Editing Naval ship (section)

==Naval ship classification==
{{main|Warship}}
[[File:US Navy 050822-N-6264C-145 A combined U.S. Navy and Philippine Navy task group underway during the at-sea phase of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) in the Philippines.jpg|thumb|United States Navy and [[Philippine Navy]] vessels in the [[Sulu Sea]] in 2005]]
Naval ship classification is a field that has changed over time, and is not an area of wide international agreement, so this article uses the [[United States Navy]] general classifications.<ref>{{cite web |title=US Navy Ships |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/our_ships.asp |access-date=10 November 2024 |date=10 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410002444/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/our_ships.asp |archive-date=2008-04-10 }}</ref>

*[[Aircraft carrier]]{{spaced ndash}}ships that serve as mobile seaborne [[airfields]], designed primarily for the purpose of conducting combat operations by [[Carrier-based aircraft]] which engage in attacks against airborne, surface, sub-surface and shore targets.
*[[Surface combatant]]{{spaced ndash}}large, heavily armed surface ships which are designed primarily to engage enemy forces on the high seas, including various types of [[battleship]], [[battlecruiser]], [[cruiser]], [[destroyer]], [[frigate]], and [[corvette]].
*[[Submarine]]{{spaced ndash}}self-propelled submersible types regardless of whether they are employed as combatant, auxiliary, or research and development vehicles which have at least a residual combat capability.
*[[Patrol combatant]]{{spaced ndash}}combatants whose mission may extend beyond coastal duties and whose characteristics include adequate endurance and sea keeping providing a capability for operations exceeding 48 hours on the high seas without support.
*[[Amphibious warfare ship|Amphibious warfare]]{{spaced ndash}}ships having organic capability for amphibious assault and which have characteristics enabling long duration operations on the high seas.
*[[Combat logistics]]{{spaced ndash}}ships that have the capability to provide underway replenishment to fleet units.
*[[Naval mine|Mine]] warfare{{spaced ndash}}ships whose primary function is mine warfare on the high seas.
*[[Coastal defence ship|Coastal defense]]{{spaced ndash}}ships whose primary function is coastal patrol and interdiction.
*[[Sealift]]{{spaced ndash}}ships that have the capability to provide direct material support to other deployed units operating far from home base.
*Support{{spaced ndash}}ships, such as [[Oiler (ship)|oiler]]s and [[auxiliary ship]]s designed to operate in the open ocean in a variety of sea states to provide general support to either combatant forces or shore based establishments. (Includes smaller auxiliaries which, by the nature of their duties, leave inshore waters).
*Service type craft{{spaced ndash}}navy-subordinated craft (including non-self-propelled) designed to provide general support to either combatant forces or shore-based establishments.