1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system

US military standardized aircraft nomenclature September 2026 July 2022 thumb|upright=1.5|alt=A pair of armed Phantom jet fighters in flight at high altitude|Before the introduction of the tri-service designation system, the F-4 Phantom II was designated F4H by the U.S. Navy, and F-110 Spectre by the U.S. Air Force. 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. Under the tri-service designation system, officially introduced on 18 September 1962, almost all aircraft receive a unified designation, whether they are operated by the United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy (USN), United States Marine Corps (USMC), United States Army (USA), United States Space Force (USSF), or United States Coast Guard (USCG). Experimental aircraft operated by manufacturers or by NASA are also often assigned designations from the X-series of the tri-service system. The 1962 system was based on the one used by the USAF between 1948 and 1962, which was in turn based on the type, model, series USAAS/USAAC/USAAF system used from 1924 to 1948. The 1962 system has been modified and updated since introduction. History The Tri-Service system was first enacted on 6 July 1962 by the DoD Directive 4505.6 "Designating, Redesignating, and Naming Military Aircraft" and was implemented via Air Force Regulation (AFR) 66-11, Army Regulation (AR) 700-26, Bureau of Weapons Instruction (BUWEPSINST) 13100.7 on 18 September 1962. Anecdotally, the Tri-Service system was partly brought about due to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's confusion and frustration with the different designation systems the Navy and Air Force used at the time which resulted in the U.S. Navy's F4H Phantom II and the U.S. Air Force's F-110 Spectre both being used to refer to, essentially, the same fighter aircraft. The Tri-Service aircraft designation system was presented alongside the 1963 rocket and guided missile designation system in Air Force Regulation (AFR) 82-1/Army Regulation (AR) 70-50/Naval Material Command Instruction (NAVMATINST) 8800.4A (published 27 March 1974) and the two systems have been concurrently presented and maintained in joint publications since. The most recent changes were mandated by Joint Regulation 4120.15E Designating and Naming Military Aerospace Vehicles and were implemented via Air Force Instruction (AFI) 16-401, Army Regulation (AR) 70-50, Naval Air Systems Command Instruction (NAVAIRINST) 13100.16 on 3 November 2020. The list of military aircraft was maintained via 4120.15-L Model Designation of Military Aerospace Vehicles until its transition to data.af.mil on 31 August 2018. Designation system The system uses a Mission-Design-Series (MDS) designation of the form: (Status Prefix)(Modified Mission)(Basic Mission)(Vehicle Type)-(Design Number)(Series Letter) Of these components, only the Basic Mission, Design Number and Series Letter are mandatory. In the case of special vehicles a Vehicle Type symbol must also be included. The U.S. Air Force characterizes this designation system as "MDS", while the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard continue to refer to it as Type/Model/Series (T/M/S).https://www.navair.navy.mil/napra/ Homepage Status prefix These optional prefixes are attached to aircraft not conducting normal operations, such as research, testing and development. The prefixes are: e: Digitally developed G: Permanently grounded J: Special test, temporary N: Special test, permanent X: Experimental Y: Prototype Z: Planning A temporary special test means the aircraft is intended to return to normal service after the tests are completed, while permanent special test aircraft are not. The Planning code is no longer used but was meant to designate aircraft "on the drawing board". For example, using this system an airframe such as the F-13 could have initially been designated as ZF-13 during the design phase, possibly XF-13 if experimental testing was required before building a prototype, the YF-13; the final production model would simply be designated F-13 (with the first production variant being the F-13A). Continuing the example, some F-13s during their service life may have been used for testing modifications or researching new designs and designated JF-13 or NF-13; finally after many years of service, the airframe would be permanently grounded due to safety or economic reasons as GF-13.http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/aircraft.html#_System_6_Note1 Current Designations of U.S. Military Aircraft Modified mission Aircraft which are modified after manufacture or even built for a different mission from the standard airframe of a particular design are assigned a modified mission code. They are: A: Attack B: Bomber C: Cargo (i.e., transport) D: Drone director E: Electronic warfare F: Fighter H: Search and rescue and MEDEVAC K: Tanker L: Modified for cold weather operations M: Multi-mission (i.e., Special Operations) O: Observation P: Maritime patrol Q: Unmanned aerial vehicle R: Reconnaissance S: Anti-submarine warfare T: Trainer U: Utility V: VIP transport W: Weather reconnaissance The multi-mission and utility missions could be considered the same thing; however they are applied to multipurpose aircraft conducting certain categories of mission. M-aircraft conduct combat or special operations while U-aircraft conduct combat support missions, such as transport (e.g., UH-60) and electronic warfare (e.g., MC-12). Historically, the vast majority of U.S. Coast Guard air assets included the H-code (e.g., HH-60 Jayhawk or HC-130 Hercules). In the 21st century, the Coast Guard has used the multi-mission designation for their armed rescue helicopters (MH-60 Jayhawk or MH-65 Dolphin).2003 – Airborne Use of Force – Coast Guard Arms HH-65C and HH-60J Helicopters Basic mission All aircraft are to be assigned a basic mission code. In some cases, the basic mission code is replaced by one of the modified mission codes when it is more suitable (e.g., M in MH-53J Pave Low III). The defined codes are: A: Attack aircraft (for tactical air-to-surface mission) B: Bomber (for strategic air-to-surface mission) C: Cargo (i.e. Transport) E: Special electronic installation F: Fighter K: Tanker (dropped between 1977 and 1985) L: Laser-equipped O: Observation (Forward Air Control) P: Maritime patrol R: Reconnaissance S: Anti-submarine warfare T: Trainer U: Utility X: Special research The rise of the multirole fighter in the decades since the system was introduced has created some confusion about the difference between attack and fighter aircraft. According to the current designation system, an attack aircraft (A) is designed primarily for air-to-surface missions (also known as "attack missions"),Designating and Naming Defense Military Aerospace Vehicles United States Department of the Air Force http://www.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI16-401%28I%29.pdf 14 April 2005 29 January 2011 Attack: Aircraft designed to find, attack, and destroy land or sea targets. 2 March 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120302220513/http://www.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI16-401%28I%29.pdf dead while a fighter category F incorporates not only aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air warfare, but also multipurpose aircraft16-401(I), pp. 17, "F – Fighter Aircraft designed to intercept and destroy other aircraft or missiles. Includes multipurpose aircraft also designed for ground support missions such as interdiction and close air support." designed also for attack missions. The Air Force has even assigned the F designation to attack-only aircraft, such as the F-111 Aardvark and F-117 Nighthawk.Zarzecki Thomas W. Arms diffusion: the spread of military innovations in the international system 2002 Routledge New York [u.a.] 0-415-93514-8 https://books.google.com/books?id=fhnixhMQqW8C&pg=PA186 186 The only A designated aircraft currently in the U.S. Air Force is the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The last front line A designated aircraft in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps was the A-6 Intruder, with the only strictly A designated fixed-wing aircraft remaining in the sea services being the A-29 Super Tucano leased under the Imminent Fury program.http://www.navytimes.com/article/20090313/NEWS/903130325/Navy-eyes-Super-Tucano-for-SpecOps-work February 2022 Of these code series, no normal aircraft have been assigned a K or R basic mission code in a manner conforming to the system. Vehicle type The vehicle type element is used to designate the type of aerospace craft. Aircraft not in one of the following categories (most fixed-wing aircraft) are not required to carry a type designator. The type categories are: D: Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control segment G: Glider H: Helicopter Q: Unmanned aerial vehicle S: Spaceplane V: Vertical take-off/short take-off and landing (VTOL/STOL) Z: Lighter-than-air A UAV control segment is not an aircraft, it is the ground control equipment used to command a UAV. Only in recent years has an aircraft been designated as a spaceplane, the proposed MS-1A. Design number According to the designation system, aircraft of a particular vehicle type or basic mission (for manned, fixed-wing, powered aircraft) were to be numbered consecutively, and the number series were restarted, causing some redesignated naval aircraft and subsequent new designs to overlap disused USAAC/USAAF designations (e.g., the Lockheed F-5 and Northrop F-5). Numbers were not to be assigned to avoid confusion with other letter sequences or to conform with manufacturers' model numbers. Recently this rule has been ignored, and aircraft have received a design number equal to the model number (e.g., KC-767A) or have kept the design number when they are transferred from one series to another (e.g., the X-35 became the F-35). Series letter Different versions of the same basic aircraft type are to be delineated using a single letter suffix beginning with "A" and increasing sequentially (skipping "I" and "O" to avoid confusion with the numbers "1" and "0"). It is not clear how much modification is required to merit a new series letter, e.g., the F-16C production run has varied extensively over time. The modification of an aircraft to carry out a new mission does not necessarily require a new suffix (e.g., F-111Cs modified for reconnaissance are designated RF-111C), but often a new letter is assigned (e.g., the UH-60As modified for Search and Rescue missions are designated HH-60G). Some series letters have been skipped to forestall confusion with pre-1962 naval designations; for instance, there was no "H" version of the F-4 Phantom II because the aircraft type was previously designated F4H.Francillon René J. 1990 McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 II Annapolis, Maryland Naval Institute Press 1-55750-550-0 205 Non-systematic aircraft designations Since the 1962 system was introduced there have been several instances of non-systematic aircraft designations and skipping of design numbers. Non-systematic or aberrant designations The most common changes are to use a number from another series, or some other choice, rather than the next available number (117, 767, 71). Another is to change the order of the letters or use new acronym based letters (e.g. SR) rather than existing ones. Non-systematic designations are both official and correct, since the DOD has final authority to approve such designations. A-29 Briefly designated "A-14A" before being changed to "A-29B" to match the Brazilian designation."Missing" USAF/DOD Aircraft Designations https://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/missing-mds.html 2024-03-15 www.designation-systems.net A-37 Dragonfly Used the design number from its parent aircraft, the T-37 Tweet, rather than the next available number in the A series (A-8). Initially designated as the YAT-37D, using an A mission modifier and D series letter that continued the T-37 sequence, but redesignated as the YA-37A during development. B-21 Designated "B-21" as being the first bomber type of the 21st century,Martin Mike 26 February 2016 Air Force reveals B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/673784/air-force-reveals-b-21-long-range-strike-bomber/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20231115065426/https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/673784/air-force-reveals-b-21-long-range-strike-bomber/ 15 November 2023 2 March 2016 AFNS rather than the next available number in the B series (B-3). E-130J Uses both the design number and suffix letter from its parent type, the C-130J Hercules,Finnerty Ryan 2024-10-21 US Navy designates E-6B replacement the E-130J https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/us-navy-designates-e-6b-replacement-the-e-130j/160380.article 2024-10-21 Flight Global rather than the next available number in the E series (E-12). EA-37B Redesignated from EC-37B to better reflect the aircraft's capabilities.Trevithick Joseph 2023-11-21 New 'Attack' EA-37B Moniker For USAF Electronic Warfare Jets https://www.twz.com/new-attack-ea-37b-moniker-for-usaf-electronic-warfare-jets 2024-08-29 The War Zone en-US The new designation conflicts with the A-37B Dragonfly. F/A-18 Hornet, also the transient F/A-16 and F/A-22. 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.Jenkins Dennis R. F/A-18 Hornet: A Navy Success Story New York McGraw-Hill 2000 978-0-07-134696-2 19–21 AF-18 would be conformant. Similar issues existed with the naming of the F-22, which was briefly redesignated F/A-22;"F-22 Raptor fact sheet.". U.S. Air Force, March 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2009. a proposed bomber variant was the FB-22 (which, more appropriately, should have been designated BF-22). F-15EX Eagle II Uses non-standard EX series letters rather than the next available standard series letter (F-15L). F-35 Lightning II Used the design number from its X-plane designation (X-35) rather than the next available F series number (24). FB-111 Aardvark Should have used the next available number in the bomber sequence but 111 was retained for commonality with the F-111 from the pre-1962 system. F-117 Nighthawk Designated as part of series continuing from the pre-1962 system and latterly used to identify foreign aircraft acquired by the government,Patricia Trenner, "A Short (Very Short) History of the F-19". Air & Space Magazine, 1 January 2008. e.g., YF-113 was a MiG-23.MiG-23 https://web.archive.org/web/20200915013852/http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/airdef/mig-23.htm 15 September 2020. FAS Additionally, the basic mission designation as fighter implies air-to-air capabilities though the F-117 does not possess any. There have been conjecture and anecdotal reports concerning purported air-to-air capabilities for use against Soviet AWACS craft. MV-75 The military designation of the Bell V-280 Valor skips designation numbers V-26 through V-74. 75 was chosen to honor the U.S. Army's founding year of 1775, and is almost in line with the helicopter sequence (though skipping 74) perhaps to signify its use as a direct successor to the H-60.Trevithick Joseph 2025-05-14 MV-75 Official Designation Given To Future U.S. Army Tiltrotor Assault Aircraft (Updated) https://www.twz.com/air/mv-75-official-designation-given-to-future-u-s-army-tiltrotor-assault-aircraft 2025-12-12 The War Zone en-US RC-7B Designation conflicted with unrelated C-7 Caribou. Was redesignated EO-5C in August 2004.De Havilland RC-7B, designation-systems.net. SR-71 The SR-71 designator is a continuation of the pre-1962 bomber series, which ended with the XB-70 Valkyrie. During the later period of its testing, the B-70 was proposed for the Reconnaissance/Strike role, with an RS-70 designation. The USAF decided instead to pursue the Lockheed A-12 which was dubbed RS-71 (Reconnaissance/Surveillance; unrelated to the S mission designation for anti-submarine warfare). Then-USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Curtis LeMay preferred the SR (Strategic Reconnaissance) moniker and wanted the reconnaissance aircraft to be named SR-71. Before the Blackbird was to be announced by President Johnson on 29 February 1964, LeMay lobbied to modify Johnson's speech to read SR-71 instead of RS-71. The media transcript given to the press at the time still had the earlier RS-71 designation in places, creating the myth that the president had misread the aircraft's designation.Non-Standard DOD Aircraft Designations. designation-systems.net TR-1 A variant of the U-2; uses its own modified mission letter (T for Tactical) with basic mission letter (R for Reconnaissance). The U-2 was initially designated as "utility" to obfuscate its reconnaissance capabilities. Following shootdowns of the aircraft, this subterfuge was pointless. The TR-1, first flown in 1981, was re-designated U-2R in 1991 for uniformity.Jenkins, Dennis R. Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady, pp. 60–61. North Branch, MN: Specialty Press, 1998. 1-58007-009-4. Historical Designation Re-use: Several aircraft have received non-systematic designations as tributes to retired historically significant aircraft. F-47: Boeing developed sixth-generation fighter aircraft. Designation was chosen as a tribute to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, the USAF's founding in 1947, and in recognition of the support of Donald Trump—the 47th President of the United States—for the project.2025-03-21 Eyeing China threat, Trump announces Boeing wins contract for secretive future fighter jet https://apnews.com/article/fighter-jet-ngad-trump-hegseth-china-55d7b3d15e5a4fa9cb061ec85ac19ae2 2025-03-23 AP News en The P-47 was re-designated as F-47 in 1947 when the pursuit (P) designation was replaced by fighter (F). The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II also pays tribute to the P-47. OA-1K Skyraider II: Designated to "[renew] the rugged and versatile nature" of the long-retired and unrelated A-1 Skyraider,27 February 2025 AFSOC reveals name for OA-1K: Skyraider II https://www.afsoc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4079302/afsoc-reveals-name-for-oa-1k-skyraider-ii/ 10 March 2025 Air Force Special Operations Command en-US AFSOCs newest airframe, the OA-1K, will officially be the Skyraider II. AFSOC leaders made the announcement today at the Special Air Warfare Symposium. The moniker renews the rugged and versatile nature of the A-1 Skyraider, which was in service from 1946 to the early 1980s. 27 February 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250227184302/https://www.afsoc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4079302/afsoc-reveals-name-for-oa-1k-skyraider-ii/ dead of which the A-1J was the last production variant, rather than using the next available number in the A series (14). T-6 Texan II: Turboprop training aircraft. Design numbers 4 and 5 of the Training vehicle type were skipped in order to pay tribute to the earlier North American T-6 Texan. Civilian model number usage: Numerous series numbers have been skipped to use civilian model numbers.March 2025 KC-767: Skipped hundreds of C-series numbers to use Boeing's model number. Has conformant basic mission and modified mission letters. Only used for aircraft sold to foreign air forces. The U.S. Air Force ordered the Boeing 767-based tanker KC-46."USAF selects Boeing for KC-X contract". Flight International MH-90 Enforcer: armed version of the MD 900 and MD 902 for the United States Coast Guard. Flown by the Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron between 1998 and 2000. MH-139 Grey Wolf: security and support missions variant of the AW139 for the United States Air Force. TH-66 Sage: military training variant of the Robinson R66 for the U.S. Army FAA Part 141 Helicopter Flight School Pilot Program. Aircraft shares the same vehicle type and design number (H-66) as the Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche. UC-880: aerial tanker variant of the Convair 880 operated by the United States Navy. VH-92: presidential transport variant of the Sikorsky S-92 operated by the United States Marine Corps. Skipped design numbers The design number "13" has been skipped in many mission and vehicle series for its association with superstition. Some numbers were skipped when a number was requested and/or assigned to a project but the aircraft was never built.Parsch, Andreas. "Missing" USAF/DOD Aircraft Designations". designation-systems.net The following table lists design numbers in the 1962 system which have been skipped. Mission or Vehicle SeriesMissing numbersNext available numberA8#, 11, 1314B3–2022C13, 16, 30, 34, 36, 39, 42–44†47D (Ground)5E12F13, 19‡24G1318H (original sequence)36, 38, 44, 45, 6974H (alternate sequence)7L2O7P1, 610Q1331R2S (ASW)14S (Spaceplane)2T (1990 sequence)2*, 4**, 5**8V13, 14, 17, 19, 2126Z5 #: A-8 was technically skipped, but the AV-8 Harrier received the number within the "V" vehicle type sequence. Within the V sequence, it should have been designated AV-12 (as the Ryan XV-8 "Fleep" was already in existence)., designation-systems.net. Additionally, the stillborn 1960s General Dynamics Model 100 attack aircraft proposal has been referred to as the A-8A, but it is unclear if it was ever formally granted this designation by the USAF.Bradley, Robert, 2013. Convair Advanced Designs II: Secret Fighters, Attack Aircraft, and Unique Concepts 1929-1973. Manchester, England: Crécy Publishing. 978-0-8597917-0-0. †: The C-42 through C-44 designations were skipped in favor of the KC-45 by Airbus. The designations are considered skipped as the sequence continued in with the C-46 rather than continuing from the last otherwise sequential designation. ‡: A top-secret stealth fighter designated F-19 has been rumored to exist for decades, and the rumors gained widespread publicity after the USAF cordoned off a crash site near Nellis Air Force Base in July 1986, but the crashed aircraft was subsequently revealed to have been an F-117, which was still classified at the time.Jeffrey T. Richelson http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2001/July%202001/0701crash.aspx When Secrets Crash Air Force Magazine July 2001 21 June 2023 No conclusive evidence of a genuine F-19 program has surfaced. *: Skipped to avoid confusion with the North American T-2 Buckeye, which was still in service at the time. **: The T-4 and T-5 designations were skipped in favor of T-6 by Raytheon to honor the WW2-era North American T-6 Texan. The designations are considered skipped as the sequence continued with the T-7 rather than continuing from the last otherwise sequential designation. Manufacturer's code Since 1939, a 2-letter manufacturer's code has been added to designations to identify the manufacturer and the production plant. For example, F-15E-50-MC, the "MC" being the code for the McDonnell Douglas plant at St. Louis, Missouri. Block number In 1941, block numbers were added to designations to show minor equipment variations between production blocks. The block number appears in the designation between the model suffix and manufacturers code (for example F-100D-85-NH). Initially, they incremented in numerical order −1, −2, −3 but this was changed to −1, −5, −10, −15 in increments of five. The gaps in the block numbers could be used for post-delivery modifications—for example, a F-100D-85-NH could be modified in the field to F-100D-86-NH. Not all types have used block numbers. See also List of United States Tri-Service aircraft designations British military aircraft designation systems Hull classification symbol Italian Armed Forces aircraft designation system Japanese military aircraft designation systems Lists of military aircraft of the United States RLM aircraft designation system Soviet Union military aircraft designation systems United States military aircraft designation systems Explanatory notes Note AFR 82-1/AR 70-50/NAVMATINST 8800.4A was published to implement DoD Directive 4120.15 "Designating and Naming Military Aircraft, Rockets, and Guided Missiles" which was issued on 24 November 1971. The most recent version is DoD Directive 4120.15E from 17 September 2020 (incorporating Change 2) which is an update of DoD Directive 4120.15E 29 November 2004 DoDD 4120.15E is enacted by Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 16-4 which is implemented by AFI 16-401/AR 70-50/NAVAIRINST 13100.16 References Citations United States Air Force Statistical Digest, Fiscal Year 1974 29th Edition https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA551728.pdf Directorate of Management Analysis, Comptroller of the Air Force Headquarters 12 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220412184755/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA551728.pdf 12 April 2022 77 live 15 April 1975 Annual Department of Defense Bibliography of Logistics Studies and Related Documents 1976 https://books.google.com/books?id=jwtuJHz5AcIC Defense Logistics Studies Information Exchange 12 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220412193109/https://books.google.com/books?id=jwtuJHz5AcIC&pg=PA2 12 April 2022 2 January 1976 SECOND DESTINATION TRANSPORTATION PHASE 2 LMI TASK 75-4 https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA022602.pdf LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE 11 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220411073614/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA022602.pdf 11 April 2022 live January 1976 AIR FORCE POLICY DIRECTIVE 16-4: 20 NOVEMBER 2018 ACCOUNTING FOR AEROSPACE VEHICLES AT UNITS AND INSTALLATIONS https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a5_8/publication/afpd16-4/afpd16-4.pdf Department of Air Force E-Publishing 12 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220412181743/https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a5_8/publication/afpd16-4/afpd16-4.pdf 12 April 2022 20 November 2018 DoDD 4120.15E November 29, 2004 Incorporating Change 2, September 17, 2020 Designating and Naming Military Aerospace Vehicles https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/412015p.pdf?ver=2020-09-17-143855-857 US DoD 11 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220329183855/https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/412015p.pdf?ver=2020-09-17-143855-857 29 March 2022 17 September 2020 DEPARTMENT AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 16-401, ARMY REGULATION 70-50, NAVAIRINST 13100.16 3 November 2020 DESIGNATING AND NAMING DEFENSE MILITARY AEROSPACE VEHICLES https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a8/publication/afi16-401/afi16-401.pdf Department of Air Force E-Publishing 11 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220306215809/https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a8/publication/afi16-401/afi16-401.pdf 6 March 2022 3 November 2020 DoDD 4120.15-L MODEL DESIGNATION OF MILITARY AEROSPACE VEHICLES August 31 2018 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodm/412015l.pdf?ver=2018-12-11-100011-077 US DoD Executive Services Directorate 11 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220119080331/https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodm/412015l.pdf?ver=2018-12-11-100011-077 19 January 2022 31 August 2018 Trapp Robert E. Berkeley William P. Egerland Arnold V. The Criteria for an Equipment Identification Coding System https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA039961.pdf Air Force Institute of Technology School of Systems and Logistics 13 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220413064050/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA039961.pdf 13 April 2022 III-20 live 1967 Merlin Peter W. The Truth is Out There... SR-71 Serials and Designations Air Enthusiast July–August 2005 118 4–5 Key Publishing 0143-5450 Scott Jeff US Military Aircraft Designation Systems http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0012.shtml Aerospaceweb 13 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20210227053653/http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/q0012.shtml 27 February 2021 4 February 2001 McDonnell F-110 Spectre/F-4C Phantom II http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/f4_7.html 13 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20210507102257/http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/f4_7.html 7 May 2021 12 November 2018 Andrade 1979, p. 8 Andrade 1979, p. 9 Tirpak, John A. Air Force Magazine 8 March 2017 October 2002 5169825 28–34 Long Arm of the Air Force http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Documents/2002/October%202002/1002longarm.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20200316110916/https://www.airforcemag.com/PDF/MagazineArchive/Documents/2002/October%202002/1002longarm.pdf 16 March 2020 85 10 0730-6784 Cenciotti David "F-117s Had An Air-To-Air Capability With Secondary Mission To Shoot Down Soviet AWACS" Former Stealth Pilot Says https://theaviationist.com/2020/06/03/f-117s-had-an-air-to-air-capability-with-secondary-mission-to-shoot-down-soviet-awacs-former-stealth-pilot-says/ The Aviationist 13 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220121113536/https://theaviationist.com/2020/06/03/f-117s-had-an-air-to-air-capability-with-secondary-mission-to-shoot-down-soviet-awacs-former-stealth-pilot-says/ 21 January 2022 3 June 2020 General and cited references Andrade John 1979 U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials Since 1909 Midland Counties Publications 0-904597-22-9 External links U.S. Military Aviation on Designation-Systems.net by Andreas Parsch—a reference source with details, examples and history Non-standard designations page on Designation-Systems.net Designation Systems FAQ on hazegray.org https://web.archive.org/web/20060906001740/http://www.hazegray.org/faq/designat.htm 6 September 2006 by Emmanuel Gustin U.S. Military Aircraft Designations 1911–2004 on driko.org by Andrew Chorney U.S. Military Aircraft and Weapon Designations by Derek O. Bridges Category:1962 in the United States United States Category:United States Department of Defense Category:United States military aircraft