Annex C · The manual
NSN Lookup
Almost every piece of issued kit carries a 13-digit NATO Stock Number. It tells you what kind of item it is and which country catalogued it. It's also one of the quickest ways to tell issue kit from commercial copies.
8415Supply class (FSC)
what kind of item
-
what kind of item
99Country code (NCB)
99 = United Kingdom
-
99 = United Kingdom
123-4567Item number
unique to the item
unique to the item
The last nine digits (country code + item number) together are the NIIN, the National Item Identification Number.
C.2 — Quick reference
Supply classes you'll see on surplus
The first four digits. For example, most British combat clothing is 8415-99-…
| FSC | Official title | Typically |
|---|---|---|
| 2320 | Trucks and truck tractors, wheeled | Land Rovers and trucks themselves |
| 2510 | Vehicular cab, body and frame components | Body panels, doors, canopies |
| 2530 | Vehicular brake, steering, axle, wheel and track components | Brakes, steering, axles |
| 2540 | Vehicular furniture and accessories | Seats, mirrors, racks, fittings |
| 2590 | Miscellaneous vehicular components | Assorted vehicle parts |
| 2610 | Tyres and tubes, pneumatic, except aircraft | Vehicle tyres |
| 2910 | Engine fuel system components, non-aircraft | Fuel pumps, filters, lines |
| 2920 | Engine electrical system components, non-aircraft | Alternators, starters, wiring |
| 2940 | Engine air and oil filters, non-aircraft | Filters |
| 4240 | Safety and rescue equipment | Safety kit |
| 5110 | Hand tools, edged, non-powered | Knives, axes, machetes |
| 5120 | Hand tools, non-edged, non-powered | Shovels, entrenching tools, spanners |
| 5820 | Radio and TV communication equipment, except airborne | Radios |
| 5855 | Night vision equipment | Night vision |
| 5965 | Headsets, handsets, microphones and speakers | Headsets |
| 6135 | Batteries, non-rechargeable | Batteries |
| 6140 | Batteries, rechargeable | Rechargeable batteries |
| 6230 | Electric portable and hand lighting equipment | Torches and lamps |
| 6515 | Medical and surgical instruments, equipment and supplies | Medical supplies |
| 6545 | Replenishable field medical sets, kits and outfits | First aid and medical kits |
| 6605 | Navigational instruments | Compasses |
| 6645 | Time measuring instruments | Watches and clocks |
| 7210 | Household furnishings | Blankets, bedding |
| 7240 | Safety containers | Jerrycans |
| 7310 | Food cooking, baking and serving equipment | Field cooking kit |
| 7330 | Kitchen hand tools and utensils | Utensils |
| 7340 | Cutlery and flatware | KFS (knife, fork, spoon) |
| 7350 | Tableware | Mugs, plates |
| 8105 | Bags and sacks | Kit bags, sandbags |
| 8140 | Ammunition and nuclear ordnance boxes, packages and special containers | Ammo cans and boxes |
| 8305 | Textile fabrics | Fabric, camo cloth |
| 8340 | Tents and tarpaulins | Tents, bashas, tarps |
| 8345 | Flags and pennants | Flags |
| 8405 | Outerwear, men's | Jackets, coats, trousers |
| 8410 | Outerwear, women's | Women's outerwear |
| 8415 | Clothing, special purpose | Combat clothing, smocks, waterproofs |
| 8420 | Underwear and nightwear, men's | Base layers, underwear |
| 8430 | Footwear, men's | Boots and shoes |
| 8440 | Hosiery, handwear and clothing accessories, men's | Socks, gloves, hats |
| 8455 | Badges and insignia | Badges, patches, rank slides |
| 8460 | Luggage | Holdalls, suitcases |
| 8465 | Individual equipment | Webbing, bergens, sleeping bags |
| 8470 | Armour, personal | Helmets, body armour |
| 8475 | Specialised flight clothing and accessories | Flight suits, aircrew kit |
| 8970 | Composite food packages | Ration packs |
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| 00 | United States |
| 01 | United States |
| 11 | NATO standard item |
| 12 | Germany |
| 13 | Belgium |
| 14 | France |
| 15 | Italy |
| 16 | Czech Republic |
| 17 | Netherlands |
| 18 | South Africa |
| 19 | Brazil |
| 20 | Canada |
| 21 | Canada |
| 22 | Denmark |
| 23 | Greece |
| 24 | Iceland |
| 25 | Norway |
| 26 | Portugal |
| 27 | Turkey |
| 28 | Luxembourg |
| 29 | Argentina |
| 30 | Japan |
| 31 | Israel |
| 32 | Singapore |
| 33 | Spain |
| 34 | Malaysia |
| 35 | Thailand |
| 36 | Egypt |
| 37 | Republic of Korea |
| 38 | Estonia |
| 39 | Romania |
| 40 | Slovakia |
| 41 | Austria |
| 42 | Slovenia |
| 43 | Poland |
| 44 | United Nations standard item |
| 45 | Indonesia |
| 46 | Philippines |
| 47 | Lithuania |
| 48 | Fiji |
| 49 | Tonga |
| 50 | Bulgaria |
| 51 | Hungary |
| 52 | Chile |
| 53 | Croatia |
| 54 | North Macedonia |
| 55 | Latvia |
| 56 | Oman |
| 57 | Russian Federation |
| 58 | Finland |
| 59 | Albania |
| 60 | Kuwait |
| 61 | Ukraine |
| 62 | Belarus |
| 63 | Morocco |
| 64 | Sweden |
| 65 | Papua New Guinea |
| 66 | Australia |
| 67 | Afghanistan |
| 68 | Georgia |
| 70 | Saudi Arabia |
| 71 | United Arab Emirates |
| 72 | India |
| 73 | Serbia |
| 74 | Pakistan |
| 75 | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 76 | Brunei |
| 77 | Montenegro |
| 78 | Jordan |
| 79 | Peru |
| 80 | Colombia |
| 81 | Qatar |
| 82 | Algeria |
| 98 | New Zealand |
| 99 | United Kingdom |
Next step
A valid NSN is a good sign, but it isn't proof on its own. Run the genuine-or-repro checklist too.