United States Naval Aviation

Orden de batalla · Estados Unidos

United States Naval Aviation

United States Naval Aviation

United States Naval Aviation, the air arm of the US Navy since Captain Chambers ordered its first Curtiss on 8 May 1911, turned the aircraft carrier into the centre of naval power at Midway and the Philippine Sea, lost 861 aircraft in the Vietnam War, and in 2026 flies nine carrier air wings of Super Hornets, F-35Cs and Growlers from 11 carriers — worn by back-to-back combat deployments in the Red Sea and against Iran, and waiting for the Boeing F/A-XX chosen on 29 September 2026.

594Aviones de combate
14bases aéreas activas
1911Fundado
26Tipos retirados
PaísEstados UnidosFundado1911EstadoActivoSedeNAS North Island, Coronado, California (Commander, Naval Air Forces)ComandanteDouglas C. Verissimo
La historia

The United States Naval Aviation story: Midway, Yankee Station and carrier air wings at war in the Red Sea

1910–1918: a cruiser’s platform, a Curtiss and a school at Pensacola

American naval flying began as an experiment by a civilian. On 14 November 1910 Eugene Ely flew a Curtiss pusher off a platform built over the bow of the cruiser Birmingham, and on 18 January 1911 he landed on the armoured cruiser Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay, using a tailhook system. Captain Washington Irving Chambers, charged by the Secretary of the Navy with finding a use for aircraft, ordered the first naval aeroplane, the Curtiss A-1 Triad, on 8 May 1911; Lt. Theodore Ellyson, trained by Glenn Curtiss, flew it on 30 June. In January 1914 the aviators moved to Pensacola, and in April five seaplanes scouted for the landing at Veracruz. The First World War turned a handful of officers into a branch: Pensacola alone had trained about a thousand aviators by the armistice, and David Ingalls, flying Camels with the RAF, became the Navy’s only ace.

1919–1941: the NC-4, Moffett and the first carriers

Between the wars naval aviation did the things that made it different from every other air arm. In May 1919 the NC-4 flying boat crossed the Atlantic by way of Lisbon, the first aircraft to do so. In 1921 Congress created the Bureau of Aeronautics under Rear Adm. William Moffett, who led it until his death in 1933. On 20 March 1922 the collier Jupiter was recommissioned as USS Langley, the first American carrier; Lt. Virgil Griffin flew off her on 17 October and Lt. Cdr. Godfrey Chevalier landed on 26 October. Carrier tactics, dive bombing and long-range patrol flying boats such as the PBY Catalina, delivered from October 1936, were the Navy’s own. The weakness was the aircraft: in December 1941 the fleet still flew Devastator torpedo bombers that would be massacred within months.

1941–1945: the carrier war

The Second World War made the carrier the capital ship, and it was won expensively. At Midway in June 1942 all 15 Devastators of Torpedo Squadron 8 were shot down without a hit, but from 10:22 on 4 June Navy Dauntless dive bombers wrecked three Japanese carriers in minutes and a fourth that afternoon; Japan lost 248 aircraft and 3,057 men against about 150 aircraft and 307 Americans. From 1943 the Hellcat and the Essex-class carriers gave the Navy mass. In the Philippine Sea on 19–20 June 1944, 15 carriers with about 900 aircraft destroyed between 550 and 645 Japanese aircraft for 123 of their own. Hellcat pilots alone claimed more than 5,000 victories, and Avengers helped sink the giant battleships Musashi and Yamato. The cost of range showed too: 45 Helldivers ran dry returning from one late strike.

1946–1973: jets, Korea and Vietnam

Jets came quickly and dangerously. The Blue Angels formed in April 1946; the F9F Panther went to sea in 1949 and on 3 July 1950 flew the first carrier strike of the Korean War from Valley Forge, where Lt. (jg) Leonard Plog scored the Navy’s first victory. Seventeen US carriers served off Korea. In Vietnam, Task Force 77 kept carriers at Yankee Station from 1964 to 1973: 86 war cruises and 9,178 days on the line. It was the costliest war of the jet age for naval aviation — 532 aircraft lost in combat and 329 in accidents, 401 aviators killed and 179 captured, by Hobson’s count. Early missile results were poor enough to produce the Ault Report and Top Gun in March 1969, which Wikipedia credits with raising the MiG kill ratio from 2.42:1 to 12.5:1. Randy Cunningham and William Driscoll became the Navy’s only aces of the war.

1974–2019: Tomcats, Libya, the Gulf and the long wars

The F-14 Tomcat went to sea on Enterprise in September 1974 and became the symbol of the late Cold War Navy. Tomcats shot down two Libyan Su-22s over the Gulf of Sidra on 19 August 1981 and two MiG-23s off Tobruk on 4 January 1989; Libya called the second pair unarmed reconnaissance aircraft. In Desert Storm six carriers sent more than 400 aircraft into the war, but the first night cost Lt. Cdr. Scott Speicher, whose remains were not identified until 2009, and the cancellation of the A-12 left the ageing A-6 without a successor. Carriers flew the opening strikes over Afghanistan in October 2001 and supported Iraq after 2003. The force then consolidated around one airframe: the Tomcat retired on 22 September 2006, the S-3 in 2009, the EA-6B in 2015 and the legacy Hornet in 2019, leaving the Super Hornet family to carry the air wing.

2020–2026: the Red Sea, Iran and a new fighter

The 2020s brought naval aviation more sustained combat than at any time since 2003, much of it defensive. In the Red Sea from late 2023, Eisenhower’s air wing fired at least 80 air-to-air missiles at Houthi drones and missiles, and in 2025 Truman and Carl Vinson struck Yemen daily in Operation Rough Rider; the three Super Hornets Truman lost were victims of a friendly missile and of shipboard failures, not the enemy. In 2026 Navy jets flew in the Venezuela raid and in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, and Ford came home after a record 326 days. Deployments averaging 8.5 months are wearing carriers and people down, the MQ-25 tanker has slipped to 2029 and the T-45 trainer still awaits a replacement. The decision of 29 September 2026 to have Boeing build the F/A-XX ended years of doubt over whether the carrier would get a sixth-generation fighter at all.

Between the wars naval aviation did the things that made it different from every other air arm. In May 1919 the NC-4 flying boat crossed the Atlantic by way of Lisbon, the first aircraft to do so.United States Naval Aviation · verified 2026-10-01
De un vistazo

The United States Naval Aviation in numbers

Servicio

Nombre oficial
United States Naval AviationThe title of the service article to which Wikipedia’s United States Navy article links; it is the naval air arm of the US Navy, not a separate service. Marine Corps aviation, which shares the Department of the Navy’s aircraft programmes and also flies from carriers, is a separate arm
Fundado
8 May 1911The date Captain Washington Irving Chambers ordered the Navy’s first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 Triad. Eugene Ely had already landed on USS Pennsylvania on 18 January 1911, and Wikipedia dates Lt. Theodore Ellyson’s status as first naval aviator to 28 January 1911
Parte de
United States NavyUnder the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Daryl Caudle; the acting Secretary of the Navy in September 2026 was Hung Cao
Type commander
Commander, Naval Air Forces (COMNAVAIRFOR)The "Air Boss", dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, at NAS North Island, Coronado. The command took its present form in October 2001, when the Atlantic Fleet air command was put under the Pacific one. Aircraft procurement passed from the Bureau of Aeronautics (1921) to the Bureau of Naval Weapons (1959) and NAVAIR (1966)
Air Boss
Vice Adm. Douglas C. VerissimoConfirmed by the Senate on 2 February 2026, relieving Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever; a former Blue Angels demonstration pilot and commanding officer of USS Carl Vinson
Siguiente luchador
Boeing F/A-XXFull-scale development contract of more than 20 billion dollars announced on 29 September 2026

Fortaleza

Personal
About 100,000Active and reserve military personnel of the Naval Aviation Enterprise, per Wikipedia’s Naval Air Forces article; the CNAF staff itself is about 515 people. An exact current figure was not found on an official page
Aeronave
About 3,800–4,012Wikipedia’s Naval Air Forces article gives about 3,800 sea- and shore-based aircraft; its United States Navy article gives 4,012 operational aircraft. The two figures are counted differently and neither is dated on an official page
Strike fighters and electronic attack
  • F/A-18E/F Super Hornet — 549
  • EA-18G Growler — 153
  • F-35C Lightning II — 45 (273 planned)

FY2024-era inventory as reproduced by Wikipedia; F-35C numbers have grown since

Airborne early warning and patrol
  • E-2C/D Hawkeye — 83
  • P-8A Poseidon — 118
  • MQ-4C Triton — 20
  • E-6B Mercury — 16

The E-2 figure mixes C and D models; 136 P-8As had been delivered by October 2025 according to Wikipedia’s P-8 article, against 118 in the earlier inventory table

Helicopters and tiltrotors
  • MH-60R Seahawk — 270
  • MH-60S Seahawk — 256
  • MH-53E Sea Dragon — 26
  • CMV-22B Osprey — 19

The CMV-22B took over carrier delivery from the C-2A, which made its last flight on 28 July 2026

Zapatos de deporte
  • T-6A/B Texan II — 294
  • T-45C Goshawk — 189
  • TH-57B/C Sea Ranger — 113, being replaced
  • TH-73A Thrasher — 59 in 2024, up to 130 planned
  • T-44C Pegasus — 56

Under Chief of Naval Air Training; the T-45 replacement competition had its final request for proposals in April 2026

Infraestructura

portaaviones
11The number the National Defense Authorization Act requires and the Air Boss said in August 2025 the Navy would keep; Nimitz is to be deactivated in March 2027 as John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) delivers
Carrier air wings
9Four with headquarters at NAS Oceana, four at NAS Lemoore and one (CVW-5) at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan; 74–78 aircraft and about 1,500 people each
Principales estaciones aéreas
  • NAS Oceana and NAS Lemoore — four carrier air wing headquarters each
  • NAS North Island — COMNAVAIRFOR headquarters
  • NAS Whidbey Island — Growlers
  • NAS Fallon — Top Gun (NAWDC)
  • NAS Pensacola and NAS Meridian — flight training
  • Tinker AFB — E-6B Mercury

Home stations as published; the stations file holds the full list

Flight demonstration team
Blue AngelsFormed 24 April 1946 and based at NAS Pensacola; F/A-18E/F Super Hornets since 2020 and a C-130J, "Fat Albert"
Closed or transferred
NAS MiramarHome of Top Gun until it passed to the Marine Corps in 1996, when the school moved to Fallon
Estructura

How the United States Naval Aviation is organised

The air arm of the US Navy, not a separate service, whose squadrons answer for readiness to Commander, Naval Air Forces, the "Air Boss", at North Island. Nine carrier air wings of Super Hornets, F-35Cs, Growlers, Hawkeyes and Seahawks fly from 11 carriers; four have their headquarters at Oceana, four at Lemoore and one at Iwakuni in Japan. P-8A Poseidons patrol from Jacksonville and Whidbey Island, and pilots train at Pensacola, Whiting Field and Meridian. Marine Corps aviation, which also flies from the carriers, is a separate arm and is not counted here.

DC

Vice AdmiralDouglas C. VerissimoCommander, Naval Air Forces and Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet ("Air Boss") · in office since 2026
Commander, Naval Air Forces
Sede

Commander, Naval Air Forces

COMNAVAIRFOR
North Island

The type command responsible for the readiness of all naval aviation, the "Air Boss", dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; it took its present form in October 2001. Vice Adm. Douglas C. Verissimo, a former Blue Angels pilot and commanding officer of the Carl Vinson, was confirmed by the Senate on 2 February 2026 to relieve Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever. The Chief of Naval Operations is Adm. Daryl Caudle.

Primera línea

Carrier air wings

CVW
Oceana, Lemoore and Iwakuni

Nine carrier air wings of 74 to 78 aircraft and about 1,500 people each, flying from 11 carriers: Carrier Air Wings 1, 3, 7 and 8 have their headquarters at Oceana, 2, 9, 11 and 17 at Lemoore, and Carrier Air Wing 5, the only one based outside the United States, at Iwakuni in Japan, with its helicopters at Atsugi. Carrier assignments change and are not given here.

Strike fighters

Strike Fighter Wings Atlantic and Pacific

Oceana and Lemoore

The Super Hornet and F-35C squadrons: 549 F/A-18E/Fs and 45 F-35Cs in the 2024 inventory, with 273 F-35Cs planned. Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic commands every East Coast Super Hornet squadron and VFA-106, which trains their crews; Strike Fighter Wing Pacific holds the West Coast squadrons, with VFA-122 and VFA-125, the F-35C training squadron.

Electronic attack and patrol

Electronic Attack Wing Pacific and Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings 10 and 11

Whidbey Island and Jacksonville

Fifteen EA-18G Growler squadrons under Electronic Attack Wing Pacific, and the P-8A Poseidon squadrons of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 at Whidbey Island and Wing 11 at Jacksonville, where VP-30 trains P-8 crews and VUP-19 flies the MQ-4C Triton. VQ-1 retired the Navy’s last EP-3E and P-3C in February 2025.

Helicopters and carrier delivery

Helicopter Sea Combat and Maritime Strike squadrons

HSC and HSM
North Island, Norfolk and Jacksonville

MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawks, 256 and 270 in the 2024 inventory, with an HSM squadron in every carrier air wing and detachments on cruisers and destroyers; seven HSC and seven HSM squadrons fly from North Island according to Wikipedia. The CMV-22B Ospreys of VRM-30 and VRM-50 took over carrier delivery when the C-2A made its last flight on 28 July 2026.

Capacitación

Naval Air Training Command

Pensacola, Whiting Field and Meridian

Under the Chief of Naval Air Training: Training Air Wing Five flies T-6B Texan IIs and TH-73A Thrashers at Whiting Field, and Training Air Wing Six trains naval flight officers at Pensacola. The T-45C Goshawk, 189 in the 2024 inventory, is the carrier trainer; the final request for proposals for its replacement came in April 2026.

Weapons school

Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center

NAWDC
Fallon

Formed on 11 July 1996 as the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center when Top Gun moved from Miramar, and renamed in 2016; it runs the Navy’s weapons schools and the large-force training that carrier air wings complete before deploying. The reserve VFC-13 "Fighting Saints" fly F-5s as adversaries.

Demonstration

Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron

Blue Angels
Pensacola

Formed on 24 April 1946 and at Pensacola since the winter of 1954–55, flying F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and the C-130J "Fat Albert" since 2020.

En servicio

What the United States Naval Aviation flies today

Cada tipo está sujeto a cargos, vinculado a su página en el Libro de las Bestias, cuando existe. Las cifras corresponden a aeronaves registradas, no a aeronaves disponibles en un día determinado.

Tipo Role En servicio Desde Unidades Notas
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super HornetEn servicio luchador de ataque 549 2001 — 549 per Wikipedia citing Church (2023). Three were lost from Truman in December 2024 to May 2025 and one from Nimitz in October 2025.
Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning IIEn servicio Stealth strike fighter, carrier variant 45 2019 — 45 in the 2024 inventory table; 273 planned for the Navy. A current delivered count was not confirmed.
Boeing EA-18G GrowlerEn servicio Ataque electrónico 153 2009 — 153 per Wikipedia citing Church (2024). Two were lost in a mid-air collision at an air show on 17 May 2026.
Northrop Grumman E-2C/D HawkeyeEn servicio Alerta temprana y control aéreo 83 1964 — 83 E-2C and E-2D together. Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Boeing P-8A PoseidónEn servicio Patrulla marítima y guerra antisubmarina 118 2013 — 118 in the 2024 inventory table; Wikipedia’s P-8 article gives 136 delivered to the Navy and three on order at October 2025. The two are not reconciled.
Northrop Grumman MQ-4C TritonEn servicio Unmanned maritime surveillance 20 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Boeing E-6B MercuryEn servicio Strategic communications (TACAMO) and airborne command post 16 1989 — 16 built 1988–1992.
Sikorsky MH-60R SeahawkEn servicio Maritime strike and anti-submarine helicopter 270 2006 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Sikorsky MH-60S SeahawkEn servicio Sea combat, logistics and search and rescue helicopter 256 2002 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Sikorsky MH-53E Sea DragonEn servicio Airborne mine countermeasures 26 1986 — 26 of 50 built. Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Bell Boeing CMV-22B OspreyEn servicio Entrega a bordo del transportista 19 2020 — 19 in the 2024 table. Planned total disputed: 38 (USNI News, 2018) or 44 (Wikipedia, 2026).
Boeing C-40A ClipperEn servicio Fleet logistics transport 17 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Lockheed C-130T and C-130J HerculesEn servicio Fleet logistics transport and Blue Angels support 17 — 16 C-130T and one C-130J, the Blue Angels’ "Fat Albert", a former RAF aircraft acquired in 2020.

Más

Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Beechcraft UC-12F/M Huron, Fairchild C-26D and Gulfstream C-37A/BEn servicio Range support, liaison and VIP transport 22 — 13 UC-12F/M, 1 RC-12M, 5 C-26A/D, 1 EC-26D (2 RC-26D also listed), 1 C-37A and 3 C-37B; 22 for the transport types.

Más

Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Northrop F-5F/N Tiger IIEn servicio Adversary training 31 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
General Dynamics F-16A/B/C/D Fighting FalconEn servicio Adversary training 22 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Boeing T-45C GoshawkEn servicio Advanced jet and carrier trainer 189 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.

Más

The whole fleet of 193 was grounded for an engine fault in October 2022 (USNI News).
Beechcraft T-6A/B Texan IIEn servicio Entrenador principal 294 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Beechcraft T-34C Turbo MentorEn servicio Trainer (residual) 15 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Beechcraft T-44C Pegasus and T-54A Marlin IIEn servicio Entrenador multimotor 58 — 56 T-44C and 2 T-54A. Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Northrop T-38 TalonEn servicio Test pilot training 10 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Leonardo TH-73A ThrasherEn servicio Entrenador de helicópteros 59 2021 — 59 in the 2024 table; 68 on order and up to 130 planned.
Bell TH-57B/C Sea RangerEn servicio Entrenador de helicópteros 113 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.

Más

Being replaced by the TH-73A; a retirement date was not confirmed.
Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire ScoutEn servicio Shipborne unmanned helicopter 10 — Inventory figure as reproduced by Wikipedia from the Defense Department’s FY2025 budget overview (2024); a 2026 figure was not found on an official page.
Boeing MQ-25A StingrayEn servicio Unmanned carrier tanker 1 — One in the 2024 table (test aircraft). The first production-representative aircraft flew on 25 April 2026.
F/A-18E/F549
T-6B294
MH-60R270
MH-60S256
T-45C189
EA-18G153
P-8A118
TH-57113

Bajo pedido

Tipo Ordenado Primera entrega Notas
Boeing F/A-XXBajo pedido — Sixth-generation carrier fighter to replace the Super Hornet from the 2030s.

Más

Boeing won the full-scale development contract, worth more than 20 billion dollars and covering multiple test aircraft, on 29 September 2026; Congress had appropriated 1.7 billion dollars for FY2026. Production quantity and first flight were not announced.
Boeing MQ-25A StingrayBajo pedido 76 Programme of record 76 air vehicles including four engineering development models and five test articles, about 13 billion dollars.

Más

The production-representative EDM-3 flew on 25 April 2026, the programme entered low-rate initial production in May 2026, and IOC (three aircraft ready to deploy) slipped from FY2027 to 2029.
Lockheed Martin E-130J (TACAMO)Bajo pedido — 2026 C-130J-30-based replacement for the E-6B in the strategic communications role, named in October 2024; first delivery expected in FY2026. Quantity not confirmed in the sources checked.
Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning IIBajo pedido — 2019 273 planned for the Navy; 45 were in the 2024 inventory table. The number still to come was not confirmed.
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block IIIBajo pedido 17 2021 Production was extended to 2027 with an additional 17 orders, per Wikipedia.
Boeing P-8A PoseidónBajo pedido 3 2013 Three on order at October 2025, per Wikipedia.
Undergraduate Jet Training System (T-45 replacement)Bajo pedido — Final request for proposals released in April 2026; selection expected in 2027. Type and quantity not yet decided.
Anteriormente operado

Every type the United States Naval Aviation has retired

26 types, from the Curtiss A-1 Triad (Model E) to the Grumman C-2A Greyhound. Las cifras máximas corresponden a las aeronaves puestas en servicio durante toda su vida útil, no al número total de efectivos de la flota en una fecha concreta.

Tipo Role Cima Servido Reemplazado por Notas
Grumman C-2A Greyhound Entrega a bordo del transportista 56 1966–2026 CMV-22B 17 C-2A and 39 C-2A(R) built; 26–27 in service at the end.
Lockheed P-3C Orion and EP-3E Aries II Maritime patrol and signals intelligence — 1962–2025 P-8A 757 P-3s built in all, for many operators; the US Navy figure was not confirmed.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornet luchador de ataque — 1984–2019 F/A-18E/F 1,480 A to D built for all customers; the Navy share was not confirmed.
Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler Ataque electrónico 170 1971–2015 EA-18G 170 production aircraft built 1966–1991, Navy and Marine Corps.
Sikorsky SH-60B and SH-60F Seahawk Helicóptero antisubmarino — 1984–2015 MH-60R Navy totals not confirmed.
Lockheed S-3A/B Viking Carrier anti-submarine, tanker and sea control 188 1974–2009 — 188 built 1974–1978.
Grumman F-14A/B/D Tomcat Fleet air defence fighter — 1974–2006 F/A-18E/F 712 built in all, including Iran’s 79; the Navy share was not confirmed.
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King Anti-submarine and rescue helicopter 245 1961–2006 SH-60 245 SH-3As for the Navy; later versions not counted here.
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Light attack and adversary — 1956–2003 — 2,960 built for all users; the Navy share was not confirmed.
Grumman A-6 Intruder All-weather attack 693 1963–1997 — 693 of all variants, Navy and Marine Corps.
LTV A-7 Corsair II Ataque ligero — 1967–1991 F/A-18 1,545 built for all users; the Navy share was not confirmed.
Vought F-8 Crusader Day fighter and photo reconnaissance 1,219 1957–1987 — 1,219 built, Navy, Marines and export.
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Fleet fighter — 1960–1986 F/A-18 (in part) Navy total not confirmed.
Douglas AD (A-1) Skyraider Ataque 3,180 1946–1968 — 3,180 built, for all users.
Grumman F9F Panther cazabombardero a reacción 1,385 1949–1958 — 1,385 built for the Navy and Marine Corps.
Consolidated PBY Catalina Patrol flying boat — 1936–1957 — About 3,300 built for all users.
Grumman F6F Hellcat caza embarcado 12,275 1943–1954 — 12,275 built.
Vought F4U Corsair cazabombardero embarcado — 1944–1953 — More than 12,571 built for all users.
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver bombardero en picado 7,140 1943–1947 — 7,140 SB2Cs and equivalents built.
Grumman F4F Wildcat caza embarcado 7,885 1940–1945 — 7,885 built, including General Motors FM versions.
Douglas TBD Devastator Bombardero torpedero — — — Cifras no confirmadas.
Douglas SBD Dauntless bombardero en picado 5,936 1940– — 5,936 built.
Grumman TBF and General Motors TBM Avenger Bombardero torpedero 9,839 1942– — 9,839 built by Grumman and General Motors.
Curtiss NC flying boats Long-range flying boat — 1919– — Three started the 1919 Atlantic flight (NC-1, NC-3, NC-4).
Vought VE-7 and Aeromarine 39B Trainer and carrier trials aircraft — 1922– — Cifras no confirmadas.
Curtiss A-1 Triad (Model E) First naval aircraft 14 1911– — Some 14 Curtiss Model Es bought.
bases aéreas

Where United States Naval Aviation flies from

Los marcadores negros indican bases activas, los marcadores huecos, aeródromos que han cerrado. Oceana, the East Coast master jet base, and Lemoore hold the strike fighters and four carrier air wing headquarters each; North Island is the home of the Air Boss and most Pacific Fleet helicopters, and Pensacola, where the aviators moved in January 1914, the cradle of naval aviation. Abroad the Navy flies from Sigonella, Rota, Atsugi and the Marine Corps station at Iwakuni; Miramar, the old home of Top Gun, is now a Marine Corps air station, and Keflavik closed in 2006. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.

Base aérea activa Cerrado o reservadoHaz clic en un marcador para abrir la página principal.

The United States

5 of the 16 bases above sit outside the United States, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas bases.

Base OACI Estado Pista Unidades y aeronaves
Marine Corps Air Station IwakuniYamaguchi Prefecture RJOI Activo 02/202.440 metrosconcreto
Naval Air Facility AtsugiKanagawa Prefecture RJTA Activo 01/192.438 mconcreto
  • Carrier Air Wing 5 helicopter squadrons: MH-60R Seahawk, MH-60S Seahawk
Naval Air Station FallonVan Voorhis FieldNevada KNFL Activo 13R/31L4,268 m13L/31R3,376 mconcreto07/252.135 m
Naval Air Station JacksonvilleTowers FieldFlorida KNIP Activo 10/282.744 metros14/321,822 m
  • Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 (VP-5, 8, 10, 16, 26, 45 and reserve VP-62): P-8A Poseidón
  • Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30): P-8A Poseidón
  • Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19): MQ-4C Triton
  • Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons (HSM-46, 70, 72, 74): MH-60R Seahawk
Naval Air Station LemooreReeves FieldCalifornia KNLC Activo 14L/32R4.115 mconcreto14R/32L4.115 mconcreto
Naval Air Station North IslandHalsey FieldCalifornia KNZY Activo 18/362.439 mconcrete and asphalt (faa surface code pem)11/292.286 mconcrete and asphalt (faa surface code pem)
  • Commander, Naval Air Forces / Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
  • Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons (HSC-3, 4, 6, 8, 14, 21, 23): MH-60S Seahawk
  • Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons (HSM-35, 41, 49, 71, 73, 75, 78): MH-60R Seahawk
  • Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadrons VRM-30 and VRM-50: CMV-22B Osprey
  • Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 57 (VR-57): C-40A Clipper
Naval Air Station OceanaApollo Soucek FieldVirginia KNTU Activo 05R/23L3.658 mconcrete and asphalt (faa surface code pem)14L/32R2.439 mconcrete and asphalt (faa surface code pem)05L/23R2.438 mconcrete and asphalt (faa surface code pem)14R/32L2.438 mconcrete and asphalt (faa surface code pem)
Naval Air Station Patuxent RiverTrapnell FieldMaryland KNHK Activo 06/243.596 m14/322,966 m02/201.530 metros
  • United States Naval Test Pilot School
  • Naval Air Systems Command test squadrons
Naval Air Station PensacolaForrest Sherman FieldFlorida KNPA Activo 07L/25R2.439 m07R/25L2.438 m01/192,175 m
Naval Air Station SigonellaSicily LICZ Activo 10R/28L2.462 m10L/28R2.442 m
  • Patrol squadron detachments and logistics aircraft: P-8A Poseidon, C-40A Clipper
Naval Air Station Whidbey IslandAult FieldWashington KNUW Activo 14/322.439 mconcreto07/252.438 mconcreto
  • Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (15 EA-18G squadrons): EA-18G Growler
  • Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10: P-8A Poseidón
  • Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 61 (VR-61): C-40A Clipper
  • NAS Whidbey Island Search and Rescue: MH-60S Seahawk
  • Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 (VQ-1): EP-3E Aries II, P-3C Orion
Naval Air Station Whiting FieldFlorida KNSE Activo 05/231.830 metros14/321.829 m
Naval Station NorfolkChambers FieldVirginia KNGU Activo 10/282.551 masfalto, ranurado
  • Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic squadrons: MH-60S Seahawk
  • Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (headquarters)
  • Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40): C-2A Greyhound
Naval Station RotaAndalucía (Provincia de Cádiz) ALERTA Activo 10/283.690 metroshormigón y asfalto
  • Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 79 (HSM-79): MH-60R Seahawk
  • Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 2 (VQ-2): EP-3E Aries II
  • Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 22 (VR-22): C-130F Hercules
Base Aeronaval de KeflavikIslandia BIKF Cerrado en 2006 10/283.070 metros01/193.050 m
  • Rotational patrol squadron detachments: P-3 Orión, P-8A Poseidon (visits since 2016)
Naval Air Station Miramarnow Marine Corps Air Station MiramarCalifornia KNKX Cerrado en 1997. 06L/24R3.658 mconcreto06R/24L2.439 mconcrete and asphalt (faa surface code pem)
  • Fighter Squadron 121 (VF-121) and the Navy Fighter Weapons School: F-4 Phantom II
  • Fighter Squadron 124 (VF-124): F-14 Tomcat

Ninguna base aérea coincide con esa búsqueda.

Orden de batalla

Who is stationed where in the United States Naval Aviation

Unidades voladoras por base, unidades actuales primero. Navy squadrons are named for their mission and carry a matching letter code — Strike Fighter Squadron 106 is VFA-106, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 79 is HSM-79 — and are grouped under type wings such as Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic at Oceana. The Air Force training group at Pensacola is marked as not Navy. Where a squadron list rests on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.

Naval Air Station Pensacola (Forrest Sherman Field) · KNPANaval Air Station Pensacola
Training Air Wing SixNaval flight officer training wing · active
—
Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels)Flight demonstration squadron · active
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, C-130J Hercules "Fat Albert"
479th Flying Training Group (US Air Force)Combat systems officer training group · tenant
T-6A Texan II, T-1A Jayhawk
Naval Aviation Schools Command and Naval Air Technical Training CenterGround training schools · active
—
Naval Air Station North Island (Halsey Field) · KNZYNaval Air Station North Island, Naval Base Coronado; headquarters of Commander, Naval Air Forces
Commander, Naval Air Forces / Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific FleetType command headquarters · active
—
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons (HSC-3, 4, 6, 8, 14, 21, 23)Helicopter squadrons · active
MH-60S Seahawk
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons (HSM-35, 41, 49, 71, 73, 75, 78)Helicopter squadrons · active
MH-60R Seahawk
Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadrons VRM-30 and VRM-50Carrier onboard delivery · active
CMV-22B Osprey
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 57 (VR-57)Logistics squadron (Navy Reserve) · active
C-40A Clipper
Naval Air Station Oceana (Apollo Soucek Field) · KNTUNaval Air Station Oceana; Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic
Strike Fighter Wing AtlanticStrike fighter wing · active
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106)Fleet replacement squadron · active
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F/A-18 Hornet (earlier)
Carrier Air Wings 1, 3, 7 and 8 (headquarters)Carrier air wing headquarters · active
—
Fighter Squadron 101 (VF-101) and the F-14 community1976–2006
F-14 Tomcat
Naval Air Station Fallon (Van Voorhis Field) · KNFLNaval Air Station Fallon; Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center
Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC)Top Gun · Weapons schools and warfare centre · active
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-16 (adversary), F-5 (adversary)
Fighter Squadron Composite 13 (VFC-13)Fighting Saints · Adversary squadron (Navy Reserve) · active
F-5 Tiger II
Naval Air Station Lemoore (Reeves Field) · KNLCNaval Air Station Lemoore; Strike Fighter Wing Pacific
Strike Fighter Wing PacificStrike fighter wing · active
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II
Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122)Fleet replacement squadron · active
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125)Fleet replacement squadron · active
F-35C Lightning II
Carrier Air Wings 2, 9, 11 and 17 (headquarters)Carrier air wing headquarters · active
—
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (Ault Field) · KNUWNaval Air Station Whidbey Island; Electronic Attack Wing Pacific; Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10
Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (15 EA-18G squadrons)Electronic attack wing · active
EA-18G Growler
Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10Maritime patrol wing · active
P-8A Poseidón
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 61 (VR-61)Logistics squadron (Navy Reserve) · active
C-40A Clipper
NAS Whidbey Island Search and RescueStation search and rescue · active
MH-60S Seahawk
Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 (VQ-1)—
EP-3E Aries II, P-3C Orion
Naval Air Station Jacksonville (Towers Field) · KNIPNaval Air Station Jacksonville; Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11
Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 (VP-5, 8, 10, 16, 26, 45 and reserve VP-62)Maritime patrol wing · active
P-8A Poseidón
Patrol Squadron 30 (VP-30)Fleet replacement squadron · active
P-8A Poseidón
Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19)Unmanned patrol squadron · active
MQ-4C Triton
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons (HSM-46, 70, 72, 74)Helicopter squadrons · active
MH-60R Seahawk
Naval Air Station Patuxent River (Trapnell Field) · KNHKNaval Air Station Patuxent River; Naval Air Systems Command
United States Naval Test Pilot SchoolEscuela de pilotos de prueba · activa
—
Naval Air Systems Command test squadronsFlight test · active
—
Naval Station Norfolk (Chambers Field) · KNGUNaval Station Norfolk
Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic squadronsHelicopter squadrons · active
MH-60S Seahawk
Reserve Patrol Wing Atlantic (headquarters)Reserve wing headquarters · active
—
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40)—
C-2A Greyhound
Naval Air Station Whiting Field · KNSENaval Air Station Whiting Field; Training Air Wing Five
Training Air Wing FiveFlight training wing · active
T-6B Texan II (North Field), TH-73A Thrasher (South Field)
Naval Air Station Sigonella · LICZNaval Air Station Sigonella
Patrol squadron detachments and logistics aircraftMaritime patrol and logistics · active
P-8A Poseidon, C-40A Clipper
Naval Station Rota · LERTBase Naval de Rota
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 79 (HSM-79)Escuadrón de helicópteros · activo
MH-60R Seahawk
Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 2 (VQ-2)1959–2005
EP-3E Aries II
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 22 (VR-22)1962–1993
C-130F Hercules
Naval Air Facility Atsugi · RJTAAtsugi Air Base
Carrier Air Wing 5 helicopter squadronsHelicopter squadrons · active
MH-60R Seahawk, MH-60S Seahawk
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni · RJOIMarine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
Carrier Air Wing 5 (fixed-wing squadrons)Carrier air wing · active
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye

No se encontró ninguna unidad que coincida con esa búsqueda.

Cronología

United States Naval Aviation milestones, 1914 to today

1911

18 January: Eugene Ely, who had flown off the cruiser Birmingham on 14 November 1910, lands on USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay. 8 May: Capt. Washington Irving Chambers orders the Navy’s first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 Triad. 30 June: Lt. Theodore Ellyson flies it from Keuka Lake.

1914

20 January: naval aviation moves to Pensacola. From 24 April, five seaplanes from Mississippi and Birmingham fly reconnaissance over Veracruz and Tampico, the first operational use.

1919

8–31 May: the NC-4 flies from Rockaway to Plymouth via Lisbon, the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic.

1921

The Bureau of Aeronautics is created under Rear Adm. William A. Moffett.

1922

20 March: the collier Jupiter is recommissioned as USS Langley (CV-1), the first US carrier. First take-off 17 October, first landing 26 October.

1942

4–7 June: at Midway, Navy dive bombers sink all four Japanese fleet carriers; Yorktown is lost.

1944

19–20 June: Battle of the Philippine Sea, the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot"; 550–645 Japanese aircraft destroyed for 123 American.

1946

24 April: the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, is formed; first show on 10 May.

1950

3 July: Valley Forge launches the first carrier strike of the Korean War; F9F Panthers shoot down two Yak-9s.

1963

20 December: carrier air groups (CVG) are retitled carrier air wings (CVW).

1969

3 March: the Navy Fighter Weapons School, Top Gun, is established at Miramar.

1981

19 August: two F-14As of VF-41 shoot down two Libyan Su-22s over the Gulf of Sidra.

1991

17 January: on the first night of Desert Storm, Lt. Cdr. Scott Speicher of VFA-81 is lost in his F/A-18; the same day Lt. Cdr. Mark Fox and Lt. Nick Mongilio shoot down two MiGs.

2001

October: COMNAVAIRFOR takes its present form; Enterprise flies nearly 700 missions over Afghanistan in three weeks.

2006

22 September: the F-14 Tomcat is retired.

2019

28 February: the F-35C reaches initial operational capability. 2 October: last operational flight of the legacy F/A-18C.

2024

July: Eisenhower and Carrier Air Wing 3 return from nine months against Houthi drones and missiles. 22 December: an F/A-18F of VFA-11 is shot down in error by USS Gettysburg over the Red Sea.

2026

28 February: Operation Epic Fury begins against Iran. 28 July: last flight of the C-2A Greyhound. 29 September: Boeing wins the F/A-XX development contract.

historial de combate

Every war United States Naval Aviation has fought

Salidas y pérdidas donde consta en el registro, y un espacio en blanco honesto donde no.

16conflictos
1914Primero
864Avión perdido
401Delicado
  • The Veracruz occupation 1914 Flew reconnaissance for the troops ashore from the battleship Mississippi and the cruiser Birmingham
  • La Primera Guerra Mundial 1917–1918 Trained naval aviators in large numbers, flew anti-submarine patrols, and attached pilots to British and French units
  • La Segunda Guerra Mundial 1941–1945 Fought the Pacific war at sea with fast carrier task forces, and hunted submarines and escorted convoys with patrol aircraft
  • La guerra de Corea 1950–1953 Flew interdiction, close support and fighter cover from carriers off both coasts
  • La guerra de Vietnam 1964–1973 Struck North Vietnam from carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin for nine years and fought the North Vietnamese air force

Abrir el registro completo de combate

De la revista

United States Naval Aviation news from Afterburner

Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the United States Naval Aviation and the aircraft it flies. Esta lista se actualiza automáticamente: las nuevas historias de Afterburner aparecen aquí de forma automática.

Todas las historias en Afterburner

Preguntas y respuestas

Everything people ask about the United States Naval Aviation

What is United States Naval Aviation?
It is the air arm of the US Navy: the carrier air wings, maritime patrol, helicopter, training and support squadrons, run day to day by Commander, Naval Air Forces at NAS North Island in California. "United States Naval Aviation" is the title Wikipedia uses for it (the link from its United States Navy article); it is not a separate service. Marine Corps aviation flies many of the same aircraft and also operates from carriers, but it is a separate arm.
What aircraft does the US Navy fly in 2026?
Its carrier strike fighter is the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (549 in the 2024 inventory), joined by the F-35C Lightning II, the EA-18G Growler for electronic attack and the E-2D Hawkeye for early warning. Helicopters are MH-60R and MH-60S Seahawks, the CMV-22B Osprey carries supplies to the carriers, and the P-8A Poseidon and MQ-4C Triton patrol the oceans. Pilots train on the T-6B y T-45C Goshawk.
When did US naval aviation begin?
Eugene Ely flew off the cruiser Birmingham on 14 November 1910 and landed on USS Pennsylvania on 18 January 1911. On 8 May 1911 Captain Washington Irving Chambers ordered the Navy’s first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 Triad, which Lt. Theodore Ellyson, the first naval aviator, flew on 30 June 1911. The first carrier, USS Langley, followed in 1922.
How many aircraft carriers and air wings does the US Navy have?
Eleven carriers and nine carrier air wings, the figures the Air Boss, Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, gave in August 2025. Four wings are headquartered at NAS Oceana, four at NAS Lemoore and one at MCAS Iwakuni in Japan; each has 74–78 aircraft and about 1,500 people. USS Nimitz is due to be deactivated in March 2027 as USS John F. Kennedy delivers.
Who commands US naval aviation?
Vice Adm. Douglas C. Verissimo, Commander, Naval Air Forces and Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet — the "Air Boss". The Senate confirmed him on 2 February 2026 to relieve Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever. He is a former commanding officer of VFA-105 and USS Carl Vinson and once flew with the Blue Angels.
Is Top Gun real, and where is it?
Yes. The Navy Fighter Weapons School was set up at NAS Miramar on 3 March 1969, after a study of poor missile results over Vietnam; Wikipedia credits it with lifting the Navy’s kill-to-loss ratio against MiGs from 2.42:1 to 12.5:1. It moved to NAS Fallon, Nevada, in 1996 when Miramar passed to the Marine Corps, and is now part of the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center.
What will replace the Super Hornet?
The F/A-XX. On 29 September 2026 the Pentagon picked Boeing to build the sixth-generation carrier fighter under a development contract worth more than 20 billion dollars, with the jet to enter the fleet as Super Hornets retire in the 2030s. It is meant to work with unmanned aircraft: the MQ-25A Stingray tanker, now due to reach initial operational capability in 2029, and naval collaborative combat aircraft.
Has the US Navy lost aircraft in combat recently?
Not to enemy fire, as far as published sources show. In the Red Sea campaign, Truman lost three Super Hornets: one shot down in error by the cruiser USS Gettysburg on 22 December 2024, one that rolled off the hangar deck on 28 April 2025 and one after an arresting-gear failure on 6 May 2025. Nimitz lost an MH-60R and an F/A-18F in the South China Sea on 26 October 2025. All the crews survived.
What were US naval aviation’s greatest battles?
Midway (4–7 June 1942), where SBD Dauntless dive bombers sank all four Japanese fleet carriers, and the Philippine Sea (19–20 June 1944), where F6F Hellcats and ship fire destroyed 550–645 Japanese aircraft for 123 American — the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot". Carrier aircraft also helped sink the battleships Musashi and Yamato.
Who are the Blue Angels?
The Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, formed on 24 April 1946 and based at NAS Pensacola. They started on the F6F Hellcat and have flown the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet since 2020, supported by a C-130J called "Fat Albert". Their pilots went to war in Korea in 1950, and 20 pilots and one crew member have died while with the team.

Fuentes y lecturas adicionales

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