{{Short description|US Navy owned ship prefix type}} {{For|ships of the United States Navy in general|United States Navy ships}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} thumb|300px|The {{Ship|USNS|Comfort|T-AH-20}}, pictured here on September 15, 2001, is an example of a United States Naval Ship.

'''United States Naval Ship''' ('''USNS''') is the prefix designation given to non-commissioned ships that are property of the United States Navy (USN).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://discover.dtic.mil/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/19970329014539/http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/ |url-status= live |archive-date= March 29, 1997 |title=Joint Publication 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms |work=Defense Technical Information Center |date=8 November 2010 |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref>

== Definition ==

United States Naval Ships are unarmed auxiliary support vessels owned by the U.S. Navy and operated in non-commissioned service by Military Sealift Command with a civilian crew. Some ships include a small military complement to carry out communication and special mission functions, or for force protection.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.msc.navy.mil/people/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130719045032/http://www.msc.navy.mil/people/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= July 19, 2013 |title=Military Sealift Command: People |work=Military Sealift Command |year=2014 |access-date=6 November 2014}}</ref>

In comparison, U.S. Navy ships commissioned into military service have the designation "USS", are armed, and are crewed by U.S. Navy personnel. Additionally, the United States Naval Ships hull classification symbol begins with "T-" to denote its civilian crew. The USNS prefix can be assigned only while the ship is owned by the U.S. Navy. If, after being taken out of service, the ship is transferred to the Maritime Administration the prefix reverts to a civilian ship prefix such as the case of SS ''Comet''.

==See also== *War Shipping Administration *United States Merchant Marine *List of Military Sealift Command ships *List of United States Navy ships *Royal Fleet Auxiliary

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{US Navy navbox}}

Category:Ship prefixes Category:United States Navy