Naval Classification Help
Bleezdale
08-04-2005, 00:52
Ok, so I have an idea for a novel that features heavily on naval space battles, and I would like to base what I use on real wet-navy craft. However, I have not been able to find a really useful chart that would sort of classify what each class of ship is (a destroyer vs. a battleship, for instance). I also have not been able to find a difinitave list of naval ranks.
Anyway, if anyone could try to provide a list for either of these, i would really appriciate it. Thanks in advance!
Myrmidonisia
08-04-2005, 00:54
Dumb question I hope. Have you tried the Navy (http://www.navy.mil/)?
Since you're going with fictitious space ships, all you really need to know is which combat ships are big and which are small. From largest to smallest:
Battleship
Cruiser
Destroyer
Frigate
As for ranks... what Myrmidon said.
Cybertoria
08-04-2005, 01:08
Just do what Myrmidonisia sugested.
Ghorunda
08-04-2005, 01:23
You're lucky I'm in the Navy.
Enlisted paygrades
Seaman Recruit SR E-1
Seaman Apprentice SA E-2
Seaman SN E3
Petty Officer 3rd Class PO3 E-4
Petty Officer 2nd Class PO2 E-5
Petty Officer 1st Class PO1 E-6
Chief Petty Officer CPO E-7
Senior Petty Officer SCPO E-8
Master Chief Petty Officer MCPO E-9
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (only one at a time) MCPON E-9
Warrant Officer paygrades
Warrant Officer 1 (holds a warrant) WO1 W-1
Chief Warrant Officer 2 (holds a commission) CWO2 W-2
Chief Warrant Officer 3 (holds a commission) CWO3 W-3
Chief Warrant Officer 4 (holds a commission) CWO4 W-4
Chief Warrant Officer 5 (holds a commission) CWO5 W-5
Commissioned Officer paygrades
Ensign ENS O-1
Lieutenant (junior grade) LTJG O-2
Lieutenant LT O-3
Lieutenant Commander LCDR O-4
Commander CDR O-5
Captain CAPT O-6
Flag Officers
Rear Admiral (lower half) RADM(LH) O-7
Rear Admiral (upper half) RADM(UH) O-8
Vice Admiral VADM O-9
Admiral ADM O-10
Notes: The paygrades are listed from lowest to highest. Warrant officers are prior enlisted personnel who attend warrant officer school and become specialists in a certain military specialty field. The Chief Petty Officers, E-7 through E-9, are senior enlisteds, and are very much respected by the junior officers above them for their advice to them. Contrary to what many sci-fi books show, enlisted DO NOT get addressed as sir, nor are they saluted. Whoever started that damn rumor...anyways, yea. Flag officers are your desk jockey fleet commanders. For you landlubbers that translates to generals. As you can see above I have indicated the full rank name, the official Navy abbreviation for it, and the joint service paygrade indicator, i.e. an E-7 in the Navy is a CPO, but in the Marines is a GySgt (Gunnery Sergeant), but they can both be identified collectivly by the term "E-7". I'll do up a listing of ship types when I can. Anything else, telegraph me or something.
The Chocolate Goddess
08-04-2005, 01:32
Are you looking for American Navy or classes and ranks of other countries?
Kecibukia
08-04-2005, 02:59
Since you're going with fictitious space ships, all you really need to know is which combat ships are big and which are small. From largest to smallest:
Battleship
Cruiser
Destroyer
Frigate
As for ranks... what Myrmidon said.
Don't forget Dreadnaughts, Super-Carriers, Carriers, Helicoptor Carriers, Light Carriers, Escort Carriers, Heavy Cruisers, Light Cruisers, Missile Cruisers, Corvettes, Transports, and the dozens of types of Amphibious Assault Vessels and Support ships.