USNS Zeus.jpg

United States Naval Ship (USNS) is the ship prefix, prefix designation given to non-ship commissioning, commissioned ships that are property of the United States Navy (USN).

Definition

United States Naval Ships are unarmed auxiliary ship, auxiliary support vessels owned by the U.S. Navy and operated in non-commissioned service by Military Sealift Command with a civilian crew. Some ships include a small military complement to carry out communication and special mission functions, or for force protection.

In comparison, U.S. Navy ships commissioned into service have the designation "United States Ship, USS" and are armaments, armed, crewed by U.S. Navy personnel, and held in property by the United States Government. Additionally, the United States Naval Ships hull classification symbol begins with "T-" to denote its civilian crew. The USNS prefix can be assigned only while the ship is owned by the U.S. Navy. If, after being taken out of service, the ship is transferred to the United States Maritime Administration, Maritime Administration the prefix reverts to a civilian ship prefix such as the case of USNS Comet (T-AK-269), SS ''Comet''.

See also

*War Shipping Administration
*United States Merchant Marine
*List of Military Sealift Command ships
*List of United States Navy ships
*Royal Fleet Auxiliary

References

{{US Navy navbox

Ship prefixes
United States Navy