page_title: Cessna 185 Skywagon
section_title: Military operators
hierarchical_section_title: Cessna 185 Skywagon / Operators / Military operators
caption_attribution_description: A Cessna U-17A (USAF s/n 63-13021) of the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) at Nha Trang Air Base.
context_page_description: The Cessna 185 Skywagon is a six-seat, single-engined, general aviation light aircraft manufactured by Cessna. It first flew as a prototype in July 1960, with the first production model completed in March 1961. The Cessna 185 is a high-winged aircraft with non-retractable conventional landing gear and a tailwheel.
  Over 4,400 were built with production ceasing in 1985. When Cessna re-introduced some of its most popular models in the 1990s, the tailwheel equipped Cessna 180 and 185 were not put back into production.
context_section_description: As part of the United States Military Assistance Program, Cessna received a contract to supply the United States Air Force with the Skywagon. These were intended for delivery overseas and were designated U-17A and U-17B.
   Argentina
  Argentine Army Aviation
   Bolivia
  Bolivian Air Force 7 x A185E, 8 x A185F * 5 x U-17A
   Costa Rica
  Guardia Civil 3 x U-17A
   Ecuador
  Ecuadorian Army 2 x 185D
   Greece
  Hellenic Army 9+ x U-17A
   Honduras
  Honduran Air Force received a Cessna 185B in 1962, a U-17A in 1963 and a 185D in 1965.
   Iran
  Islamic Revolutionary Air Force 185A - no longer in service
  Islamic Revolutionary Army Aviation 185A - no longer in service
   Israel
  Israel Air Force 185 
   Jamaica
  Jamaica Defence Force - 4 x 185 from 1963 to 1985
   Khmer Republic
  Khmer Air Force – 5 x U-17 from 1972 to 1975.
   Laos
  Royal Lao Air Force - U-17s used as reconnaissance and observation aircraft for Nokateng Forward Air Controllers during the Laotian Civil War
   Nicaragua
  Nicaraguan Air Force 3 x U-17B
   Panama
  Panamanian Public Forces 3 x U-17A
   Paraguay
  Paraguayan Air Force 5 x U-17A
   Peru
  Peruvian Air Force 9 x 185
   Philippines
  Philippine Air Force 8 x U-17A, 9 x U-17B
   Portugal
  Portuguese Air Force 5 x 185A operated 1968 to 1974.
   Rhodesia
  Rhodesian Air Force - Two civil aircraft impressed into service, about 17 aircraft on loan from the South African Air Force, in service during the 1970s.
   El Salvador
  Air Force of El Salvador 1 x 185
   South Africa
  South African Air Force 24 x 185A, 12 x 185D, 9 x 185E- No longer in service.
   South Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Air Force - About 100 U-17As and U-17Bs were used by the VNAF. No longer in service.
   Thailand
  Royal Thai Army Aviation U-17B
  Royal Thai Navy
   Turkey
  Turkish Army Aviation U-17B
   Uruguay
  Uruguayan Air Force 12 x U-17A
caption: A Cessna U-17A of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) at Nha Trang Air Base.
exif: {}