1 Canadian Aircraft Designation System

Since 1968, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) use standardized aircraft designations.

Examples:	C	C	-	144	A	Challenger-600
	C	F	-	116		CF-5
	C	F	-	101	B	Voodoo
	(1)	(2)		(3)	(4)	(5)

(1) All designations start with "C", standing for "Canada".

Following the initial C is the type letter (2), describing the purpose of the aircraft. The current letters are essentially a subset of the type letters used by the current U.S. system:

C - Cargo/Transport
E - Special Electronic Installation
F - Fighter
H - Helicopter
P - Patrol/Reconnaissance/Anit-Submarine Warfare
T - Trainer
U - UAV
X - Research/Experimental

Note: The "U" category is a relatively recent addition. "U" probably stands for "UAV", but this is unconfirmed.

In earlier versions of the system, more letters were defined, most of which were never used. The ones that were, but are now obsolete, are:

O - Observation
SR - Search & Rescue

The number (3) is a three-digit number. There is only one numbering sequence for all aircraft types. A number, which has been allocated to one aircraft, might be re-allocated to another one later, if the original allocation has been cancelled. The numbers are not necessarily allocated in sequence, but are instead often chosen to "match" another designation (like manufacturer's or U.S. military) of the aircraft. The type number is also used as the first three digits of the five- or six-digit serial number. Variants of an aircraft for a different purpose retain the number, but use a different type letter. E.g., the Electronic Support Trainer version of the CC-144A Challenger-600 is called CE-144A Challenger-EST. However, the allocation of a new type letter is not done very often, only if the aircraft is significantly altered.

An optional suffix letter (4) may follow the designation, to distinguish between different versions of a type. Letters are assigned alphabetically, omitting I and O. Some letters are reserved for special purposes:

D - Dual-seat version of a single-seat aircraft
NT - Navigation trainer

(5) Most aircraft types have an official "Popular Name" assigned. As can be seen from the above CF-116 example (with a popular name of CF-5), this popular name doesn't have to be a proper name ;-)!

2 Designation Listing

Designation	Popular Name	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
CF-100	Canuck	Avro Canada	C.100
CF-101B	Voodoo	McDonnell	F-101B
CF-101F	Voodoo	McDonnell	TF-101B, F-101F
(102)	Skipped in original sequence (to avoid confusion with Avro Canada C-102 Jetliner)
CT-102A	Astra	Grob	G 120A
CT-102B	Astra II	Grob	G 120TP
(103)	Not assigned (reserved for proposed Avro Canada "CF-103")
CF-104	Starfighter	Canadair	CL-90 (license-built Lockheed F-104 Model 683-04-12)
CF-104A	Starfighter	Lockheed	Model 183-92-02 (single-seat F-104)
CF-104D	Dual Starfighter	Lockheed	Model 583-04-15 (two-seat F-104); Mk 1 (Dual Training Aircraft), Mk2 (Dual Operational Aircraft)
CF-105	Arrow	Avro Canada	Project cancelled, designation not reused
CC-106	Yukon	Canadair	CL-44-6
CP-107	Argus	Canadair	CL-28-1 (Argus 1), CL-28-2 (Argus 2)
CC-108	Caribou	De Havilland Canada	DHC-4/4A Caribou 1/1A/1B
CC-109	Cosmopolitan	Canadair	CL-66B; license-built Convair CV-440
CSR-110	Albatross	Grumman	G-111 (U.S. designation: HU-16)
CF-111	Starfighter	Canadair/Lockheed	Originally planned designation of CF-104
CT-111	Firefly	Slingsby	T67C3 (U.S. designation: T-3)
CH-112	Nomad	Hiller	UH-12E (U.S. designation: OH-23 Raven)
CH-113	Labrador	Boeing-Vertol	107.II-9 (U.S. designation: CH-46)
CH-113A	Labrador	Boeing-Vertol	107.II-28; orignally named Voyageur
CT-114	Tutor	Canadair	CL-41A
CC-115	Buffalo	De Havilland Canada	DHC-5A
CF-116	CF-5	Canadair	CL-219-1A10; license built Northrop F-5A; originally named Freedom Fighter
CF-116D	CF-5D	Canadair	CL-219-1A17; license built Northrop F-5B
CC-117	Falcon	Dassault-Breguet	Falcon 20C
CE-117	Falcon	Dassault-Breguet	Falcon 20C; EW variant of CC-117
CH-118	Iroquois	Bell	Model 205 (U.S. designation: UH-1H)
CO-119		Cessna	Model 305 (U.S. designation: L-19A/E) and Model 182; although different designs, both models became CO-119
CT-120	Chipmunk	De Havilland Canada	DHC-1B
CP-121	Tracker	De Havilland Canada	G-103; license-built Grumman S2F/S-2 Tracker
CP-122	Neptune	Lockheed	P2V/P-2
CC-123	Otter	De Havilland Canada	DHC-3; originally designated CSR-123
CSR-123	Otter	De Havilland Canada	Original designation of CC-123
CH-124	Sea King	Sikorsky	S-61A (U.S. designation SH-3); also CH-124A, CH-124B and CH-124C
CH-125		Vertol	Model 42 (U.S. designation: H-21)
CH-126		Sikorsky	S-58 (U.S. designation: H-34)
CH-127		Vertol	Model 44 (similar to Model 42)
CT-128	Expeditor	Beech	C18S (Mk 1/2), D18S (Mk 3); U.S. designations: C-45B (MK 1), UC-45F (Mk 2)
CC-129	Dakota	Douglas	C-47/C-47A/C-47B/R4D-1
CC-130B/E/H	Hercules	Lockheed	C-130B/E/H
CC-130J	Hercules	Lockheed Martin	C-130J
CC-130NT	Hercules Nav Trainer	Lockheed	C-130E
CX-131		Canadair	CL-84-1
CC-132	Dash 7	De Havilland Canada	DHC-7 Series 102/103
CT-133	Silver Star	Canadair	CL-30; license-built Lockheed T-33 (T-33AN)
CT-134	Musketeer	Beech	Musketeer C23-19
CT-134A	Musketeer II	Beech	Sundowner C23
CH-135	Twin Huey	Bell	Model 212 (U.S. designation: UH-1N)
CH-136	Kiowa	Bell	Model 206A (U.S. designation: OH-58A)
CC-137	Boeing 707	Boeing	Model 707-347C
CC-138	Twin Otter	De Havilland Canada	DHC-6-300
CH-139	Jetranger	Bell	Model 206B-III
CP-140	Aurora	Lockheed	Model 285B (U.S. designation: P-3 Orion)
CP-140A	Arcturus	Lockheed	Model 285L (U.S. designation: P-3 Orion)
CC-141	Starlifter	Lockheed	C-141; order was cancelled
CC-142	Dash 8	De Havilland Canada	DHC-8-102
CT-142	Dash 8 Nav Trainer	De Havilland Canada	DHC-8-102
CT-142Q	Citadel	De Havilland Canada	Dash 8-400
CH-143	BK 117	Eurocopter (MBB)	BK 117A-3D
CC-144A	Challenger-600	Canadair	CL-600/600S
CE-144A	Challenger-IEST	Canadair	CL-645 (based on CL-600S); IEST = Interim EW Support Trainer
CP-144A	Challenger-CP	Canadair	CL-646 (based on CL-600S); CP = Coastal Patrol; program cancelled
CX-144A	Challenger-X	Canadair	based on CL-600S
CC-144B	Challenger-601	Canadair	CL-601-1A
CE-144B	Challenger-ARS	Canadair	based on CL-600S; ARS = Airborne Receiver System (for ELINT gathering)
CC-144C	Challenger 604	Canadair	CL-604
CE-144C	Challenger-EST	Canadair	based on CL-600S; EST = EW Support Trainer
CC-144D	Challenger 650	Canadair	CL-650
CT-145	King Air	Beech	King Air; various models (C90A, C90B, B200, 350)
CE-145C	Vigilance	Beech	King Air 350ER MAISR (Manned Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)
CT-145E	Expeditor II	Beech	King Air 260
CH-146	Griffon	Bell	Model 412CF
CH-147	Chinook	Boeing-Vertol	BV-173 (U.S. designation: CH-47)
CH-147D	Chinook	Boeing-Vertol	CH-47D
CH-147F	Chinook	Boeing-Vertol	CH-47F
CH-148	Petrel	European Helicopter Industies	EH 101 (Anti-Submarine); order cancelled and number reused
CH-148	Cyclone	Sikorsky	H-92
CH-149	Chimo	European Helicopter Industies	EH 101 (Search and Rescue); order cancelled and number reused
CH-149	Cormorant	European Helicopter Industies	EH 101 Series 511 (Search and Rescue); similar, but not identical to original Chimo version
CC-150	Polaris	Airbus	A310-304 MRT
CC-150T	Polaris	Airbus	A310-304 MRTT
(151...152)	(Not yet assigned)
CT-153	Juno	Airbus	H135
(154)	(Not yet assigned)
CT-155	Hawk	BAE	Hawk 115
CT-156	Harvard II	Raytheon/Beech	T-6A-1 Texan II
CT-157	Siskin II	Pilatus	PC-21
(158...159)	(Not yet assigned)
CU-160	Eagle	IAI/EADS	Eagle-1 UAV
CU-161	Sperwer	SAGEM	Sperwer UAV
CU-162	Vindicator	Meggitt	Vindicator UAV
CU-163	Altair	General Atomics	Altair UAV
(164)	(Not yet assigned, or unknown allocation)
CU-165	Scan Eagle	Boeing Insitu	MQ-27 ScanEagle
(166)	(Not yet assigned, or unknown allocation)
CU-167	Silver Fox	Advanced Ceramics Research	Silver Fox UAV
CU-168	Skylark	ELBIT	Skylark mini-UAV
CU-169	Maveric	Prioria Robotics	Maveric micro-UAV
CU-170	Heron	IAI	Heron UAV
CU-171	Super Hauler	Bruce Tharpe Engineering	Super Hauler UAV
CU-172		Northrop Grumman	RQ-4A Global Hawk; procurement cancelled and number reused
CU-172	Blackjack	Boeing Insitu	RQ-21A Integrator
CU-173	Raven	AeroVironment	RQ-11B Raven B
(174)	(Not yet assigned, or unknown allocation)
CU-175	Puma	AeroVironment	RQ-20
CU-176	Gargoyle	UMS	Skeldar V-200
CC-177	Globemaster III	Boeing	C-17A
CH-178		Mil	Mi-17-V5 (Mi-8TV5)
(179...187)	(Not yet assigned)
CF-188	CF-18A	McDonnell Douglas	Model 267A (U.S. designation: F/A-18A Hornet)
CF-188B	CF-18B	McDonnell Douglas	Model 267B (U.S. designation: F/A-18B Hornet); originally planned designation was CF-188D CF-18D
(189...294)	(Not yet assigned)
CC-295	Kingfisher	Airbus	Model C295
(296...329)	(Not yet assigned)
CC-330	Husky	Airbus	Model A330 MRTT

3 Sources

[1] Jeff Rankin-Lowe and Andrew Cline: "The Aircraft of the Canadian Armed Forces"
[2] R.W.R. Walker: Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers

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Last Updated: 31 May 2025