List of United States Tri-Service aircraft designations

This list of United States Tri-Service aircraft designations includes prototype, pre-production and operational type designations under the United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, which replaced the 1924 Air Force, 1922 Navy, and 1956 Army designation systems in 1962.

For pre-1962 Air Force aircraft designations, see List of United States Air Force aircraft designations (1919–1962). For pre-1962 Navy aircraft designations, see List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962). For aircraft that did not receive formal designations—including those procured before 1919 when no designation system was in force, and later aircraft that did not receive designations for other reasons—see List of undesignated military aircraft of the United States.

For the comparable list of post-1962 designations of rockets and missiles see 1963 United States Tri-Service rocket and guided missile designation system.

A: Attack aircraft

A-1 Skyraider – Douglas (redesignated from Navy AD) A-1 Skyraider II – Air Tractor/L3Harris (conflicting designation, assigned after original A-1 was retired) A-2 Savage – North American (redesignated from Navy AJ) A-3 Skywarrior – Douglas (redesignated from Navy A3D) A-4 Skyhawk – Douglas (redesignated from Navy A4D) A-5 Vigilante – North American (redesignated from Navy A3J) A-6 Intruder – Grumman (redesignated from Navy A2F) A-7 Corsair II – Ling-Temco-Vought A-8 – General Dynamics (unconfirmed) A-9 – Northrop A-10 Thunderbolt II – Fairchild Republic A-11 – skipped A-12 Avenger II – McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics (not built) A-13 – skipped A-14 Super Tucano – Embraer (redesignated to A-29B)

Non-sequential designations A-16 – General Dynamics F/A-18 Hornet – McDonnell DouglasOfficially, the F/A-18 is designated in both the A-for-attack and F-for-fighter series. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet – Boeing EA-18G Growler – Boeing A-26 Invader – Douglas (originally designated A-26, then B-26 after the B-26 Marauder was retired, reverted to A-26 during Vietnam-era) A-29 Super Tucano – Embraer A-37 Dragonfly – Cessna (redesignated from AT-37) A-37 – Gulfstream (conflicting designation, redesignated from EC-37 after original A-37 was retired)

B: Bomber

B-1 Lancer – Rockwell B-2 Spirit – Northrop Grumman

Non-sequential designation B-21 Raider – Northrop Grumman (in development) FB-22 – Lockheed Martin (not built) FB-111 Aardvark – General Dynamics (redesignated F-111G after role change)

C: Cargo/Transport

C-1 Trader – Grumman (redesignated from Navy TF) C-2 Greyhound – Grumman C-3 – Martin (redesignated from Navy RM) C-4 Academe – Grumman C-5 Galaxy – Lockheed C-6 – Beechcraft C-7 Caribou – de Havilland Canada (redesignated from V-2) C-7 – de Havilland Canada (conflicting designation, redesignated to O-5) C-8 Buffalo – de Havilland Canada (redesignated from V-7) C-9 Nightingale/Skytrain II – McDonnell Douglas C-10 Jetstream – Handley Page (not built) C-10 Extender – McDonnell Douglas (conflicting designation, assigned after original C-10 was canceled) C-11 – Gulfstream C-12 Huron – Beechcraft RC-12 Guardrail – Beechcraft C-13 – skipped C-14 – Boeing C-15 – McDonnell Douglas C-16 – skipped C-17 Globemaster III – Boeing C-18 – Boeing C-19 – Boeing C-20 – Gulfstream C-20F/G/H/J – Gulfstream C-21 – Learjet C-22 – Boeing C-23 Sherpa – Short C-24 – Douglas C-25 – Boeing C-25B Bridge – Boeing C-26 – Fairchild C-27 Spartan – Aeritalia C-27J Spartan – Alenia C-28 Titan – Cessna C-29 – British Aerospace C-30 – skipped C-31 Troopship – Fokker C-32 – Boeing C-33 – Boeing C-34 – skipped C-35 – Cessna C-36 – reserved for a four-engined aircraft, speculated to have been the Boeing YAL-1 C-37 – Gulfstream C-37B – Gulfstream C-38 – Gulfstream C-39 – skipped C-40 Clipper – Boeing C-41 – CASAParsch 2009, "DOD 4120.15-L" C-42 – skipped C-43 – skipped C-44 – skipped C-45 – EADS/Northrop Grumman (not built) C-46 Pegasus – Boeing

Revived 1924-1962 sequence (2005-present) Only aircraft designated after the adoption of the Tri-Service system are listed below. For aircraft in the sequence designated before 1962, see . C-143 – Bombardier C-144 Ocean Sentry – EADS C-145 Skytruck – PZL C-146 Wolfhound – Dornier C-147 – de Havilland Canada

Non-sequential designations C-767 – Boeing C-880 – Convair

D: Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control segment

The "D" sequence is assigned to ground control stations for UAVs.

D-1 – General Atomics, ground equipment for the MQ-1 Predator D-2 – Northrop Grumman, ground equipment for the RQ-4 Global Hawk D-3 – Northrop Grumman, ground equipment for the MQ-4C Triton D-4 – Northrop Grumman, ground equipment for the MQ-8 Fire Scout D-5 – US Navy, ground equipment for the MQ-25 Stingray

E: Special electronic installation

E-1 Tracer – Grumman (redesignated from Navy WF) E-2 Hawkeye – Grumman (redesignated from Navy W2F) E-3 Sentry – Boeing E-4 – Boeing E-4C – Boeing/Sierra Nevada Corporation E-5 Eagle – Windecker E-6 Mercury – Boeing E-7 – designation proposed for EC-18B but not approved E-8 Joint STARS – Northrop Grumman E-9 Widget – de Havilland Canada E-10 MC2A – Boeing/Northrop Grumman E-11 – Bombardier/Northrop Grumman

Non-sequential designations

E-130 – Lockheed Martin

F: Fighter

F-1 Fury – North American (redesignated from Navy FJ) F-1E/F Fury – North American (redesignated from Navy FJ-4) F-2 Banshee – McDonnell (redesignated from Navy F2H) F-3 Demon – McDonnell (redesignated from Navy F3H) F-4 Phantom II – McDonnell Douglas (redesignated from Navy F4H and Air Force F-110) F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger II – Northrop F-5G – Northrop (redesignated to F-20) F-6 Skyray – Douglas (redesignated from Navy F4D) F-7 Sea Dart – Convair (redesignated from Navy F2Y) F-8 Crusader – Vought (redesignated from Navy F8U) F-9 Panther – Grumman (redesignated from Navy F9F) F-9F/H/J Cougar – Grumman (redesignated from Navy F9F-6/7/8) F-10 Skyknight – Douglas (redesignated from Navy F3D) F-11 Tiger – Grumman (redesignated from Navy F11F) F-12 – Lockheed F-12C – Lockheed (unofficial cover designation for the SR-71) F-13 – skipped F-14 Tomcat – Grumman F-15 Eagle – McDonnell Douglas NF-15B STOL/MTD - McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle – McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15EX Eagle II - Boeing F-15J - Mitsubishi/McDonnell Douglas F-16 Fighting Falcon – General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin NF-16D VISTA – General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin (redesignated X-62 in 2021) F-16XL – General Dynamics F-17 Cobra – Northrop F/A-18 Hornet – McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E/F Super Hornet – Boeing EA-18G Growler – Boeing F-19 – skipped F-20 Tigershark – Northrop (redesignated from F-5G) F-21 Kfir – Israel Aerospace Industries F-22 Raptor – Lockheed Martin YF-22 – Lockheed Martin FB-22 – Lockheed Martin F-23 – Northrop/McDonnell Douglas

Non-sequential designations F-35 Lightning II – Lockheed Martin (kept the X-35 prototype number) F-47 – Boeing F-117 Nighthawk – Lockheed (based on original YF-117 black project designation)

Other designations Designations YF-110 and YF-112 through YF-116 were acquired (captured or purchased) foreign aircraft used for evaluation and aggressor training. Designations YF-117 and YF-118 were black projects, with the F-117 designation later becoming the official Tri-Service designation of the production variant of the former. These designations chronologically continued the pre-1962 "F" series.Fulghum, David A., "MiGs in Nevada", Aviation Week & Space Technology, November 27, 2006

YF-24 – mentioned in a USAF test pilot's official biography, possibly classified YF-110 (not to be confused with the pre-1962 F-110 Spectre) YF-110B – Mikoyan-Gurevich (captured MiG-21F-13 under Have Doughnut) YF-110C – Chengdu (captured J-7B) YF-110D – Mikoyan-Gurevich (captured MiG-21MF under Have Doughnut) YF-110E/L/M – captured aircraft of unknown type under Have Phoenix YF-112 YF-112C/D – Sukhoi (acquired former East German Su-22M4) YF-113 YF-113A – Mikoyan-Gurevich (captured MiG-17F under Have Drill) YF-113B – Mikoyan-Gurevich (captured MiG-23BN) YF-113C – Shenyang (captured J-5 under Have Privilege, later reused for unknown type under Have Phoenix) YF-113E – Mikoyan-Gurevich (captured MiG-23MS) YF-113G – possible USAF "black project" YF-113H – captured aircraft of unknown type under Have Phoenix YF-114 YF-114C – Mikoyan-Gurevich (captured MiG-17F under Have Ferry) YF-114D – Mikoyan-Gurevich (captured MiG-17PF) YF-116 YF-116A – Mikoyan-Gurevich (borrowed German MiG-29 under Have Loan) YF-117 YF-117A Senior Trend – Lockheed (later made official) YF-117D Tacit Blue – Northrop YF-118 YF-118G Bird of Prey – Boeing

G: Glider

G-1 – Schweizer G-2 – Schweizer G-3 – Schweizer G-4 – Schweizer G-5 – Schweizer G-6 – Schweizer G-7 – Schweizer G-8 – Schweizer G-9 – Schleicher G-10 – Let G-11 – Stemme G-12 – Caproni Vizzola G-13 – skipped G-14 – Aeromot G-15 – Schempp-Hirth G-15B – Schempp-Hirth G-16 – DG Flugzeugbau

H: Helicopter

Unlike most other categories of aircraft, the introduction of the tri-service designation system in 1962 did not result in a wholesale redesignation of helicopters. While six types received new designations in the unified, "re-started" sequence, the original "H-" series of designations that started in 1948 was also continued, and no further types of rotorcraft have been designated in the "post-1962" system.

H-1 – Bell UH-1 Iroquois – Bell (redesignated from Army HU-1 and Air Force H-40, UH-1F redesignated from H-48) UH-1N Twin Huey – Bell UH-1Y Venom – Bell AH-1 Cobra – Bell AH-1J/T/W SeaCobra/SuperCobra – Bell AH-1Z Viper – Bell H-2 Seasprite – Kaman (redesignated from Navy HU2K) H-2G Super Seasprite – Kaman H-3 Sea King – Sikorsky (redesignated from Navy HSS-2) H-3C/E/F Sea King – Sikorsky H-4 – Bell (redesignated from Army HO-4) H-5 – Fairchild Hiller (redesignated from Army HO-5) H-6 Cayuse – Hughes/ McDonnell Douglas/MD Helicopters (redesignated from Army HO-6) AH-6 Little Bird – Boeing MH-6 Little Bird – Hughes/ McDonnell Douglas/MD Helicopters

Continuation of 1948 sequence Only aircraft designated after the adoption of the Tri-Service system are listed below. For aircraft in the sequence designated before 1962, see . H-46 Sea Knight – Boeing Vertol H-47 Chinook – Boeing Vertol H-48 – Bell (redesignated UH-1F) H-49 – Boeing Vertol (redesignated H-46B) H-50 DASH – Gyrodyne

H-51 – Lockheed H-52 Sea Guard – Sikorsky H-53 Sea Stallion – Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low – Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion – Sikorsky MH-53E Sea Dragon -Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion – Sikorsky H-54 Tarhe – Sikorsky H-55 Osage – Hughes H-56 Cheyenne – Lockheed H-57 Sea Ranger – Bell H-58 Kiowa – Bell H-59 – Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk – Sikorsky Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk – Sikorsky Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk – Sikorsky Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk – Sikorsky H-61 – Boeing Vertol H-62 – Boeing Vertol H-63 – Bell H-64 Apache – Hughes H-65 Dolphin – Aérospatiale H-66 Comanche – Boeing/Sikorsky H-66 Sage – Robinson (conflicting designation, assigned after the original H-66 was canceled) H-67 Creek – Bell H-68 Stingray – Agusta H-69 – skipped H-70 Arapaho – Bell H-71 Kestrel – Lockheed Martin H-72 Lakota – Eurocopter H-73 Koala – AgustaWestland

Non-sequential designations H-90 Enforcer – MD Helicopters H-92 – Sikorsky VH-92 – Sikorsky H-139 Grey Wolf – AgustaWestland

K: Tanker

No specialised types have been acquired to receive a stand-alone 'K for Tanker' designation; for aircraft modified for use as tankers, see the parent aircraft in the proper sequence.

L: Laser-equipped

L-1 – BoeingDOD 4120.15-L: Model Designation of Military Aerospace Vehicles , Department of Defense, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (AT&L) (Defense Systems), May 12, 2004. Retrieved April 7, 2010.

O: Observation