If you’ve ever purchased anything, you’ve seen a numbers on it that identify the item (a bar code). There is something similar that applies to items that are not used by the general public, it’s called a National Stock Numbers. This isn’t a new concept, but an important way for military buyers to identify and obtain important items.

National Stock Numbers are one of the many things to come out of World War Two. With all the complications that were arising from trying to get an item that might be known by a dozen or more names, it was decided that an easier way to obtain these items was needed. That’s when these numbers were created. Legislation was introduced in the early 1950s to put this idea into action.

Each National Stock Number is made up of several parts, much like other ID methods, all designed to give more information about the particular item. This includes the country or origin, manufacturer, and product specs/description. While the first two parts of the number can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer—or country to country—the last few numbers are the same for each product. For example, light bulbs will have the last part, or washers, etc. Other items that fall into this category are wire springs, communication equipment, heating components, and much more. https://nationalstocknumber.info is a perfect example of a place that the US or International Militaries would use to locate parts or material they need to complete immediate missions.

These convenient numbers are used by all Governments and are usually assigned upon the invention of a new part, weapon, or other item that will be used by Federal agencies or Military Services. They are also used to identify items that need to be disposed of in specific ways to ensure the safety of the environment and human health.

These numbers have made certain agencies run in a more efficient manner, while also providing transparency and safety of information. It also flags duplicate items to avoid waste.

National Stock Number.info
624 Atlantis Rd
Melbourne, FL 32904
Phone: 321-802-5889
Reference information was used by National Stock Number Search website.