U.S. Deploys 3rd Carrier Group Near Iran While The Navy Adds 100 Warplanes to Region

The US Navy recently announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is expected to deploy to Europe near the Middle East. This would put a third carrier group in striking distance of the Israel and Iran conflict. However, the USS Gerald R. Ford’s role is unclear at the moment.

Coming with the Ford Carrier group is a number of combat aircraft and support aircraft. The USS Gerald R. Ford can house anywhere between 80 to 100 aircraft at any given time. It should also be noted that the US Navy is backing up the fleet with even more aircraft on shore that serve in more support, logistical, or ISR roles. (The US Uncorks the B-2 Spirit Against Iran in Operation Midnight Hammer.)

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the US Navy and what aircraft it has in its arsenal. To identify every aircraft flown by the U.S. Navy, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the 2025 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website, and ranked the aircraft alphabetically. Additionally, we’ve included supplemental information on the type of aircraft, how many are in active service, and top speed. We have excluded all trainer aircraft.

Here is a look at every aircraft in the U.S. Navy:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the aircraft used by the U.S. Navy provides insight into joint military capabilities and defense strategies. Also knowing what the U.S. has in its arsenal further explains its military capabilities. This further gives context to the tactical flexibility and logistical reach the Navy brings in its operations. Lastly, the composition and technological level of the aircraft fleet highlight the Navy’s ability of maintaining dominance and its rapid response capabilities, both of these are key factors in its strategic defense planning.

Bell 407

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1996
• Active aircraft: 5
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-12 Huron

• Type: Special mission aircraft
• Year introduced: 1974
• Active aircraft: 13
• Top speed: 332 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-130J Super Hercules

• Type: Tactical medium transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1999
• Active aircraft: 18
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-2 Greyhound

• Type: Carrier-based cargo / transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1967
• Active aircraft: 25
• Top speed: 331 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-20 Gulfstream IV

• Type: Military VIP passenger transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1983
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 582 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-26D Metroliner

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 2003
• Active aircraft: 7
• Top speed: 331 mph
• Armament: N/A

C-40 Clipper

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 2001
• Active aircraft: 17
• Top speed: 544 mph
• Armament: N/A

E-2 Hawkeye

• Type: Airborne command post
• Year introduced: 1964
• Active aircraft: 86
• Top speed: 375 mph
• Armament: N/A

E-6B Mercury

• Type: Airborne command post
• Year introduced: 1989
• Active aircraft: 16
• Top speed: 603 mph
• Armament: N/A

EA-18G Growler

• Type: Carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft
• Year introduced: 2009
• Active aircraft: 153
• Top speed: 1,181 mph
• Armament: Detection pods, high band jamming pods, low band jamming pods, AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR, SHARP, Harm missiles, AMRAAM missiles, Joint stand-off weapons

F-35C Lightning II

• Type: Multirole fifth generation strike fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 2016
• Active aircraft: 41
• Top speed: 1,199 mph
• Armament: 25mm GAU-12/U cannon in external pod, Sidewinder missiles, Paveway guided bombs, Rockeye II bombs, Brimstone missiles, Stormshadow missiles, drop bombs

F/A-18 Super Hornet

• Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 1999
• Active aircraft: 416
• Top speed: 1,187 mph
• Armament: 20mm M61A1 Vulcan automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, AMRAAM missiles, Harpoon missiles, HARM missiles, Maverick missiles, joint direct att munitions, Rockeye II bombs, general purpose bombs

KC-130 Super Hercules

• Type: Aerial tanker / transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1962
• Active aircraft: 11
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

MH-53E Pave Low

• Type: Multirole transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1981
• Active aircraft: 26
• Top speed: 196 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm M134 miniguns, 12.7mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns

MV-22 Osprey

• Type: Tiltrotor VTOL aircraft
• Year introduced: 2007
• Active aircraft: 29
• Top speed: 316 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns

P-3 Orion

• Type: Multimission reconnaissance, anti-submarine aircraft
• Year introduced: 1962
• Active aircraft: 13
• Top speed: 466 mph
• Armament: Torpedoes, depth charges, Harpoon missiles, SLAM-ER missiles, Maverick missiles, naval mines, unguided rockets

P-8A Poseidon

• Type: Multimission reconnaissance, anti-submarine aircraft
• Year introduced: 2013
• Active aircraft: 122
• Top speed: 490 mph
• Armament: Torpedoes, naval mines, air-to-surface missiles, anti-ship missiles, stand-off cruise missiles

S-70 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium-lift multi-mission helicopter
• Year introduced: 1979
• Active aircraft: 452
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Hellfire missiles, 12.7mm gatling guns, M134 gatling guns, rocket pods, 30mm chain gun

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