Navy Aircraft Past and Present
F-86 Sabre
Single seat all-weather/night interceptor
First Flight Oct. 1, 1947
The Air Force's first swept-wing fighter. It played a prominent role in the Korean War, shooting down 792 MiG fighters that belonged to Chinese, North Korean and Russian fighters, with a loss of only 76 Sabres.
A-4 Skyhawk
Single seat carrier-based attack-bomber
First Flight June 22, 1954
A-4s were lightweight and good for long-range missions. During Vietnam, they logged more combat missions than any other naval aircraft. More than 20 versions of the A-4 have been used by the U.S. military and foreign nations. The Navy retired its last A-4 in 2003.
F-8 Crusader
Single seat carrier-based fighter
First Flight March 25, 1955
Was the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound (Mach 1). Went on to set the U.S. speed record in August 1956. Served primarily in Vietnam. Was exclusively used by the Navy and Marine Corps.
F-4 Phantom
Dual seat carrier-based fighter/strike aircraft
First Flight May 27, 1958
Dominant fighter of the 1960s and early 1970s. Considered the workhorse of Vietnam. Its early dominance in the Navy influenced the Air Force to adopt it as one of its fighters, too. It was extensively used by the Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team.
A-6 Intruder
Dual seat carrier- or shore-based all-weather attack aircraft
First Flight April 19, 1960
Served the Navy in Vietnam, Libya and Desert Storm. Premier bomber during Vietnam. Star of the movie "Flight of the Intruder."
E-2C Hawkeye
Navy's only airborne early warning and control
First Flight Oct. 21, 1961
It's equipped with long-range radar capable of detecting targets anywhere within a 3M cubic mile-surveillance envelope while also monitoring maritime traffic. Can also maintain an-weather patrols, automatically track 600+ targets simultaneously, and control 40+ airborne intercepts. It has supported operations in Libya, Desert Storm, Desert Fox and Bosnia, and has been used to aid in drug interdiction efforts.
A-7 Corsair
Single seat carrier-based light attack bomber
First Flight Sept. 27, 1965
Served from the 1960s through 1990s as one of the Navy's premiere light attack bombers. It was based on the F-8 Crusader design to keep costs minimal. Served in Vietnam, Libya, Panama and in Desert Storm.
F-14 Tomcat
Dual seat carrier-based multi-role fighter
First Flight Dec. 21, 1970
Served in Libya, Desert Storm and Bosnia. In the 1990s, it was outfitted for a multi-mission role of fighter-bomber and was used as a bomber during Operation Desert Fox. Star of "Top Gun."
S-3 Viking
Four-seat twin-engine carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft
First Flight Jan. 21, 1972
Introduced in 1974 as an anti-submarine warfare aircraft, the Viking played a critical surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting role at sea for naval and joint forces. It went on to perform various other duties, such as organic tanking, electronic intelligence and carrier onboard delivery. Officially retired from Navy service in 2009.
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Single seat land-based multi-role fighter
First Flight Aug. 7, 1978
Flew more sorties during Desert Storm than any other aircraft. With a full load of internal fuel, the F-16 can withstand up to nine times the G-force. The Navy, including TOPGUN, uses it as an adversarial aircraft to train its best fighter pilots.
F-5N Tiger II
Initial operational capability: 2003
This single seat twin-engine tactical fighter and attack aircraft is used for simulated air-to-air combat training. The F-5F is the dual seat version commonly used for training and adversary combat tactics.
