Tail code

[3] They have the name of the base written inside the tail flash and a five-digit number in which all digits are printed in the same size.

In cases where more than 10,000 aircraft were ordered in a single year (1964, for example), the complete 5-digit sequence number - without FY identification - is used.

All squadrons display their CVW's tail code as follows, regardless of aircraft type: Electronic Attack Squadrons (VAQ) of Electronic Attack Wing Pacific which are not assigned to a CVW but instead deploy to fixed land bases in support of joint tasking ("Expeditionary" VAQ Squadrons) use tail code NL.

Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS) for fixed wing carrier based aircraft use the CVW style tail code.

Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet carrier based fixed wing aircraft FRS use tail code NJ and Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet carrier based fixed wing aircraft FRSs display tail code AD.

Light transport aircraft assigned to Marine Corps Air Stations use a two place tail code consisting of a number 5 followed by a letter unique to each Marine Corps Air Station.

FF, the tail code of the USAF 1st Fighter Wing , is displayed on these F-22 Raptors .
USAF fleet of C-130J with different tail-coding design, from the "RS" code indicating that the aircraft is stationed at Ramstein , to fin flashes indicating that the planes belong to Kentucky ANG .
The fin flash and stylized designation on this AMC C-17A 's tail indicates that the airplane is stationed at Travis AFB in California.
A United States Navy F/A-18F with the code "AB" (representing CVW-1 ) being painted vertically on its tail.
An USMC F-35B with the "VK" tail code indicating its squadron VMFA-121 .