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.
A: Attack aircraft
A-1 Skyraider – Douglas (redesignated from Navy AD) A-1 Sky Warden – 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 – skipped A-9 – Northrop A-10 Thunderbolt II – Fairchild Republic A-11 – skipped A-12 Avenger II – McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics (not built)
Non-sequential designations
F/A-18 Hornet – McDonnell Douglas
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 original A-26 in Vietnam era) A-29 Super Tucano – Embraer A-37 Dragonfly – Cessna (redesignated from AT-37)
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 C-7 – de Havilland Canada (conflicting designation) C-8 Buffalo – de Havilland Canada 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-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-38 – Gulfstream C-39 – skipped C-40 Clipper – Boeing C-41 – CASA 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 List of United States Air Force aircraft designations (1919–1962). 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-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