List of active United States naval aircraft

Last updated

The list of United States naval 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

AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat Aircraft
F/A-18 Super Hornet United States multirole F/A-18E/F 42176 on order [1]
F-35 Lightning II United Statesstealth multirole F-35C 30204 on order [1]
AWACS
E-2 Hawkeye United States AEW E-2C/D 8325 on order [1]
Electronic Warfare
E-6 Mercury United States TACAMO 16 [1]
EA-18 Growler United States radar jamming / SEAD EA-18G 153 [1]
EP-3 Orion United States ELINT / SIGINT 9 [1]
Maritime Patrol
P-3 Orion United States ASW / patrol P-3C 8 [1]
P-8 Poseidon United StatesASW / patrol P-8A 11810 on order [1]
Transport
C-2 Greyhound United States COD / transport 26 [1] Retiring by 2024, replaced by V-22 [2]
C-12 Huron United States transport6964 on order [1]
C-20 Grey Ghost United States VIP transport C-20G 2 [1]
C-26 Metroliner United Statestransport / Reconnaissance C-26D 9 [1]
C-38 Courier United Statestransport C-38A 2
C-40 Clipper United StatesVIP transport17 [1]
C-130 Hercules United Statestransport C-130T 28 [1] 11 provide aerial refueling
C-130 Super Hercules United Statestransport C-130J 1 [1]
Helicopter
CH-53 Super Stallion United States minesweeping / MCM MH-53E 26 [1]
SH-60 Seahawk United States ASW / VERTREP / SAR H-60R/S/H 4543 on order [1]
V-22 Osprey United States COD / transport CMV-22B 2734 on order [1]
Trainer Aircraft
F-5 Tiger II United States jet trainer F-5F/N 31 [1] OpFor training
F-16 Fighting Falcon United Statesjet trainer F-16A/B 22 [1] OpFor training
F/A-18 Hornet United States conversion trainer F/A-18A/B/C/D 43 [1]
F/A-18 Super Hornet United States conversion trainer F/A-18E/F 128 [1]
F-35 Lightning II United States conversion trainer F-35C 15 [1]
T-6 Texan II United States basic trainer T-6A/B/C 29429 on order [1]
T-34 Mentor United Statestrainer15 [1]
T-38 Talon United States USNTPS trainer10 [1]
T-44 Pegasus United Statesmulti-engine trainer T-44C 56 [1] Retirement starting in 2024, replaced by T-54
T-45 Goshawk United Kingdom / United Statesjet trainer T-45C 189 [1]
T-54 United Statesmulti-engine trainer T-54A 2 [3] 8 on order with option for an additional 54 [1]
C-26 Metroliner United States USNTPS trainerC-26A1 [1] Flight officer training
C-38 Courier United States chase plane / radar targetC-38A2 [1]
TH-57 Sea Ranger United States rotorcraft trainer 116 [1] 3 are OH-58C variant
TH-73 Thrasher Italy rotorcraft trainer5971 on order [1]
U-1 Otter Canada trainer U-1B 1 [1]
U-6 Beaver Canada trainerU-6B2 [1]
UH-72 Lakota Germany trainer / test evaluator 5 [1]
UH-60 Blackhawk United States rotorcraft trainer 4 [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

Multiple designation systems have been used to specify United States military aircraft. The first system was introduced in 1911 by the United States Navy, but was discontinued six years later; the first system similar to that used today was designed in 1919 when the US Army's Aeronautical Division became the United States Army Air Service. Before this, aircraft were put into service under their manufacturers' designations.

Lists of military aircraft of the United States cover current and former military aircraft of the United States Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beechcraft T-6 Texan II</span> Single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop military training aircraft

The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engine turboprop aircraft built by Textron Aviation. A trainer aircraft based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 replaced the United States Air Force's Cessna T-37B Tweet and the United States Navy's T-34C Turbo Mentor during the 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman F-11 Tiger</span> US Navy carrier-based fighter aircraft in service 1956–1969

The Grumman F11F/F-11 Tiger is a supersonic, single-seat carrier-based fighter aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Grumman. For a time, it held the world altitude record of 76,939 feet (23,451 m), as well as being the first supersonic fighter to be produced by Grumman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman F9F Panther</span> US Navy carrier-based jet fighter

The Grumman F9F Panther is an early carrier-based jet fighter designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Grumman. It was the first jet-powered fighter aircraft to see air-to-air combat with the United States Navy as well as being Grumman’s first jet fighter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin P5M Marlin</span> US Navy/Coast Guard patrol seaplane (1952–1967)

The Martin P5M Marlin, built by the Glenn L. Martin Company of Middle River, Maryland, was a twin piston-engined flying boat that entered service in 1951, and served into the late 1960s with the United States Navy performing naval patrols. It also served with the United States Coast Guard and the French Navy. 285 were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman F-9 Cougar</span> US Navy carrier-based fighter aircraft in service 1952-1974

The Grumman F9F/F-9 Cougar is a carrier-based jet-powered fighter aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Grumman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AAI Corporation</span>

AAI Corporation is an aerospace and defense development and manufacturing firm, located in Hunt Valley, Maryland, US. Formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation, AAI was acquired by Textron in 2007. It currently operates as a unit of Textron Systems and employs more than 2,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system</span> US military standardized aircraft nomenclature

The Tri-Service aircraft designation system is a unified system introduced in 1962 by the United States Department of Defense for designating all U.S. military aircraft. Previously, the U.S. armed services used separate nomenclature systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikorsky H-34</span> American helicopter

The Sikorsky H-34 is an American piston-engined military helicopter originally designed by Sikorsky as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States Navy. It has seen extended use when adapted to turbine power by the British licensee as the Westland Wessex and Sikorsky as the later S-58T. This type had a variety of names depending on the role and timing, but included the aforementioned Wessex, Seahorse, Seabat, and Choctaw. Most of the H-34 (S-58) used radial aviation engines, though other powerplants were employed, and the Wessex used predominantly twin gas turbines. Individual versions often had unique names, the type including everything from the U.S. Coast Guard HH-34F Seahorse was used for search and rescue, to the commercial Winnebago Heli-Home, to Canada's CH-126, the USMC it often went by "HUS" after its original designation in that service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval aviator (United States)</span> Officer qualified as a manned aircraft pilot in the US Navy or US Marine Corps

A naval aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a crewed aircraft pilot in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps. United States Coast Guard crewed aircraft pilots are officially designated as "Coast Guard aviators", although they complete the same undergraduate flight training as Navy and Marine Corps crewed aircraft pilots, and are awarded the same aviation breast insignia.

From 1922 until 1962, the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps and the United States Coast Guard used a system to designate their aircraft that included information about a craft's role and its manufacturer. For a listing of all such designations, see the list of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beechcraft Super King Air</span> Light twin-turboprop transport aircraft family

The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by Beechcraft. The Model 200 and Model 300 series were originally marketed as the "Super King Air" family; the "Super" designation was dropped in 1996. They form the King Air line together with the King Air Model 90 and 100 series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Marine Corps Aviation</span> Air branch of the U.S. Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps Aviation (USMCA) is the aircraft arm of the United States Marine Corps. Aviation units within the Marine Corps are assigned to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, as the aviation combat element, by providing six functions: assault support, antiair warfare, close air support, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, and aerial reconnaissance. The Corps operates rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft mainly to provide transport and close air support to its ground forces. Other aircraft types are also used in a variety of support and special-purpose roles. All Marine Corps aviation falls under the influence of the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, whose job is to advise the Commandant of the Marine Corps in all matters relating to aviation, especially acquisition of new assets, conversions of current aircraft, maintenance, operation, and command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Air Training Command</span> One-star command of the U.S. Naval Education and Training Command

The Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) is a one-star Echelon III command that conducts flight training of student Naval Aviators, and Naval Flight Officers. Though it does not conduct Naval Aircrew training which is conducted by Naval Education and Training Command's Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC), it is responsible for monitoring the production of Aircrewmen through the Naval Aviator Production Process (NAPP). Through the NAPP, NATRACOM is also responsible for programming and monitoring the production of all Navy and Marine Corps Fleet Replacement Squadrons.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Embraer, In association with. "2024 World Air Forces directory". Flight Global. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  2. "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.
  3. "Textron Aviation Special Missions begins deliveries of U.S. Navy Beechcraft King Air 260 Multi-Engine Training System (METS) Aircraft". Textron Aviation newsroom. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.