Naval aircraft inventory

[Prashant Patel]

Out of curiosity, does anyone have the estimated number of Naval aircraft currently in service (i.e. how many F/18 C/D/E/F's S/H/H-60's, P-3's, E-6's, EA-6b's)? I did a google search (didn't help) and a search on this site (also didn't help).

 

[mules83]

According to the "World Military Aircraft Inventory" from Aviation Week and Space Technology, it goes as follows from what you asked:

(issue date of January 17, 2005, so numbers are a tad off)

F/A-18A 114
F/A-18B 36
F/A-18C 332
F/A-18D 54
F/A-18E 35
F/A-18F 18
MH-60S 58
SH-60B 160
SH-60F 73
HH-60H 24
P-3C 228
E-6A 15
EA-6B 119

a new issue of these numbers are coming out soon so i'll update it when i see it

 

[Fly Navy]

I don't even think we fly E-6A anymore, I thought it was all E-6B now. Sure those numbers are accurate? The Rhino count seems really low. That wouldn't even support a RAG and a full squadron.

 

[mules83]

the inventory did have one e-6b, but as i said, this inventory is over a year old

 

[HeyJoe]

The Rhino count seems really low. That wouldn't even support a RAG and a full squadron.

53 Rhinos for VFA-122, VFA-106, VX-23, VX-9, VX-30, VF-41, VFA-14, VFA-115, VFA-11, VFA-102, VFA-2, VFA-211, VFA-154, VFA-103, VFA-143. VFA-11 and VFA-32? That's barely 3 each! AvWeek must be slipping!

 

[webmaster]

P-3C 228

HAHAHAHAHA... um, I don't think so....

That RHINO # is more in the ballpark for P3s.... AND the 3 planes per squadron?? PURE LUXURY I tell you!!

 

[Pugs]

Those may be numbers in the inventory but certainly not flyable or deployed numbers. If there are any EA-6A's left on the books they are sitting someplace waiting to go into museums or to be a target on a range. I took a Prowler to Oshkosh several years ago and out of there went to Volk field for gas. Sitting in the battle damage repair school next to the ramp was one of our old VAQ-209 EA-6A's.

Pugs

 

[Schnugg]

Still have F-14s in the inventory at this time, too.

 

[Gatordev]

Independent of whether the numbers are right or not, I think you guys are missing something. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the disignators, but the list Mules posted isn't talking about EA-6As. It's talking about E-6A Tacamo. No where on the list do I see "EA-6A," just EA-6B. But it's early, so I may be out of it.

 

[HeyJoe]

Independent of whether the numbers are right or not, I think you guys are missing something. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the disignators, but the list Mules posted isn't talking about EA-6As. It's talking about E-6A Tacamo. No where on the list do I see "EA-6A," just EA-6B. But it's early, so I may be out of it.

No, I believe you are correct. Navy shed the EA-6As some time ago, but there is a community of 16 E-6B Mercurys tasked with flying the TACAMO/ABNCP mission daily: http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/c3i/e-6.htm

 

[Pugs]

Gatordev,
Absolutely correct on the E-6B's vice the EA-6A's. Just got sucked in by my hook centric mind! Let's blame Monday.

Pugs

 

[Schnugg]

No, I believe you are correct. Navy shed the EA-6As some time ago, but there is a community of 16 E-6B Mercurys tasked with flying the TACAMO/ABNCP mission daily: http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/c3i/e-6.htm

My boss here at NAVCENT is leaving soon to be the new CSCW wing commnader at Tinker for all E-6B Mercury aircraft. He was already a squadron CO there. Also our part time COS and LNO to CENTCOM is a former E-6B wing commander as well.

Small world...

 

[ip568]

P-3C 228

No. The Navy, as of the end of 2005, had 99 operational P-3Cs with another 52 in various stages of maintenance or re-winging. In 2003 the Navy had 288 P-3Cs. The P-3 fleet is used up, and with the P-8 unlikely to be built in any significant numbers, the future of Navy patrol aviation is, in my opinion, seriously in doubt.

 

[ip568]

p.s.

That's why the six remaining reserve P-3 squadrons are being decommissioned. All flyable P-3s are needed on active duty. There's more bad news. The USAF has announced that its next bomber will be a UCAV, as are all likely future ISR aircraft. The days of the manned military aircraft are numbered.

 

[HeyJoe]

P-3C 228

No. The Navy, as of the end of 2005, had 99 operational P-3Cs with another 52 in various stages of maintenance or re-winging. In 2003 the Navy had 288 P-3Cs. The P-3 fleet is used up, and with the P-8 unlikely to be built in any significant numbers, the future of Navy patrol aviation is, in my opinion, seriously in doubt.

Latest world from OPNAV is there will be 110"ish" P-8s and some of mission will be performed by whatever BAMS turns out to be if it can hold onto its funding.

Meanwhile, Army has tanked another program...first Crusader with billions spent, then Comanche with billions spent. Recently, they false-started on ACS (replaces their RC-12 fleet and the Navy EP-3E) after spending a few hundred million trying to jam a bunch of equipment into a Embraer RJ. Remains to be seen if they can rise like a Phoenix out of this one or if Navy starts looking at MMA for EP-3E replacement.