Each ejection seat is calibrated for its specific aircraft and mission profile. Collectively, they offer life-saving services to pilots in all branches of the US military.
The US military outfits four primary ejection seats across its combat and training aircraft. The ejection seat is a vital life-saving system, designed to eject pilots in an emergency safely. Each of the four models currently in use by the US military is varied and tailored to the specific mission profile and platform design of the aircraft. The four ejection seats currently in service are the Collins Aerospace ACES II, Collins Aerospace ACES 5, Martin-Baker Mk 14, and Martin-Baker US-16E.
The ACES II Has Saved a Lot of Lives
The Collins Aerospace ACES II is widely used in the US Air Force. The seat has been in service since the late 1970s and remains the standard on a variety of US Air Force aircraft, including the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II (“Warthog”), B-1 Lancer, and B-2 Spirit.
The ACES II is celebrated for its reliability—having saved over 600 lives to date—with around 6,000 seats still in operation worldwide. Designed with zero-zero capability, meaning functionality at zero altitude and/or zero speed, the ACES II uses rocket propulsion and a sequenced firing system to safely eject aircrews under a variety of flight conditions.
The ACES 5 Is a Significant Upgrade over Its Predecessor
The successor to the ACES II, the ACES 5, is currently being introduced to multiple US Air Force platforms. The ACES 5 is a next-generation seat that maintains many of its predecessors’ proven features while still offering improvements that comply with modern ejection seat requirements. Namely, the ACES 5 offers improved protection against spinal injuries, adaptive seat thrust, a digital sequencer, and a wider range of safe action for pilots of varying sizes.
The ACES 5 is being fitted into legacy platforms such as the F-15, F-16, and A-10. It is also slated to be the standard ejection seat for the forthcoming Boeing-Saab T-7A Red Hawk trainer jet.
The US Navy Widely Uses the Martin-Baker MK 14
The ejection seat of choice for the US Navy and US Marine Corps is the Martin-Baker Mk 14, commonly known as NACES (Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seat). The Mk 14 is standard in carrier-capable aircraft, such as the F/A-18 Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and T-45 Goshawk. Martin-Baker designed the Mk 14 specifically for use in a naval setting, including robust corrosion protection and compatibility with carrier-deck operations. The Mk 14 is credited with saving over 130 lives and counting.
All F-35 Variants Are Equipped with the Martin-Baker US-16E
The most technically sophisticated ejection seat currently in service with the US military is the Martin-Baker US-16E. Used exclusively with all three F-35 Joint Strike Fighter variants, the Mk 16E was explicitly designed for the Joint Strike Fighter program. The Mk 16E includes advanced safety features such as automatic ejection sequencing, advanced pilot restraints, and enhanced performance at supersonic speeds and high G-forces. Like the ACES 5, the Mk 16E is designed to support both low-speed and high-altitude ejections, while supporting a wider range of pilot sizes.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense and National Security Writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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