The Italian Armed Forces aircraft designation system is a unified designation system introduced by the

Italian Armed Forces The Italian Armed Forces (, ) encompass the Italian Army, the Italian Navy and the Italian Air Force. A fourth Military branch, branch of the armed forces, known as the Carabinieri, take on the role as the nation's Gendarmerie, military police an ...

in 2009 for all Italian

military aircraft A military aircraft is any Fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing or rotorcraft, rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary military of any type. Some military aircraft engage directly in aerial warfare, while others take on su ...

. The system is based on the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system 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 United States military aircraft de ...

Designation system

The designation system produces 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.

List of assigned aircraft designations

A - Attack

;AV-8 -

McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine ground-attack aircraft that constitutes the second generation of the Harrier family, capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL). The aircraft is primari ...

*AV-8B *TAV-8B ;A-11 -

AMX International AMX The AMX International AMX is a ground-attack aircraft jointly developed by Brazil and Italy. The AMX is designated A-11 Ghibli by the Italian Air Force and A-1 by the Brazilian Air Force. The Italian name, "Ghibli", is taken from the hot dry wi ...

*A-11A - AMX *TA-11A - AMX-T *A-11B - AMX ACOL *TA-11B - AMX-T ACOL ;A-200 -

Panavia Tornado The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multi-role combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. There are three primary #Variants, Tornado variants: the Tornado IDS ...

*A-200A - Tornado IDS *TA-200A - Tornado IDS (trainer) *EA-200B - Tornado ECR *A-200C - Tornado post-MLU *TA-200C - Tornado post-MLU (trainer)

C - Transport

;C-27 -

Alenia C-27J Spartan The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Leonardo's Aircraft Division (formerly Alenia Aermacchi until 2016). It is an advanced derivative of the former Alenia Aeronautica's earlier G.222 (C-27 ...

*C-27J *YEC-27J JEDI ;C-42 -

ATR 42 The ATR 42 is a regional airliner produced by Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR (aircraft manufacturer), ATR, with final assembly in Toulouse, France. On 4 November 1981, the aircraft was launched with ATR, as a joint venture between French Aér ...

*C-42C - ATR 42-500 ;C-50 -

Dassault Falcon 50 The Dassault Falcon 50 is a French super-midsize, long-range business jet, featuring a trijet layout with an S-duct air intake for the central engine. It has the same fuselage cross-section and similar capacity as the earlier twin-engined Falco ...

*VC-50A ;C-130 - Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules *C-130J *C-130J-30 ;C-180 - Piaggio P.180 Avanti *VC-180A - P180 Avanti *VC-180B - P180 Avanti II ;C-222 - Aeritalia G.222 *C-222A - G.222TCM1 *C-222B - G.222TCM2 *RC-222 - G.222RM *EC-222 - G.222VS ;C-228 -

Dornier 228 The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH (later DASA Dornier, Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981 until 1998. 245 were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics ...

*UC-228 - Dornier 228 ;C-319 -

Airbus A319 The Airbus A319 is a member of the Airbus A320 family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger twin-engine jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The A319 carries 124 to 156 passengers and has a maximum range of . Final ass ...

*VC-319A - A319CJ ;C-900 -

Dassault Falcon 900 The Dassault Falcon 900, commonly abbreviated as the F900, is a French-built corporate trijet aircraft made by Dassault Aviation. Development The Falcon 900 is a development of the Dassault Falcon 50, Falcon 50, itself a development of the e ...

*VC-900A - Falcon 900EX *VC-900B - Falcon 900EASY

E - Electronics

;E-550 - Gulfstream G550 CAEW *E-550A

F - Fighter

;F-16 - Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon *F-16A *F-16B ;F-35 -

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and att ...

*F-35A - CTOL *F-35B - STOVL ;F-2000 -

Eurofighter Typhoon The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, supersonic, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Syste ...

*F-2000A - Typhoon *TF-2000A - Typhoon (trainer)

G - Glider

;G-2 - Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2 *G-2B - Ventus 2B ;G-4 - Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4 *G-4D - Nimbus-4D *G-4DM - Nimbus-4DM ;G-17 - LAK-17 *UG-17A - LAK-17 ;G-21 - Caproni Vizzola Calif *G-21S - A-21S Calif ;G-103 - Grob G103 Twin Astir *G-103 - G 103 Twin Astir

H - Helicopter

;H-3 -

Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King (company designation S-61) is an American twin-engine anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft. A landmark design, it was one of the first ASW rotorcraft to use turboshaft engine ...

*VH-3D - SH-3D *SH-3D - SH-3D ASW *UH-3D - SH-3D ASH *HH-3F - HH-3F Pelican ;H-47 -

Boeing CH-47 Chinook The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem-rotor helicopter originally developed by American rotorcraft company Piasecki Helicopter, Vertol and now manufactured by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The Chinook is a Military transport helicopter, heav ...

*CH-47C - CH-47C *CH-47F - CH-47F Chinook ;H-90 -

NHIndustries NH90 The NHIndustries NH90 is a European medium-sized, twin-engine, multirole military helicopter. It was the first production helicopter to feature entirely fly-by-wire flight controls.Perry, Dominic"Rotor club: Our top 10 most influential helicop ...

*UH-90A - NH 90 TTF *SH-90A - NH 90 NFH ;H-101 -

AgustaWestland AW101 The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter in military and civil use. First flown in 1987, it was developed by a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the United Kingdom and Agusta in Italy in response to national requiremen ...

*SH-101A - AW101 Maritime Patrol *EH-101A - AW101 AEW *UH-101A - AW101 Anti-Submarine Helicopter *HH-101A - AW101 CSAR ;H-109 -

Agusta A109 The AgustaWestland AW109, originally the Agusta A109, is a lightweight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter designed and initially produced by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta. It was the first all-Italian helicopter to b ...

*CH-109A - A109A *CH-109B - A109A II *CH-109D - A109C *CH-109E - A109F *MRH-109A - A109T *MCH-109A - A109N ;H-129 -

Agusta A129 Mangusta The Agusta A129 Mangusta () is an attack helicopter originally designed and produced by Italian company Agusta. It is the first attack helicopter to be designed and produced wholly in Europe. It has continued to be developed by AgustaWestland, t ...

*AH-129A - A129 *AH-129C - A129C *AH-129D - A129D ;H-139 -

AgustaWestland AW139 The AgustaWestland AW139, now known as the Leonardo AW139, is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter developed and produced by the Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, now part of Leonardo. It is marketed at several differ ...

*HH-139A - AW139 Air Force SAR *PH-139A - AW139 Coast Guard SAR *UH-139A *VH-139A - AW139 Air Force VIP *HH-139B - AW139 Air Force SAR *PH-139B - AW139 Coast Guard SAR *UH-139B *UH-139C ;H-169 - AgustaWestland AW169 *UH-169A - AW169M ;H-205 - Agusta-Bell AB 205 *UH-205A - AB 205 ;H-206 - Agusta-Bell AB 206 *RH-206A - AB 206A1 *RH-206B - AB 206B1 *RH-206C - AB 206C1 ;H-212 - Agusta-Bell AB 212 *UH-212 - AB 212 *HH-212A - AB 212 (AMI-SAR) *UH-212A - AB 212 (AWTI) *UH-212B - AB 212ASH *SH-212B - AB 212ASW ;H-249 - Leonardo Helicopters AW249 *AH-249A - AW249 ;H-412 - Agusta-Bell AB 412 *HH-412A - AB 412 *HH-412B - AB 412EP *HH-412C - AB 412HP *HH-412D - AB 412SP ;H-500 - Breda Nardi NH-500E *TH-500B - NH-500E *OH-500A - NH-500 MC *OH-500B - NH 500 MD

KC - Tanker

;KC-707 - Boeing 707T/T *KC-707A - 707T/T Tanker/Transport ;KC-767 *KC-767A -

Boeing KC-767 The Boeing KC-767 is a military aerial refueling tanker and transport aircraft developed from the Boeing 767-200ER. The tanker received the designation KC-767A, after being selected by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) initially to replace older KC ...

*KC-767B -

Boeing KC-46 Pegasus The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is an American military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft developed by Boeing from its 767 jet airliner. In February 2011, the tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the ...

P - Patrol

;P-42 -

*P-42A - ATR42MP-400 *P-42B - ATR42MP-500 ;P-72 -

ATR 72 The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR. The number "72" in its name is derived from the aircraft's typical standard seating capacity of 72 pa ...

*P-72A - ATR72 ;P-1150 - Breguet Atlantic *P-1150A - Br.1150 Atlantic

Q - UAV

;Q-1 -

General Atomics MQ-1 Predator The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (often referred to as the Predator drone) is an American remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics that was used primarily by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency ...

*RQ-1B - Predator A *MQ-1C - Predator A+ ;Q-7 -

AAI RQ-7 Shadow The AAI RQ-7 Shadow is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used by the United States Army, Australian Army, Swedish Army, Turkish Air Force and Italian Army for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition and battle damage assess ...

*RQ-7C - Shadow 200 ;Q-9 -

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, one component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS)) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomi ...

*MQ-9A - Predator B ;Q-10 - APR Strix C *RQ-10C - Strix C *RQ-10D - Strix D ;Q-11 - AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven *RQ-11B - Raven B *RQ-11C - Raven DDL ;Q-12 - APR Sixton *RQ-12A ;Q-24 - APR Asio-B *RQ-24A ;Q-25 - APR Spyball-B *RQ-25A ;Q-26 - APR Crex-B *RQ-26A ;Q-27 -

Boeing Insitu ScanEagle The Boeing Insitu ScanEagle is a small, long-endurance, low-altitude unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, and is used for reconnaissance. The ScanEagle was designed by Insitu based o ...

*RQ-27A - ScanEagle ;Q-28 - IA-3 Colibrì quadcopterIDS Ingegneria Dei Sistemi IA-3 Colibrì
/ref> *RQ-28A - IA-3 Colibrì

T - Trainer

;T-260 - SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 *T-260A - SF.260AM *T-260B - SF.260EA ;T-339 -

Aermacchi MB-339 The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Italian aviation company Aermacchi. The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a re ...

*T-339A - MB-339A *FT-339B - MB-339CD1 *FT-339C - MB-339CD2 *AT-339A - MB-339PAN ;T-345 -

Aermacchi M-345 The Aermacchi M-345 is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft designed and produced by the Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo S.p.A. It is a development of the SIAI-Marchetti S.211. On 29 December 2016, the M-345 performed its maiden f ...

*T-345A - M-345 HET ;T-346 -

Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military Twinjet, twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and then Alenia Ae ...

*T-346A - M-346 Master ;T-2006 -

Tecnam P2006T The Tecnam P2006T is an Italian high-winged twin-engined all-metal light aircraft, built by Tecnam, Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam based in Capua, Italy, near Naples. The P2006T received airworthiness certification in the European Union by EASA u ...

*T-2006A- T2006A

U - Utility

;U-166 - Piaggio P.166 *U-166A - P.166M *U-166B - P.166DL3 *U-166C - P.166DP1 ;U-208 - SIAI-Marchetti S.208 *U-208A - S.208

References

External links

Italian Ministry of Defence Categories page
{{Italian military aircraft Italian military aircraft

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...