller than a frigate, ca pable of trans-oceanic duty.

AMI International - NSPD Sample

At 3,144 tonnes and considering its armement and sensor suite F22P is a Frigat e, comparable to e.g. the Italian Lupo/Artigliere class, though the Type 53H3 (Ji angwei2) from which she derives displaces only 2,393 tons full load and with si milar armement and sensors is considered a Light Frigate by many.

Usually the size and the purpose. The period of time sometimes distinguishes t he name.

Modern navy combat ships are generally divided into seven main categories. T he categories are: Aircraft Carriers, Battleships, Cruisers, Destroyers, Frigates, Submarines, and Amphibious assault ships. There are also support and auxiliar y ships, including the minesweeper, patrol boat, and tender. During the age of sail, the ship categories were divided into the ship of the line, frigate, and sloo p-of-war. Frigate is a name which has been used for several distinct types of warships at different times. It has referred to a variety of ship roles and sizes. From the 18t h century, it referred to a ship smaller and faster than a ship-of-the-line, used f or patrolling and escort work rather than fighting fleet actions. In modern milita ry terminology, the definition of a frigate is a warship intended to protect other warships and merchant marine ships and as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) com batants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups, and merchant convoys.

A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, smaller than a friga te but larger than a coastal patrol craft.

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-enduran ce warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defen

d them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later s ubmarines and aircraft).

A cruiser (From Dutch Kruiser, "something that crosses") is a classification of la rge warship. Historically they were generally considered the smallest ships cap able of independent operations — destroyers usually requiring outside support such as tenders — but in modern parlance this difference has disappeared. In modern warfare the cruiser has virtually disappeared, supplanted in all roles by the destroyer. In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-enduran ce warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defen d them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later s ubmarines and aircraft). At the beginning of the 21st century, destroyers are the heaviest surface comb atant vessels in general use, with only four nations (the United States, Russia, France and Peru) operating cruisers and none operating battleships.[1] Modern destroyers are equivalent in tonnage but drastically superior in firepower to cru isers of the World War II era, capable of carrying nuclear missiles able to destro y cities in a very small volley. Battleship was the name given to the most powerfully gun-armed and most he avily armored classes of warships built between the 15th and 20th centuries. B attleships evolved from northern European cogs, and included carracks and gal leons in the 16th Century, ships of the line in the 17th and 18th centuries, broa dside ironclads and Pre-Dreadnoughts in the 19th century, and Dreadnoughts i n the 20th Century. For over 300 years battleships ruled the waves, allowing na tions such as Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, France and the United Kingdom to create and maintain trade-based overseas empires and restrain their rivals. During World War II (1939-45) they were superseded as the deciding factor at s ea by aircraft carriers.

The surface fleet consists of many different types of ships, each contributing in their own unique ways to the success of the Navy as a whole. The abbreviation for each subtype of ship within each main type is written below.

• Cruisers (CG&CGN) protect the fleet from airborne threats by using their adv anced AEGIS radars and anti-air missile systems, and also have the capability o f striking targets ashore with their deck guns and long-range Tomahawk cruise

missiles.In military terminology, a cruiser is a large warship capable of engagin g multiple targets simultaneously. Modern United States Navy guided missile cr uisers (CG and CGN hull classification symbols) perform primarily in a Battle Fo rce role. These ships are multi-mission -- anti-aircraft (AAW), anti-submarine (A SW), and anti-surface (ASUW) surface combatants capable of supporting carrier battle groups, amphibious forces, or of operating independently and as flagship s of surface action groups.

• Destroyers (DD/DDG) - protect the fleet from surface and submarine threats; many also have AEGIS, .These fast warships provide multi-mission offensive an d defensive capabilities, and can operate independently or as part of carrier ba ttle groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway re plenishment groups.Guided missile destroyers are multi-mission [Anti-Air Warfa re (AAW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW)] su rface combatants. The destroyer's armament has greatly expanded the role of the ship in strike warfare utilizing the MK-41 Vertical Launch System (VLS).

• Frigates (FFG) - small, tough convoy escort ships that provide anti-air and ant i-submarine protection. Frigates fulfill a Protection of Shipping (POS) mission as Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) combatants for amphibious expeditionary force s, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys. The guided missile frigates (FFG) bring an anti-air warfare (AAW) capability to t he frigate mission, but they have some limitations. Designed as cost efficient s urface combatants, they lack the multi-mission capability necessary for moder n surface combatants faced with multiple, high-technology threats. They also o ffer limited capacity for growth. Despite this, the FFG 7 class is a robust platfor m, capable of withstanding considerable damage. This "toughness" was aptly d emonstrated when USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine and USS Stark was hit by two Exocet cruise missiles. In both cases the ships survived, were repaired a nd returned to the fleet

• Aircraft Carriers (CV/CVN) -Aircraft carriers provide a wide range of possible r esponse for the National Command Authority.Home to over seventy aircraft, ra nging from F35,F22 raptors, F/A-18 strike fighters and F-14 interceptors, to S-3 B sub-hunters, EA-6B radar-jammers, and E-2C early-warning/command and co ntrol aircraft. The Carrier Mission is:

- To provide a credible, sustainable, independent forward presence and conven tional deterrence in peacetime,

- To operate as the cornerstone of joint/allied maritime expeditionary forces in t imes of crisis, and

- To operate and support aircraft attacks on enemies, protect friendly forces an d engage in sustained independent operations in war. The Nimitz-class carriers, nine operational and one under construction, are the largest warships in the world

• Amphibious Ships (LHA/LHD/LPD/LSD) - carry up to 2,000 Marines, and their equipment, vehicles, and supplies. The A mphibious Assault subtype, or LHA's and LHD's, double as small aircraft carrier s that are home to various kinds of helicopters and the Harrier vertical take-off and landing jet fighter. The LHA's, LHD's, and LSD's all carry modern, high-spee d Landing Craft, Air-Cushion (LCAC) to ferry Marines and their gear ashore.

• Minesweepers (MCM/MHC/MCS) - detect and clear naval mines from areas in which other ships soon will be operating.

• Patrol Craft (PC) - small, speedy ships that patrol coastlines as well as insert a nd support SEAL special operations forces ashore.

• AuxiliarShips (AE/AOy /AOE/AS/ARS) - keep the fleet supplied with fuel, ammu nition, food, and other crucial stores needed on long-term forward deployments.

A cruiser is a large type of warship, which had its prime period from the late 1 9th century to the end of the Cold War. The first cruisers were intended for indi vidual raiding and protection missions on the seas. Over the years, the nature

and role of the cruiser has changed considerably, and today the cruiser has lar gely been replaced by destroyers in its roles. In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endura nce warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defe nd them against smaller, short-range but powerful attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft).Before the First World War, destroyers we re light vessels without the endurance for unattended ocean operations; typical ly a number of destroyers and a single destroyer tender operated together. Dur ing and after the Second World War, larger and more powerful destroyers capa ble of independent operation were built, particularly as cruisers ceased to be u sed in the 1950s and 60s. Currently, destroyers are the heaviest surface comb atant ships in general use. Modern destroyers are equivalent in tonnage but dr astically superior in firepower to cruisers of the Second World War era. The Can adian Navy has continously operated destroyers from 18 different classes since 1920 and is using the improved Iroquois class.

A corvette is a small, manoeuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smalle r than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft, although many recent de signs resemble frigates in size and role. Almost all modern navies use ships sm aller than frigates for coastal duty, but not all of them use the term corvette (fr om the French corvair) or equivalent. The rank Corvette Captain in French deri ves from the name of this type of ship. During the Second World War, Canada o perated two different classes of corvette, the most known class was the Flower s and the least known were the Castles. A battleship is a large, heavily armoured warship with a main battery consisti ng of the largest calibre of guns. Battleships are larger, better armed, and bett er armoured than cruisers and destroyers. Although the Canadian Navy never manned battleships, there have been two British battleships named in honour of Canada: HMS Dominion (1903) and HMS Canada (1914); both served in the F irst World War. There is no battleship currently in service in the world. A frigate is a warship between a corvette and a destroyer in size. The term ha s been used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past centuries. In mo dern navies, frigates are used to protect other warships and merchant-marine s hips, especially as anti-submarine warfare combatants. A submarine is a watercraft that can operate independently below water. The word submarine was originally an adjective meaning "under the sea". Submari ne was shortened from the term "submarine boat". Submarines are referred to as “boat” for historical reasons because vessels deployed from a ship are referr ed to as boats. The first submarines were launched in such a manner. Modern

military submarines are traditionally armed with torpedoes but sea mines and missiles are now part of their arsenal.