Special Status
G
Permanently grounded (for instruction and ground training purposes)
J
Special test, permanent (aircraft whose configuration changes so drastically
that returning to its original configuration is not practical or economical)
N
Special test, permanent (permanently modified for testing)
X
Experimental (not yet adopted for service use)
Y
Prototype (model suitable for evaluation of design, performance, and
production potential)
Z
Planning (indicates aircraft is in early stages of planning or development)
Table 3-4 -- Special status identifiers
Design and Design Modifications Symbols
The number following the basic mission symbol indicates the design number of the type
of aircraft. The designator F/A-18 shows an aircraft to be the 18th fighter design. If a
particular design is modified, the design number is followed by another letter (A, B, C,
etc.), the alphabetical order of which identifies the number of the modification. For
example, the C in E-2C tells us that the original design of this aircraft has been modified
three times. Figure 3-1 shows how aircraft designations are used.
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