What Does BB Stand for?
In the US Navy, BB stands for Battleship.
Battleships: History and Design
Battleships were heavily armored warships with big guns, commonly used in naval warfare during the first half of the 20th century.
Role of Battleships in the US Navy
Despite their decline in popularity, battleships played an important role in the history of the US Navy. USS Iowa was a retired battleship, the lead ship of her class, and the fourth in the United States Navy to be named after the state of Iowa.
Military Vessel Designations
Most militaries worldwide use similar designations to refer to their military vessels and distinguish them from civilian shipping. The British equivalent to USS refers to all vessels of the Royal Navy.
Surface Fleet Composition
The surface fleet is made up of 16 different classes of vessels, including amphibious assault ships, aircraft carriers, destroyers, littoral combat ships, and more. DD stands for destroyer, CV for carrier. DDG means guided missile destroyer, CVN means nuclear carrier. The role of the cruiser varied according to ship and navy, often including air defense and shore bombardment.