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{{short description|Military ship used by a navy}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2024}}

[[File:USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) underway with Task Group Alfa, in 1959 (USN 1043094).jpg|thumb|A [[United States Navy]] [[United States Fleet Forces Command|Atlantic Fleet]] [[task force]] underway in 1959. The ships include an [[aircraft carrier]], two [[submarine]]s, and seven [[destroyer]]s.]]

A '''naval ship''' (or '''naval vessel''') is a [[military]] [[ship]] (or sometimes [[boat]], depending on classification) that is used by a [[navy]]. Naval ships are differentiated from civilian ships by construction and purpose. Generally, naval ships are [[Damage control (maritime)|damage resilient]] and armed with [[weapon]] systems, though armament on troop transports is light or non-existent.

Naval ships designed primarily for [[naval warfare]] are termed [[warship]]s, as opposed to support ([[auxiliary ship]]s) or [[shipyard]] operations.

==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.

==Size==
{{main|Warship}}
[[File:US Navy 040707-N-0119G-085 USS Enterprise (CVN 65) steams through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean following a port visit to Portsmouth, England.jpg|thumb|The {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65}}, the [[List of longest naval ships|longest naval vessel]] ever built, near [[Portsmouth]], [[England]] in 2004]]
In rough order of tonnage (largest to smallest), modern surface naval ships are commonly divided into the following different classes. The larger ships in the list can also be classed as [[capital ship]]s.
{{div col start|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Aircraft carrier]]
* [[Helicopter carrier]]
* [[Amphibious assault ship]]
* [[Stealth ship]]
* [[Battleship]]
* [[Battlecruiser]]
* [[Heavy cruiser]]
* [[Light cruiser]]
* [[Destroyer]]
* [[Frigate]]
* [[Corvette]]
* [[Patrol boat]]
* [[Fast attack craft]]
{{div col end}}

Some classes above may now be considered obsolete as no ships matching the class are in current service. There is also much blurring and gray areas between the classes, depending on their intended use, history, and interpretation of the class by different navies.

==Auxiliary ships==
[[File:Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - Royal Navy ship conducts replenishment at sea..jpg|thumb|The {{USNS|Patuxent|T-AO-201}} [[replenishment oiler]] resupplying {{HMS|Dauntless|D33}} in 2012]]
[[File:Norwegian training ship KNM Haakon VII (A537) off Washington D.C. (USA), on 9 March 1970 (K-81807).jpg|thumb|[[USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39)|HNoMS ''Haakon VII'' (A537)]], a [[Royal Norwegian Navy]] [[training ship]], off [[Washington, D.C.]] in 1970. The vessel formerly served as the {{USS|Gardiners Bay|AVP-39}} until 1958.]]
Navies also use [[auxiliary ship]]s for transport and other non-combat purposes. They are classified by different names according to their roles:
*[[Ammunition ship]]s are ships to transport and replenish [[ammunition]] for [[warships]] and [[naval aircraft]].
*[[Barracks ship]]s are ships or [[barge]]s for temporary accommodation for sailors, soldiers and other [[military personnel]].
*[[Collier (ship)|Colliers]] were ships used to transport and replenish coal for warships during the [[Steam-powered vessel|Age of Steam]].
*[[Command ship]]s are the [[flagship]] of the commander of a [[Naval fleet|fleet]].
*[[Combat stores ship]]s are ships to transport supplies and replenish ships in the high seas.
*[[Depot ship]]s are ships used as mobile or fixed bases for [[destroyer]]s, [[fast attack craft]], [[minesweeper]]s, [[submarine]]s, [[patrol vessel]]s, [[landing craft]] and other small ships.
*[[Fast combat support ship]]s are a type of auxiliary ships designed with high speed to keep up with the [[carrier battle group]]/[[carrier strike group]], while the multi-product station is capable of supplying all types of necessities for the fleet.
*[[Hospital ship]]s are ships functioning as floating hospitals and are used to provide medical treatment in the high seas. The [[Second Geneva Convention]] prohibits military attacks on hospital ships that meet specified requirements, though belligerent forces have right of inspection and may take patients, but not staff, as [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]].
*[[Repair ship]]s are ships to provide maintenance and repairs to warships.
**[[Aircraft repair ship]]s are repair vessels to provide maintenance and repairs to [[naval aircraft]].
*[[Rescue and salvage ship]]s are ships to aid stricken vessels.
**[[Submarine rescue ship]]s are used for [[submarine rescue]] and deep sea [[Marine salvage|salvage]] operations.
*[[Research ship]]s are ships to research military concerns, such as [[sonar]] or weapons trails.
*[[Replenishment oilers]] are ships to transport oil and refuel ships in the high seas.
*[[Spy ship]]s are dedicated ships to collect [[Military intelligence|intelligence]].
*[[Survey ship]] is any type of ship or boat that is used for [[underwater survey]]s.
*[[Ship's tender]] is a type of ship used to serve other boats, submarines, ships or seaplanes.
**[[Destroyer tender]]
**[[Submarine tender]]
**[[Torpedo boat tender]]
***[[Motor torpedo boat tender]]
**[[Seaplane tender]]
*[[Troopship]]s are ships, usually repurposed [[passenger ship]]s used to transport [[marines]] and [[soldiers]].
*[[Training ship]] are ships to train students into [[sailor]]s. [[Sail training]] ships are used to provide an unconventional and effective way of building many useful skills on and off the water.
*[[Torpedo trials craft]] are ships used by navies for the development of new naval [[torpedoes]] and during practice firings. These craft are designed to track and monitor, locate and retrieve the spent torpedo for analysis and refurbishment for reuse.
*[[Tracking ship]]s are a type of ship fitted with antennas and electronics to support the launching and tracking of [[rocket]]s and [[missiles]].

==See also==
* [[List of naval ship classes in service]]
* [[List of auxiliary ship classes in service]]
* [[List of submarine classes in service]]
* [[List of ship classes of the Second World War]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Naval ships}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a15297/us-navy-entire-fleet/ |title=Here's the Entire U.S. Navy Fleet in One Chart|date=30 April 2015|access-date=26 March 2017|website=Official Website of the United States Navy|last=Jordan|first=Valinsky}}
*{{cite web |url=http://cdm16015.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15068coll8\ |title=United States Naval Recognition Training Slides-Grand Valley State University Archives and Special Collections |access-date=2019-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418172805/http://cdm16015.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15068coll8 |archive-date=2017-04-18 |url-status=dead }}

{{Warship types of the 19th & 20th centuries}}
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[[Category:Naval ships| ]]
[[Category:Ship types]]