List of active United States naval aircraft

Last updated

The list of United States Navy aircraft contains types currently used by the United States Navy. For a complete list of naval aircraft designated under pre-1962 United States Navy designation systems, see List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962); for aircraft without formal designations, see List of undesignated military aircraft of the United States. For a list of all naval aircraft designated under the post-1962 unified Department of Defense designations, see List of military aircraft of the United States.

Contents

Aircraft

Current inventory

Aircraft are listed in the table below alphabetically by the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system "Basic Mission" code then serially within that basic mission. Aircraft other than heavier than air, powered, fixed wing, manned, conventional take off and landing aircraft are designated in the 1962 Tri-Service system first by a "Vehicle Type" code then by a "Basic Mission" code. Those aircraft are listed below by vehicle type then serially within that vehicle type.

AircraftOrigin Modified Mission
or (Status Prefix) 		RoleIn serviceNotes
Basic Mission: 'A' Attack
EA-18G Growler United StatesE: Electronic Warfare ECM / SEAD 152 [1] 1 lost in 2025 [2]
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet United States [a] Strike Fighter [b] 54876 on order [1]
Basic Mission: 'C' Cargo (or Transport)
C-2A Greyhound United States COD 26 [1] Retiring by 2026, replaced by CMV-22B [4]
RC-12M Huron United States R: ReconnaissanceRange Surveillance1 [c]
UC-12F/M/W Huron United States U: UtilityTransport13 [c] 64 on order [1]
NC-20G Grey Ghost United States(N: Special test, permanent) [d] Test Range Support1 [e]
C-26A Metroliner United States USNTPS trainer1 [f]
C-26D Metroliner United StatesTransport4 [f]
EC-26D Metroliner United StatesE: Electronic WarfareMissile Range Support1 [f]
RC-26D Metroliner United StatesR: ReconnaissanceRange Surveillance2 [f]
C-37A Gulfstream V United StatesVIP transport1 [g]
C-37B Gulfstream G550 United StatesVIP transport3 [g]
NC-37B Gulfstream G550 United States(N: Special test, permanent) [d] Test Range Support1 [g]
C-38A Courier United States chase plane / radar target2 [h]
C-40A Clipper United StatesNUFEA [i] 17 [1] Projected inventory 19 [j]
C-130J Super Hercules United States1 [k] To replace C-130T/KC-130T beginning 2027
C-130T Hercules United StatesNUFEA [i] 16 [k]
KC-130T Hercules United StatesK: TankerNUFEA [i] 16 [k] 5 are Test and Evaluation aircraft
Basic Mission: 'E' Special Electronic Installation
E-2C/D Hawkeye United States AEW 8325 on order [1] E-2D replacing E-2C. Projected E-2D inventory: 75 [l]
E-6B Mercury United States TACAMO / ALCS 16 [1] [m] To be replaced by E-130J beginning 2028
Basic Mission: 'F' Fighter
F-5F/N Tiger II United States Aggressor 32 [n]
F-16A/B Fighting Falcon United States Aggressor 14 [o] OpFor training
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon United States Aggressor 30 [p] OpFor training
F-35C Lightning II United StatesStrike Fighter45204 on order [1]
Basic Mission: 'P' Maritime Patrol
P-3C Orion United StatesTest Range Support3
NP-3C/D Orion United States(N: Special test, permanent) [d] Test and Evaluation / Test Range Support / NRL Support 4
P-8A Poseidon United States ASW / Patrol 11810 on order [1]
Basic Mission: 'T' Trainer
T-6A Texan II United States SNFO Primary trainer 43
T-6B Texan II United States SNA Primary trainer 252
T-34C Mentor United StatesChase / Spotting15 [1]
T-38 Talon United States USNTPS trainer10 [1]
T-44C Pegasus United States SNA Advanced trainer 56 [1] Retirement starting in 2024, replaced by T-54
T-45C Goshawk United Kingdom / United States SNA Advanced trainer /
SNFO Advanced trainer 		189 [1]
T-54A Marlin II United States SNA Advanced trainer 15 [5] Option for up to 64 airframes [1]
Basic Mission: 'U' Utility
NU-1B Otter Canada (N: Special test, permanent) [d] USNTPS trainer1 [1]
U-6A Beaver Canada USNTPS glider tow2 [1]
AircraftOrigin Basic Mission
and (Modified Mission) 		RoleIn serviceNotes
Vehicle Type: 'G' Glider
X-26A Frigate Glider United StatesX: Special Research [q] USNTPS trainer2 [r]
Vehicle Type: 'H' Helicopter
MH-53E Sea Dragon United States M: Multi-mission [s] AMCM [t] / VOD [u] 26 [1] Retiring by 2026 [v]
TH-57B/C Sea Ranger United StatesT: Trainer SNA Advanced trainer 126Replaced by TH-73 by 2025 [w]
UH-60A/L Blackhawk United StatesU: Utility USNTPS trainer4 [1]
MH-60R Seahawk United StatesM: Multi-mission [s] ASW / ASUW / EW / NSFS [x] / SAR 290 [y]
MH-60S Seahawk United StatesM: Multi-mission [s] ASUW / HADR [z] / CSAR / Medical Evac / NSW [aa] support / AMCM [ab] 275 [ac]
TH-67 Creek United StatesT: Trainer USNTPS trainer4 [ad]
UH-72A Lakota Germany U: Utility USNTPS trainer5 [ad]
TH-73A Thrasher Italy T: Trainer SNA Advanced trainer 5971 on order [1] Replacing TH-57 [ae]
Vehicle Type: 'Q' Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
MQ-4C Triton United States M: Multi-mission [s] ISR 927 (Program of Record)
MQ-8C Fire Scout United States M: Multi-mission [s] ISR 1038 (Program of Record). 10 operational, 2 struck with the rest in storage, all to be retired by the end of FY 2026
MQ-25 Stingray United States M: Multi-mission [s] Tanker 176 (Program of Record)
Vehicle Type: 'V' Vertical take off/short take off and landing
UV-18 Twin Otter CanadaU: Utility NRL Support 1
CMV-22B Osprey United States(C: Cargo) [af]
M: Multi-mission [s] [ag] 		COD 2734 on order [1] Replacing C-2A

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Originally, the Navy planned to have two variants of the Hornet: the F-18 fighter and A-18 light attack aircraft. During development, "F/A-18" was used as a shorthand to refer to both variants. When the Navy decided to develop a single aircraft able to perform both missions, the "F/A" appellation stuck despite the designation system not allowing for slashes or other characters. [3]
  2. ↑ also used in Aggressor and OpFor roles
  3. 1 2 Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/c-12/>
  4. 1 2 3 4 Status Prefix
  5. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/C-20-Gulfstream/>
  6. 1 2 3 4 Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/C-26-Metroliner/>
  7. 1 2 3 Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/C-37/>
  8. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/C-38/>
  9. 1 2 3 Navy Unique Fleet Essential Airlift
  10. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/C-40-Clipper/>
  11. 1 2 3 Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/CKC-130-Hercules-Super-Hercules/>
  12. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/E-2D/>
  13. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/E-6B-Mercury/>
  14. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/F-5-Tiger-II/>
  15. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/F-16-Fighting-Falcon-Viper/>
  16. ↑ USN is acquiring up to 30 F-16C/D from the USAF to augment its 14 F-16A/B aircraft<https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/us-navy-just-received-fleet-f-16-fighters-us-air-force-212658/>
  17. ↑ this is a Non-systematic designation as the Vehicle Type 'G' for glider is omitted and the Basic Mission code 'X' Special Research, which is not descriptive of the role of the aircraft, is used
  18. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/x-26a-frigate-glider>
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 There is no Basic Mission code "M". "M" is a Modified Mission code which was used in this case in lieu of a Basic Mission code
  20. ↑ Airborne Mine Countermeasures
  21. ↑ Vertical Onboard Delivery
  22. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/MH-53E-Sea-Dragon/>
  23. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/TH-57/>
  24. ↑ "Naval Surface Fire Support
  25. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/MH-60R-Seahawk/>
  26. ↑ Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response
  27. ↑ Naval Special Warfare
  28. ↑ Airborne Mine Countermeasures
  29. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/MH-60S-Seahawk/>
  30. 1 2 Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/UH-72-Lakota-TH-67-Creek/>
  31. ↑ Naval Air Systems Command Fact Sheet<https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/TH-73A/>
  32. ↑ Modified Mission Code: "C" Cargo (Transport)
  33. ↑ "CMV" is a non-systematic (not in strict accordance with the 1962 Tri-service system) designation. A systematic designation would be MCV-22 (basic mission: C Cargo(Transport) with modified mission: M Multi-Mission), however; when the USN designated the aircraft it did so by adding a modified mission code of "C" for cargo (transport) to the USMC's MV-22 resulting in CMV-22

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Embraer, In association with. "2024 World Air Forces directory". Flight Global. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  2. ↑ Seyler, Matt; Martinez, Luis (12 February 2025). "Fighter jet crashes into San Diego Harbor, 2 pilots rescued: Fire officials". ABC News. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  3. ↑ Jenkins, Dennis R. (2000). F/A-18 Hornet: A Navy Success Story. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 19–21. ISBN   978-0-07-134696-2.
  4. ↑ "Navy's COD Transition from C-2A to CMV-22B Accelerated; First V-22 Deployment Set for 2021". USNI News. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Navy's T-54A brings new era of pilot training". NAVAIR News. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
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