British Military Aircraft Role Prefixes
How to identify Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm aircraft role from its name.
If we see the name of a British military aircraft, we will often see that some alphabet and numbers follow the name of the aircraft. For example, Typhoon FGR. 4. So, what does FGR.4 mean?
The FGR.4 from the name indicates the aircraft’s role and capabilities or types of mission that it can handle. Each alphabet stands for a different role. Before we went further, let’s take a look at what each/combination of alphabets stands for.
- A (If stands alone) = Airborne/Paratrooper Transport Aircraft
- A (If stands with another alphabet) = Attack Aircraft
- AEW = Airborne Early Warning Aircraft
- AH = Army Helicopter
- AL = Army Liaison Aircraft
- AOP = Airborne Observation Post/Artillery Spotter Aircraft
- AS = Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft
- ASR = Air-Sea Rescue (SAR) Aircraft
- ASaC = Airborne Surveillance and Control Aircraft
- AW = All-Weather (Radar-equipped) Aircraft
- B = Bomber
- C = Cargo Transport Aircraft
- CC = Communication, Transport Aircraft
- COD = Courier/Carrier On-Board Delivery Aircraft
- D = Drone Aircraft
- DW = Directional Wireless Aircraft
- E = Electronic Warfare Aircraft
- ECM = Electronic Counter-Measures Aircraft
- F = Fighter
- G/GA = Ground Attack Aircraft
- GR (If stands alone, in a large aircraft) = General Reconnaissance Aircraft
- GR (If stands alone, in a small to medium aircraft/with another alphabet) = Ground Attack, Reconnaissance Aircraft
- HAS = Helicopter, Air Rescue
- HF = High-altitude Fighter
- H = Helicopter
- I = Interdictor Aircraft
- K = Tanker Aircraft
- L/LF = Low-altitude/Light Fighter
- Met = Meteorological Reconnaissance Aircraft
- M = Maritime Aircraft
- N = Night Aircraft
- P = Photographic Aircraft
- R = Reconnaissance Aircraft
- S = Strike Aircraft (Interdictor/Ground Attack Aircraft with nuclear delivery capability)
- SR = Strategic Reconnaissance Aircraft
- ST = Special Transport Aircraft
- T (If stands alone) = Training
- T (If stands with another alphabet) = Torpedo Carrier Aircraft
- TT = Target Tug Aircraft
- TX = Target Glider
- U = Drone Aircraft (Replaced by D alphabet)
- U = Utility Aircraft
- W = Weather Research Aircraft
Disclaimer: this alphabet designation system is only applicable to British-used or British-built export aircraft and must not be mistaken for each aircraft’s serial number (i.e., XV369).
Now we know what each/combination of alphabets stands for, but what about the number four? Four stands for Mk. 4/Mark 4. The version number of the aircraft type.
Disclaimer: This type of number designation only applicable to British used aircraft and not the foreign used/exported aircraft. To distinguish domestically used aircraft and exported aircraft, take a look at the number of digits. Firstly, if the aircraft has one digit Arabic Numeral, i.e., FRS.1, it’s a British-used aircraft. Secondly, suppose the aircraft has more than one digit but uses Roman Numerals, i.e. Seafire F Mk. XVII. In that case, it’s a British-used aircraft but before the end of WW2 and also can be possibly used by Commonwealth Nations. The last one, if the aircraft has more than one digit and is using Arabic Numeral, i.e., FRS.51, is a British-built export aircraft.
After knowing each alphabet and numerical system, now it’s time to learn how to read them and figured out their roles. Let’s take a look at the example from above: Typhoon FGR.4. We all know that Typhoon is the name for the aircraft, and after reading the explanation above, now we know that F stands for fighter aircraft, G stands for ground attack aircraft, and R for reconnaissance aircraft. So, Typhoon FGR.4 stands for Typhoon fighter, ground attack, reconnaissance aircraft mark/version 4.
Reference:
- Flintham, Vic. (2007). British Military Aircraft Designations 1945 to Date. Retrieved from http://www.vicflintham.co.uk.
- Yoon, Joe. (2004). UK & Canada Aircraft Designation Systems. Retrieved from http://www.aerospaceweb.org.
