This list of military aircraft of the United States includes prototype, pre-production and operational types. For aircraft in service, see the List of active United States military aircraft. Prototypes are normally prefixed with "X" and are often unnamed (note that these are not the same as the experimental X-planes, which are not generally expected to go into production), while pre-production models are usually prefixed with "Y".
The United States military employs a designation and naming system to provide identifications to all aircraft types. Until 1962, the United States Army, United States Air Force (formerly Army Air Force), and United States Navy all maintained separate systems. In September 1962,[1] these were unified into a single system heavily reflecting the Air Force method. For more complete information on the workings of this system, refer to United States Department of Defense Aerospace Vehicle Designations.
This list does not include aircraft used by the U.S. military services prior to the establishment of a numerical designation system. For these aircraft, see List of military aircraft of the United States (1909-1919). It also does not include aircraft designated under the pre-1962 United States Navy designation system. For these aircraft, see List of military aircraft of the United States (naval).
Prior to 1919, all planes flown by the Army Air Service and the Navy were referred to by the designation given to them by their manufacturer. A variety of both domestic and foreign types were operated, with the latter being the primary front-line types during the First World War.
In September 1919, the Army Air Service decided that it needed an organized designation sequence, and adopted fifteen classifications, designated by roman numerals. Several other unnumbered designations were added later. Each designation was assigned an abbreviation, and each design a number within that abbreviation. Variants were designated by alphabetically appending letters to the design number.
Until 1926, the Army Air Service had three sequences for bombers. Light bombers were indicated by the LB- prefix, medium bombers by the B- prefix, and heavy bombers by the HB- prefix. In 1926, the three-category system was scrapped and all bombers subsequently built were placed in the B- sequence.
A short-lived designation used from 1935-1936 to refer to three long-range bomber projects commissioned by the Army Air Corps.
Designated P- for "pursuit" until 1948, when the United States Air Force was founded. After this, all P- designations were changed to F- ("fighter"), but the original numbers were retained.
Both of the following aircraft are numbered in the B- (bomber) sequence.
In 1941, the category letter R- was allotted for "rotary wing" aircraft, and this designation was used until the founding of the United States Air Force in 1947, at which point the category letter was changed to H-, for "helicopter". However, the original numbering sequence was retained.
In 1962 when the Unified Designation System was adopted, six former Navy and Army types received new designations in the H-1 to H-6 series, which can be found here. However, the original sequence was also continued, and remains in use to the present, with the next designation available being H-73.
The AT-6 Texan, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan, were retroactively given T- designations. The new sequence began at 28, continuing the "PT-" numbering sequence.
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V-1 | McDonnell Aircraft | 14 July 1954 | Formerly L-25 Formerly H-35 |
||
| V-2 | Sikorsky Aircraft | - | Not built | ||
| V-3 | Bell Helicopter | 11 August 1955 | Formerly H-33 |
In 1956, the U.S. Army adopted a new, and relatively simple, designation system for its aviation assets. Aircraft were divided into three different types - 'A' for fixed-wing aircraft, 'H' for helicopters, or 'V' for V/STOL aircraft, and then were given a mission modifier, which, unlike the USAF system, came after the type code: 'C' for transports, 'O' for observation and reconnaissance aircraft, 'U' for utility types, and 'Z' for experimental aircraft. Aircraft types designated in this system were numbered sequentially.[7]
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZ-1 | Marvelette | Mississippi State University | 16 November 1962 |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL-1 | Boeing | [8] Airborne Laser Testbed |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z-1 | Goodyear | [8] | ||
| Z-2 | Sentinel | Westinghouse Airships | ||
| Z-3 | American Blimp | [2] |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-1 | Skipped | ||||||
| S-2 | Tracker | Grumman Aircraft | Formerly S2F | ||||
| S-3 | Viking Shadow |
Lockheed Corporation | |||||
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 | Skyraider | Douglas | (formerly designated AD) | |
| A-2 | Savage | North American | (formerly designated AJ) | |
| A-3 | Skywarrior | Douglas | (formerly designated A3D) | |
| A-4 | Skyhawk | Douglas | (formerly designated A4D) | |
| A-5 | Vigilante | North American | (formerly designated A3J) | |
| A-6 | Intruder | Grumman | (formerly designated A2F) | |
| A-7 | Corsair II | LTV | ||
| A-9 | Northrop | Losing contender for the AX competition | ||
| A-10 | Thunderbolt II | Fairchild Republic | Winning contender for the AX competition | |
| A-12 | Avenger II | McDonnell Douglas / General Dynamics | cancelled | |
| F/A-18C/D | Hornet | McDonnell Douglas | [9] | |
| F/A-18E/F | Super Hornet | Boeing | [9] | |
| A-26 | Invader | Douglas | (redesignated from B-26 in 1966) | |
| A-29 | Super Tucano | Embraer | ||
| A-37 | Dragonfly | Cessna | (originally designated AT-37) |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-1 | Lancer | Rockwell International | ||
| B-2 | Spirit "Stealth Bomber" |
Northrop Grumman |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-1 | Trader | Grumman | (formerly designated TF) | |
| C-2 | Greyhound | Grumman | ||
| C-3 | Martin 4-0-4 | Martin | (formerly designated RM-1Z) Martin 4-0-4 airliners for use by the US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard | |
| C-4 | Academe | Gulfstream | Used for training A-6 Intruder WSO's. | |
| C-5 | Galaxy | Lockheed | ||
| C-6 | Ute | Beechcraft | Beechcraft 90 King Air, re-designated U-21 Ute | |
| C-7 | Caribou | de Havilland Canada | ||
| C-8 | Buffalo | de Havilland Canada | ||
| C-9 | Nightingale | McDonnell-Douglas | ||
| C-10 | Jetstream | Handley Page | USAF 68-10378/10388 (were to be offset purchase for RAF F-111K – both cancelled) | |
| C-10 | McDonnell-Douglas | Winner of the KC-X competition (after cancellation of C-10 Jetstream, C-10 designation re-used) | ||
| C-11 | Gulfstream II | Gulfstream | ||
| C-12 | Beechcraft | |||
| C-14 | Boeing | AMST contender | ||
| C-15 | McDonnell-Douglas | AMST contender | ||
| C-17 | Globemaster III | Boeing | ||
| C-18 | Boeing 707-320 | Boeing | ||
| C-19 | Boeing 747-100 | Boeing | ||
| C-20 | Gulfstream III | Gulfstream | C-20A / B / C / D / E | |
| C-20 | Gulfstream IV | Gulfstream | C-20F / G / H / J | |
| C-21 | Learjet 35 | Learjet | ||
| C-22 | Boeing 727 | Boeing | Air National Guard and National Guard Bureau personnel transports | |
| C-23 | Sherpa | Shorts | Military logistics transports for use in Europe and the US by the US Air Force and US Army | |
| C-24 | DC-8F-54 | Douglas | A single DC-8-54F used for avionic trials as the EC-24A | |
| C-25 | Boeing | Presidential VVIP transport | ||
| C-26 | Fairchild | |||
| C-27 | Spartan | Alenia | ||
| C-28 | Titan | Cessna | ||
| C-29 | B Ae 125-800 | British Aerospace | Airways and navaid checker | |
| C-32 | Boeing | VIP transport | ||
| C-35 | Cessna | |||
| C-37 | Gulfstream V | Gulfstream | ||
| C-38 | Gulfstream G100 | Gulfstream | (formerly IAI Astra SPX) | |
| C-40 | Boeing 737-700c | Boeing | (replacement for the C-9 Nightingale) | |
| C-41 | C-212 series 200 Aviocar | Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA | [2] | |
| C-45 | EADS | Losing K-X contender[2] | ||
| C-46 | Boeing | Winner of the K-X competition over the EADS KC-45 | ||
| KC-767 | Boeing | Out of sequence designation used for foreign military sales and trials aircraft:- Multi-Role Tanker Transports exported to Japan and Italy [2] | ||
| UC-880 | Convair | Out of sequence designation used for foreign military sales and trials aircraft:- A single Convair 880 converted to tanker to support trials from the NATC at Patuxent River[10] |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q-1 | Predator Warrior |
General Atomics | [2] MQ-1C Warrior |
||||
| Q-2 | Pioneer | AAI Corporation Israel Aircraft Industries |
|||||
| Q-3 | Dark Star | Lockheed Martin Boeing |
|||||
| Q-4 | Global Hawk | Northrop Grumman | |||||
| Q-5 | Hunter | Israel Aircraft Industries | |||||
| Q-6 | Outrider | Alliant Techsystems | |||||
| Q-7 | Shadow | AAI Corporation | |||||
| Q-8 | Fire Scout | Northrop Grumman | |||||
| Q-9 | Reaper Altair |
General Atomics | Originally "Predator B" | ||||
| Q-10 | SnowGoose | MMIST | |||||
| Q-11 | Raven | AeroVironment | |||||
| Q-12 | Requested for Q-1C - Skipped | ||||||
| Q-13 | Skipped | ||||||
| Q-14 | Dragon Eye | AeroVironment | |||||
| Q-15 | Neptune | DRS Technologies | |||||
| Q-16 | T-Hawk | Honeywell | |||||
| Q-17 | SpyHawk | MTC Technologies | |||||
| Q-18 | Hummingbird | Boeing | |||||
| Q-19 | Aerosonde | AAI Corporation | [2] | ||||
| Non-sequential designations | |||||||
| Q-170 | Sentinel | Lockheed Martin | |||||
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Tracer | Grumman Aircraft | Formerly WF | |
| E-2 | Hawkeye | Grumman Aircraft | Formerly W2F | |
| E-3 | Sentry | Boeing | ||
| E-4 | "Nightwatch" | Boeing | ||
| E-5 | Eagle | Windecker Industries | ||
| E-6 | Mercury | Boeing | TACAMO | |
| E-7 | Designation proposed for EC-18B | |||
| E-8 | Joint STARS | Northrop Grumman | ||
| E-9 | Widget | de Havilland Canada | ||
| E-10 | MC2A | Boeing Northrop Grumman |
||
| E-11 | Bombardier Northrop Grumman |
Battlefield Airborne Communications Node platform | ||
| E-767 | Boeing | Out of sequence designation used for foreign military sales and trials aircraft:- AEW&C aircraft for the Japanese Self-Defence Forces[2] |
In addition to aircraft intended to support military operations, the armed forces of the United States have also supported efforts to push the boundaries of aeronautical and aerospace knowledge. Some of the best-known of these projects are the aircraft designated in the "X-series", which led them to become known as "X-planes".
| Name | Manufacturer Agency |
Image | Maiden flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-1 | Bell Aircraft USAF, NACA |
January 19, 1946 | High-speed and high-altitude testing. First aircraft to break the sound barrier. Proved aerodynamic viability of thin wing sections.[11] |
|
| X-2 "Starbuster" |
Bell Aircraft USAF |
June 27, 1952 | High-speed and high-altitude testing. First aircraft to exceed Mach 3.[12] |
|
| X-3 Stiletto |
Douglas Aircraft USAF, NACA |
October 27, 1952 | Titanium alloy construction; low aspect ratio wings. Planned to test long-duration high-speed flight. Incapable of reaching design speed, but Provided insights into inertia coupling.[13] |
|
| X-4 Bantam |
Northrop USAF, NACA |
December 15, 1948 | Evaluated handling characteristics of tailless aircraft in the transonic speed region.[14] | |
| X-5 | Bell Aircraft USAF, NACA |
June 20, 1951 | First aircraft to fly with Variable-sweep wing wings.[15] (many other aircraft had previously flown with variable geometry wings, but none with variable sweep wings) | |
| X-6 | Convair USAF, AEC |
Not flown | Modified Convair B-36 for study of Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion; not built. NB-36H testbed tested reactor.[16] |
|
| X-7 "Flying Stove Pipe" |
Lockheed Tri-service |
April 1951 | High-speed testbed for ramjet engines.[17] | |
| X-8 Aerobee |
Aerojet NACA, USAF, USN |
Upper air research vehicle and sounding rocket.[18] | ||
| X-9 Shrike |
Bell Aircraft USAF |
April 1949 | Guidance and propulsion technology testbed. Assisted development of GAM-63 Rascal missile.[19] |
|
| X-10 | North American Aviation USAF |
October 13, 1953 | Testbed for SM-64 Navajo missile.[20] | |
| X-11 | Convair USAF |
June 11, 1957 | Testbed for SM-65 Atlas missile.[21] | |
| X-12 | Convair USAF |
July, 1958 | Advanced testbed for SM-65 Atlas missile.[22] | |
| X-13 Vertijet |
Ryan Aeronautical USAF, USN |
December 10, 1955 | Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) testbed. Evaluated tailsitting configuration for VTOL flight.[23] |
|
| X-14 | Bell Aircraft USAF, NASA |
February 19, 1957 | VTOL testbed. Examined the vectored thrust configuration for VTOL flight.[24] |
|
| X-15 | North American Aviation USAF, NASA |
June 8, 1959 | Hypersonic (Mach 6), high-altitude (350,000 feet (110,000 m)) testing. First manned hypersonic aircraft; capable of suborbital spaceflight.[25] |
|
| X-16 | Bell Aircraft USAF |
Never flew | High-altitude reconnaissance aircraft project.[26] "X-16" designation used as cover story.[27] |
|
| X-17 | Lockheed USAF, USN |
April 1956 | Tested the effects of high Mach number reentry.[28] | |
| X-18 | Hiller Aircraft USAF, USN |
November 24, 1959 | VTOL/Short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) testbed. Evaluated the tiltwing concept for VTOL flight.[29] |
|
| X-19 | Curtiss-Wright Tri-service |
November 1963 | Tandem tiltrotor VTOL transport testbed.[30] XC-143 designation proposed.[31] |
|
| X-20 Dyna-Soar |
Boeing USAF |
Never built | Reusable spaceplane for military missions.[32] | |
| X-21 | Northrop USAF |
April 18, 1963 | Boundary layer control testbed.[33] | |
| X-22 | Bell Aircraft Tri-service |
March 17, 1966 | Quad ducted fan tiltrotor STOVL testbed.[34] | |
| X-23 PRIME |
Martin Marietta USAF |
December 21, 1966 | Maneuvering atmospheric reentry effects testbed.[35] Note: Designation never officially assigned.[36] |
|
| X-24 | Martin Marietta USAF, NASA |
August 1, 1973 | Low-speed lifting body handling testbed. Lifting body aerodynamic shape trials.[37] |
|
| X-25 | Benson USAF |
December 6, 1955 | Light autogyro for emergency use by downed pilots.[38] | |
| X-26 Frigate |
Schweizer DARPA, US Army, USN |
1967 | Training glider for yaw-roll coupling Quiet observation aircraft testbed.[39] |
|
| X-27 | Lockheed | Never flew | High performance fighter prototype.[40] | |
| X-28 Sea Skimmer |
Osprey Aircraft USN |
August 12, 1970 | Inexpensive aerial policing seaplane testbed.[41] | |
| X-29 | Grumman DARPA, USAF, NASA |
1984 | Forward-swept wing testbed.[42] | |
| X-30 NASP |
Rockwell NASA, DARPA, USAF |
Never built | Single stage to orbit spaceplane prototype.[43] | |
| X-31 | Rockwell DARPA, USAF, BdV |
1990 | Thrust vectoring supermaneuverability testbed. ESTOL testbed.[44] |
|
| X-32 | Boeing USAF, USN, RAF |
September 2000 | Joint Strike Fighter prototype.[45] | |
| X-33 Venture Star |
Lockheed Martin NASA |
Prototype never completed | Half-scale reusable launch vehicle prototype.[46] | |
| X-34 | Orbital Sciences NASA |
Never flew | Reusable unmanned spaceplane testbed.[47] | |
| X-35 | Lockheed Martin USAF, USN, RAF |
2000 | Joint Strike Fighter prototype.[48] | |
| X-36 | McDonnell Douglas/Boeing NASA |
May 17, 1997 | 28% scale tailless fighter testbed.[49] | |
| X-37 | Boeing USAF, NASA |
April 7, 2006 (drop test) April 22, 2010 (orbital flight) |
Reusable orbital spaceplane.[50] | |
| X-38 | Scaled Composites NASA |
1999 | Lifting body Crew Return Vehicle demonstrator.[51] | |
| X-39 | Unknown USAF |
Unknown | Future Aircraft Technology Enhancements (FATE) program.[52] Note: Designation never officially assigned.[36] |
|
| X-40 | Boeing USAF, NASA |
August 11, 1998 | 80% scale Space Maneuver Vehicle testbed. X-37 prototype.[53] |
|
| X-41 | Unknown USAF |
Unknown | Maneuvering re-entry vehicle.[54] | |
| X-42 | Unknown USAF |
Unknown | Expendable liquid propellant upper stage rocket.[55] | |
| X-43 Hyper-X |
Microcraft NASA |
June 2, 2001 | Scramjet hypersonic testbed.[56] | |
| X-44 MANTA |
Lockheed Martin USAF, NASA |
Cancelled | F-22-based Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft thrust vectoring testbed.[57] | |
| X-45 | Boeing DARPA, USAF |
May 22, 2002 | Unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator.[58] | |
| X-46 | Boeing DARPA, USN |
Cancelled | Naval UCAV demonstrator.[59] | |
| X-47A Pegasus X-47B |
Northrop Grumman DARPA, USN |
February 23, 2003 | Naval UCAV demonstrator.[60] | |
| X-48 | Boeing NASA |
July 20, 2007 | Blended Wing Body (BWB) testbed.[61] | |
| X-49 Speedhawk |
Piasecki Aircraft US Army |
July 29, 2007 | Compound helicopter Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller (VTDP) testbed.[2] |
|
| X-50 Dragonfly |
Boeing DARPA |
24 November 2003 | Canard Rotor/Wing testbed.[62] | |
| X-51 Waverider |
Boeing USAF |
26 May 2010[63] | Hypersonic scramjet demonstrator.[64] | |
| X-52 | Number skipped to avoid confusion with B-52.[36] | |||
| X-53 | Boeing Phantom Works NASA, USAF |
November 2002 | Active Aeroelastic Wing testbed.[65] | |
| X-54 | Gulfstream Aerospace NASA |
Future | Supersonic transport testbed.[2] | |
| X-55 | Lockheed Martin Skunk Works USAF |
June 2, 2009 | Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA). Molded composite fuselage and empennage testbed.[66] |
|
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-1 | Fury | North American | (previously designated FJ) | |
| F-2 | Banshee | McDonnell | (previously designated F2H) | |
| F-3 | Demon | McDonnell | (previously designated F3H) | |
| F-4 | Phantom II | McDonnell Douglas | (previously designated F4H) | |
| F-5 | Freedom Fighter | Northrop | ||
| F-6 | Skyray | Douglas | (previously designated F4D) | |
| F-7 | Sea Dart | Convair | (previously designated F2Y) | |
| F-8 | Crusader | Vought | (previously designated F8U) | |
| F-9 | Cougar | Grumman | (previously designated F9F) | |
| F-10 | Skyknight | Douglas | (previously designated F3D) | |
| F-11 | Tiger | Grumman | (previously designated F11F) | |
| F-12 | Lockheed | Two-seat Fighter version of the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft | ||
| F-14 | Tomcat | Grumman | ||
| F-15 | Eagle | McDonnell Douglas | ||
| F-16 | Fighting Falcon | General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin | Winning contender in the LWF contest | |
| F-17 | Cobra | Northrop | Losing contender in the LWF contest, developed into the F/A-18 Hornet | |
| F-18A/B/C/D | Hornet | McDonnell Douglas | Developed from the YF-17 as a shipboard fighter Attack aircraft | |
| F/A-18E/F | Super Hornet | Boeing | Enlarged F/A-18 with bigger everything [2] | |
| F-20 | Tigershark | Northrop | The ultimate Tiger development powered by a single F404 afterburning turbofan, but no production | |
| F-21 | Kfir C-2 | Israel Aircraft Industries | Kfir C2 aircraft for US Navy dissimilar combat training and aggressor training | |
| F-22 | Raptor | Lockheed Martin | [2] | |
| F-23 | Black Widow II | Northrop / McDonnell Douglas | Lost out to the F-22 in competition | |
| F-35 | Lightning II | Lockheed Martin | Production version of the X-35, winner of the JSF competition[2] | |
| YF-110 | MiG-21s | Mikoyan-Gurevich | Note: Captured foreign aircraft used for evaluation and aggressor were given designations in sequence—based on chronology—with "black" project aircraft, continuing the pre-1962 F series.[67] Designation used for captured MiG-21s and new-build J-7s[68] | |
| YF-112 | Su-22 | Sukhoi | Note: Captured foreign aircraft used for evaluation and aggressor were given designations in sequence—based on chronology—with "black" project aircraft, continuing the pre-1962 F series.[67] - obtained from Egypt or Allegedly used for captured MiGs[68] | |
| YF-113 | MiG-23s | Mikoyan-Gurevich | Note: Captured foreign aircraft used for evaluation and aggressor were given designations in sequence—based on chronology—with "black" project aircraft, continuing the pre-1962 F series.[67] - Designation used for captured MiG-17s and [67][68] | |
| YF-114 | MiG-17 | Mikoyan-Gurevich | Note: Captured foreign aircraft used for evaluation and aggressor were given designations in sequence—based on chronology—with "black" project aircraft, continuing the pre-1962 F series.[67] - Designation used for captured MiG-17s[68] | |
| F-117 | Nighthawk | Lockheed | Production version of the HAVE BLUE experimental stealth aircraft | |
| F-117D Tacit Blue | TACIT BLUE | A stealth experimental aircraft[68] |
Note: Captured foreign aircraft used for evaluation and aggressor were given designations in sequence—based on chronology—with "black" project aircraft, continuing the pre-1962 F series.[67]
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.
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1 Iroquois | Iroquois Huey |
Bell Helicopter | 22 October 1956 | Formerly H-40 Formerly HU-1 UH-1N Twin Huey UH-1Y Venom |
|
| H-1 Cobra | Cobra SeaCobra SuperCobra Viper |
Bell Helicopter | Formerly AH-1 Cobra AH-1 SuperCobra AH-1Z Viper |
||
| H-2 Seasprite | Seasprite | Kaman Aircraft | 2 July 1959 | Formerly HU2K SH-2G Super Seasprite |
|
| H-3 Sea King | Sea King "Jolly Green Giant" |
Sikorsky Aircraft | 11 March 1959 | Formerly HSS-2 CH-/HH-3 Sea King |
|
| H-4 | Bell Helicopter | 8 December 1962 | Formerly HO-4 | ||
| H-5 | Fairchild Hiller | 21 January 1963 | Formerly HO-5 | ||
| H-6 Cayuse | Cayuse Little Bird |
Hughes Helicopters McDonnell Douglas Boeing Helicopters |
27 February 1963 | Formerly HO-6 MH-6 Little Bird AH-6 |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | Bird Dog | Cessna Aircraft | 14 December 1949 | Formerly L-19 | |
| O-2 | Skymaster | Cessna Aircraft | January 1967 | ||
| O-3 | "Quiet Star" | Lockheed Missiles & Space | 1969 | ||
| O-4 | Wren Aircraft | 1963 (Wren 460) |
Not proceeded with. | ||
| O-5 | ARL | de Havilland Canada | 27 March 1975 (DHC-7) |
Formerly RC-7 |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P-1 | Skipped | ||||
| P-2 | Neptune | Lockheed Corporation | 17 May 1945 | Formerly P2V | |
| P-3 | Orion ARIES |
Lockheed Corporation | 25 November 1959 | Formerly P3V WP-3D Orion EP-3 Aries |
|
| P-4 | Privateer | Consolidated Aircraft | 1943 | Formerly PB4Y-2K / P4Y-2K) | |
| P-5 | Marlin | Glenn L. Martin Company | 30 May 1948 | Formerly P5M | |
| P-6 | Skipped - presumably because of Martin P6M which was canceled a few years previously | ||||
| P-7 | Lockheed Corporation | - | Long-Range Air ASW-Capable Aircraft Not built |
||
| P-8 | Poseidon | Boeing | 25 April 2009 | [2] | |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-1 | Dragon Lady | Rockwell International | August 1981 | ||
| R-2 | Skipped | ||||
| R-3 | Possibly assigned to a Black Project Speculated: TR-3 Black Manta Speculated: SR-3 Blackstar |
||||
The only designation in the "Spaceplane" series, the MS-1A shares a designation letter with the anti-submarine warfare category, and is perhaps unique among MDS identifiers as being assigned to a future, and currently not wholly defined, concept, as opposed to a specific project.[71]
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-1 | future | [2] |
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.
Despite the adoption of the unified Mission Designation System in 1962, only two aircraft were designated in the new series, both former Navy types. The old series continued in use until 1990, at which point a new series was started over at T-1, with the previous T-2 still being in use. However, the old series has still seen new designations being assigned. The next designation available in the 'T' series is T-52 or T-7, depending on which series is continued.
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 Sequence | |||||
| T-1 | SeaStar | Lockheed Corporation | 15 December 1953 | Formerly T2V. | |
| T-2 | Buckeye | North American Aviation | 31 January 1958 | Formerly T2J. | |
| 1990 Sequence | |||||
| T-1 | Jayhawk | Raytheon Hawker Beechcraft |
|||
| T-2 | Skipped | T-2 Buckeye was still in service. | |||
| T-3 | Firefly | Slingsby Aviation | 1991 | ||
| T-4 | Skipped | ||||
| T-5 | Skipped | ||||
| T-6 | Texan II | Hawker Beechcraft | July 1998 | Named in honor of AT-6 Texan | |
| Sequence | Name | Manufacturer | Image | First flight | Notes/Notable Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V-1 | Mohawk | Grumman Aircraft | 14 April 1959 | Formerly AO-1 | |
| V-2 | Caribou | de Havilland Canada | 30 July 1958 | Formerly AC-1 Redesignated as C-7 |
|
| V-3 | Bell Helicopter | 11 August 1955 | Formerly H-33 Formerly V-3 in Convertiplane series |
||
| V-4 | Hummingbird | Lockheed Corporation | 7 July 1962 | Formerly VZ-10 | |
| V-5 | Vertifan | Ryan Aeronautical | 25 May 1964 | Formerly VZ-11 | |
| V-6 | Kestrel | Hawker Siddeley | 7 March 1964 | Formerly VZ-12 | |
| V-7 | Buffalo | de Havilland Canada | 22 September 1961 | Formerly AC-2 Redesignated as C-8 |
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| V-8 | "Fleep" | Ryan Aeronautical | 1961 | Designation later reused. | |
| V-8 | Harrier | Hawker Siddeley McDonnell Douglas British Aerospace Boeing |
28 December 1967 | AV-8B Harrier II | |
| V-9 | Hughes Helicopters | 5 November 1964 | |||
| V-10 | Bronco | Rockwell International Boeing |
16 July 1965 | ||
| V-11 | Marvel | Parsons Corporation | 1 December 1965 | ||
| V-12 | Parsons Corporation | 1961 (Turbo-Porter) |
Cancelled, designation reused. | ||
| V-12 | Rockwell International | 1978 (tethered hover) |
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| V-13 | Skipped | ||||
| V-14 | Skipped | Skipped to avoid confusion with X-14.[72] | |||
| V-15 | Bell Helicopter | 3 May 1977 | |||
| V-16 | Advanced Harrier | McDonnell Douglas British Aerospace |
- | Not built; developed into AV-8B | |
| V-17 | Skipped | Assigned to a U.S. Army project but not used.[72] | |||
| V-18 | Twin Otter | de Havilland Canada | 20 May 1965 (DHC-6) |
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| V-19 | Skipped | Assigned to a U.S. Navy project but cancelled.[72] | |||
| V-20 | Chiricahua | de Havilland Canada | 1979 | ||
| V-21 | PACES | Airship Industries | 1983 | Unconfirmed designation.[72] | |
| V-22 | Osprey | Bell Helicopter Boeing Helicopters |
19 March 1989 | ||
| V-23 | Scout | Dominion Aircraft | 21 April 1975 (Skytrader) |
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