Search the Site with 
to end of page

US Navy Aircraft Squadron Classification Symbols

Note: The chart below just covers the abbreviations of US Navy squadrons. Those of the Marine Corps are not listed below but these squadrons can easily be identified by the "M" in the abbreviation. For example VFA and VMFA.

AbbreviationMeaningTimeframe
HAL or HA(L)Helicopter Attack Squadron Light1967-72
1976-88
HCHelicopter Combat Support Squadron1965-present
HCSHelicopter Combat Support Special Squadron1988-present
HCTHelicopter Combat Support Training Squadron1974-1977
HMHelicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron1971-present
HSHelicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron1951-present
HSLHelicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (Light)1972-present
HTHelicopter Training Squadron1960-present
HTUHelicopter Training Unit1950-1957
HUHelicopter Utility Squadron1948-1965
RVAHReconnaissance Attack Squadron1964-1979
RVAWCarrier Airborne Early Warning Training Squadron1967-1983
STAGRONSpecial Air Task Force Squadron (VK)1943-1944
TACRONTactical Squadron or
Tactical Air Control Squadron or
Tactical Control Squadron		1946-present
VAAttack Squadron1946-present
VA(AW)All-Weather Attack Squadron1956-1959
VAH or VA(H)Heavy Attack Squadron1955-1971
VA(HM)Attack Mining Squadron1956-1959
VAKTactical Aerial Refueling Squadron1979-1989
VAL or VA(L)Light Attack Squadron1969-1972
VAP or VA(P)Heavy Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron or
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) or
Heavy Photographic Squadron		1956-1971
VAQCarrier Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron or
Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron		1968-present
VAWCarrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron1948
1956-present
VAWCarrier Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron1968
VBBombing Squadron or
Light Bombing Plane Squadron		1928-1946
VBFBombing Fighting Squadron1945-1946
VCComposite Squadron1943-45
1948-56
VCFleet Composite Squadron1965-present
VCNNight Composite Squadron1946-1948
VCPPhotographic Composite Squadron1959-1961
VCSCruiser Scouting Squadron1937-1945
VDPhotographic Squadron1943-1946
VEEvacuation Squadron1944-1945
VFCombat Squadron1922
VFFighting Plane Squadron or Fighting Squadron1922-1948
VFFighter Squadron1948-present
VFAStrike Fighter Squadron1980-1983
VFAStrike Fighter Squadron1983-present
VF(AW)All-Weather Fighter Squadron or
Fighter (All-Weather) Squadron		1956-1963
VFN or VF(N)Night Fighting Squadron1944-1946
VFP or VF(P)Light Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron or
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron or
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) or
Light Photographic Squadron		1956-1987
VGFEscort-Fighter Squadron1942-1943
VGSEscort-Scouting Squadron1942-1943
VHRescue Squadron1944-1946
VJUtility Squadron or
General Utility Squadron		1925-1946
VJWeather Squadron or
Weather Reconnaissance Squadron		1952-1953
VJPhotographic Squadron1952-1956
VKSpecial Air Task Force Squadron (STAGRON)1943-1944
VNTraining Squadron1927-1947
VOSpotting Squadron1922
VOObservation Plane Squadron or
Observation Squadron		1923-45
1947-49
1967-1968
VOCComposite Spotting Squadron1944-1945
VOFObservation Fighter Squadron1942-1945
VPSeaplane Patrol Squadron1922
VPPatrol Squadron1924-1944
1946
1948-present
VP-AMAmphibian Patrol Squadron1946-1948
VPBPatrol Bombing Squadron1944-1946
VP-HLHeavy Patrol Squadron (landplane)1946-1948
VPMMeteorological Squadron1946-1947
VP-MLMedium Patrol Squadron (landplane)1946-1948
VP-MSMedium Patrol Squadron (seaplane)1946-1948
VPP or VP(P)Photographic Squadron or
Patrol Squadron (photographic)		1946-1948
VPUPatrol Squadron Special Unit1982-present
VPWWeather Reconnaissance Squadron1945-1948
VPWAir Early Warning Squadron1948
VQElectronic Countermeasures Squadron1955-1960
VQFleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron1961-present
VRTransport Squadron or
Air Transport Squadron or Fleet Logistic Air Squadron		1942-1958
VRFleet Tactical Support Squadron1958-1976
VRFleet Logistics Support Squadron1976-present
VRC or VR(C)Fleet Tactical Support Squadron1960-1976
VRCFleet Logistics Support Squadron1976-present
VREAir Transport Evacuation Squadron1945
VRFTransport Ferry and Service Squadron1943-1946
VRFAir Ferry Transport Squadron or
Air Ferry Squadron		1943-1948
VRF or VR(F)Aircraft Ferry Squadron1957-1986
VRJUtility Transport Squadron1945-1946
VRSAir Ferry Service Squadron or
Ferry Command Service Squadron		1943-1946
VRUTransport Utility Squadron1946-1948
VSScouting Plane Squadron or
Scouting Squadron		1922-1946
VSAnti-Submarine Squadron or
Air Anti-Submarine Squadron or
Carrier Air Anti-Submarine Squadron		1950-1993
VSSea Control Squadron1993-present
VSFAnti-Submarine Fighter Squadron1965-1973
VTTorpedo Bombing Plane Squadron or
Torpedo Bombing Squadron		1922-1930
VTTorpedo Plane Squadron1921
VTTorpedo Squadron1930-1946
VTTraining Squadron1960-present
VTNNight Torpedo Squadron1944-1946
VUUtility Squadron1946-1965
VWAir Early Warning Squadron or
Airborne Early Warning Squadron or
Fleet Early Warning Squadron		1952-1971
VWWeather Reconnaissance Squadron or
Fleet Weather Reconnaissance Squadron		1967-1975
VXExperimental Squadron1927-approx. 1943
VXExperimental and Development Squadron or
Operational Development Squadron or
Air Operational Development Squadron or
Air Development Squadron		1946-1968
VXAir Test and Evaluation Squadron1969-present
VXEAntarctic Development Squadron1969-present
VXNOceanographic Development Squadron1969-1993
ZJBlimp Utility Squadron1944-1945
ZKKite Balloon Squadron1922-1924
ZPAirship Patrol Squadron1942-1961
ZPBlimp Squadron1942-1961
ZPAirship Patrol Squadron (All-Weather Anti-Submarine) or
Airship Squadron or
LTA Patrol Squadron		1942-1961
ZWAirship Early Warning Squadron1956-1961
ZXAirship Operational Development Squadron or
Airship Development Squadron		1950-1957



Back to topback to top


back Back to Military Terms Page back Back to 1st Page