Different Surface Ships of the U.S. Navy

u.s. navy ships

“Surface ships” is a term mainly used in the navy, which means naval ships other than submarines. And although the first thing that comes to mind when speaking of naval ships are warships with surface-to-air missiles and big canons, not all naval ships are designed for battle. Some naval surface ships are neutral such as hospital ships. Among the top combat surface ships of the U.S. Navy are aircraft carriers and combat ships, which are the front liners in times of war.

Aircraft carrier surface ships

u.s. aircraft carrier

USS Ronald Reagan

There are two types of aircraft carrier surface ships of the U.S. Navy: the Enterprise Class and the Nimitz Class. As of 2009, there’s only one Enterprise Class left in commission while there are 10 Nimitz Class in active duty. The USS Enterprise . . . although she’s the eight in U.S. Navy to receive the name, she’s the first ever nuclear-powered and the longest aircraft carrier in the world at 342 meters. And among the popular Nimitz Class are the USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan. USS Nimitz is the lead ship in her class and is one of the largest warships in the world; she was named after WWII commander Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. And USS Ronald Reagan is the 9th ship of her class who made its maiden voyage in 2006 departing from San Diego to support Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Littoral surface ships

u.s. combat ships

USS Freedom (LCS-1)

The U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Surface Ships are small vessels designed to operate close to shore. Their main purpose is to patrol and defend the littoral zone of the United States. Like aircraft carriers, Littoral Combat Ships have two classes also: the Freedom Class and the Independence Class. The USS Freedom (LCS-1), the lead ship in her class, is able to fight submarine and sweep mines in shallow waters. And the USS Independence (LCS-2) is an assault stealth ship able to defend the shores against surface attacks from sea and air.

Floating Navy Hospitals

navy ship hospital

USNS Mercy along side USS Abraham Lincoln

U.S. Navy hospital surface ships, or any other hospital ships in the world, are considered neutral carrying no war ordnance. Firing on hospital ships is considered a war crime under the Geneva Convention. Among many of U.S. hospital surface ships are the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort, which are deployed for humanitarian and aid missions throughout the world during this time of peace. An interesting fact about these two naval surface ships is that they were both oil tankers before they were overhauled and commissioned as a floating navy hospital.

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