Editing Hull classification symbol (section)

==== Surface combatant type ====
Surface combatants are ships which are designed primarily to engage enemy forces on the high seas. The primary surface combatants are battleships, cruisers and destroyers. Battleships are very heavily armed and armored; cruisers moderately so; destroyers and smaller warships, less so. Before 1920, ships were called "<type> no. X", with the type fully pronounced. The types were commonly abbreviated in ship lists to "B-X", "C-X", "D-X" et cetera—for example, before 1920, {{USS|Minnesota|BB-22}} would have been called "USS ''Minnesota'', Battleship number&nbsp;22" orally and "USS ''Minnesota'', B-22" in writing. After 1920, the ship's name would have been both written and pronounced "USS ''Minnesota'' (BB-22)". In generally decreasing size, the types are:
* ACR: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Armored cruisers (ACR)|Armored cruiser]] (pre-1920)
* AFSB: [[Afloat forward staging base]] (also AFSB(I) for "interim", changed to MLP ([[Mobile Landing Platform]], then ESD and ESB)
* B: Battleship (pre-1920)
* BB: [[List of battleships of the United States Navy|Battleship]]
* BBG: Battleship, guided missile or [[arsenal ship]] (never used operationally)<ref group=A>See {{USS|Kentucky|BB-66}}.</ref>
* BM: [[List of monitors of the United States Navy#"New Navy" monitors|Monitor]] (1920–retirement)
* C: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Protected and Peace cruisers (C, PG)|Cruiser]] (pre-1920 protected cruisers and peace cruisers)
* CA: (first series) Cruiser, armored (retired, comprised all surviving pre-1920 armored and protected cruisers)
* CA: (second series) [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Heavy and light cruisers (CA, CL)|Heavy cruiser]], category later renamed gun cruiser (retired)
* CAG: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Guided missile cruisers (CAG, CLG, CG)|Cruiser, heavy, guided missile]] (retired)
* CB:  [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Large cruisers (CB)|Large cruiser]] (retired)<ref group=A>See {{sclass|Alaska|cruiser|2}}.</ref>
* CBC: Large command cruiser (never used operationally)<ref group=A>See {{USS|Hawaii|CB-3}}.</ref>
* CC: (first usage) [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Battlecruisers (CC)|Battlecruiser]] (never used operationally)<ref group=A>See {{sclass|Lexington|battlecruiser|2}}.</ref>
* CC: (second usage) [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Command cruisers (CLC, CC)|Command cruiser]] (retired)
* CLC: Command cruiser, light (retired)<ref name=Northampton group=A>See {{USS|Northampton|CLC-1}}.</ref>
* CG: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Guided missile cruisers (CAG, CLG, CG)|Cruiser, guided missile]]
* CGN: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Guided missile cruisers (CAG, CLG, CG)|Cruiser, guided missile, nuclear-powered]]: {{USS|Long Beach|CGN-9}} and {{USS|Bainbridge|CGN-25}}
* CL: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Heavy and light cruisers (CA, CL)|Cruiser, light]] (retired)
* CLAA: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Antiaircraft cruisers (CLAA)|Cruiser, light, anti-aircraft]] (retired)
* CLD: [[CL-154-class cruiser#The CLD|Cruiser-destroyer, light]] (never used operationally)
* CLG: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Guided missile cruisers (CAG, CLG, CG)|Cruiser, light, guided missile]] (retired)
* CLGN: Cruiser, light, guided missile, nuclear-powered (never used operationally)
* CLK: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Hunter-Killer cruisers (CLK)|Cruiser, hunter–killer]] (never used operationally)<ref name=Norfolk group=A>see {{USS|Norfolk|DL-1}}.</ref>
* CM: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Cruiser minelayers (CM)|Cruiser–minelayer]] (retired)
* CS: [[List of cruisers of the United States Navy#Scout cruisers (CS)|Scout cruiser]] (retired)
* CSGN: [[Strike cruiser|Cruiser, strike]], guided missile, nuclear-powered (never used operationally)
* D: Destroyer (pre-1920)
* DD: [[Destroyer]]
* DDC: Corvette (briefly proposed in the mid-1950s)<ref>{{cite book |title=U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History |edition=Revised  |last=Friedman |first=Norman |author-link=Norman Friedman |year=2003 |publisher=U.S. Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=978-1-55750-442-5 |pages=266–267 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tzp58htKLkEC&pg=PA266 |quote=...a gutted {{sclass|Benson|destroyer}}. This "corvette" (DDC) "can be readily obtained..."}}</ref>
* DDE: [[Escort destroyer]], a destroyer (DD) converted for [[antisubmarine warfare]] – category abolished 1962. (''not to be confused with destroyer escort DE'')
* DDG: [[Guided missile destroyer|Destroyer, guided missile]]
* DDK: Hunter–killer destroyer (category merged into DDE, 4 March 1950)
* DDR: [[Radar picket#US Navy World War II radar pickets|Destroyer, radar picket]] (retired)
* DE: [[Destroyer escort]] (World War II, later became [[Ocean escort]])
* DE: [[Ocean escort]] (abolished 30 June 1975)
* DEG: Guided missile ocean escort (abolished 30 June 1975)
* DER: Destroyer escort, radar picket (abolished 30 June 1975) There were two distinct breeds of DER, the DEs [[Radar picket#US Navy World War II radar pickets|which were converted to DERs during World War II]] and [[Radar picket#Destroyer Escort conversions|the more numerous postwar DER conversions]].
* DL: Destroyer leader (later frigate) (retired)
* DLG: Destroyer leader, guided missile (later frigate) (abolished 30 June 1975)
* DLGN: Destroyer leader, guided missile, nuclear-propulsion (later frigate) (abolished 30 June 1975) The DL category was established in 1951 with the abolition of the CLK category. CLK 1 became DL 1 and DD 927–930 became DL 2–5. By the mid-1950s the term destroyer leader had been dropped in favor of frigate. Most DLGs and DLGNs were reclassified as CGs and CGNs, 30 June 1975. However, DLG 6–15 became DDG 37–46. The old DLs were already gone by that time. Only applied to {{USS|Bainbridge|DLGN-25}}.
* DM: Destroyer, minelayer (retired)
* DMS: Destroyer, minesweeper (retired)
* FF: [[Frigate]]
* PF: Patrol frigate (retired)
* FFG: Frigate, guided missile
* FFH: Frigate with assigned helicopter<ref>Derdall and DiGiulian, (section: ''Torpedo Boats, Destroyers, Escorts and Frigates'')</ref>
* FFL: Frigate, light
* FFR: Frigate, radar picket (retired)
* FFT: Frigate (reserve training) (retired) The FF, FFG, and FFR designations were established 30 June 1975 as new type symbols for ex-DEs, DEGs, and DERs. The first new-built ships to carry the FF/FFG designation were the {{sclass|Oliver Hazard Perry|frigate}}s.
* PG: Patrol gunboat (retired)
* PCH: [[USS High Point|Patrol craft, hydrofoil]] (retired)
* PHM: [[Pegasus-class hydrofoil|Patrol, hydrofoil, missile]] (retired)
* K: [[Corvette]] (retired)
* LCS: [[Littoral combat ship]] In January 2015, the Navy announced that the up-gunned LCS will be reclassified as a frigate, since the requirements of the [[Littoral Combat Ship#Small surface combatant (SSC)|SSC Task Force]] was to upgrade the ships with frigate-like capabilities. The Navy is hoping to start retrofitting technological upgrades onto existing and under construction LCSs before 2019.<ref>[http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/03/04/navy-plans-to-expand-speed-up-lcs-modifications.html?ESRC=todayinmil.sm Navy Plans to Expand, Speed-Up LCS Modifications] – Military.com, 4 March 2015</ref>
* LSES: Large Surface Effect Ship
* M: [[List of monitors of the United States Navy|Monitor]] (1880s–1920)
* SES: [[Surface effect ship|Surface Effect Ship]]
* TB: [[List of torpedo boats of the United States Navy|Torpedo boat]]