Current Air Forces with a Military Designation System

Many of the largest air forces have some sort of official designation system for the aircraft that they use. Most other air forces do not, and just use the manufacturer's model name and/or number, or retain the original military designation, if applicable.

Countries / Air Forces with a formal designation system:

• Brazil

• Força Aerea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force)

• Força Aeronaval da Marinha do Brazil (Brazilian Naval Aviation)

• Comando de Aviaĉão do Exército (Army Aviation Command)

• Designation-Systems.net: Brazilian Military Aircraft Designations

• Canada

• Canadian Armed Forces

• Designation-Systems.net: Canadian Military Aircraft Designations

• China

• 中国人民解放军 (Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn - People's Liberation Army)

• Designation-Systems.net: Chinese Military Aircraft Designations

• Italy

• Ministero della Difesa (Ministry of Defence)

• AER(EP).0-0-12 UTILIZZO DELLA NOMENCLATURA “MISSION DESIGN SERIES” (MDS) NELLE PUBBLICAZIONI
  TECNICHE (PPTT) DI COMPETENZA DELLA DAAA

• Edizione base del 03 Febbraio 2022

• Emendamento 1 del 24 Febbraio 2023

• https://www.difesa.it/SGD-DNA/Staff/DT/ARMAEREO/Biblioteca/1Categoria/Pagine/Home.aspx

• Wikipedia: Italian Armed Forces aircraft designation system

• Sistema di nomenclatura dei velivoli

• Japan

• 自衛隊 (Jieitai / Japan Self-Defense Force)

• Designation-Systems.net: Japanese Military Aircraft Designations (after 1945)

• Spain

• Fuerzas Armadas Españolas (Spanish Armed Forces)

• Designation-Systems.net: Spanish Military Aircraft Designations

• Sweden

• Svenska Armén (Swedish Army)

• Svenska Marinen (Swedish Navy)

• Svenska Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force)

• Designation-Systems.net: Swedish Military Aircraft Designations

• Thailand

• Designation-Systems.net: Thai Military Aircraft Designations

• United Kingdom

• British Army

• Royal Navy

• Royal Air Force

• United States of America

• US Army

• US Navy

• US Air Force

• Designation-Systems.net

Countries / Air Forces that may have a designation system, or only a partial designation system (further research needed):

• Australia Historically, Australia has assigned an aircraft specific code as a prefix to military aircraft serial numbers (e.g., A3 for the Mirage III, A21 for the F/A-18 Hornet, etc.), but otherwise just used the original manufacturer model number, name and/or military designation for aircraft. However, recent aircraft appear to have been assigned a US-style designation, including the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail and Boeing Australia MQ-28 Ghost Bat.

• Chile Some aircraft appear to have a military designation, e.g., Aerospatiale AS332 Super Pumas used by the Navy are designated HH-32 and Air Force CASA C-101 Aviojets are designated T-36 or A-36 Halcón.

• France

• Israel Military aircraft are assigned an official nickname (e.g., Kfir, Nesher, Ra'am). There does not otherwise appear to be a military aircraft designation system.

• Russia The former USSR had an official method of designating aircraft (e.g., Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-6T was designated I-72 and MiG-21F; Sukhoi T10S was designated Su-27S), but it is unclear if this has officially been continued by Russia.

• Serbia Inherited many aircraft from the former Yugoslavia, which had an official designation system. It appears that existing aircraft continue to use this system, but it is unclear if this designation system would continue to be used for new aircraft.