List of classes of British ships of World War II

Fleet carriers

• HMS Eagle (1918)^[1]
• Courageous-class aircraft carrier^[2][3]
• HMS Ark Royal (91)^[4]
• Illustrious-class aircraft carrier^[5]
• Implacable-class aircraft carrier^[6]

Light aircraft carriers

• HMS Argus (I49)^[7]
• HMS Hermes (95)^[8]
• HMS Unicorn (I72)^[9]
• 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier^[10][11]

Escort carrier

• HMS Pretoria Castle (F61)^[12]
• HMS Audacity^[13]
• HMS Archer (D78)^[14]
• Avenger-class escort carrier^[15][16]
• Attacker-class escort carrier^[17][18]
• Ruler-class escort carrier^[19]
• HMS Activity (D94)^[20]
• Nairana-class escort carrier^[21][22]

Merchant aircraft carriers

• Merchant aircraft carriers (MAC) were grain ships or tankers with a flying deck mounted on top; they were operated by civilian crew with some naval personnel.^{[23][page needed][24][page needed]}

Seaplane carriers

• HMS Pegasus - used as training ship and aircraft transport^[25]
• HMS Albatross - ex-RAN, converted to "Landing Ship (Engineering)" to be repair ship for invasion of France^[26]

Catapult equipped ships

• Fighter catapult ship - convoy escorts fitted with a catapult to launch a fighter^[27][28]
• CAM ship - civilian ships equipped with a catapult to launch a fighter^[29]

Heavy cruisers

• Hawkins-class cruiser^[37][38]
• County-class cruiser^{[39][page needed][40]}
• York-class cruiser^[41]

Light cruisers

• C-class cruiser^{[42][page needed]}
• Danae-class cruiser^{[39][page needed][43]}
• Emerald-class cruiser^[44][45]
• Leander-class cruiser^{[46][42][page needed]}
• Arethusa-class cruiser^[44][45]
• Town-class cruiser^[47][48]
• Dido-class cruiser^{[42][page needed]}
• Fiji-class cruiser^{[42][page needed]}
• Minotaur-class cruiser^{[49][42][page needed]}

Armed merchant cruisers

Armed merchant cruisers^{[50][page needed]}

Destroyer leaders

• Thornycroft type destroyer leader^[55][56]
• Admiralty type flotilla leader^[57][55]

Destroyers

• R-class destroyer - HMS Skate only^[57][58]
• V and W-class destroyer^[59][55]
• S-class destroyer^[60]
• HMS Ambuscade (D38)^[61][56]
• HMS Amazon (D39)^[56]
• A- and B-class destroyer^[62][63]
• C and D-class destroyer^[64][65]
• E and F-class destroyer^[66]
• G and H-class destroyer^[67]
• I-class destroyer^[68][69]
• Tribal-class destroyer^[70][71]
• J-, K- and N-class destroyer^[72][73]
• L and M-class destroyer^[57][74]
• Hunt-class destroyer^[75][56]
• Town-class destroyer^[76][77]
• O and P-class destroyer^[78][56]
• Q and R-class destroyer^[79][68]
• S and T-class destroyer^[78][55]
• U and V-class destroyer^[56][78]
• W and Z-class destroyer^{[55][42][page needed]}
• C-class destroyer^[80][71]
• Battle-class destroyer^[71]
• Weapon-class destroyer

Midget submarines

• X-class submarine^[128]
• XE-class submarine^[129]

Gunboats

• Insect-class gunboat^[147]
• Dragonfly-class river gunboat^[148]

Salvage vessels

• King Salvor-class salvage vessel

Repair and maintenance ships

• Beachy Head-class repair ship

Boom defence

• Bar-class boom defence vessel

General purpose ships

• Empire ship^[150]
  • Empire F coaster
  • Channel Tanker (CHANT)^[151]
  • Heavy lift ships
  • "Ocean"-type tanker
  • Norwegian-type tanker
  • Wave-class oiler^[152]
  • Three Island type cargo ship
  • Malta type cargo ship
  • Tank landing ships
  • Ocean going tugs
  • Convoy rescue ship
  • Empire Maple-class tug
• Ramped cargo lighter^[153]

Oilers and tankers

• Dale-class oiler^[152]
• Ranger-class tanker^[152]
• Sprite-class tanker^[152]
• Ol-class tanker^[152]
• War-class oiler
• Spa-class coastal water carriers
• Fresh-class water tank vessels

Stores

• Fort-class stores ship