Before a ship's name there may be a prefix code such as 'USS' used by the U.S. Navy or 'HMS' used by the British Navy.
You may find different prefixes used by various sources but we use a more limited set of prefixes, and sometimes none at all.
With regard to the U.S. Navy, the 'USS' prefix is only applied to a ship when it is in commission. That is why you might see a name with the 'USS' prefix and then the next incarnation has the name without the 'USS' prefix.
Here is the list of prefixes currently used by the Museum.
Included in the list are some common prefixes that we do not use and they are marked as such.
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ARA
ARC
ARM
ARV
BAE
BAP
BNS
BRP
CG
CSS
CT
DSSV
DSV
FGS
FV or F/V
HHMS
HM
HMAS
HMBS
HMCS
HMFS
HMNZS
HMS
HNLMS
HNS [invalid]
HS
HSV
HTMS
IIS
IJN
INS
INS
IRIS
ITS
JDS
JS
KD
KDM
KNM
KRI
MT
MV or M/V
NAE
NMM
NNS
NOAAS
NRP
NS
ORP
OSV
PNS
PRVSN
RFA
RFNS
RFS
RHS
ROCS
ROKS
RPS
RSS
RV or R/V
RVNS
SMS
SS
TCG
TS or T/S
USACS
USAFS
USAHS
USAMP
USAPRS
USARS
USAS
USAT
USC&GS
USCG
USCGC
USCGD
USF
USLHS
USNS
USRC
USS
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Argentine Naval Service
Colombian Naval Service
Mexican Naval Service
Venezuelan Naval Service
Ecuadoran Naval Service
Peruvian Naval Service
Bangladesh Naval Service
Philippine Naval Service Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas; in use since 1 July 1980
Coast Guard (United States)
Confederate States of America (civil war era)
Brazilian Naval Service (Destroyer - see list below for other Brazil prefixes)
Deep Submergence Search Vehicle
Deep-Submergence Vehicle
Federal German Ship (NATO designation only - prefer not to use this)
Fishing Vessel - not used by NCM except for rare cases
Greek Naval Service (His Hellenic Majesty’s Ship) Royal Hellenic Navy
British Naval Service (His/Her Majesty's)
Australian Naval Service
Bahamas Naval Service
Canadian Naval Service
Fiji Naval Service (prior to Oct 10, 1970)
New Zealand Naval Service
British Naval Service (His/Her Majesty's Ship)
Dutch Naval Service
Greek Naval Service [DO NOT USE - not used by Greece or NATO. Used by NavSource and Wikipedia but not valid]
Greek Naval Service (Hellenic Ship (NATO designation); Only used for international identification, as prefix indicates ship type internally.) prefer not to use this
High Speed Vessel
Thailand Naval Service
Iranian Naval Service (Imperial) - (see IRIS for Islamic navy from 1979 to present)
Japanese Naval Service (Imperial)
Indian Naval Service
Israeli Naval Service
Islamic Republic of Iran Naval Service (from 1979 to present)
Italian Naval Service (NATO designation only - prefer not to use this))
Japanese Naval Service (post WWII to 2008)
Japanese Naval Service (2008 to present)
Malaysian Naval Service ((Malay : Kapal Di-Raja, literally "Royal Ship"))
Danish Naval Service (Kongelige Danske Marine)
Norwegian Naval Service
Indonesian Naval Service
Motor Tanker - not used by NCM
Motor Vessel - not used by NCM except for rare cases
Brazilian Naval Service (Aircraft Carrier - see list below for other Brazil prefixes)
Italian Naval Service (Nave Marina Militare)
Nigerian Naval Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (U.S. Government)
Portuguese Naval Service
Nuclear Ship
Polish Naval Service
Oceanographic Survey Vessel
Pakistani Naval Service
Vietnam Naval Service
British Naval Service - Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Republic of Fiji Naval Service (from Oct 10, 1970 to present)
French Naval Service
Greek Naval Service
Taiwanese Naval Service
South Korean Naval Service
Philippine Naval Service Republic of the Philippines Ship (Obsolete); before 1 July 1980
Singapore Naval Service
Research Vessel - not used by NCM except for rare cases
South Vietnam Naval Service
"Seiner Majestät Schiff" (German: His Majesty's Ship)
Steamship (generalized to ships in Commercial Service) - not used by NCM except for rare cases
Turkish Naval Service
Training Ship - not used by NCM except for rare cases
United States Army Cable Ship
United States Air Force Ship
United States Army Hospital Ship
United States Army Mine Planter
United States Army Port Rehabilitation Ship
United States Army Repair Ship
United States Army Ship
United States Army Transport
United States Coast & Geodetic Survey
United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard Cutter
United States Coast Guard Destroyer
United States Frigate
United States Lighthouse Service
United States Naval Ship (Military Sealift Command)
United States Revenue Cutter
United States Naval Service
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The Brazilian Navy uses varying name prefixes indicating the type of ship. In this case the prefix is:
"CT" = Contra-torpedeiro (destroyer)
"NAe" = Navio-aeródromo (aircraft carrier)
"NB" = Navio-balisador (buoy tenders)
"NE" = Navio-escola (training vessels)
"NH" = Navio-hidrográfico (survey ships)
"NP" = Navio-patrulha (patrol craft)
"NT" = Navio-tanque (tankers)
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