National Item Identification Number

A National (or NATO) Item Identification Number (NIIN) is a 9-digit numeric code which uniquely identifies an item of supply in the NATO Codification System (NCS).

The NIIN is often prefixed by the NATO Supply Class (NSC aka FSC) to form a National Stock Number (NSN), however the NIIN alone uniquely identifies the item, the FSC merely adds context by indicating the general classification of the item. The NIIN’s Data Record Number (DRN), in the NCS metabase is 4000. The information listed under in this DRN identifies very specifically the nature of NIIN, its syntax and the procedures associated with it.

Format and Syntax
The NIIN may be formatted with dashes, as follows:


 * 01-234-5678

This format improves readability but is optional as NIINs are often listed without dashes.

The first two digits of the NIIN identify the National Codification Bureau (NCB). The NCB is the entity, typically a government agency, in charge of maintaining the NCS database within a given country. The other 7 characters are a non significant identification number (actually code, as some of these characters may be alphanumeric, although in general NIINs are strictly numeric.) Following are a few examples of NCB codes:

As the list shows, users of the NCS system not only include the 28 NATO member countries, but the 37 NATO-sponsored countries as well. It is also grouped into tiers indicating participation and access.


 * Tier 1 Nations (Afghanistan, Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brunei, Chile, Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kordan, Kuwait, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Oman, Papua-New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Tonga, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates) Nation has access to unclassified NSN data. There is a one-way data exchange and it does not participate in technical NCS management.


 * Tier 2 Nations (Australia, Austria, Brazil, Finland, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Singapore) Nation has a codification system that has been certified as fully NCS compliant. There is a two-way data exchange and participation in technical NCS management.


 * Tier 3 Nations (Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States): Nation is a NATO member and has a full membership in the NATO Codification Bureau (NCB).

NIIN Catalogs
NIIN / NSN Catalogs include a significant number of items directly associated with military equipment in general, as well as items of a more generic use. These include Electronic Components, Medical Equipment, Office Furniture, Food items, Clothing, Industrial goods (pumps, valves, motors...) and all kinds of Fasteners (bolts, nails, rivets...), to name a few. For this reason, catalogs have a broader appeal, beyond their original audience (Defense agencies and their direct contractors.)

The US Catalog covers in the order of 6 Million NIINs (Items of Supply) for a total of  13 Million Items of Production (Part Number + Manufacturer reference).

NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA), compiles on a regular basis the catalogs of several member nations, for the production of the NATO Master Catalogue of References for Logistics (NMCRL). This combined catalog, totaling 16 Million NIINs for approximately 32 Million Parts, is then published on DVD.

Several companies or governmental agencies publish NIIN Catalogs online or on other media. These catalogs vary greatly in term of the completeness of the information as some items and/or some segments of information may be excluded, for [USA] Security reasons or simply for lack of interest by the target audience. The distribution of these catalogs vary also in terms of the subscription cost and access or export restrictions. Some merely provide a "Part Number" lookup, while others offer advanced features such as parametric search (Search of items driven by the technical characteristics such as physical dimensions, material, color etc.) or links to associated data set.