Editing Hull classification symbol (section)

{{Short description|US naval inventory classification system}}
{{About|the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and NOAA systems|the similar system used by Canadian Forces|Hull classification symbol (Canada)}}
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{{United States Navy ship types}}

The [[United States Navy]], [[United States Coast Guard]], and United States [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] (NOAA) use a '''hull classification symbol''' (sometimes called '''hull code''' or '''[[hull number]]''') to identify their ships by type and by individual ship within a type. The system is analogous to the [[pennant number]] system that the [[Royal Navy]] and other European and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] navies use.