Acronym Squadron Designation Period
HAL, HA(L) Helicopter Attack (Light) 1967-72
1976-88
HC Helicopter Combat Support 1965->
HCS Helicopter Combat Support Special 1988->
HCT Helicopter Combat Support Training 1974-77
HM Helicopter Mine Countermeasures 1971->
HS Helicopter Anti-Submarine 1951->
HSL Helicopter Anti-Submarine (Light) 1972->
HT Helicopter Training 1960->
HTU Helicopter Training Unit 1950-57
HU Helicopter Utility 1948-65
RVAH Recon Attack 1964-79
RVAW Carrier Airborne Early Warning Training 1967-83
STAGRON Special Air Task Force (VK) 1943-44
TACRON Tactical
Tactical Air Control
Tactical Control 1946->
VA Attack 1946->
VA(AW) All-Weather Attack 1956-59
VAH, VA(H) Heavy Attack 1955-71
VA(HM) Attack Mining 1956-59
VAK Tactical Aerial Refueling 1979-89
VAL, VA(L) Light Attack 1969-72
VAP, VA(P) Heavy Photo Recon
Photo Recon (Heavy)
Heavy Photographic 1956-71
VAQ Carrier Tactical Electronics Warfare
Tactical Electronics Warfare 1968->
VAW Carrier Airborne Early Warning 1948
1956->
VAW Carrier Tactical Electronics Warfare 1968
VB Bombing
Light Bombing Plane 1928-46
VBF Bombing Fighting 1945-46
VC Composite 1943-45
1948-56
VC Fleet Composite 1965->
VCN Night Composite 1946-48
VCP Photo Composite 1959-61
VCS Cruiser Scouting 1937-45
VD Photo 1943-46
VE Evacuation 1944-45
VF Combat 1922
VF Fighting Plane
Fighting 1922-48
VF Fighter 1948->
VFA Fighter Attack 1980-83
VFA Strike Fighter 1983->
VF(AW) All-Weather Fighter
Fighter (All-Weather) 1956-63
VFN, VF(N) Night Fighting 1944-46
VFP, VF(P) Light Photo Recon
Photo Recon
Photo Recon (Light)
Light Photographic 1956-87
VGF Escort-Fighter 1942-43
VGS Escort-Scouting 1942-43
VH Rescue 1944-46
VJ Utility
General Utility 1925-46
VJ Weather
Weather Recon 1952-53
VJ Photographic 1952-56
VK Special Air Task Force (STAGRON) 1943-44
VN Training 1927-47
VO Spotting 1922
VO Observation Plane 1923-45
VO Observation 1947-49
1967-68
VOC Composite Spotting 1944-45
VOF Observation Fighter 1942-45
VP Seaplane Patrol 1922
VP Patrol 1924-44
1946
1948->
VP-AM Amphibian Patrol 1946-48
VPB Patrol Bombing 1944-46
VP-HL Heavy Patrol (landplane) 1946-48
VPM Meteorological 1946-47
VP-ML Medium Patrol (landplane) 1946-48
VP-MS Medium Patrol (seaplane) 1946-48
VPP, VP(P) Photo
Patrol (photo) 1946-48
VPU Patrol Special Unit 1982->
VPW Weather Recon 1945-48
VPW Air Early Warning 1948
VQ Electronic Countermeasures 1955-60
VQ Fleet Air Recon 1961->
VR Transport
Air Transport
Fleet Logistic Air 1942-58
VR Fleet Tactical Support 1958-76
VR Fleet Logistics Support 1976->
VRC, VR(C) Fleet Tactical Support 1960-76
VRC Fleet Logistics Support 1976->
VRE Air Transport Evacuation 1945
VRF Transport Ferry & Service 1943-46
VRF Air Ferry Transport
Air Ferry 1943-48
VRF, VR(F) Aircraft Ferry 1957-86
VRJ Utility Transport 1945-46
VRS Air Ferry Service
Ferry Command Service 1943-46
VRU Transport Utility 1946-48
VS Scouting Plane
Scouting 1922-46
VS Anti-Submarine
Air Anti-Submarine
Carrier Air Anti-Submarine 1950-93
VS Sea Control 1993->
VSF Anti-Submarine Fighter 1965-73
VT Torpedo Bombing Plane
Torpedo Bombing 1922-30
VT Torpedo Plane 1921
VT Torpedo 1930-46
VT Training 1960->
VTN Night Torpedo 1944-46
VU Utility 1946-65
VW Air Early Warning
Airborne Early Warning
Fleet Early Warning 1952-71
VW Weather Recon
Fleet Weather Recon 1967-75
VX Experimental 1927-c.43
VX Experimental & Development
Operational Development
Air Operational Development
Air Development 1946-68
VX Air Test & Evaluation 1969->
VXE Antarctic Development 1969->
VXN Oceanographic Development 1969-93
ZJ Blimp Utility 1944-45
ZK Kite Balloon 1922-24
ZP Airship Patrol 1942-61
ZP Blimp 1942-61
ZP Airship Patrol (All-Weather Anti-Sub)
Airship
LTA Patrol 1942-61
ZW Airship Early Warning 1956-61
ZX Airship Operational Development
Airship Development 1950-57
— SOURCE: USN; Naval Historical Center
A E R O F I L E S
