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Nato Codification

The NATO Codification System (NCS) is a uniform and common system for the identification, classification and stock numbering of Items of Supply, used by all NATO countries. It is designed to achieve MAXIMUM effectiveness in Logistic support.

Within the UK all items used by the Armed Forces will have a NATO Stock Number (NSN) allocated, the product of the NCS. It is therefore a prerequisite of any supply contract that equipment and associated spare parts are NATO Codified, given an NSN, prior to main gate approval.

Within the UK the role of conducting NATO Codification has been vested in the United Kingdom National Codification Bureau (UK NCB). This organisation is a department of the Ministry of Defence, being an integral part of Supply Chain Support Provider Services - UK NCB (SCS(PS) UKNCB) and is based in Glasgow, Scotland.

The UK NCB is the custodian of the UK Item of Supply Information System (ISIS), the only true source for creating and viewing NSNs which contains over 5 million NATO Stock Number (NSN) records, identifying and describing items of equipment used by the UK armed services.

To enable UK NCB to supply their customers (Equipment manufacturers and MoD departments) with a timely response to requests for NSNs, the UK NCB utilises a small number of specialist companies, one being CMCA(UK), to create and maintain NSNs on the central database (ISIS).

Our primary aim as a professional NATO Codification Contractor is to support UK NCB in their goal to supply customers with accurate and timely delivery of NSNs, thus becoming “The leading supplier of NATO Codification and associated services in the UK”. This will be achieved by:-

  • Constantly exceeding our customer's requirement
  • The expertise of our Team
  • A comprehensive Integrated Management/Production computer system.

In support of our primary customers, CMCA(UK) are able to offer MoD contractors various services. For information on these services contact our Business Development Manager Ron Parrott on +44 (0) 7801 94 40 00 or email ron.parrott[at]cmcauk.co.uk.

For enquiries relating to specific codification tasks/requests please contact our Codification Project Manager Gary Harman on 01905 727914 or email codi@cmcauk.co.uk