Possible ship designations....

[Raven Night]

Ok, I have been working on a new scheme for designations of military ships...specifically the Feds I am working on. They are all part of the SFMC fleet, and as such should have military designations.

Here are my proposals for the meanings of current acronyms, and my new ones. Let me know what you think.

Possible Designation names for Star Trek

Starfleet

USS: United federation of planets Standard fleet Starship

NCC: New Commission Catalog

NX: Non-commissioned eXperimental

Civilian

SS: Standard Starship


Marine Corps

SMC: Starfleet Marine Corps

All Marine Corps vessels are marked with class, then designation in catalog

Example: CDN-23 SMC Infinity   Combat fleet Dreadnought

Mainline Vessels

CDN: Dreadnought/Carrier
CBB: Battleship
CCX: Battlecruiser
CCA: Cruiser
CDX: Heavy Destroyer
CDD: Destroyer
CFF: Frigate

Fleet Vessels

CL: Patrol Ship
CY: Heavy shuttle/Drop Ship
CG: Fighter/Shuttle

Special Designations

YDDS: Space Dock Type A
YDDL: Space DOck Type 2

YVA: Starbase
YLV: Battlestation

F/A: Fighter/Attack craft
A/T: Assault/Transport craft

MAU: Mechanized Assault Unit

Using the proposed designations would allow me to use smaller numbers, since the registry list is different from the standard fleet, and would also set apart Marine Corps ships from the rest of the fleet. It is, of course, important to do so considering the mission of Starfleet compared with the Marine Corps. A distinction has to me made.

Any alternate suggestions are appreciated.

[JamesTiberiusKirk]

I have a book where it is said that USS means United-Star-Ship and SS just Star-Ship

[serverandenforcer]

I thought NCC stood for Naval Construction Code, NX for Naval Experimental, USS for United Star Service, and SS for Star Ship

[FourChan]

NCC wasn't that Naval Construction Contract? I dunno, ugh the little things like this drives me insane.

Update:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfleet_starship_registry#NCC

Good news serverandenforcer, we're both right lol it can be either.

[Starforce2]

That marine ships should either use the standard registries with a different patch (Ie not the delta on the pin stripes) or perhaps UFMC patch. Though I wouldn't object to class specific registrey, but prefer the original method.

[Tuskin38]

Technically this in non-canon but a story teleplay for a possible season 5 episode of Enterprise would have established NCC as 'Naval Construction Contract'

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek:_Enterprise#The_would-be_Season_5

[Raven Night]

As to the definitions of NCC and USS it is fanon....there is actually no canon source that has established what either means. There is alot of conjecture and a few different meanings put out there in books and such...so I figured I could use some license. You guys are right about the conjectures, including the belief that USS means "United Star Ship" but it is just conjecture. Both designations meant nothing when they were created. They were just put that way to have some similarity with modern designations at the time, with a little creative license added to make them look better.

Now, if you guys like United Star Ship better I could use that, but I thought that sounded kind of silly.

In the case of USS, I thought the first letter could stand for United Federation of Planets, since quite often the first letter in designations denote the country of origin.

The second and third letters, both SS seemed like they should mean something more complicated than simply Star Ship...as that seemed a bit silly to me. So I thought the second letter could stand for "standard fleet", meaning this is a vessel in the standard or overall fleet registry.

The final letter would be the type of ship...in this case a starship.

So you prefer the old registry type Starforce? You mean the USS or the NCC?

Ill be more specific with the proposed designation for the Marine Corps flagship, the Infinity...

SMC Infinity  (like USS Enterprise)
  CDN-23      (like NCC 1701-E)

In that case, would you prefer USS Infinity, or NCC - 23, or both? I would be more willing to use USS, but I would be resistant to using NCC, being as the numbering designation would have to be 5 digits in the 70k to 80k range, and would give the ship the appearance of being part of Starfleet....which it is not. It is important to separate the two....Starfleets mission is peace, the SFMCs mission is war.

Personally I prefer a more "military" like designation, both in the registry and the title.

[serverandenforcer]

Hey, ya know with the whole movie coming out, they might actually explain what those letters mean....

[NeoKaede]

The idea of a different numbering scheme is good, it separates normal Starfleet from the Marine corps and states clearly when a ship belongs to one or the other just by glancing at the registry. But after so many years almost everyone has accepted the "Naval Construction Contract" and "United StarShip" acronyms, so you should keep them. 

Technically this in non-canon but a story teleplay for a possible season 5 episode of Enterprise would have established NCC as 'Naval Construction Contract'

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek:_Enterprise#The_would-be_Season_5

Urgh, now I'm glad Enterprise was cancelled.

[Dalek]

According to the Great Bird Gene Roddenberry, the creators of the "NCC" prefix only had 1 "C". They stuck the extra C on for the hell of it.

[Raven Night]

Yea, I had heard that. They thought that NCC sounded better than NC.

Keep in mind...current real world designations, at least for the United States go as follows:

USS: United States Ship

CURRENT US NAVY SHIP CLASSIFICATIONS
Designations currently in use or officially in effect are listed here, all others are no longer in use. The letter "N" when used as the last letter of a ship classification symbol denotes nuclear propulsion.

If you do not find the classification symbol you are looking for here it may be in the US Navy Inactive Classification Symbol file.
COMBATANT SHIP CATEGORY


Warship classification

   Aircraft Carrier Type

      All ships designed primarily for the purpose of conducting combat
      operations by aircraft which engage in attacks against airborne,
      surface, sub-surface and shore targets.

         Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) Aircraft Carriers

            Multi-purpose Aircraft Carrier                CV
            Multi-purpose Aircraft Carrier                CVN
            (Nuclear-Propulsion)

   Surface Combatant Type

      Large, heavily armed, surface ships which are designed primarily to
      engage enemy forces on the high seas.

         Battleships

            Battleship                                    BB

         Cruisers

            Gun Cruiser                                   CA
            Guided Missile Cruiser                        CG
            Guided Missile Cruiser                        CGN
            (Nuclear-Propulsion)

         Destroyers   

            Destroyers                                    DD
            Guided Missile Destroyer                      DDG

         Frigates

            Frigate                                       FF
            Guided Missile Frigate                        FFG
            Radar Picket Frigate                          FFR
            Frigate (Reserve Training)                    FFT

   Submarine Type

      All self-propelled submersible types regardless of whether
      employed as combatant, auxiliary, or research and development
      vehicles which have at least a residual combat capability.

         Attack Submarines

            Submarine                                     SS
            Submarine                                     SSN
            (Nuclear-Powered)

         Ballistic Missile Submarines

            Ballistic Missile Submarine                   SSBN
            (Nuclear-Powered)

   Other Combatant Classification

      Patrol Combatant Type

         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.

            Patrol Ships

               Patrol Combatant                           PG

      Amphibious Warfare Type Ships

         All ships having organic capability for amphibious assault and
         which have characteristics enabling long duration operations on the
         high seas.

            Amphibious Helicopter/Landing Craft Carriers

               Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose)  LHA
               Amphibious Assault Ship (Multi-Purpose)    LHD
               Amphibious Transport Dock                  LPD
               Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter)       LPH

            Landing Craft Carriers

               Amphibious Cargo Ship                      LKA
               Dock Landing Ship                          LSD
               Medium Landing Ship                        LSM
               Tank Landing Ship                          LST

            Miscellaneous

               Amphibious Command Ship                    LCC

   Combat Logistics Type Ships

      Ships which have the capability to provide underway replenishment
      to fleet units.

         Underway Replenishment

            Ammunition Ship                               AE
            Combat Store Ship                             AFS
            Oiler                                         AO
            Fast Combat Support Ship                      AOE
            Replenishment Oiler                           AOR

   Mine Warfare Type Ships

      All ships whose primary function is mine warfare on the high seas.

         Minesweepers

            Minesweeper - Ocean                           MSO

         Mine Countermeasures Ships

            Mine Countermeasures Ship                     MCM
            Mine Countermeasures Support Ship             MCS
            Minehunter, Coastal                           MHC

   Coastal Defense Ships

      All ships whose primary function is coastal patrol and interdiction.

         Special Warfare

            Patrol, Coastal                               PC

   Auxiliary classification

      Mobile Logistics Type Ships

         Ships which have the capability to provide direct material support to
         other deployed units operating far from home base.

            Material Support

               Destroyer Tender                           AD
               Repair Ship                                AR
               Submarine Tender                           AS

      Support Type Ships

         A grouping of ships 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).

            Fleet Support

               Salvage Ship                               ARS
               Submarine Rescue Ship                      ASR
               Auxiliary Ocean Tug                        ATA
               Fleet Ocean Tug                            ATF
               Salvage and Rescue Ship                    ATS

            Other Auxiliaries

               Auxiliary Crane Ship                       ACS
               Auxiliary General                          AG
               Deep Submergence Support Ship              AGDS
               Environmental Research Ship                AGER
               Miscellaneous Command Ship                 AGF
               Missile Range Instrumentation Ship         AGM
               Oceanographic Research Ship                AGOR
               Ocean Surveillance Ship                    AGOS
               Surveying Ship                             AGS
               Auxiliary Research Submarine               AGSS
               Hospital Ship                              AH
               Cargo Ship                                 AK
               Vehicle Cargo Ship                         AKR
               Gasoline Tanker                            AOG
               Transport Oiler                            AOT
               Transport                                  AP
               High Speed Transport                       APD
               Cable Repair Ship                          ARC
               Aviation Logistics Support Ship            AVB
               Auxiliary Aircraft Landing Training Ship   AVT

US NAVY SERVICE CRAFT CLASSIFICATIONS
Designations currently in use or officially in effect are listed here, all others are no longer in use. The letter "N" when used as the last letter of a service craft classification symbol indicates a non-self-propelled (n-s-p) version of a similar self-propelled (s-p) service craft.

If you do not find the classification symbol you are looking for here it may be in the US Navy Inactive Classification Symbol file.
SUPPORT CRAFT CATEGORY


Support Craft Classification

   Service Type Craft

      A grouping of navy-subordinated craft (including non-self-propelled)
      designed to provide general support to either combatant forces or
      shore-based establishments.

         Dry Docks (Non-self-propelled)

            Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock             AFDB
            Small Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock             AFDL
            Medium Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock            AFDM
            Auxiliary Repair Dry Dock                     ARD
            Medium Auxiliary Repair Dry Dock              ARDM
            Yard Floating Dry Dock                        YFD

         Tugs (Self-propelled)

            Large Harbor Tug                              YTB
            Small Harbor Tug                              YTL
            Medium Harbor Tug                             YTM

         Tankers (Self-propelled)

            Fuel Oil Barge                                YO
            Gasoline Barge                                YOG
            Water Barge                                   YW

         Lighters and Barges

            Self-propelled

               Covered Lighter                            YF
               Refrigerated Cover Lighter                 YFR
               Harbor Utility Craft                       YFU
               Garbage Lighter                            YG

            Non-self-propelled

               Open Lighter                               YC
               Car Float                                  YCF
               Aircraft Transportation Lighter            YCV
               Covered Lighter                            YFN
               Large Covered Lighter                      YFNB
               Lighter (Special purpose)                  YFNX
               Refrigerated Covered Lighter               YFRN
               Range Tender                               YFRT
               Garbage Lighter                            YGN
               Gasoline Barge                             YOGN
               Fuel Oil Barge                             YON
               Oil Storage Barge                          YOS
               Sludge Removal Barge                       YSR
               Water Barge                                YWN

         Other Craft

            Self-propelled

               Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle            DSRV
               Deep Submergence Vehicle                   DSV
               Submersible Research Vehicle               NR
               Ferry Boat or Launch                       YFB
               Dredge                                     YM
               Patrol Craft, Training                     YP
               Seaplane Wrecking Derrick                  YSD
               Torpedo Trials Craft                       YTT

            Non-self-propelled

               Barracks Craft                             APL
               Floating Crane                             YD
               Diving Tender                              YDT
               Dry Dock Companion Craft                   YFND
               Floating Power Barge                       YFP
               Salvage Lift Craft                         YLC
               Dredge                                     YMN
               Gate Craft                                 YNG
               Floating Pile Driver                       YPD
               Floating Workshop                          YR
               Repair and Berthing Barge                  YRB
               Repair, Berthing and Messing Barge         YRBM
               Floating Dry Dock Workshop (Hull)          YRDH
               Floating Dry Dock Workshop (Machine)       YRDM
               Radiological Repair Barge                  YRR
               Salvage Craft Tender                       YRST


         Unclassified Miscellaneous

               Unclassified Miscellaneous Unit            IX
               Submersible Craft                          X

         USS Constitution
     
         Note:   The USS Constitution formerly IX 21 was reclassified
                 to none, effective September 1, 1975 as per
                 SECNAVNOTE 5030 dated September 2, 1975.



So you can see the direction I intended to go in...all Starfleet ships have either NCC or NX, but I wanted, since they are military, to instead have military designations, IE class listed before the registration number.

I could, of course, leave the USS and NCC for Starfleet alone so people will find it less disruptive, and just concentrate on military designations.

The codes I chose are similar to the old SFB codes for ships.

[Raven Night]

A side note...I have never found the right font. Can someone direct me to the proper Starleet font for registries?