List of German Navy ship classes
This is a list of naval ship classes that were in service with the Bundesmarine (navy of West Germany), or are still in service with the German Navy (navy of reunited Germany). Some projects, that were not built or future designs are also present. The type codes The post-war navy of western Germany introduced a three digit code system to designate every class of vessel they ordered to design or acquired from foreign nations. Even some classes that were only built for export got such codes, most prominently the Type 209 submarine. After reunification the German Navy kept the system, codes for ships from the former forces of East Germany (Volksmarine) were added. (See #Former NVA units). The code is sometimes prefixed with a letter according to the category of the ships, e.g.: U for submarines (U-Boot) Z for destroyer (Zerstörer) F for frigates (Fregatten) S for fast attack craft (Schnellboote) Upgrades to the design or major refits of already built ships are marked with a postfixed letter, beginning with A for the first modification. This letter is usually spoken and sometimes written according to the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, e.g. class 206 alpha for the upgraded Type 206 submarine. The