Air Force Tail Codes
This is not the same as the Air Force Serial Number, Navy Bureau Number, aircraft registration number, or Buzz Number.
Since 1993, all Air Force units, including Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, utilize this system.
Two large letters identify the home base, or in some organizations, an historic legacy. Air National Guard units usually use the two-letter state abbreviation as a tail code.
The Air Force aircraft Serial Number is also usually marked on the tail.
The first two digits of the serial number indicate the year in which the aircraft was ordered, the remaining digits being a sequential number within that year.
List of Commonly Used U.S. Air Force Base Tail Codes
| Tail Code | U.S. Air Force Base |
|---|---|
| AF | USAF Academy, CO |
| AK | Elmendorf AFB, AK |
| AK | Eielson AFB, AK |
| AU | Maxwell AFB, AL |
| BB | Beale AFB, CA |
| BD | Barksdale AFB, LA |
| CB | Columbus AFB, MS |
| CC | Cannon AFB, NM |
| CO | Buckley ANGB, CO |
| CR or CS | Peterson AFB, CO |
| DB | Dobbins ARB, GA |
| DC | Andrews AFB, MD |
| DM or DR | Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ |
| DY | Dyess AFB, TX |
| ED | Edwards AFB, CA |
| EG | Eglin AFB, FL |
| EL | Ellsworth AFB, SD |
| EN | Sheppard AFB, TX |
| ET | Eglin AFB, FL |
| Tail Code | U.S. Air Force Base |
|---|---|
| FC | Fairchild Republic AFB, WA |
| FF | Langley AFB, VA |
| FF or FL | Patrick AFB, FL |
| FM | Homestead ARB, FL |
| FT | Pope AFB, NC |
| GA | Robins AFB, GA |
| GF | Grand Forks AFB, ND |
| HI or HL | Hill AFB, UT |
| HO or HT | Holloman AFB, NM |
| HV | Vandenberg AFB, CA |
| JS | Robins AFB, GA |
| KC | Whiteman AFB, MO |
| KS or KT | Keesler AFB, MS |
| LA | Barksdale AFB, LA |
| LF or LR | Luke AFB, AZ |
| LK | Little Rock AFB, AR |
| MM | Malmstrom AFB, MT |
| MO | Mountain Home AFB, ID |
| Tail Code | U.S. Air Force Base |
|---|---|
| MT | Minot AFB, ND |
| MX | Maxwell AFB, AL |
| MY | Moody AFB, GA |
| NJ | McGuire AFB, NJ |
| NM | Kirtland AFB, NM |
| OF | Offutt AFB, NE |
| OK | Tinker AFB, OK |
| OT | Eglin AFB, FL |
| OT | Cannon AFB, NM |
| PF | Peterson AFB, CO |
| SA | Kelly AFB, TX |
| SH | Tinker AFB, OK |
| SJ | Seymour Johnson AFB, NC |
| SM | McClellan AFB, CA |
| SW | Shaw AFB, SC |
| TF | NAS JRB Fort Worth, TX |
| TY | Tyndall AFB, FL |
| VN | Vance AFB, OK |
| WA | Nellis AFB, NV |
| WE | Tyndall AFB, FL |
| WM | Whiteman AFB, MO |
| XL | Laughlin AFB, TX |
