Starfleet used the “USS” designation on certain computer graphics for United Earth NX-class starships, such as Enterprise NX-01 and Columbia NX-02. However, they did not label the hulls of the starships, and the ships were not commonly addressed with the prefix. (ENT: “Divergence”)
On Federation starships operated by Starfleet, the “USS” prefix was more prominently featured on the hull of the ship and as part of the starship’s official title. USS was referred to as standing for either “United Space Ship” (TOS: “The Cage”, “The Menagerie, Part I”, “Space Seed”, “The Gamesters of Triskelion”, “Patterns of Force”, “Assignment: Earth”, “Elaan of Troyius”) or “United Star Ship.” (TOS: “The Squire of Gothos”, “Court Martial”) This designation was used as early as 2167 on a Daedalus-class starship, the USS Essex. (TNG: “Power Play”)
I hope it is because there’s no USA in the Federation.
Hard not to think there is when the ships are called “USS [name]”. Even if it doesn’t technically stand for that.
Huh? Federation vessels start with NCC.
Their registration numbers do; their names start with USS. “USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D”
Lots of them have the USS prefix even if not always used https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/USS
Might want to read your own link there homie.
And my original comment:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(NCC-1701)
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