List of US Naval aircraft
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Naval aircraft used by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.
Contents |
[edit] Fixed Wing
[edit] Current aircraft
- AV-8B Harrier II - VTOL strike aircraft used by the Marine Corps
- C-2 Greyhound - cargo plane designed to operate from aircraft carriers
- C-9 Skytrain - personnel and cargo transport
- C-12 Huron - transport aircraft for personnel and cargo between Naval air stations
- C-20 Gulfstream III - transport cargo and high-level personnel such as dignitaries and senior leaders
- C-40 Clipper - Navy version of the Boeing 737. Set to replace the C-9 Skytrain.
- C-130 Hercules - medium cargo and personnel transport
- E-2C Hawkeye - all-weather, carrier-based tactical battle management airborne early warning, command and control aircraft.
- E-6 Mercury - airborne command post
- EA-6B Prowler - electronic warfare and aircraft, set to be replaced starting in 2010 by the EA-18G Growler.
- EP-3E Aries II - signals reconnaissance
- F-5 Tiger II - used in the Navy as adversary aircraft for air combat training purposes
- F-16N Fighting Falcon - used in the Navy as adversary aircraft for air combat training purposes
- F/A-18 Hornet - all-weather fighter/attack aircraft
- F/A-18E/F Super Hornet - updated version of the Hornet (nicknamed "Rhino")
- P-3 Orion - Maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare.
- RQ-2 Pioneer - unmanned aerial vehicle
- S-3 Viking - carrier-based anti-submarine warfare. To be phased out of service by 2009.
- T-2C Buckeye - North American Aviation jet trainer.
- T-6 Texan II - trainer
- T-34C Turbomentor - trainer
- T-39 Sabreliner - trainer
- T-44 Pegasus - trainer
- T-45 Goshawk - trainer
- Ilyushin Il-78 - air tanker (2 (s/n 0083485558 and 0083487598, registration UR-76759 and UR-76767) were purchaised from Ukraine to replace KC-135R) [verification needed]
[edit] Future aircraft
- F-35 Lightning II - set to take over the strike fighter role from AV-8B Harrier II and F/A-18 Hornet.
- EA-18G Growler - a modified version of the F/A-18F Super Hornet set to replace the EA-6B Prowler
- P-8 Poseidon - modified Boeing 737 used for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare
[edit] Retired aircraft
- FF Fifi - Biplane fighter, 1933 - 1940.
- F2F - Biplane fighter, 1936 - 1940.
- F3F - Biplane fighter, 1938 - 1940.
- F4F Wildcat - Fighter 1940 - 1945.
- F6F Hellcat - Fighter 1943 - 1954.
- F7F Tigercat - Fighter 1944 - 1954.
- F8F Bearcat - Fighter 1945 -
- F9F Panther - Fighter from 1947-1958.
- FH Phantom - First carrier-based jet aircraft.
- FU - Biplane fighter
- F4U Corsair - Fighter
- F7U Cutlass - Fighter
- F2A Buffalo - Fighter
- F-1 Fury (Pre 1962 FJ Fury) - Fighter
- F-2 Banshee (Pre 1962 F2H Banshee) - Fighter from 1951-1959. Replaced by F3H Demon.
- F-3 Demon (Pre 1962 F3H Demon) - Fighter from 1956-1964. Replaced by F-4 Phantom II.
- F-4 Phantom II (Pre 1962 - F4H Phantom II) - Fighter from 1961-1986. Replaced by F-14 Tomcat
- F-6 Skyray (Pre 1962 F4D Skyray) - Fighter.
- F-8 Crusader - (Pre 1962 - F8U Crusader) Fighter aircraft from 1958-1976.
- F-9 Cougar (Pre 1962 - F9F Cougar) - Fighter from 1947-1958.
- F-10 Skyknight (Pre 1962 F3D Skyknight) - Fighter. Douglas Aircraft.
- F-11 Tiger (Pre 1962 - F11F Tiger) - Fighter from 1956-1969. Replaced by F-8 Crusader.
- F-14 Tomcat - Interceptor and multi-role fighter retired in 2006, replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
- AF Guardian (Also known as TB3F Guardian) - First purpose built anti-submarine aircraft.
- AM Mauler
- A-1 Skyraider (Pre 1962 - AD Skyraider) - Attack aircraft. Replaced by A-4 Skyhawk.
- A-2 Savage (Pre 1962 - A2J Savage) - Strategic bomber from 1949-1960, first US Navy plane designed to carry atomic bomb.
- A-3 Skywarrior (Pre 1962 - A3D Skywarrior) - Strategic bomber from 1956-1991. Replaced by A-6 Intruder.
- A-4 Skyhawk (Pre 1962 - A4D Skyhawk) - Attack aircraft from 1954-1976. Replaced by A-7 Corsair II.
- A-5 Vigilante (Pre 1962 - A3J Vigilante) - Attack aircraft, converted to reconnaissance role RA-5C from 1961 onward.
- A-6 Intruder (Pre 1962 - A2F Intruder) - Attack aircraft from 1963-1997. Replaced by F/A-18 Hornet.
- A-7 Corsair II - Attack aircraft from 1965-1992. Replaced by F/A-18 Hornet.
- SB2U Vindicator - Dive Bomber
- SBC Helldiver - Dive Bomber
- SB2C Helldiver - Dive Bomber
- SBD Dauntless - Dive Bomber
- TBD Devastator - Torpedo Bomber
- TBF Avenger - Torpedo Bomber
- S-2 Tracker (Pre 1962 - S2F Tracker) antisubmarine aircraft from 1952-1976. Replaced by S-3 Viking.
- E-1 Tracer - first purpose built airborne early warning aircraft used by the US Navy
- C-1 Trader - COD and anti-submarine aircraft from 1955-1988. Replaced by C-2 Greyhound.
- ES-3 Shadow - retired in 1999.
- PV Ventura/Harpoon -
- P-2 Neptune (Pre 1962 - P2V Neptune) - land-based antisubmarine aircraft from 1947-1963. Replaced by P-3 Orion.
- T-28 Trojan - North American Aviation basic prop trainer; light attack.
[edit] Cancelled projects
[edit] Rotary Wing
[edit] Current aircraft
The Navy has a variety of aircraft, though the vast majority of rotary wing (helicopter) squadrons now rely on a variation of the H-60.
- UH-1 Iroquois - search and rescue, command and control, and special operations
- H-3 Sea King - multi-purpose helicopter
- CH-53 Sea Stallion - medium helicopter transport of personnel and cargo
- MH-53E Sea Dragon - anti-mine warfare, shipboard delivery, and assault support. Derived from Sea Stallion
- TH-57 Sea Ranger - primarily used for training and other utility missions
- H-60 Seahawk series includes the submarine-hunter SH-60, MH-60 Knighthawk, Multi-Mission helicopter, CH-60 cargo transport, and others.
- CH-46 Sea Knight - cargo transport for the United States Marine Corps
- V-22 Osprey - multi-mission rotary / fixed wing hybrid used by the United States Marine Corps
[edit] Retired aircraft
- CH-46 Sea Knight - retired from the Navy in 2004 (though still in use by the United States Marine Corps)
- SH-2 Seasprite - retired in 2001
[edit] Designation System Pre 1962
In 1962 the designation system used for aircraft by all branches of the US military was changed to match that used by the Air Force. Previously the US Navy had used the following system:
XPB4Y-2
- X denotes that the aircraft was a prototype.
- PB denotes the intended mission of the aircraft, in this case Patrol Bomber.
- 4 denotes that it is the 4th design for the navy in this role by the manufacturer.
- Y denotes the manufacturer ID, in this case Consolidated.
- -2 denotes that this is the second version of this aircraft.
Where there is no number before the manufacturer ID then it is the 1st design, e.g. AD Skyraider being the first Attack aircraft designed by Douglas.
Post WWII the suffix K came into use after the version of the aircraft to denote that it was a drone.
[edit] Mission Types
- A = Attack
- B = Bomber
- BT = Bomber (Torpedo)
- F = Fighter
- H = Helicopter
- J = Utility (Transport)
- JR = Utility (Transport)
- M = Multi-Mission
- N = Trainer
- O = Observation
- OS = Observation Scout
- P = Patrol
- PB = Patrol Bomber
- R = Transport
- S = Scout
- SB = Scout Bomber
- SN = Scout Trainer
- SO = Scout Observation
- T = Torpedo
- TB = Torpedo Bomber
- U = Utility
- W = Warning
[edit] Manufacturer IDs
Other manufacturer IDs were used, these are the major manufacturers:
- A Brewster Aeronautical Corporation
- B Boeing
- C Curtiss-Wright Corporation
- D Douglas Aircraft Company
- F Grumman
- G Goodyear Aircraft Company
- H McDonnell
- J North American Aviation
- K Kaman Aircraft
- L Bell Aircraft
- M General Motors (Eastern Aircraft Div.)
- M Glenn L. Martin Company
- N Naval Aircraft Factory
- O Lockheed
- P Piasecki Helicopter
- R Ryan Aeronautical Company
- S Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
- T Northrop
- U Vought
- V Vultee, also Lockheed
- Y Consolidated, also Convair
