SHIP TYPES - Typical specifications: end of the War 1945.

Des-Type	Tons	Length	Armament	Notes
BB - Battleship	45,000	861	9-16"
CV - Carrier, Essex	27,000	880'	82 a/c
CVL- Carrier, Light	11,000	690'	45 a/c
CVE- Carrier, Escort	11,000	512'	34 a/c
CB - Battle Cruiser	27,500	808	9-12"
CA - Heavy Cruiser	13,600	673	9- 8"
CL - Light Cruiser	10,000	608	12 6"
CL - Anti-Air Cruiser	6,000	541	12 5"
DD - Destroyer	2,400	390	6- 5"
DE - Destroyer Escort	1,400	306	2- 5"
SS - Submarine	1,525	312	1- 4"	10 torpedo tubes
PF - Frigate	1,430	285	3- 3"	DE w/o torpedoes
PG - Corvette	1,000	252	2- 3"
PC - Patrol Craft	284	170	1- 3",1-40mm
SC - Sub Chaser	98	107	1- 3"
PT - Patrol Torpedo Boat	45	80	1- 40mm, 2- 20mm,	4 torpedoes

Contrast with typical 1942 ship types.
Auxiliary Ships
Many warship types and most auxiliary type have three letters indicating a specialized version of the basic type.

xxA- Attack or armed version of an auxiliary type.
	AP - Auxiliary, Personnel -- troop transport
	APA- Auxiliary, Personnel, Attack -- invasion troop ship. "Away all boats"

AD - Destroyer tender	AO - Oiler	LCx - Landing Craft
AE - Ammunition, explosives ship	AP - Personnel or troop transport .	LSx - Landing Ship
AF - Provisions ship	ARx - Repair ships	LVx - Landing Vehicle
AG - Miscellaneous auxiliary ships .	AS - Submarine Tenders	WPx - Coast Guard Cutters
AH - Hospital ship	ATx - Tugboats
AK - Cargo ship	AV - Seaplane Tender
AM - Mine sweepers

An individual ship or group of ships can be reclassified when converted for special duty. Many destroyer and escort types become a different type with a "D" suffix and with "fast" added to the type name. Example: An AP is the troopship designation, but when actually a converted destroyer, it becomes APD, a fast troop transport as used for landing raiding parties.

Designations change from time to time. Late WW2 designation and typical specifications are used here. Ships tended to get bigger and better armed as the war progressed, but the number of turrets may be reduced for better seakeeping. Many changes took place after the war. For example, older "Fletcher" class DDs were changed to DDE and all post-war DEs were redesignated as Frigates, FF.

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