Home Page World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations Last Updated 11.07.2011
German Navy
 
Abbreviations
Abbreviations Description
Ammo Ammunition
AVGAS Aviation Gasoline
(F) Flagship
(FF) Flagship of superior command  
SF Siebel ferry (Siebel-Fähre)
 
Hull Codes
Hull Codes Description German Term German
Hull Letter
AG Miscellaneous Auxiliary
AGB Icebreaker Eisbrecher
AGM Tender for Minesweepers Räumbootbegleitschiff
AGP Tender for Fast Attack Boats (Motor Torpedo Boats) Schnellbootbegleitschiff
AM Minesweeper Minensuchboot M
AMA Auxiliary Minesweeper Minensuchboot M
AMM Small Minesweeper Minenräumboot R
AMS Mine Clearer Sperrbrecher
AO Tanker Tanker
AP Transport / Steamship Transporter / Dampfer
AS Submarine Tender U-Boot-Begleitschiff
also U-Boot-Mutterschiff
and U-Boot-Depotschiff
AT Tug Schlepper
BB Battleship Schlachtschiff / Linienschiff  
BC Battle Cruiser (Pocket Battleship) / Heavy Cruiser [1]   Panzerschiff
CA Heavy Cruiser schwere Kreuzer
CL Light Cruiser leichte Kreuzer
DD Destroyer Zerstörer Z
DE Torpedo Boat (Small Destroyer) Torpedoboot T
LC(A) Landing Craft (Artillery) Artilleriefährprahm AF (also: AT, KF)
IX Miscellaneous
PC Submarine Chaser U-Bootjäger UJ [2]
PF Frigate Flottenbegleiter F
PT Fast Attack Boat (E-Boat, Motor Torpedo Boat) Schnellboot (S-Boot) S
SS Submarine U-Boot U
YG Local Harbor Guard Vessel (Armed Trawler) Hafenschutzboot [3]
YP Local Patrol Vessel (Armed Trawler) Vorpostenboot V
YMS Local Minesweeper (Armed Trawler) Minenräumboot M
YSG Local Smoke Generator (Armed Trawler) Nebelträger [4]
YSC Local Submarine Chaser (Armed Trawler) U-Boot-Jäger UJ
[1] The Panzerschiffe were reclassified as Heavy Cruisers (CA) in 1940.
[2] Some designated as KFK (Kriegsfischkutter = standard war-time trawler).
[3] These vessels use a varying code, with letter(s) at the front, followed by numbers:
        [Ax] First letter, type of vessel only in Germany (H: Hafenschutzboot; Hs: Handelsschutzboot, etc.)
        [AAx] First letter, location (D: Germany, F: France, N: Norway, H: Holland, etc.)
        [AAx] Second letter, place (DB: Borkum, Germany; FGi: Gironde, France; GM: Macedonia, Greece; etc.)
        [AAx] ID number in that specific place starting from 1 upwards.
[4] These vessels also use a varying code with a letter at the front, followed by numbers, and again by letter(s):
        [AxA] First letter (location), number (ID), and letter (place).
 
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