US Navy Air Squadrons fixed wing helicopter

US Navy
Air Squadrons

	Helicopter Squadrons
acronym	squadron designation	timeframe
HC	Helicopter Combat Support Squadron	1965-2007
HCS	Helicopter Combat Support Special Squadron	1988-2006
HM	Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron	1971-present
HS	Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron	1951-2016
HSC	Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron	2005-present
HSL	Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron, Light	1972-2015
HSM	Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron	2005-present
HT	Helicopter Training Squadron	1960-present
HAL	Helicopter Attack Squadron, Light	1967-72 / 1976-88

	other Helicopter Squadrons - not listed
HCT	Helicopter Combat Support Training Squadron	1974-77
HTU	Helicopter Training Unit	1950-57
HU	Helicopter Utility Squadron	1948-65


	Fixed Wing Squadrons
acronym	squadron designation	timeframe
VA	Attack Squadron	1946-97
VAQ	Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron or Electronic Attack Squadron	1968-98 1998-present
VAW	Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron	1948 / 1956-present
VC	Composite Squadron or Fleet Composite Squadron	1943-45 / 1948-56 1965-2008
VF	Fighter Squadron	1948-2006
VFA	Fighter Attack Squadron or Strike Fighter Squadron	1980-83 1983-present
VFC	Fighter Squadron Composite	1988-present
VP	Patrol Squadron	1924-44 / 1946 / 1948-present
VQ	Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron	1961-present
VR	Fleet Tactical Support Squadron or Fleet Logistics Support Squadron	1958-76 1976-present
VRC	Fleet Tactical Support Squadron (COD) or Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (COD)	1960-76 1976-present
VS	Carrier Air Anti-Submarine Squadron or Sea Control Squadron	1950-93 1993-2009
VT	Training Squadron	1960-present
VX	Air Test and Evaluation Squadron	1969-present

	older or minor fixed-wing Squadrons
RVAH	Reconnaissance Attack Squadron	1964-79
VAH or VA(H)	Heavy Attack Squadron	1955-71
VAK	Tactical Aerial Refueling Squadron	1979-89
VAL or VA(L)	Light Attack Squadron	1969-72
VAP or VA(P)	Heavy Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron or Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) or Heavy Photographic Squadron	1956-71
VFP or VF(P)	Light Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron or Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron or Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) or Light Photographic Squadron	1956-87
VPU	Patrol Squadron Special Unit	1982-present
VXE	Antarctic Development Squadron	1969-99
VXN	Oceanographic Development Squadron	1969-93
VXS	Scientific Development Squadron	2004-present

	other fixed-wing Squadrons - not listed
RVAW	Carrier Airborne Early Warning Training Squadron	1967-83
VA(AW)	All-Weather Attack Squadron	1956-59
VA(HM)	Attack Mining Squadron	1956-59
VAW	Carrier Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron	1968
VB	Bombing Squadron or Light Bombing Plane Squadron	1928-46
VBF	Bombing Fighting Squadron	1945-46
VCN	Night Composite Squadron	1946-48
VCP	Photographic Composite Squadron	1959-61
VCS	Cruiser Scouting Squadron	1937-45
VD	Photographic Squadron	1943-46
VE	Evacuation Squadron	1944-45
VF	Combat Squadron	1922
VF	Fighting Plane Squadron or Fighting Squadron	1922-48
VF(AW)	All-Weather Fighter Squadron or Fighter (All-Weather) Squadron	1956-63
VFN or VF(N)	Night Fighting Squadron	1944-46
VGF	Escort-Fighter Squadron	1942-43
VGS	Escort-Scouting Squadron	1942-43
VH	Rescue Squadron	1944-46
VJ	Utility Squadron or General Utility Squadron	1925-46
VJ	Weather Squadron or Weather Reconnaissnace Squadron	1952-53
VJ	Photographic Squadron	1952-56
VK	Special Air Task Squadron	1943-44
VN	Training Squadron	1927-47
VO	Spotting Squadron	1922
VO	Observation Plane Squadron or Observation Squadron	1923-45 / 1947-49 1967-68
VOC	Composite Spotting Squadron	1944-45
VOF	Observation Fighter Squadron	1942-45
VP	Seaplane Patrol Squadron	1922
VP-AM	Amphibian Patrol Squadron	1946-48
VPB	Patrol Bombing Squadron	1944-46
VP-HL	Heavy Patrol Squadron (landplane)	1946-48
VPM	Meteorological Squadron	1946-47
VP-ML	Medium Patrol Squadron (landplane)	1946-48
VP-MS	Medium Patrol Squadron (seaplane)	1946-48
VPP or VP(P)	Photographic Squadron or Patrol Squadron (Photographic)	1946-48
VPW	Weather Reconnaissance Squadron	1945-48
VPW	Air Early Warning Squadron	1948
VQ	Electronic Countermeasures Squadron	1955-60
VR	Transport Squadron or Air Transport Squadron or Fleet Logistic Air Squadron	1942-58
VRE	Air Transport Evacuation Squadron	1945
VRF	Transport Ferry and Service Squadron	1943-46
VRF	Air Ferry Transport Squadron or Air Ferry Squadron	1943-48
VRF or VR(F)	Aircraft Ferry Squadron	1957-86
VRJ	Utility Transport Squadron	1945-46
VRS	Air Ferry Service Squadron or Ferry Command Service Squadron	1943-46
VRU	Transport Utility Squadron	1946-48
VS	Scouting Plane Squadron or Scouting Squadron	1922-46
VSF	Anti-Submarine Fighter Squadron	1965-73
VT	Torpedo Plane Squadron	1921
VT	Torpedo Bombing Plane Squadron or Torpedo Bombing Squadron	1922-30
VT	Torpedo Squadron	1930-46
VTN	Night Torpedo Squadron	1944-46
VU	Utility Squadron	1946-65
VW	Air Early Warning Squadron or Airborne Early Warning Squadron or Fleet Early Warning Squadron	1952-71
VW	Weather Reconnaissance Squadron or Fleet Weather Reconnaissance Squadron	1967-75
VX	Experimental Squadron	1927-43 (circa)
VX	Experimental and Development Squadron or Operational Development Squadron or Air Operational Development Squadron or Air Development Squadron	1946-68
ZJ	Blimp Utility Squadron	1944-45
ZK	Kite Balloon Squadron	1922-24
ZP	Airship Patrol Squadron	1942-61
ZP	Blimp Squadron	1942-61
ZP	Airship Patrol Squadron (All-Weather Anti Submarine) or Airship Squadron or LTA Patrol Squadron	1942-61
ZW	Airship Early Warning Squadron	1956-61
ZX	Airship Operational Development Squadron or Airship Development Squadron	1950-57

	the following Squadron designations were developed but the US Navy never established Squadrons using this designations
ZKN	Kite Balloon Training Squadron
ZKO	Kite Balloon Observation Squadron
ZNN	Non-rigid Airship Training Squadron
ZNS	Non-rigid Airship Scouting Squadron
ZRN	Rigid Airship Training Squadron
ZRP	Rigid Airship Patrol Squadron
ZRS	Rigid Airship Scouting Squadron
ZS	Airship Anti-Submarine Squadron

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