British military aircraft designation systems
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Generally, aircraft in British military service were known by names assigned by their manufacturer, or (for various imported types) bestowed upon them by the first military service to bring them into service.
From about 1910, it was decided that all aircraft for British Army use would be designed at the Royal Aircraft Factory, Farnborough, although they might be built elsewhere. These did have reasonably consistent designations. The Admiralty chose to have private industry design and build its aircraft. The Army eventually relented, and also bought industry-designed aircraft.
There was a period (in the 1920s) when names followed function, beginning with 'F' for fighters, 'N' for naval, 'B' for bomber, and so on.
From 1920 to 1949, most aircraft had an associated Air Ministry Specification number (eg F4/27). Prototype aircraft would be produced under contract and be known as the Manufacturer F4/27. If accepted they would get a service name. Others were drawn up around a private venture (PV) design which might then get a specification written that could be used as the basis for an official contract, or were an imported model.
Naming
The actual names would be decided by the Air Ministry or Admiralty when placing the order. Names followed patterns and alliteration was popular
- Heavy (4 engined) bombers received the names of major cities and towns - Short Stirling, Avro Lancaster,
- A trend might be followed with a manufacturer - Hurricane, Typhoon, Tempest
- Flying boats got names of coastal towns - Lowestoft, Stranraer, Sunderland
- If a (land-based) maritime patrol aircraft then a name with nautical exploration associations - Avro Anson (George Anson), Lockheed Hudson (Henry Hudson), Avro Shackleton (Ernest Shackleton)
- If a naval version on an existing (RAF) aircraft then "Sea" would be put in front - Sea Hurricane, Sea Heron
- Otherwise naval aircraft would have some relation to the sea. Seabird names being popular for comabt aircraft - Swordfish, Walrus, Skua, Gannet
Variant naming
Variants of each operational type are normally indicated by letters to indicate the current function of that aircraft and then a number indicating the sequence in which that variant achieved operational status. No number is reused with a different functional prefix. For example the first Lockheed Hercules in RAF service was known as the C1 )("Cargo 1"). A later version with a lengthened fuselage received the designation C3 because a single example adapted for weather monitoring purposes had already taken the designation W2. Aircraft with a long service life may find that their function changes from time to time and a change in the designation letters and sometimes the following digit will reflect such new roles.
When major modifications are made to an aircraft the designation can change - example when the Harrier GR7 is upgraded with more powerful engines and electronics it becomes a Harrier GR9.
Minor modification that require the aircraft to be operated or maintained differently can result in a suffix to the designation - example a VC-10 C1 modified for in-flight refuelling becomes a VC-10 C1K.
The designations are used in a number of styles - for example:
- Hercules C Mark 3 - very rarely used
- Hercules C Mk 3 - official style
- Hercules C3 - normal style
These functional prefixes are:
- AOP Airborne Observation Post
- AEW Airborne early warning (current - example Sentry AEW1)
- AH Army helicopter (current - example Apache AH1)
- AL Army liaison (current - example Islander AL1)
- AS Anti-submarine
- ASaC Airborne Surveillance and Area Control (current - example Sea King ASaC7)
- B Bomber
- B(I) Bomber interdictor
- B(K) Bomber tanker
- B(PR) Bomber photo reconnaissance
- C Transport (current - example Hercules C4)
- CC Transport and communications (current - example BAe 125 CC3)
- COD Courier - later Carrier - onboard delivery
- D Drone or pilotless area
- E Electronic surveillance
- ECM Electronic counter-measures
- F Fighter (current - example Typhoon F1)
- FA Fighter attack (current - example Sea Harrier FA2)
- FAW Fighter all-weather
- FB Fighter bomber
- FG Fighter ground attack
- FGA Fighter ground attack
- FGR Fighter ground attack reconnaissance
- FR Fighter reconnaissance
- FRS Fighter reconnaissance strike
- GA Ground attack
- GR Ground attack reconnaissance (current - example Harrier GR9)
- HAR Helicopter, air rescue (current - example Sea King HAR3)
- HAS Helicopter, anti-submarine
- HC Helicopter, cargo (current - example Chinook HC2)
- HCC Helicopter, transport and communications (current - example Squirrel HCC1)
- HF High fighter
- HMA Helicopter, maritime attack (current - example Lynx HMA1)
- HR Helicopter rescue
- HT Helicopter training (current - example Griffin HT1)
- HU Helicopter, utility (current - example Sea King HU4)
- K Tanker (current - example VC-10 K4)
- KC Tanker transport (current - example Tristar KC1)
- LF Low fighter
- MR Maritime reconnaissance (current - example Nimrod MR2)
- MRA Maritime reconnaissance and attack (current - example Nimrod MRA4)
- NF Night fighter
- PR Photographic reconnaissance (current - example Canberra PR9)
- R Reconnaissance (current - example Sentinel R1)
- S Strike
- SR Strategic reconnaissance
- T Training (current - example Hawk T1), but tactical in TSR-2
- TF Torpedo fighter, also Trench Fighter (World War One)
- TT Target towing
- TX Training glider
- U Drone or pilotless aircraft - code superseded by D
- W Weather
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