NATO Stock Number (NSN)

ASAP Aerospace is a globally recognized distributor of NSN parts and components used by customers in aviation, military, and commercial industries alike. With our unwavering commitment to providing top-quality products and services to a global customer base, we proudly operate with AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B accreditation.

Across our database, we offer over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find NSN products, all of which are available for purchase at any time. However, to make the procurement process simple, we have made it so that our database can be searched using the NATO Stock Number (NSN) associated with any particular part number. Simply enter an NSN into the provided search bar on our website, and you will be able to narrow down results quickly and easily. Our proprietary software can cross-reference between NSN formats with ease, allowing you to enter an NSN like “2930-12-163-1172,” “12-163-1172,” or “2930121631172.”

Also known as a National Stock Number, an NSN is a 13-digit code that conveys specific information about a particular item of supply for the means of identification and tracking. The coding system has been adopted by all member nations of NATO, as well as a few non-member nations. The first four digits of a typical NSN represent the Federal Supply Class (FSC), which is used to group similar types of items together. The next two digits signify the country-of-origin code, denoting the country that first codified the item. Lastly, the remaining seven digits are unique to each NSN and are sequentially assigned.

NATO Stock Numbers are the official label applied to an item of supply that is repeatedly procured, stocked, stored, issued, and used throughout the NATO supply system. While part numbers and descriptions may vary between manufacturers, NSNs remain constant between listings, ensuring a quick and simplistic way for anyone to identify what a particular part is.

NSNs can be used to identify and manage almost every imaginable item, listings ranging from aircraft parts to toilet paper. Aside from facilitating the standardization of item names, NSNs also facilitate supply language, characteristics, and management data, reducing duplicate items in government inventories. They also help to standardize military requirements for testing and evaluation of potential items of supply. In the United States, the official online NSN search system is called WebFLIS.

Government agencies, including the US Department of Defense and NATO, use NSNs to buy and manage billions of dollars' worth of supplies annually. Currently, there are over 17 million active NSNs in the NSN Catalog and more than 10 million historical NSNs that are no longer actively used. Together, these NSNs represent more than 42 million manufacturer part numbers from more than 2.6 million suppliers.

With a better understanding of NSNs and how they are used, you can see their massive importance in the trade of material items of supply. Here on ASAP Aerospace, we can help you secure competitive pricing and rapid lead times on a plethora of new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find NSN components that are readily available for purchase from us at any time. To kick off the quotation process, fill out and submit an RFQ form as provided on our website with as much information as you can regarding your needs, and a member of our staff will contact you in 15 minutes or less to present a tailored solution for your comparisons.