Which option is NOT a major category of Naval Aviation aircraft?

• A. Fixed Wing
• B. Rotary Wing
• C. Tiltrotor
• D. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Answer: (D)

Major categories of Naval Aviation aircraft are defined by airframe configuration: fixed-wing airplanes, rotary-wing helicopters, and tiltrotor aircraft. Fixed-wing aircraft use rigid wings for lift and are optimized for speed and range. Rotary-wing aircraft rely on rotating blades to generate lift, enabling vertical takeoff, hovering, and slow, precise handling. Tiltrotor aircraft blend these capabilities, lifting like a helicopter but flying like a fixed-wing plane once in forward flight.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles exist in naval aviation, but they’re classified by being unmanned rather than by an airframe category. They can be built as fixed-wing, rotary-wing, or tiltrotor designs, but the designation UAV isn’t treated as a primary major category. That’s why this option isn’t a major category.