This list of military aircraft of the United States includes prototype, pre-production, and operational types. Prototypes are normally prefixed with "X" and often unnamed (note that these are not the same as the experimental X-planes, which are never expected to go into production), while pre-production models are usually prefixed "Y".
USAF A10 Thunderbolt.
Old system, Army Air Corps/Army Air Force/Air Force:
Old system, Army Air Corps/Army Air Force/Air Force:
Attack
Navy:
Unified system, after 1962:
A-1 Skyraider, USA 2003.
P-3 Orion of the US Navy.
Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW)
Bomber
USAF B52.
Navy:
Unified system, after 1962:
United States Air Force B-2 Spirit |
- B-1 Lancer - Rockwell
- B-2 Spirit - Northrop Grumman, stealth bomber
Cargo/Transport
Old system, Army Air Corps/Force; Air Force
- C-46 Commando - Curtiss
- C-47 Skytrain - (DC-3) Douglas
- C-54 Skymaster - (DC-4) Douglas
- C-74 Globemaster - Douglas
- C-82 Packet - Fairchild
- C-97 Stratofreighter - Boeing
- C-117 Super Dakota - Douglas
- C-118 Liftmaster - (DC-6) Douglas
- C-119 Flying Boxcar - Fairchild
- C-120 Packplane - Fairchild
- C-123 Provider - Fairchild
- C-130 Hercules - Lockheed
- C-131 Samaritan - Convair
- C-133 Cargomaster - Douglas
- C-135 - Boeing 707
- C-137 - Boeing 707 including "Air Force One"
- C-140 Jetstar - Lockheed
- C-141 Starlifter - Lockheed
- R3Y Tradewind - Convair
- C-2 Greyhound - Grumman
- C-4 Academe - Gulfstream
- C-5 Galaxy - Lockheed
- C-7 Caribou - de Havilland Canada
- C-9 Skytrain II - Douglas DC-9
- C-11 Gulfstream II - Gulfstream
- C-12 Huron - Beech 200
- C-17 Globemaster III - Boeing
- C-20 Gulfstream III - Gulfstream
- C-21 Learjet - Learjet
- C-22 - Boeing 727
- C-23 Sherpa - Shorts 330
- C-26 Metroliner - Fairchild
- C-27 Spartan - Alenia
- C-29 - BAe
- C-31 Troopship - Fokker F.27M
- C-32 - Boeing 757
- C-38 Courier - Israeli Aircraft Industries
- C-40 Clipper - Boeing
- VC-25A "Air Force One - Boeing 747
- C-37 Gulfstream V - Gulfstream
Cargo Helicopter
U.S. Army Chinook loads a howitzer gun.
- H-3 Sea King - Sikorsky
- CH-19 Chickasaw - Sikorsky
- CH-21 Shawnee - Piasecki
- CH-34 Chocktaw - Sikorsky
- CH-37 Mojave - Sikorsky
- CH-46 Sea Knight - Boeing
- CH-47 Chinook - Boeing
- CH-53 Sea Stallion - Sikorsky nicknamed "Jolly Green Giant"
- CH-54 Skycrane - Sikorsky
Electronic
- E-1 Tracer - Grumman
- E-2 Hawkeye - Grumman
- E-3 Sentry or AWACS - Boeing
- E-4 - Boeing
- E-6 Mercury - Boeing
- E-8 Joint STARS - Boeing
- E-9 - de Havilland
- E-10 - Boeing
United States Air Force E-3 Sentry
- ES-3 Shadow - Lockheed
- EP-3 Aries - Lockheed
- EA-1 Skyraider - Douglas
- EA-3 Skywarrior - Douglas
- EA-6B Prowler - Grumman
- EC-18 Aria - Boeing
- EC-24 - McDonnell Douglas
- EC-121 Warning Star - Lockheed
- EC-130 Compass Call - Lockheed
- EC-135 Looking Glass - Boeing
- EF-111 Raven - General Dynamics
Fighter
Navy, from 1922 (alpha by Navy-assigned mfgr letter)
- Brewster F2A
- Brewster F3A - Brewster version of Corsair
- FB - Boeing
- F2B-1 - Boeing
- F3B Seahawk - Boeing
- F4B - Boeing
- F5B naval designation of Boeing XP-15
- F6B - Boeing
- F7B - Boeing
- F8B - Boeing
- FC, F2C, F3C paper designation of racers
- F4C - Curtiss
- F5C skipped
- F6C Hawk - Curtiss
- F7C Seahawk - Curtiss
- F8C Falcon - Curtiss
- F8C-2 Helldiver - Curtiss, different from F8C-1 and F8C-3
- F9C Sparrowhawk - Curtiss
- F10C Helldiver - Curtiss, modified F8C-2
- F11C Goshawk - Curtiss Hawk II or Goshawk, redesig BFC
- Curtiss F12C - Curtiss, became SBC
- F13C - Curtiss
- F14C - Curtiss contra-rotating propellors
- F15C - Curtiss jet + turboprop
- FD - Douglas
- F2D Banshee - Douglas, later redesignated F2H
- F3D Skyknight - Douglas
- F4D Skyray - Douglas
- F5D Skylancer - Douglas, semi-operational
- F6D Missileer - Douglas
- FF Fifi - biplane, first Navy fighter by Grumman
- F2F - Grumman
- F3F - Grumman
- F4F Wildcat - Grumman
- XF5F Skyrocket - Grumman twin-engine carrier-based fighter prototype
- F6F Hellcat - Grumman
- F7F Tigercat - Grumman
- F8F Bearcat - Grumman
- F9F Cougar - (Panther variant) Grumman
- F9F Panther - Grumman
- XF10F Jaguar - Grumman variable-wing prototype
- F11F Tiger - Grumman, first supersonic aircraft in Navy
- F12F - Grumman, proposed all-weather interceptor
- Eberhart FG, F2G
- Goodyear FG - Goodyear version of Corsair with fixed wings
- Goodyear F2G - proposed low-altitude Corsair
- Hall FH
- FH Phantom - McDonnell
- F2H Banshee - McDonnell, later F-2
- F3H Demon - McDonnell, later F-3
- F4H Phantom II - McDonnell, later F-4
- FJ - Berliner-Joyce
- F2J - Berliner-Joyce, P-16 in AAC
- FJ-1 Fury - North American
- FL - Loening
- FL Airabonita - Bell, USN version of P-39
- F2L Kingcobra - Bell, USN version of P-63
- General Motors FM - GM version of Wildcat
- FM Wildcat - General Motors built version of F4F
- F2M Wildcat - General Motors built version of F4F, different engine to FM
- F3M - General Motors built version of F8F
- Seversky FN
- FO Lightning - Lockheed, USN version of P-38
- FR1 Fireball - Ryan
- F2R Dark Shark - Ryan
- FT - Northrop, USN A-17 derived design
- F2T Black Widow - Northrop, USN trainer version of P-61
- FU, F2U, F3U
- F4U Corsair - Chance Vought
- XF5U - Chance Vought's "flying pancake", built but never flown
- F6U Pirate - Chance Vought
- F7U Cutlass - Chance Vought
- F8U Crusader - Chance Vought
- Lockheed FV
- F2W - Wright
- F3W Apache - Wright
- FY Pogo - Convair
- F2Y Sea Dart - Convair
- P-80/F-80 Shooting Star- Lockheed
- P-84/F-84 Thunderjet - Republic
- XP-85/XF-85 Goblin - McDonnell
- F-86 Sabre - North American
- XP-87/XF-87 Blackhawk - Curtiss
- XP-88/XF-88 Voodoo - Curtiss
- F-89 Scorpion - Northrop
- XF-90 - Lockheed
- XF-91 Thunderceptor - Republic
- XF-92A - Convair
- YF-93A - North American
- Lockheed F-94 - F-94C Starfire
- YF-95A - North American
- YF-96A - Republic
- F-97 Starfire - Lockheed
- Hughes XF-98 became Hughes Falcon missile
- F-99 became Bomarc missile
- F-100 Super Sabre - North American
- F-101 Voodoo - McDonnell
- F-102 Delta Dagger - Convair
- XF-103 - Republic
- F-104 Starfighter - Lockheed
- F-105 Thunderchief - Republic
- F-106 Delta Dart - Convair
- YF-107 Ultra Sabre - North American
- XF-108 Rapier - last fighter project by North American
- F-109 never used
- F-110 Spectre - became F-4C Phantom II
- F-111 Aardvark - General Dynamics
- F-112 to F-116 used for foreign aircraft eval?
- F-117 Nighthawk - Lockheed
- F-1 Fury - was North American FJ
- F-2 Banshee - was McDonnell F2H
- F-3 Demon - was McDonnell F3H
- F-4 Phantom II - was McDonnell-Douglas F4H
- F-5 Freedom Fighter - Northrop
- F-6 Skyray - Douglas, was F4D
- F-7 Sea Dart - was Convair F2Y
- F-8 Crusader - was Vought F8U
- F-9 Cougar - was Grumman F9F
- F-10 Skyknight - was Douglas F3D
- F-11 Tiger - was Grumman F11F
- YF-12A - Lockheed
- F-13 never assigned
- F-14 Tomcat - Grumman
- F-15 Eagle - McDonnell-Douglas
- F-16 Fighting Falcon - General Dynamics
- YF-17 Cobra - Northrop
- F/A-18 Hornet - McDonnell-Douglas
- F-19 - either unused or still classified
- F-20 Tigershark (F-5 variant) - Northrop
- F-21 Kfir - Israel Aircraft Industries
- F/A-22 Raptor - Lockheed Martin
- F-35 Joint Strike Fighter - Lockheed Martin
Tanker
- KA-2 Savage - North American
- KA-3 Skywarrior - Douglas
- KA-6 Intruder - Grumman
- KB-29 Superfortress - Boeing
- KB-47 Stratojet - Boeing
- KB-50 Superfortress - Boeing
- KC-10 Extender - McDonnell-Douglas
- KC-97 Stratotanker - Boeing
- KC-124 Globemaster II - Douglas
- KC-130 Hercules - Lockheed
- KC-135 Stratotanker - Boeing
Observation
- O-1 - Curtiss Falcon
- O-2 - Douglas
- O-31/O-43/O-46 - Douglas
- O-47 - North American
- OS2U Kingfisher - Vought
- OH-6A Cayuse
- OH-55 Kiowa - Bell
- OV-1 Mohawk - Grumman
- OV-10 Bronco - North American
- SOC Seagull - Curtiss
- SO3C - Curtiss
Orbiter Vehicle
- OV-x space shuttle
Patrol
- P2V Neptune - Lockheed
- P2Y - Consolidated
- P5Y - Consolidated
- P-3 Orion - Lockheed
- P4M Mercator - Martin
- P5M Marlin - Martin
- PBM Mariner - Martin
- PBY Catalina - Consolidated
- PB2Y Coronado - Consolidated
- PV-1 Harpoon - Lockheed, Ventura variant
- PV-1 Ventura - Lockheed
Pursuit
Pursuit Aircraft of the US Army Air Service/Corps/Force, 1918-1948. After formation of US Air Force (USAF), all "P" designations were changed to "F" while retaining number.Initially, "PW" was used to indicate "Pursuit, Water-cooled engine".
List in numerical order of designations:
- PW-8 - Curtiss
- PW-9 - Boeing, FB in navy
- P-1 Hawk - Curtiss, derived from PW-8; US Navy designation was F6C
- P-2 Hawk - Curtiss
- P-3 Hawk - Curtiss
- P-4 - Boeing
- P-5 Superhawk - Curtiss
- P-6 Hawk - Curtiss, derived from P-1
- XP-7 - Boeing
- XP-8 - Boeing
- XP-9 - Boeing
- XP-10 - Curtiss
- P-11 Hawk - Curtiss
- P-12 - Boeing, F4B in Navy
- XP-13
- XP-14 - Curtiss
- XP-15 - Boeing
- P-16 - Berliner-Joyce, F2J to Navy
- XP-17 - Curtiss
- XP-18 - Curtiss
- XP-19 - Curtiss
- YP-20 - Curtiss, derived from P-6
- XP-21 - Curtiss
- XP-22 - derived from P-6
- XP-23 - Curtiss
- YP-24 - Lockheed
- Y1P-25 - Consolidated
- P-26 - Boeing "Peashooter" monoplane
- XP-27 - Consolidated
- XP-28 - Consolidated
- F7B - Boeing, modified F7B
- P-30 - Consolidated, aka PB-2A
- XP-31 - Curtiss
- XP-32 - Boeing
- XP-33 - Consolidated
- XP-34 - Wedell-Williams
- P-35 - Seversky
- P-36 - Curtiss Model 75A, radial engine
- YP-37 - Curtiss Model 75I, in-line engine
- P-38 Lightning - Lockheed, twin-engine twin-boom
- P-39 Airacobra - Bell, engine mounted behind pilot
- P-40 - Curtiss, Tomahawk (P-40A to P-40C), Kittyhawk (P-40D to P-40M), Warhawk (P-40N to P-40Q)
- XP-41 - Seversky, derived from Seversky P-35
- XP-42 - Curtiss P-36 with experimental engine cowlings
- P-43 Lancer - Republic, derived from XP-41
- P-44 Rocket - cancelled
- P-45 designation changed to P-39C
- XP-46 - Curtiss
- P-47 Thunderbolt - Republic
- XP-48 - Douglas
- XP-49 - Lockheed, derived from P-38
- XP-50 - Grumman, derived from US Navy XF5F
- P-51 Mustang - North American, originally for export to Britain
- XP-52 - Bell, twin-boom pusher configuration, never built
- XP-53 - Curtiss P-40 with laminar-flow wing, cancelled during construction
- XP-54 - Vultee, twin-boom pusher configuration
- XP-55 Ascender - Curtiss, flying-wing configuration with pusher engine
- XP-56 - Northrop, tail-less with pusher engine, magnesium construction
- XP-57 - Tucker, cancelled before construction
- XP-58 - Lockheed, another twin-engine, twin-boom
- P-59 Airacomet - Bell, 1st American aircraft powered by jet engine
- YP-60 - Curtiss
- P-61 Black Widow - Northrop
- XP-62 - Curtiss
- P-63 Kingcobra - Bell, engine again mounted behind pilot
- P-64 - North American, intended for export, but used by USAAF as fighter trainer
- XP-65 - Grumman, derived from XP-50
- P-66 Vanguard - Vultee, intended for export, but used by USAAF as fighter trainer
- XP-67 - McDonnell
- XP-68 - Vultee
- XP-69 - Republic
- P-70 Havoc - Douglas, "Havoc" night-fighter derived from A-20
- XP-71 - Curtiss
- XP-72 - Republic
- XP-73 - mysterious Hughes project
- P-74 skipped
- P-75 Eagle - Fisher division of General Motors
- XP-76 - Bell
- XP-77 - Bell, lightweight fighter of wooden construction
- XP-78 - North American, changed to XP-51B during construction
- XP-79, Northrop
- P-80/F-80 Shooting Star - Lockheed, turbo-jet engine
- XP-81 - Convair, turbo-prop + turbo-jet engines
- P-82/F-82 Twin Mustang - North American
- XP-83 - Bell, two jet engines
Drone
- QF-102 Firebee
Reconnaissance
- RA-5 Vigilante - North American
- RF-4 Phantom II - McDonnell-Douglas
- RF-8 Crusader - Chance Vought
- RC-12 Guard Rail - Beech Aircraft
- RC-135 Rivet Joint - Boeing
- SR-71 Blackbird - Lockheed
- U-2 - Lockheed
Trainer
- AT-9 Jeep - Curtiss-Wright
- AT-21 Gunner - Fairchild
- BT-13 Valiant - Vultee
- Curtiss Jenny - Curtiss
- PT-11 - Consolidated
- PT-13 and PT-17 Kaydet - Boeing Stearman
- PT-19 - Fairchild
- PT-22 Recruit - Ryan
- SNC Falcon - Curtiss-Wright
- T-2 Buckeye - North American
- T-6 Texan - North American
- T-28 Trojan - North American
- T-29 - Convair 240
- T-33 - Lockheed nicknamed "Teebird"
- T-38 Talon - Northrop
- T-39 Sabreliner - North American
- T-43 - Boeing 737
- T-45A Goshawk - (Hawk) British Aerospace
- U-21A Ute - Beechcraft/Raytheon
Utility
- JF/J2F Duck - Grumman
- G-21 Goose - Grumman
- G-44 Widgeon - Grumman
- HU-16 Albatross - Grumman
- UH-1 Iroquois - Bell "Huey"
- H-3 Sea King - Sikorsky
- U-3 Blue Canoe - Cessna 310
- U-8 Seminole - Beechcraft Travel Air
- UH-60 Blackhawk - Sikorsky
- HH-60 Pave Hawk - Sikorsky
Vertical Take off and Landing
- V-22 Osprey - Bell, Boeing Vertol, tilt rotor aircraft
Experimental
- X-1 - Bell, first supersonic aircraft
- X-2 - Bell
- X-3 Stiletto - Douglas
- X-4 - Northrop
- X-5 - Bell
- X-6 - Convair
- X-7 - Lockheed
- X-8 to X-12 were missiles
- X-13 - Ryan VATOL
- X-14 - Bell VTOL
- X-15 - North American rocket plane
- X-16 - Bell, cancelled U-2 competitor
- X-17 experimental rocket
- X-18 - Hiller tilt-wing
- X-19, X-20, X-21?
- X-22 - Bell
- X-24 - Martin Marietta lifting body
- X-29A - Grumman forward-swept wing jet
- X-31 - Hypersonic jet or Orient Express
- X-45 - pilotless combat aircraft