What is a NATO Stock Number (NSN) ?
When it is established that an Item of Supply is unique, its identity is fixed through the assignment of its own NATO Stock Number (NSN). NSNs are issued by National Codification Bureaus (NCBs). The NSN is a 13 digit number and is divided into 3 parts: • The first 4 digits are the NATO Supply Classification Code and relate the item to the group and class of similar items, as the following examples show: 1005=Guns, through 30 mm 2010=Ship and Boat Propulsion Components 3110=Bearings, Antifriction, Unmounted 4010=Chain and Wire Rope 5110=Hand Tools, Edged, Nonpowered 5305=Screws 5310=Nuts and Washers 5905=Resistors 5910=Capacitors 5960=Electron Tubes and Associated Hardware 6010=Fiber Optic Conductors 6140=Batteries, Rechargeable 6240=Electric Lamps 7030=ADP Software 8305=Textile Fabrics 9140=Fuel Oils 9999=Miscellaneous Items etc. etc. etc. etc. • The next 2 digits indicate the NCB assigning the NSN. 00=United States 01=United States 02-09=United States 12=Germany 13=Belgium 14=France 1
