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The Royal Canadian Navy uses hull classification symbols to identify the types of its ships, which are similar to the United States Navy's Hull classification symbol system. The Royal Navy and some European and Commonwealth navies (19 in total) use a somewhat analogous system of Pennant numbers.

In a ship name such as HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283) the ship prefix HMCS for His or Her Majesty's Canadian Ship indicates the vessel is a warship in service to the Monarch of Canada, while the proper name Algonquin may follow a naming convention for the class of vessel. The hull classification symbol in the example is the parenthetical suffix (DDG 283), where the hull classification type DDG indicates that the Algonquin is a guided missile destroyer and the hull classification number 283 is unique within that type. Listed below are various hull classification types with some currently in use and others that are retired and no longer in use.

Auxiliary ships

• 
  AGOR: Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research (retired)^[1][2]


• 
  AGSC: surveying vessel (retired)^[3][4]


• 
  AOR: Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment^[5][6]


• 
  ARE: Auxiliary Replenishment Escort (retired)^[7]


• 
  ASL: diving support vessel (retired from the Royal Canadian Navy)^[8]


• 
  F: escort armed ships (retired pre World War II passenger ships that were converted to military roles during the war)^[9]


• 
  FHE: Fast Hydrofoil Escort (retired, prototype tested 1968–1971)^[10][11]


• 
  K: sloop and submarine tender (also used for frigates and corvettes)^[12][13]


• 
  KC: sail training^[14][15]


• 
  PCT: Patrol Craft Training (supersedes YAG)^[16][17]


• 
  T: armed trawler (retired)^[18]


• 
  YAG: Yard Auxiliary General (retired training vessels, superseded by PCT)^[19]


• 
  YTB: Yard Tug^[20]


• 
  YTL: Yard Tug^[21]


• 
  YTM: Yard Tug^[22]


• 
  YTR: Yard Tractor tug fireboats^[23]

Aircraft carriers

• 
  CVL: light carrier (retired)^[24]


• 
  D: World War II escort carrier (retired)^[25]


• 
  R: carrier World War II (retired, was also used for destroyers)^[26]

Corvettes

• 
  K: corvette (retired, was also used for frigates and a sloop)^[27]

Cruisers

• 
  C: light cruiser (retired)^[28]

Destroyers

• 
  D: destroyer - World War II era (retired)^[29]


• 
  DD: destroyer - World War II era (retired, DD was used by the United States Navy, I was used by the Royal Canadian Navy for US built DD destroyers)


• 
  DDE: escort destroyer (retired)^[30]


• 
  DDH: air defence destroyer - helicopter^[31]


• 
  DDG: area air defence - guided missile^[32]


• 
  G: destroyer - World War II era (retired, included Tribal class and G and H classes)^[33]


• 
  H: escort destroyer - World War II era (retired, included Clemson and G and H classes)^[34][35]


• 
  I: destroyer - World War II era (retired)^[36]


• 
  R: destroyer (post World War II retired, was also used for a carrier)^[37]

Frigates

• 
  F: frigate


• 
  FFE: escort frigate (post World War II; retired)^[38]


• 
  FFH: multi-role patrol frigate - helicopter^[39]


• 
  K: World War II frigate (was also used for corvettes and a sloop)^[40]

Minesweepers

• 
  J: minesweeper (retired, used for World War II era Fundy, Bangor, and Algerine-class minesweepers)^[41][42][43]


• 
  MCB: post World War II minesweeper (retired)^[44]


• 
  MSA: Mine Sweeper Auxiliary: Anticosti class (in use 1989–2000, retired)^[45]


• 
  MM: Mechanical Minesweeper - more recently known as coastal defence vessels^[46]

Submarines

• 
  CC: World War I era gas powered submarines


• 
  CH: World War I era diesel-electric submarines


• 
  S: Submarine (retired Cold War era diesel electric: last used by Oberon-class submarines)^[47]


• 
  SS: Submarine (retired, used for US built Balao (1961–1969) and Tench (1968-1974) class vessels)^[48][49]


• 
  SSK: Hunter-Killer Submarine or long range submarines^[50]

Notes

References