NATO reporting names used for Russian aircraft explained
Equipment, including weapons systems, ships, ground vehicles, and aircraft, is assigned reporting names by NATO in a bid to avoid any confusion between troops from different member nations.
NATO reporting names are designed to quickly relay the type of weapon system or platform that is being talked about.
These code names or reporting names are used in radio communication and in common usage among westerners and enthusiasts.
For aircraft, the NATO naming conventions contain a first letter that indicates the type of aircraft it is.
'Felon', for example, is used for the Sukhoi Su-57 fighter aircraft used by the Russian Armed Forces.
For fixed-wing aircraft, one-syllable names are used for propeller aircraft and two-syllable names for aircraft with jet engines. This distinction is not made for helicopters.
Here is a list of the other first-letter indicators:
- F - fighter aircraft, also later ground attack aircraft
- B - bomber aircraft
- C - commercial aircraft and airliners, and cargo aircraft
- H - helicopters
- M - miscellaneous names are used for trainers, reconnaissance, seaplanes, tankers, and airborne early warning
Multiple aircraft have been in the Ukrainian war, all of which have NATO-assigned reporting names.
Russians have been using aircraft such as the Flanker (Sukhoi Su-27), Fencer (Sukhoi Su-24), and the Frogfoot (Sukhoi Su-25). Ukrainians have been seen using the Fulcrum (Mikoyan MiG-29), as well as the Flanker and Frogfoot.
Russian forces also employ a number of bomber aircraft.
The Tupolev Tu-95s, known by the NATO reporting name Bear, have in the past been intercepted by Royal Air Force fighter jets.
Other bombers used by the Russians are the Blackjack (Tupolev Tu-160) and the Backfire (Tupolev Tu-22M).
Candid (Ilyushin Il-76), Cub (Antonov An-12), Curl (Antonov An-26), and Condor (Antonov An-124) are all cargo aircraft that can also be used in a commercial role. Some of these aircraft are used by both Russia and Ukraine.
The number of syllables used in the reporting name of an aircraft also can give you important information about its type and capabilities.
Single-syllable names like the Tu-95 'Bear' bomber, for instance, indicate a piston or prop-driven aircraft, whereas two-syllable names indicate jets, like the MiG-29 'Fulcrum'.
Watch: The Mil MI-24, menacing Russian-built attack helicopter used in Ukraine.
The NATO reporting names are also used for helicopters.
Russian forces have used a collection of helicopters, such as the Hip (Mil Mi-8 - Mi-17), Hind (Mil Mi-24 - Mi-35), Hokum (Ka-50 and Ka-52),the Havoc (Mi-28) and the Helix (Kamov Ka-2).
There is also the Halo (Mil Mi-26), an extremely large heavy transport helicopter.
The Ukrainians have been known to use Hinds and Hips.
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