Allgemein weltweit verwendete Militärische Codes:
Direkter Link auf Anfangsbuchstabe:
A | B | C |
D | E | F |
G | H | I |
J | K | L |
M | N | O |
P | Q | R |
S | T | U |
V | W |
X | Y | Z |
Anfangsbuchstabe A:
AA = [USA] Air-to-Air
AA = [France] Armee de l'Air
AAA = [USA] Anti-Aircraft Artillery
AAAD = [UK] All Arms Air Defence
AAAM = [USA] Advanced AIr-to-Air Missile. A replacement for AIM-54 Phoenix
AAC = [UK] Army Air Corps
AAC = [USA] Alaskan Air Command
AACC = [USA] Army Airborne Command and Control
AADGE = [NATO] Allied Command Europe Air Defence Ground Environment
AAED = Advanced Airborne Expendable Decoy
A&AEE = [UK] Aerospace & Armament Experimental Establishment
AAF = Auxiliary Air Force
AAF = [USA] Army Airfield
AAFA = [USA] Army Aviation Flight Activity
AAFCE = [USA] Allied Air Forces Central Europe
AAFTC = [USA] Air Force Flight Test Center (Edwards AFB)
AAH = [USA] Advanced Attack Helicopter, the AH-64
AAI = Angle of Approach Indicator
AAIB = [UK] Air Accidents Investigation Branch
AALAAW = Advanced Air-Launched Anit-Armour Weapon
AAM = Air-to-Air Missile
AAM-N-2 = Sparrow
AAM-N-6 = Sparrow III
AAM-N-7 = Sidewinder
AAM-AE = [USSR] Air-to-Air Missile, Active, Export. Export version of the R-77 'AMRAAMski' (NATO AA-12) missile.
AANCP = [USA] Advanced Airborne National Command Post
AAO = Airborne Area of Operation
AAOFA = [USA] Army Aviation Operating Facility
AAR = Air-to-Air Refuelling
AARB = Advanced Aerial Refuelling Boom
AAS = [USA] Aeromedical Airlift Squadron
AASF = [USA] Army Aviation Support Facility
AATH = Automatic Approach To Hover
AAW = Anti-Aircraft Warfare
AAWS = [USA] Airborne Adverse Weather weapons System. The 'Longbow' mast mounted radar for the AH-64D.
AB = [USA] Air Base
ABC = [UK] AirBorne Cigar, codename for equipment used during WW II to jam German communications.
ABCCC = [USA] Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center.
Abdul = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.27 fighter (Unofficial).
ABG = [USA] Air Base Group
ABM
Anti-Ballistic Missile
ABNCP = [USA] AirBorne Command Post
ABS = USA] Air Base Squadron
ABU = [USA] Avionics Block Upgrade.
ABW = [USA] Air Base Wing
AC = [USA] Aircraft Commander
AC = Aerodynamic Centre
AC = Alternating Current
ACA = Airspace Coordination Area
ACA = Agile Combat Aircraft
ACAB = Air Cavalry Attack Brigade
ACAP = Advanced Composite Aircraft Programme, a helicopter design study.
ACAS = Airborne Collision-Avoidance System
ACAS = [UK] Assistant Chief of Air Staff
ACB = [USA] Amphibious Construction Battalion
ACBT = Air Combat training
ACC = [Allied] Armored Column Cover, continuous presence of tactical
aircraft to support advancing armored forces.
ACC = [USA] Air Combat Command
ACC = Air Component Commander
ACC = Anti-Char Courte Portee short-range anti-tank missile.
ACCS = [USA] Airborne Command & Control Squadron
ACCS = [NATO] Air Command and Control System
ACE = [NATO] Allied Command Europe
ACE = Airborne Command Element
ACETEF = [USA] Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility. Testing laboratory for combat aircraft.
ACF = Air Combat Fighter
Achse = [Germany] Order to disarm all Italian units. Given on 9 September 1943.
ACINT = Acoustic Intelligence
ACLANT = [NATO] Allied Command, Atlantic
ACLIS = [USA] Airborne Communications Location Identification and Collection System
ACLS = Automatic Carrier Landing System
ACLS = Air Cushion Landing System. Tested on a De Havilland Canada XC-8A Buffalo.
ACM = Advanced Cruise Missile, the AGM-129.
ACM = UK] Air Chief Marshal
ACM = Air Combat Manoeuvring
ACME = Advanced Core Military Engine (Rolls-Royce). The name might be ironic!
ACMI = [USA] Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation
ACMR = [USA] Air Combat Manoeuvring Range
ACMS = Aircraft Condition Monitoring System
ACN = Aircraft Classification Number
ACO
Airspace Control Order
ACO = [USA] Airborne Communications Officer
ACOM = [USA] Airborne Communicator
Aconit = [France] Operations of French aircraft to protect the Kurds in Northern Iraq.
ACP = Airborne Command Post
ACR = [USA] Armoured Cavalry Regiment
ACR = Air Control Radar
ACR = [USA] Anti-Circular Running device, fitted to torpedoes. It destroys the torpedo when the course deviation exceeds 180 degrees.
Acrid = [NATO] Soviet AA-6 air-to-air missile (Bisnovat R-40)
ACS = USA] Air Commando Squadron
ACS = [USA] USN: Auxiliary Crane Ship
ACS = Airborne Control System
ACSM = Advanced Conventional Stand-off Missile
ACT = [USA] Armoured Cavalry Troop
ACT = [USA] Air Combat Tactics
ACT = Active Control Technology
ACTD = Advanced Concept & Technology Demonstration
ACTIVE = [USA] Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles; application of fully thrust-vectoring nozzles to the F-15 SMTD.
ACU = Avionics Control Unit
ACV = [USA] Auxiliary AIcraft Carriers, later renamed CVE.
ACW = [USA] Air Control Wing
AD = Air Defence
AD = [USA] USAF: Air Division
AD = [USA] USN: Destroyer Tender
AD = Airworthiness Directive
ADA = Air Defense Artillery
ADAC = [USA] Acoustic Data Analysis Center
Adam = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima SKT-97 fighter. (Did not exist)
ADATS = [USA/Switzerland] Air-Defence Anti-Tank System
ADAS = Airborne Data Acquisition System
ADC = [USA] Aerospace Defence Command
ADC = Air Data Computer
ADCOM = Administrative Command
ADCS = [USA] Air Deployment & Control Squadron
ADD = [USSR] Long-Range Air Arm. Replaced the DBA-GK in 1942.
ADD = Airstream Direction Detector, to measure the AoA.
ADF = Automatic Direction Finder
ADG = [Canada] AIr Defence Group
ADGB = [UK] Air Defence of Great Britain.
ADGE = Air Defence Ground Environment
ADI = [USA] Air Defense Initiative
ADI = Attitude / Direction Indicator
ADIRS = Aid Data and Inertial Reference System
ADIZ = Air Defense Identification Zone
Adler Tag = [Germany] Eagle's Day, 13 August 1940. Formal start of the German bomber offensive against Britain.
ADM = [USA] Air-launched decoy missile ADM-20
ADM = Advanced Development Model
ADP = Advanced Ducted Propeller (P&W)
ADP = Automated Data Processing
ADR = Accident Data Recorder
ADR = [UK] Air Defence Region
ADS = Advanced Deployable System
ADS = [USA] Air Defense Sector
ADS = Air Data System
AdSAMS = Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System
ADSM = [USA] Air-Defence Suppression Missile, an air-launched, anti-radiation development of Stinger.
ADSU = Air Data Sensor Unit
ADSW = Anti Diesel Submarine Warfare
ADT^3 = Air Defence Tactical Training Theatre
ADTAC = [USA] Air Defense Tactical Air Command. When ADC ceased to exist, its role and aircraft became part of TAC. Later ADTAC was renamed "1st Air Force".
ADU = Air Data Unit
ADV = [UK] Air Defence Variant, the interceptor version of the Panavia Tornado.
ADVCAP = Advanced Capability
ADW = Area Denial Weapon
AE = [USA] USN: Ammunition ship.
AEAF = [Allied] Allied Expeditionary Air Force, the air support force for 'Overlord'.
AEB = [USA] Area Exploration Battalion
AEC = Automatic Engine Control
AEF = [UK] Air Experience Flight
AEFS = [USA] USN: Fleet replenishment ship
AEGIS = [USA] Ground Environment Integration System. Advanced anti-missile and anti-aircraft system fitted to a number of USN ships.
AEO = [UK] Air Electronics Officer
Aerial = [UK] Evacuation of troops from the Bay of Biscay, June 1940.
Aeronautica Militare Italiana = [Italy] Italian Air Force
Aeronavale = [France] Naval air force
AETC = [USA] Air Education & Training Command
AETC = [UK] Air Education & Training Command
AEU = Airborne Electronics Unit
AEW = Airborne Early Warning
AEW&C = Airborne Early Warning & Control
AF = Air Force
AF = [USA] USN: Stores Ship
AFAC = Airborne FAC
AFB = [USA] Air Force Base
AFBMD = [USA] Air Force Ballistic Missile Division.
AFCAS = Automatic Flight Control Augmentation System
AFCC = [USA] Air Force Communications Command
AFCENT = [NATO] Allied Force, Central Europe
AFCS = Automatic Flight Control System
AFDS = Automatic Flight Director System
AFEE = [UK] Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment, at Beaulieu, Hampshire, UK. Closed in 1950.
AFFTC = [USA] Air Force Flight Test Center
AFGS = Automatic Flight Guidance System
AFLC = [USA] Air Force Logistics Command
AFMC = [USA] Air Force Materiel Command
AFMS = Automatic Flight Management System
AFP = [Germany] Armeeflugpark. Unit, usually of twelve aircraft, assigned to a WWI army.
AFPLA = [China] Air Force of the People's Liberation Army
AFRES = [USA] Air Force Reserve
AFS = [USA] USN: Fleet Stores Ship
AFS = Automatic Flight System
AFSC = [USA] Air Force Systems Command
AFSOC = [USA] Air Force Special Operations Command
AFSPACECOM = [USA] Air Force Space Command
AFSS = [USA] Air Force Security Service
AFT = [UK] Advanced Flying Training
AFTI = [USA] Advanced Fighter Technology Integration
AFWL = [USA] Air Force Weapons Laboratory
AG = Air Gunner
AG = [USA] Airlift Group
A/G = Air/Ground
AGARD = [NATO] Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development
AGDS = [USA] USN: Launch Area Support Ship
AGE = Aircraft Ground Equipment
AGF = [USA] USN: Command Ship
Agile Eagle = [USA] Testing of leading edge maneuvering slats for the F-4 Phantom
AGL = Above Ground Level
AGM = [USA] USN: Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
AGM = [USA] Air-to-Ground Missile
AGOR = [USA] USN: Oceanographic Research Ship
AGOS = [USA] USN: Ocean Surveillance Ship
AGS = [USA] USN: Surveying Ship
AGSS = [USA] USN: Auxiliary Research / Experimental Submarine (conventional)
AGT = [USA] Advanced Gun Technology.
AGTR = [USA] USN: Auxiliary Technical Reconnaissance Ship
AGV = [France] Avion a Grande Vitesse. A design for a Mach 5 airliner, that could enter service in 2015
AH = [USA] USN: Hospital Ship
AHAMS = [USA] Advanced Heavy Anti-tank Missile System
AHB = [UK] Air Historical Branch of the MoD.
AHC = Aircraft Handling Characteristics
AHIP = [USA] Armed Helicopter Improvement Program. Modification programme for the OH-58 Kiowa helicopters of the US Army.
AHRS = Altitude and Heading Reference System
AI = Air Interdiction
AI = Air Interception
AIAA = American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
AIAAM = [USA] Advanced Intercept Air-to-Air Missile, a proposed replacement for AIM-54 Phoenix.
AID = [UK] Aeronautical Inspection Directorate
AIDC = [Taiwan] Aero Industry Development Centre
AIDS = [USA] Advanced Integrated Display System
AIM = [USA] Air-to-air missile.
AIMD = USA] Avionic Integrated Maintenance Department
AIMS = [UK] Advanced Integrated Magnetic Anomaly (detection system).
AIP = [USA] ASUW Improvement Program, for the P-3 Orion.
AIR = [USA] Air-to-air rocket
AIR = Air Inflatable Retarder (bomb decelerator)
AIR = Air Intercept Radar
AIROPS
Air Operations
AIRP = [USA] Airborne Instrumentation Research Programme.
AIWS = [USA] Advanced Interdiction Weapon System
AK = [USA] USN: General Cargo Ship
AKA = [USA] USN: Attack Cargo Ship
AKG = [Germany] Aufklarungsgeschwader
AKN = [Germany] AbwehrKommando Nord A WWI fighter unit, mostly equipped with Fokker E's.
AKR = [USA] USN: Vehicle Cargo Ship
AKV = [USA] Aircraft Ferry. Often old carriers.
Alamo = [NATO] Soviet AA-10 air-to-air missile (R-27)
Alarik = [Germany] Plan for a military occupation of Italy by German forces.
ALARM = [UK] Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile
ALAT = [France] Aviation Legere de l'Armee de Terre; 'light air force of the land army'.
ALBM = Air-Launched Ballistic Missile
ALCAM = Air-Launched Conventional Attack Missile
ALCC = [USA] Air Launch Control Center
ALCM = [USA] Air-Launched Cruise Missile, the AGM-86 cruise missile carried by the B-52 and B-1.
ALCS = [USA] Augmented Longitudinal Control System
ALF = [USA] Airlift Flight
Alf = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi E7K floatplane.
ALFSEA = [Allied] Allied Land Forces South-East Asia, central command for these forces, created in November 1944.
ALG = [UK] Advanced Landing Ground. Rud imentary airfields in South England. 23 were constructed
ALH = Active Laser Homing
ALH = Advanced Light Helicopter
ALIC = Aircraft Launcher Interface Computer
Alkali = [NATO] Soviet AA-1 air-to-air missile (Tomashevitch K-5)
ALL = [USA] Airborne Laser Laboratory
ALLNAV = [USA] All Navy, message to all navy personnel.
Alloy Express = [UK] Exercise, off the Norwegian coast. 1982.
ALO = Air Liaison Officer
ALOC = [USA] Airborne visual Laser Optical Communication
ALOT = [UK] Air Liaison Officer's Team
ALOTS = [USA] Advanced Light Optical Tracking System
ALPA = [USA] Air Line Pilots Association
Alpha Check = Request for heading and distance to a specified point.
Alpha Scramble = Operational Alert mission.
Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakiya Alurduniya = Royal Jordanian Air Force
Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakiya Marakishaya = [Maroc] Royal Maroccan Air Force
Al Quwwat al Jawwiya as Saudiya = [Saudi-Arabia] Royal Saudi Air Force.
Al Quwwat al Jawwiya bij Libiyya = [Libya] Libyan Air Force.
Al Quwwat al Jawwiya il Misriya = [Egypt] Egyptian Air Force
ALRAD = Airborne Laser Rangefinder And Designator
ALS = [USA] Airlift Squadron
ALUSNA = [USA] U.S. Naval Attache
Al Yamamah = [Saudi-Arabia] Defence co-operation agreement between Saudi-Arabia and the UK.
ALYCAT = [UK] Aeromechanical Lynx Control Agilty Testbed. Lynx helicopter testbed.
AMC = [USA] Air Materiel Command (not active)
AMC = [USA] Air Mobility Command
AMCM = [USA] Airborne Mine CounterMeasure.
AMDP = Aircraft Maintenance Delayed for Parts
AMDS = [UK] Automatic Manoeuvre Device System, for the Tornado ADV.
AME = [UK] Aviation Medical Examiner
AMF = [USA] Automatic Maneuvring Flaps, fitted to the A-7D.
AMF = [NATO] ACE Mobile Force
AMG = UK] Air Maintenance Group, RNAS Yeovilton.
AMG = [UK] Air Movements Group (Royal Navy)
AMGOT = [Allied] Allied Military Government Occupied Territories
AMI = [Italy] Aeronautica Militare Italiana - Italian Air Force
Amos = [NATO] Soviet AA-9 air-to-air missile (Vympel K-33, R-33)
AMPSA = [USA] Advanced Manned Precision Strategic Aircraft. Requirement, 1965.
AMRAAM = [USA] Advanced Medium Range AAM, also known as AIM-120, the replacement for AIM-7 Sparrow, similar in layout but smaller and active seeker.
AMRARM = [USA] Advanced Medium-Range Anti-Radiation Missile.
AMS = [USA] Air Maintenance Squadron
AMSA = [USA] Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft. Requirement, 1965.
AMSAR = [UK/France] Airborne Multi-Role Solid-state Active-array Radar. Development began in 1993, with planned service introduction in 2005.
AMSL = Above Mean Sea Level
AMST = [USA] Advanced Medium STOL Transport. Requirement to which the Boeing YC-14 and McDonnell Douglas YC-15 were built.
AMTI = Airborne Moving Target Indicator
Amuck = [UK] Rocket launcher for depth charges, used by surface ships during WWII.
AMW = [USA] Air Mobility Wing
Anab = [NATO] Soviet AA-3 air-to-air missile (Bisnovat K-8, R-8, R-98)
Anakim = [Allied] Plan for a liberation of Burma. Abandoned. 1942.
AN/APS = [USA] Army-Navy / Airborne Pulse Search equipment
ANFE = Aircraft Not Fully Equipped
ANG = [USA] Air National Guard
ANG = [France] Atlantique Nouvelle Generation
ANGB = [USA] Air National Guard Base
Angels = Altitude in thousands of feet.
ANGLICO = Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
ANGOSTA = [USA] Air National Guard Operational Support Transport Aircraft
Ann = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.30 light bomber.
ANO = Air Navigation Order
Anorak Express = [UK] Exercise. Deployment of BAe Harriers to Northern Norway, 1982.
ANP = [USA] Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion - an attempt to build a nuclear-powered aircraft, primarily a strategic bomber.
ANS = Airborne, or: Automatic Navigation System
ANT = [France] Armament Nucleaire Tactique; the nuclear-armed part of the air force.
Anvil = [Allied] Allied invasion in South France, originally intended to contemporary with 'Overlord'. Postponed and renamed 'Dragoon'.
ANVIS = [USA] Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System
ANZAC = Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
ANZUK
= Australia, New Zealand and UK. Military alliance.
AO = [USA] USN: Oiler ship
AOA = Angle of attack
AOB = Air Order of Battle
AOC = Aviation Officer Cadet
AOC = [UK] Air Officer Commanding
AOCP = Aircraft Out-of-Commission for Parts
AOE = [USA] USN: Fast Combat Support Ship
AOG = [USA] USN: Gasoline Carrier / Tanker
AOG = Aircraft On the Ground
AON = [USSR] Special Purpose Air Arm, strategic force created in 1936.
AOP = Airborne Observation Post
AOR = [USA] USN: Replenishment Oiler
AOT = [USA] USN: Transport Oiler / Tanker
AP = Armour Piercing
AP
[USA] USN: Troop Ship, non-landing.
APA = [USA] USN: Attack transport ship
APACHE = [France] Arme Propulsee A CHarge Ejectable - Propelled Weapon with ejectable warhead.
APAM = [USA] Anti-Personnel and Anti-Materiel
APAS = [Latvia] Aviacijas un Pretgaisa Aizsardzibas Speki -Air Defence Force of Latvia.
APC = Armament Practive Camp
APC = Armoured Personnel Carrier
Apex = [NATO] Soviet AA-7 air-to-air missile (Vympel K-23, R-23)
APFSDS-DU = Armor Penetrating, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot -Depleted Uranium.
Aphid = [NATO] Soviet AA-8 air-to-air missile (Bisnovat R-60)
APHIDS = Advanced Panoramic Helmet Interface Designator System
Aphrodite = [USA] Use of explosive-packed, remote controlled B-17s against V-2 launching sites.
API = Armour Piercing Incendiary
APD = [USA] USN: Fast Destroyer Transport
APFSDS = Armour Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot anti-tank projectile.
APL = [USA] USN: Auxiliary Personnel Lighter
APR = Automatic Power Reserve
APS = [USA] USN: Transport Submarine
APS = Aircraft Prepared for Service
APSI = [USA] Aircraft Propulsion System Integration
APSS = [USA] USN: Vehicle Transport Submarine
APU = Auxiliary Power Unit
APVO = [USSR] Aviatsiya Protivovozdushnoy Oborony -Aviation of the Air Defence.
AR = [USA] Training Ship
AR = [USA] USN: Repair Ship
ARB = [USA] USN: Repair Ship, battle damage
ARBS = Angle Rate Bombing System, Hughes AN/ASB-19(V)
ARC = [USA] USN: Cable Repair/Laying Ship
Archer = [NATO] Soviet AA-11 air-to-air missile (Molniya, R-73)
Archimedes = [Germany] WWII acoustic guidance system for missiles.
Arclight = [USA] Deployment of B-52s to Guam in support of the American forces in Vietnam.
ARCP = Air Refuelling Control Point
ARCT = Air Refuelling Control Time
ARD = [USA] USN: Floating Dry Dock
ARE = [UK] Admiralty Research Establishment
AREFG = [USA] Air Refuelling Group
AREFS = [USA] Air Refuelling Squadron
AREFW = [USA] Air Refuelling Wing
ARG = [USA] Air Refuelling Group
ARG = [Canada] Air Reserve Group
ARG = [USA] USN: Repair Ship, landing craft
ARG = Amphibious Ready Group
Argument = [Allied] Offensive of the 8th AF to eliminate the Luftwaffe, beginning of 1944.
Argus = [USA] NC-135A project.
ARH = Active Radar Homing
ARH = [USA] USN: Repair ship, hull repairs
ARI = [USA] Aviation Restructure Initiative. Reorganistaion of the helicopter units of the US Army
ARIA = Apollo Range Instrumentation Aircraft, later Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft, an EC-135 / EC-18.
ARIP = Air Refuelling Initial Point
ARL = [USA] Landing Craft Repair Ship
ARM = Anti-Radiation Missile
ARMADAS = [UK] Anti-Radar Missile Airborne Data Analysis System. Installed in a BAe Andover.
Armee de l'Air = [France] Air Force
Armeiskaya Aviatsiya = [USSR] Army Aviation
ARNG = [USA] Army National Guard
ARP = [UK] Air Raid Precautions. 1940, later named 'Civil Defence'.
ARP = [USA] Aero Rifle Platoon; infantrymen carried by helicopters.
ARPA = [USA] Advanced Projects Research Agency
ARPS = [USA] Advanced Radar Processing System, for the E-2C Hawkeye.
ARPV = [USA] Advanced Remotely Piloted Vehicle. RPV development programme.
ARR = [USA] Air Refueling Receiver. Receptacle for the tanking 'boom'
of USAF tankers.
ARR = [Rumania] Aeronautica Regala Romana - Royal Rumanian Air Force.
ARRS = [USA] Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service.
ARRS = [USA] Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron
ARS = [USA] Air Rescue Squadron
ARS
[USA] USN: Salvage Vessel / Ship
ARTB = [USA] Advanced Radar Test Bed. A Lockheed NC-141.
ARTI = [USA] Advanced Rotorcraft Technology Integration, a research effort to evaluate systems for new combat helicopters.
Artichokes = [UK] Lorient, when referred to for aerial minelaying ('Gardening').
Article 341 = [USA] Name the CIA used for the Lockheed U-2.
ARTW = [USA] Aerospace Reconaissance Technical Wing.
ARV = [USA] USN: Aviation Repair Vessel
ARW = [USA] Air Refuelling Wing
AS = Anti-Submarine
AS = [USA] USN: Submarine Tender
ASA = [USA] Army Security Service
ASALM = [USA] Advanced Strategic Air-Launched Missile, a Mach 4 air-breathing missile. Cancelled in 1980.
ASARS = [USA] Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System
ASAT = [USA] Anti-SATtelite missile, launched by an F-15 at high altitude. Some test have been completed.
ASCC = Air Standards Co-ordinating Committee. Responsible for the allocation of codenames to aircraft of the potential enemy.
ASD = [USA] Aeronautical Systems Division
ASDIC = [UK] Allied Submarine Detection Investigation Committee. 1917 committee that developed the device named after it, ASDIC, also known as SONAR.
ASF = [UK] Advanced Striking Force. RAF units sent to France in 1939.
Ash = [NATO] Soviet AA-5 air-to-air missile (Bisnovat K-80, R-4)
AShM = Anti-Shipping Missile
Ashtray = [USA] Modification of several F-86A Sabre fighters to RF-86A reconaissance aircraft, for service in the Korean war. 1951.
ASI = Air Speed Indicator
ASIP = [USA] Aircraft Structural Integrity Program
ASM = Air-to-Surface Missile. Also used by the USN to label its missiles, before the tri-service designation system was introduced.
ASMD = [USA] Anti-Ship Missile Defense
ASMP = [France] Air-Sol Moyenne Portee medium-range-air-to-surface missile. Supersonic, air-breathing and nuclear-armed.
ASMS = [USA] Advanced Surface Missile Sytem. Became Aegis, see there.
ASOC = Air Support Operations Center
ASP = [Allied] Air Spotting Pool
ASP = [Belgium] Annual Service Practice. Live firing of a 'Nike Hercules' SAM on NAMFI.
ASPJ = Airborne Self-Protection Jammer
ARS = [USA] USN: Submarine Rescue Ship
ASR = [UK] Air Sea Rescue
ASR = [UK] Air Staff Requirement
ASRAAM = [USA] Advanced Short Range AAM, a Sidewinder replacement. AIM-132.
ASROC = [USA] Anti Submarine Rocket
ASSET = [USA] Aerothermodynamic/Elastic Structural Systems Environmental Tests. This was a lifting-body reentry vehicle.
ASSP = [USA] USN: Auxiliary Transport Submarine
AST = [UK] Air Staff Target, an operational requirement.
ASTAR = Airborne Search Target Attack Radar
ASTEI = [USA] Air-Surface Technology Evaluation & Integration programme. reduce radar cross-sections of equipment; 'Stealth' technology.
ASTOR = Airborne Stand-Off Radar
ASTOVL = [USA] Advanced STOVL
ASTRA = [UK] Advanced System Training Aircraft. A modified Hawk Mk.1
Asura = [France] Air-to-SURface Ramjet with Automatic guidance. Development of ASMP.
ASUW = Anti-Surface Unit Warfare
ASV = Anti-Surface Vessel (radar)
ASW = Anti-Submarine Warfare
AT = [USA] USN: Tug (ship)
ATA = [USA] USN: Auxiliary Tug (ship)
ATA = [USA] Air Transport Association
ATA = [USA] Advanced Tactical Aircraft
ATA = Actual Time of Arrival
ATAF = [NATO] Allied Tactical Air Force
ATAFCS = Airborne Target Acquisition and Fire Control System
ATAP = Anti-Tank, Anti-Personnel
ATARS = [USA] Advanced Tactical Air Reconaissance System
ATB = [USA] Advanced Technology Bomber. Development program for the Northrop B-2.
ATC = [USA] Air Training Command
ATC = Air Traffic Control
ATC = [UK] Air Training Corps
ATCC = Air Traffic Control Centre
ATD = Actual Time of Departure
ATD
= [USA] Advanced Technology Demonstrator (USN)
ATD/C = [USA] Assisted Target Detection/Classification
ATDS = [USA] Airborne Tactical Data System, data processing system fitted to the E-2C Hawkeye.
ATE = [USA] Advanced Technology Engine
ATE = Automatic Test Equipment
ATEGG = [USA] Advanced Technology Engine Gas Generator
ATF = [UK] Air Transport Force
ATF = [USA] USN: Oceangoing Fleet Tug
ATF = [USA] Advanced technology Fighter. F-22 and F-23 program.
ATG = [Canada] Air Transport Group
ATGM = Anti-Tank Guided Missile
ATGW = Anti-Tank Guided Weapon
ATHS = [USA] Automatic Target Handover System
ATIRCM = Advanced Threat Infra-Red CounterMeasures
ATIS = Aerodrome Terminal Information Service
ATLANTIC = Airborne Targeting Low Altitude Navigation Thermal Imaging and Cueing.
ATLIS = [France] Automatic Tracking Laser Illumination System. Pod that combines TV target acquisition and laser designation.
ATM = Anti-Tank Missile
ATM = [USA] AGM Training Missile ATM-12 Bullpup Trainer
ATO = Air Tasking Order
ATO = Assisted Take-Off
ATO = [USA] USN: Old Tug (ship)
ATOC = [NATO] Allied Tactical Operations Center
Atoll = [NATO] Soviet AA-2 air-to-air missile (Vympel K-13, R-3)
ATP = Advanced Turbo-Prop (BAe)
ATPL = Airline Pilot's Transport Licence
ATR = [USA] USN: Rescue Tug (ship)
ATR = Air Transport Racking (standard electronics racks)
ATR = Avions de Transport Regional - Regional transport aircraft.
ATRS = [USA] Areial Training Squadron
ATS = [USA] Airmanship Training Squadron
ATS = [USA] USN: Salvage & Rescue Ship
ATS = Air Traffic Service
ATT = [USA] Advanced Theater Transport
AUM = [USA] Air-to-underwater missile AUM-N-2 Petrel
AUP = [Autralia] Avionics Upgrade Programme for the F-111C.
AURORA = Automatic Recovery Of Remotely-piloted Aircraft
Aurora Express = [NATO] Exercise for European forces, involving deployment to Eastern Turkey.
AUTEC = Atlantic Undersea Test and Evalutaion Center.
AUW = All-Up Weight
AV = [USA] Aircraft (seaplane) Tender
Avalanche = [Allied] The landing in Salerno Bay, Italy, 1943.
AVCRAD = [USA] Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot
AVEN = [USA] Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle, a vectoring nozzle for the General Electric F-101 engine; applied to MATV.
AVG = [USA/China] American Volunteer Group, the 'Flying Tigers' unit.
AVG = [USA] Aicraft Escort Vessel, later renamed ACV. See CVE for numbers.
AVGAS = Aviation Gasoline
Aviadesantnoj Brigada = [USSR] Airborne Brigade.
Aviamatka = [USSR] Mother aircraft, for parasite planes.
Aviation Legere / Licht Vliegwezen
[Belgium] army air force
AVIM = [USA] Aviation Intermediate Maintenance facility.
AV-MF = [USSR] Aviatsiya Voenno-Morsko Flota (Naval Air Force)
AVP = [USA] Small Seaplane Tender
AVRE = [UK] Armoured Vehicle, Royal Engineers. A Churchill tank equipped with the 'Petard' spigot mortar, firing 40lb projectiles.
AVS = [USA] USN: Aviation Supply Ship
AVT = [USA] USN: Auxiliary Aircraft Transport. Includes some former CV's of the Essex class and CVL's of Saipan and Independence class.
AW = [USA] Airlift Wing
AWACS = Airlift Wing AWACS [USA] Airborne Warning And Control System, the Boeing E-3 Sentry. Also Airborne Warning And Control Squadron.
AWACTS = [USA] Airborne Warning And Control Training Squadron.
AWAY = [France] Rocket extraction system for the pilot; made by Hurel-Dubois.
AWCLS = All-Weather Carrier Landing System
AWCW = [USA] Airborne Warning Composite Wing
AW&CS = [USA] Airborne Warning & Control Squadron
AW&CW = [USA] Airborne Warning & Control Wing
AWE = [UK] Atomic Weapons Establishment
Awl = [NATO] Soviet AA-4 air-to-air missile (Mikoyan K-9)
AWOL = [USA] Absent Without Leave.
AWPGM = Adverse Weather Precision Guided Minution
AWS = [UK] Automatic Wing Sweep. For the Tornado ADV
Axiom = [Allied] Plan for attacks on Malaya, Sumatra and Hong Kong. Not accepted.
Azon = [USA] See
Anfangsbuchstabe B:
B = [USSR] Bombardirovshkchik
BA = [Portugal] Base Aera - Air (force) Base.
BA = [France] Base Aerienne - Air base.
Babs = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi C5M reconaissance aircraft and Ki.15 light bomber.
Babylift = [USA] Evacuation of orphans from Vietnam, 1975.
Backfin = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-98 bomber
Backfire = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-22M / Tu-26 bomber.
Back Net = [NATO] Soviet Surveillance radar for SA-5.
Badger = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 bomber.
Baedeker Raids = [UK] German bomber attacks on historical cities in Britain, spring 1942.
BAFO = [UK] British Air Force of Occupation, in Germany, created in 1945.
BAI = Battlefield Air Interdiction
BALLUTE = Balloon Parachute (bombr retarder)
BAM = [Germany] Brieftauben-Abteilung Metz
Band Stand = [NATO] Soviet Radar associated with SS-N-7.
Banish Beach = [USA] Proposed fire bombing of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Vietnam, using C-130s.
Bank = [NATO] North American B-25 Mitchell bomber in Soviet service.
Banquet = [UK] Plans for the usage of trainers as ground-attack aircraft in case of German invasion, 1940.
BAO = [Germany] Brieftauben-Abteilung Ostende
BAOR = [UK] British Army Of the Rhine
BAP = [France] Bombe Anti-Piste - anti-runway bomb.
BAPC = [UK] British Aircraft Preservation Council
Barax = [France] Jamming pod.
Barbarossa = [Germany] German attack on the USSR, 22 June 1941.
BARCAP = Barrier Combat Air Patrol
Barge = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-85 bomber.
Baritone = [UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 17 August 1942.
Bark = [NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 bomber.
Bar Lock = [NATO] Soviet Surveillance radar for SA-5.
Barracuda = [France] Jamming pod.
Barrel Roll = [USA] The north of Laos.
Bat = [USA] A winged bomb with active radar homing, used against Japanese ships from May 1945 onwards.
Bat = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-2 and Tu-6 bomber.
Batseye = [Allied] Exercises to study the possibility of dusk and dawn operations, as part of the preparations for 'Overlord'.
Battleaxe = [UK] Counter-attack against Italian and German forces in North Africa, 15 June 1941.
Baytown = [Allied] Plan for the landing in Calabria, Italy. 3 September 1941
BB = [USA] USN: Battleship
BBMF = [UK] Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
BC = [USA] USN: Battlecruiser
BCAR = [UK] British Civil Airworthiness Requirement
BCD = Bad Conduct Discharge
BCE = Battlefield Coordination Element
BCGN = [USA] USN: Nuclear-powered, Guided Missile Battlecruiser
BDA = Battle / Bomb Damage Assessment
BDK = [USSR] Bol'shoy desantniy korabl' (large landing ship)
BDM = Bomber Defense Missile.
BDR = Battle Damage Repair
BDRT = [UK] Battle Damage Repair Training.
BDS = Battle Dressing Station
BDU = [USA] Practice versions of nuclear bombs.
BDZ = [NATO] Base Defense Zone
Beagle = [NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-28 bomber.
Bear = [USA] Nickname for the EWO.
Bear = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-20, Tu-95 and Tu-142 bomber.
Beast = [NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-10 bomber.
Beef Broth = [USA] Building of a strategical reserve in the USA for TAC units in Vietnam.
Bee Hind = [NATO] Gun laying radar for the tail guns of the Tu-95 'Bear'.
Bee Line = [USA] Upgrading of F-4B Phantom IIs to F-4N in the early 1970s.
Beethoven = [Germany] Official codename for the 'Mistel' combinations.
Belle = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi H3K flying boat.
Bellows = [UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 11 August 1942.
Bell Tone = [USA] Transfer of F-100s to Bangkok, Thailand. 16 April 1961.
Ben = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Nagoya-Sento KI-001 fighter. Did not exist.
Bennett Spinwheel = [UK] Calculation instrument used to determine the V/STOL performance of BAe Harriers
BERP = [UK] British Experimental Rotor Programme
Bess = [USA] Codename for the German Heinkel He 111 bomber, erronously assumed to be in Japanese service.
BETASOM = [Italy] Bordeaux Summergibili -Italian Navy submarine base, set up in August 1940.
Betty = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi G4M / G6M bomber.
BFT = Basic Flying Training
BG = [USA] Bombardment Group 91th BG 'The Ragged Irregulars' 345th BG 'Air Apaches'
BG = [USA] USN: battle group
BG = [USA] Bomb Glider.
Bharatoya Vayusena = [India] Air Force.
BHELA = [Spain] Battalon de Helicopteros de Ataque - Battalion of attack helicopters.
Big Belly = [USA] Program to modify the B-52 to carry increased conventional bomb loads.
Big Bulge = [NATO] Radar carried by the 'Bear-D'.
Big Bulge = [NATO] Radar fitted to the Ka-25 'Hormone-B'.
Big Crow = [USA] NKC-135A program.
Big Nose = [NATO] Radar of the Tu-28P 'Fiddler'
Big Safari = [USA] Modification program of the Ryan Firebee target drone to create the Firefly recce drone.
Big Team = [USA] The program for the RC-135B and RC-135C.
Bingo fuel = Critical fuel level, usually fuel level necessary for return to base.
BIS = [USA] Board of Inspection and Survey.
Bison = [NATO] Soviet Myasichew M-4 bomber.
BITE = [USA] Built-In Test Equipment
BK = [Germany] Bordkanonem
BKAV = [USSR] Bureau of Commissars of Aviation and Aeronautics, created in 1917.
Black Buck = [UK] Attacks on Argentine positions on the Falkland Islands, flown by Vulcan bombers with air refuelling. The Vulcan was refuelled six times.
Black Crow = [USA] This equipment detects the ignition systems of piston engines. Fitted to AC-130 gunships.
Black Fly = [USA] The Fairchild Sailwing drone.
Black Hole = [USA] IR suppresion system, fitted to the exhaust stacks of the OH-58A.
Blackjack = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-160 bomber.
Black Night = [USA] Code name for the RB-57D high-altitude recce aircraft.
Black Shield = [USA] Operations of the Lockheed A-12 (precursor of the SR-71) from Kadena, Japan.
Black Spot = [USA] Sensor package fitted to the NC-123.
Black Velvet = [USA] Radar absorbing paint used for the U-2R.
BLC = Boundary Layer Control; a flow of pressured engine bleed air over the flaps and other lift surfaces, to keep the stalling speed down.
Blinder = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-22 / Tu-105 bomber.
Blowlamp = [NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-54 bomber.
BLT = Battalion Landing Team
BLu = [Belgium] FAB/Blu: Force Aerienne Belge / Belgische Luchtmacht. Belgian Air Force. Belgium is a bilingual country, hence the double name.
BLU = [USA] Bomb Live Unit, subminution for cluster bombs or dispensers.
Blue Bird = [USA] Boeing RC-135C, ELINT aircraft.
Blue Boar = [UK] Nuclear weapon, a glide bomb. Cancelled in 1954.
Blue Danube = [UK] Nuclear bomb, a free-fall weapon.
Blue Eagle = [USA] Boeing EC-135J, ABNCP aircraft.
Blue Rapier = [UK] Specification UB.109 for an unmanned, catapult-launched jet bomber. Cancelled
Blue Springs = [USA] The 4080th SRW unit, equipped with Ryan 147 (AQM-34) recce drones.
Blue Steel = [UK] Air-to-surface missile with a nuclear warhead. Just 50 in service in the 1962--1970 period
Blue Sword = [NATO] Close air support operations for UN peace-keeping units in Bosnia, 1994
BMD = [UK] Ballistic Missile Defence
BMDO = [USA] Ballistic Missile Defence Office. The less ambitious, lower cost follow-up of the SDI project
BMEWS = [USA] Ballistic Missile Early Warning System
BMP = [USSR] Lightly armoured infantyry transport vehicle, armed with a 73mm gun.
BMR = [NATO] Basic Military Requirement
B/N = [USA] Bombardier / Navigator
BNEP = [USA] Basic Naval Establishment Plan
Bob = [NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-4 bomber
Bob = [USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.28 fighter
Bodenplatte = [Germany] Last major attack of the Luftwaffe, 1 January 1945. 465 allied aircraft were destroyed
Bodyguard = [Allied] Desinformation plan, introduced in 1943 to make the Germans believe that the invasion would be in Norway
Bogey = Unidentified aircraft
Bogohl = [Germany] Bomben Geschwader der OHL. Bomber wing of the OHL. Created by reorganization of the 'Kagohln' in 1917.
BOL = Bearing Only Launch
Bold Falcon = [NATO] TACEVAL exercise for RAF No.1 Squadron
Bold Journey = [USA] Modification of the F-101 Voodoo to improve the control system
Bolo = [USA] Operation in Vietnam, 2 January 1967, that ended with the shooting down of seven MiG-21s by F-4s
Bookie Escort = [USA] Air cover for transport aircraft on resupply missions
Boot = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-91 bomber
Bosta = [Germany] Bomben Staffel. Bomber squadron
Bosun = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-14 / Tu-89 bomber
Bounder = [NATO] Soviet Myasichew M-50 bomber
Bout One = [USA] Donation of ten P-51Ds to the Republic of Korea Air Force
Bowery = [UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 9 May 1942
Box Tail = [NATO] Tail warning radar fitted to the Tu-95 and the Tu-22M 'Backfire', replacing 'Bee Hind'
BOZ 100 = [UK] Decoy & chaff dispensing pod.
BPDMS = [USA] Basic Point Defence Missile System
BPE = [USA] Bomber Penetration Evaluations
BPK = [USSR] Bol'shoy protivolodochniy korabl' (large anti-submarine ship)
BPR = Bypass Ratio
BQ = [USA] Unmanned aircraft carrying explosives.
Brawn = [UK] Carrier strike against the German battleship Tirpitz.
Brawny = [NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-40 bomber
Brazo = [USA] Project to develop an anti-radar version of the Sparrow missile. 1972
BRDM = [USA] USN: Floating Dry Dock
Brewer = [NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-28 bomber
Briar Patch = [USA] Boeing KC-135R
Brieftauben Abteilung Ostende = [Germany] 'Ostend Carrier Pigeon Detachment', cover name for a bomber group formed in 1914 to attack Britain.
Brigg = [Germany] Receiver for Kogge.
Bright Star = [USA] Exercise.
BRK = [USSR] Bol'shoy raketniy korabl' (large rocket ship)
Broad Jump = [USA] Improvement program for the F-106. 1960 to 1963. Introduced an infrared seeker in front of the cockpit
Broussard = [NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-28 bomber (Renamed Brewer).
BRPL = [USSR] Ballistichekaya raketa podvodnykh lodok - SLBM
BRW = Brake Release Weight. Maximum permitted weight at the start of take-off run
BS = [USA] Bombardment Squadron
BS = [USSR] Berezin Skorostrelnye - Berezin Rapid-Firing gun. 12.7mm, 1000rds/min, 860m/sec.
BST = British Summer Time
BT = [USSR] Bazoviy tral'shchik (base minesweeper)
BT = Bathythermograph
BTDS = [USA] Baseline Terminal Defense System. The 'Sentry' ABM missile
BTO = [USA] Bombing Trough Overcast, a WWII bombing radar
Buccaneer = [Allied] Naval operations off the coast of Burma, to conquer the Andaman islands. Cancelled
Buck = [NATO] Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber
Buffalo Hunter = [USA] Ryan AQM-34L or M for low-altitude reconaissance
BUIC = [USA] Backup Interceptor Control
Bull = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-4 and Tu-80 bomber
Bullet Shot = [USA] Transfer of additional B-52s to South-East Asia, late 1972
Bumblebee = [USA] Programme to develop an shipboard SAM, started in 1945
Bunsen = [Allied] Bombing exercises, to study the accuracy and effectiveness of bombardments, prior to operation 'Overlord'. 26 April 1944.
BuOrd = [USA] Bureau of Ordnance of the USN
Burney Gun = [UK] Recoilless guns developed by Sir Denis Burney
Burning Candy = [USA] Operations of the Boeing RC-135M. From Yokota, Japan
Burza = [Poland] 'Storm'. Action plan of the Polish 'internal army', for the Warsaw uprising of August 1944
BUSANDA = [USA] Bureau of Supplies and Accounts
Busy Brewer [USA] Development of B-52s to Fairford, UK
Busy Prairie II = [USA] Exercise, 1981
Butcher = [NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-82 bomber
BuWeps = [USA] Bureau of Weapons of the USN
BVR = Beyond Visual Range
BW = [USA] Bombardment Wing
Anfangsbuchstabe C:
C^2
Command and Control
C^3
Command, Control and Communications
C^3I
Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence
C^3CM
Command, Control and Communications Countermeasures
C^4I
Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence
--CA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CA
[USA] USN: Heavy Gun Cruiser (Traditionally, 'Heavy' cruisers are
armoured, and Light Cruisers are not, relying on speed for protection.)
CA
[UK] Controller Aircraft
CAA
[UK] Civil Aviation Authority
CAAC
[China] Civil Aviation Administration of China
Cab
[NATO] Soviet Lisunov Li-2 transport aircraft.
CAB
[USA] Civil Aeronautics Board
CADC
[USA] Central Air Data Computer
Cadillac
[USA] Development of an Airborne Early-Warning (AEW) radar, initiated in
February 1944 by the US Navy.
CADS
[UK] Concealed Approach and Departure Points
CAEO
[France] Commandement Air en Extreme Orient --- Far East Air Command.
CAEWW
[USA] Carrier Airborne Early Warning Wing
CAF
[Canada] Canadian Armed Forces
CAFDA
[France] Commandement Air des Forces Defence Aerienne -- Air Command,
Air Defence Forces.
CAFI
[France] Composante Air des Forces d'Intervention -- Air component of
the intervention force.
CAG
[USA] Carrier Air Group (Commander)
CAG
[USA] USN: Commander of Air Group
CAG
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser
CAH
[USA] Through-deck cruiser, i.e. a small carrier with helicopters and
VTOL aircraft, like the British HMS Invincible.
CAINS
[USA] Carrier Airborne Inertial Navigation System
Calendar
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 20 April 1942.
CALF
[USA] Common Affordable Lightweight Fighter. Demands for a light
(24000lb) STOVL fighter aircraft, to enter service early in the
21th century. Combined with the ASTOVL project at the insistence
of the US Congress.
Calliope
[Allied] Rocket battery, carried on top of Sherman tanks.
CAMAL
[USA] A Continuous Airborne alert, Missile-launching Aircraft with Low
level penetration capability. The acronym doesn't mention the most
important part: CAMAL was going to have nuclear jet engines.
Cancelled in 1961.
Camber
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-86 transport aircraft.
Camel
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-104 transport aircraft.
Camel Hump
[USA] Operations by U-2R from Taif, Saudi-Arabia, monitoring Iraq
after the Gulf War.
Camp
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-8 transport aircraft.
CANA
[Argentina] Comando de Aviacion Naval Argentina -- Argentine Naval
Aviation Command.
Candid
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft.
CAP
Combat Air Patrol
Capital
[Allied] Plan for an attack in Burma, late in 1944. Changed to
create 'Extended Capital'.
CAR
Civil Airworthiness Regulation
Careless
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-154 transport aircraft.
CarGru
[USA] Carrier Group
Carolina Moon
[USA] Attempt to use the C-130 for the bombing of bridges in
Vietnam.
Carpetbaggers
[Allied] (Unofficial?) Operations of aircraft to carry supplies and
personnel to resistance groups in occupied Europe, during WWII.
CARQUAL
[USA] Carrier Qualification
Cart
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-70 transport aircraft.
Cartwheel
[Allied] Plan for operations against the Japanese base in Rabaul,
1943.
CAS
Close Air Support
CAS
Calibrated AirSpeed --- IAS corrected for system errors.
CAS
Chief of Air Staff
CAS
Collision Avoidance System
CASEVAC
Casualty Evacuation
CASF
[USA] Composite AIr Strike Force.
Cash
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-28 transport aircraft.
CASOM
[UK] Conventionally-Armed Stand-Off Missile
CASREP
[USA] Casualty Report
Cast
[USA] Unit that tested an AEW radar (see Cadillac) on an XTBM-3E.
Castor
[France] The fight at Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam.
CASTOR
Corps Airborne Stand-Off Radar
Cat
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-10 transport aircraft.
CATac
[France] Commandement Aerienne Tactique, tactical air command.
Catapult
[UK] British attempt to disable the remains of the French fleet, July
1940.
CATCS
[UK] Central Air Traffic Control School
CATGME
[Canada] Canadian Air Task Group Middle East.
Cat House
[NATO] Radar associated with ABM-1.
CATRE
[France] Centre Aerien Technique de Reception et d'Entrainement.
CAVOK
Ceiling And Visibility OK
--CB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CB
[USA] Construction Battalion
CB
[USA] USN: Large Cruiser
CBDE
[UK] Chemical Biological Defence Establishment
CBI
[Allied] China-Burma-India, an operational sector of the Allied forces
in WWII.
CBI
Computer Based Instruction
CBLS
[UK] Carrier, Bomb, Light Store
CBMU
Construction Battalion, Maintenance Unit
CBO
[Allied] Combined Bomber Offensive
CBR
[USA] Chemical/Biological/Radioactive Weapons
CBR
California Bearing Ratio --- measure for the wheel pressure an
airfield surface will sustain.
CBR
Common Bomb Rack
CBU
Cluster Bomb Unit
CBW
Chemical and Biological Warfare
--CC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CC
[USA] USN: Tactical Command Ship
CCA
Carrier Controlled Approach
CCA
Command and Control Agency
CCF
[UK] Combined Cadet Corps
CCIL
Continously-Computed Impact Line
CCIP
Continously-Computed Impact Point
CCIR
Commander's Critical Information Requirement
CCS
[Allied] Committee of Chiefs of Staff.
CCT
Combat Control Team
CCTS
[USA] Combat Crew Training Squadron
CCTW
[USA] Combat Crew Training Wing
CCV
[USA] Control Configured Vehicle, a test program that involved
aircraft with additional control surfaces. At least a B-52, a
F-104 and an F-16 were modified.
CDR
[USA] Critical Design Review
CDU
Control and Display Unit
--CE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CEAA
[France] Commandement des Ecoles de l'Armee de l'Air ---- Air training
command of the French airforce.
CEAM
[France] Centre d'Experimentations Aeriennes Militaires ---
Military aeronautical experiments center. Mont-de-Marsan,
France.
CEAT
[France] Centre d'Essais Aeronautiques de Toulouse
CECAT
[USA] Combat Enhancing Capability Aviation Team
Cedar
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikawa Ki.17 trainer
Cefirm Leader
[USA] RU-21 mission.
Cefly Lancer
[USA] Electronic intelligence mission, flown by the RU-21J.
CEL
[France] Centre d'Essais des Landes -- Landes test centre.
CEM
[USA] Combined Effect Munition. BLU-97/B cluster bomb.
CEMA
[France] Centre d'Essais des Materiels Aeriens --- Center for
testing of airborne equipment.
CENTCOM
[USA] Central Command
CENTO
Central Treaty Organisation
Central Enterprise
[USA] Excercise mission to Southern Europe.
Central Exercise
[USA] Exercise in central Europe.
CEP
Circular Error Probability, the radius within which 50% of the launched
weapons hit.
Cerberus
[Germany] Jamming Pod
CEV
[France] Centre d'Essais en Vol. Flight test center. Istres, France.
CEVSV
[France] Centre d'Entrainement en Vol Sans Visibility -- IFR training
centrum.
--CF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CFB
[Canada] Canadian Force Base
CFE
Conventional armed Forces in Europe treaty -- a force reduction treaty.
CFE
[UK] Central Fighter Establishment
CFE
Contractor-Furnished Equipment
CFIT
Controlled Flight Into Terrain
CFRP
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics
CFS
[UK] Central Flying School-------------------
CG
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Cruiser
CG
Centre of Gravity
CGAS
[USA] Coast Guard Air Station
CGH
[USA] Light aircraft carrier / aviation cruiser, a cruiser carrying
missiles, helicopters and possible VSTOL aircraft.
CGM
[USA] Missile. See "us_mil.txt" for an explanation of the USA
designation system.
CGM-13 Mace
CGN
[USA] USN: Nuclear-powered Guided Missile Cruiser
--CH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charger
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 transport aircraft.
Charlie
[NATO] Submarine class.
Chattanooga (Choo-Choo)
[USA] Attacks on trains, during WWII.
Chel Ha'Avir
[Israel] Name of the Air Force / Isreali Defence Forces from 1948
to 1951.
Cherry
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Yokosuka H5Y flying boat.
CHG
[USA] USN: Helicopter cruiser with guided missile armament.
Chicago
[Allied] Airborne operation on D-day, by the 101st Airborne in the
US sector.
ChiCom
Chinese Communist
Chung-kuo Kung Chuan
[Taiwan] Chinese Nationalist Air Force.
Chutai
[Japan] Squadron
--CI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CIA
[USA] Central Intelligence Agency
CIC
[USA] Combat Information Centre
CIEH
[France] Centre d'Instruction des Equipages d'Helicopeteres
CIFAS
[France] Centre d'Instruction de Force Aerienne Stragique -- training
center of the strategic air force
CIM
[USA] Coffin launched Intercept Missile, a Surafce-to-Air missile that
is fired for a horizontally stored box.
CIM-10 Bomarc
CINC
[USA] Commander-in-Chief
CINCAIR
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Air Base
CINCLANT
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Forces
CINCNAVBASE
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Naval Base
CINCNAVSURFLANT
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Naval Surface Fleet, Atlantic
CINCNORNAVEUR
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Northern Naval Forces in Europe
CINCPAC
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Pacific
CINCPACAF
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Air Force
CINCPACFLT
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet
CINCSEURCOM
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, Southern Europe Command
CINCSOUTH
[NATO] Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe
CINCUSNAVEUR
[USA] Commander-in-Chief, US Navy in Europe
CIS
Commonwealth of Independent States
CIT
Combined Interrogator-Transponder
CIWS
Close-In Weapons System
CJTF
[USA] Combined Joint Task Force-------------------------------------------------------------
CL
[USA] USN: Light Cruiser
CLAA
[USA] USN: Light Anti-Aircraft Cruiser
Clam
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-18, renamed Coot.
Clam Pipe
[NATO] Nose radar fitted to the Tu-95MS Bear-H
Clank
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-30 transport aircraft.
Clara
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikwawa Ki.70 reconaissance aircraft.
Clarion
[Allied] Offensive against communications centres and transport in
Germany, 22 February 1945.
Classic
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-62 transport aircraft.
Claude
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi A5M fighter.
CLBRP
[USA] Cannon-Launched Beam-Rider Projectile.
CLC
[USA] USN: Task Fleet Command Ship
Cleat
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-114 transport aircraft.
CLG
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Light Cruiser
CLGN
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Light Cruiser, nuclear-powered
CLGP
Cannon-Launched Guided Projectile
Cline
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-32 transport aircraft.
CLK
[USA] USN: Hunter-Killer Cruiser
Clobber
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-42 transport aircraft.
Clod
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-14 transport aircraft.
Clog
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-28 (?) transport aircraft.---------------
CMCA
[USA] Cruise Missile Carrier Aircraft
CMS
Cockpit Managment System
--CN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CNATRA
[USA] Chief of Naval Air Training
CNI
Communications, Navigation and Identification
CNO
[USA] Chief of Naval Operations.
--CO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CO
Commanding Officer
Coach
[NATO] Soviet Ilysuhin Il-12 transport aircraft.
Coaler
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-72 transport aircraft.
Cobra
[Allied] Concentrated air attack on a 6 by 12 km sector near St. Lo,
to create a gap in the German lines. 25 July 1944.
Cobra Ball
[USA] Boeing RC-135S.
Cobra Dane
[USA] Missile warning radar on the isle Shemya.
Cobra Eye
[USA] Boeing RC-135X, a modfied RC-135S for TELINT missions.
COC
Command Operations Centre
Cock
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-22 transport aircraft.
COCOM
COordinating COMmittee, for export restrictions
COD
Carrier Onboard Delivery -- aircraft designed to deliver goods to
carriers, but not necessarily carrier-based.
Codling
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-40 transport aircraft.
COEA
Cost and Operational Effectiveness Analysis
COIN
Counter-insurgency, anti-guerilla warfare.
Coke
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-24 transport aircraft.
Cold Chuck
[USA] RB-57F mission.
Cold Dome
[USA] RB-57F mission.
Cold Fire
[NATO] Exercise, 1984, in Germany.
Cold Flare
[USA] Study of solar flare activity at high altitude, in preparation
for polar or high-altitude supersonic flights.
Cold Hunt
[USA] Missions in support of the ALOC project.
Cold Rap
[USA] NASA earth resources study.
Cold Speck
[USA] RB-57F mission.
Colmar
[Germany] Radio guidance receiver, used with Kehl. Fitted to Hs 298.
COLREGS
International Nautical rules.
Colt
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-2 transport aircraft.
COMAIRBASE
[USA] Commander of Air Base
COMAIRPAC
[USA] Commander, Air Forces, Pacific Fleet
COMAO
[USA] Combined Air Operations
Combat Angel
[USA] Programme that used the Ryan AQM-34G, J and H RPV's.
Combat Apple
[USA] Boeing RC-135M (SIGINT aircraft) operations over Vietnam. 'Combat
Apple' required a RC-135 to be in the air continuously over the Gulf of
Tonkin. RC-135s flying 19-hr missions continued this for four years.
After 1972 the RC-135s also flew over Laos.
Combat Beef
[USA] See Beef Broth.
Combat Bronco
[USA] Six-month combat evaluation of the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco in
Vietnam, from August 1968.
Combat Bullseye
[USA] Service tests with the F-111A. 1967
Combat Dawn
[USA] Programme that used the Ryan AQM-34Q and R.
Combat Hornet
[USA] Project to convert C-119's to gunships.
Combat Lancer
[USA] First deployment of F-111As to Southeast Asia, 1968.
Combat Lightning
[USA] Boeing KC-135A relay aircraft, equipped with radio receivers
and transmitters to assure communications. The electronics package
could easily be transferred from one KC-135 to another.
Combat Martin
[USA] This involved specially-equipped F-105's that jammed
communications between Nort Vietnamese MiG's and their
ground control.
Combat Pink
[USA] Boeing RC-135U, SIGINT aircraft.
Combat Scent
[USA] Boeing RC-135U, SIGINT aircraft.
Combat Shadow
[USA] The HC-130N and HC-130P rescue versions of the C-130.
Combat Talon
[USA] Versions of the C-130 for the Special Forces, equipped for
low-altitude deep-penetration missions.
Combat Tree
[USA] Provision of a special attachment for ECM gear on F-4 Phantom IIs,
to keep all other pylons available for the weapons load. 1968.
Comet
[Allied] Codename used during the planning of 'Market Garden', see
there.
Comfy Levi
[USA] Psychological warfare version of the C-130 Hercules. EC-130E.
COMInt
Communications Intelligence
COMIREX
[USA] Committee on Imagery Requirements and Exploitation. Sets
specifications for spy sattelites and the like.
Commando Buzz
[USA] The EC-121S.
Commando Hunt
[USA] Attacks on North-Vietnamese supply lines in the south of Laos.
Commando Lava
[USA] Attempt to use the C-130 for attacks on the Ho CHi Minh trail
in Vietnam, with the goal of turning it into mud.
Commando Nail
[USA] F-105's equipped for low-level night bombardment missions.
COMMERMARLANT
[USA] Commander, Merchant Marine Atlantic
Common Energy
[NATO] Exercise in long-range air operations. Belgian F-16s and C-130s
exercise, with the help of USAF KC-10 tankers, attacks in bases in
Spain. 1994.
COMNATONAVFORLANT
[USA] Commander, NATO Naval Baltic Forces
COMNAVAIRSTA
[USA] Commander, Naval Air Station
COMNAVBASE
[USA] Commander, Naval Base
COMNAVSURFLANT
[USA] Commander of the Naval Surface Force, Atlantic fleet
Compass Arrow
[USA] Ryan AQM-91A, a high-flying reconaissance drone.
Compass Bin
[USA] Program that used a series of Ryan RPV's, the types AQM-34G, H,
L, M, K, Q, P and R.
Compass Call
[USA] Lockheed EC-103E and EC-130H electronic warfare aircraft. The
Compass Call aircraft are used to disrupt enemy communications and
command.
Compass Cookie
[USA] Program to gather data on the SA-2 Guideline SAM missile by
unmanned recconaissance drones.
Compass Cope
[USA] A high-altitude long-range reconaissance RPV programme. Boeing
QM-94 and Ryan QM-98.
Compass Dawn
[USA] Program to locate ground-based enemy radars. Used the Ryan 147TE
RPV.
Compass Dwell
[USA] Program to locate ground-based enemy radars. Used the Ryan 147TE
drone.
Compass Robin
[USA] The AQM-34M(L) drone.
COMPATWINGSLANT
[USA] Commander, Patrol WIngs Atlantic
COMPG
[USA] Composite Group
COMRATS
[USA] Commuted Rations
COMSEC
Communications Security
COMSECONDFLT
[USA] Commander of the Second Fleet
COMSTRKFORLANT
[USA] Commander, Strike Force Atlantic
COMSUBGRP
[USA] Commander, Submarine Group
COMSUBLANT
[USA] Commander, the Submarine Forces, Atlantic Fleet
COMSUBPAC
[USA] Commander, Submarine Forces, Pacific Fleet
COMSUBRON
[USA] Commander, Submarine Squadron
COMSURFPAC
[USA] Commander, Surface Forces, Pacific Fleet
Conckernut
[UK] Rocket-propelled aircraft bomb, filled with 137lb of explosives.
Proved inpractical as a weapon against concrete fortifications, because
of its inaccuracy.
Condor
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-124 transport aircraft.
CONT
[USA] USN: Container Ship
CONUS
[USA] Continental United States
Cook-Craigie plan
[USA] The Cook-Craigie production plan intended to hasten service
entry of new aircraft by building the prototypes on actual production
lines, and incorporating any modifications while the production was
already running. It was troublesome because a large number of
unsuitable aircraft were delivered, and very costly if the aircraft
had to be completely redesigned, as was the case with the F-102 and
F-105.
Cooker
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-110 transport aircraft.
Cookpot
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-124 transport aircraft.
COOP
[USA] Craft-Of-Opportunity Program
Cooperative Bridge
[NATO] Small excercise for NATO and PFP partners. C.B.'94 was held
in Poznan, Poland.
Cooperative Spider
[NATO] Excercise in Holland for NATO and PFP partners. 1994.
Cooperative Venture
[NATO] Excercise in the North Sea for NATO and PFP partners. 1994.
Coot
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-18 and Il-20 transports.
Copper Canyon
[USA] Research programme into hypersonic aircraft.
Copperhead
[USA] Development of a cannon-launched missile with terminal laser
guidance.
Corail
[France] Chaff and flare dispenser.
CORDS
[USA] Coherent On-Receive Doppler System. Look-down radar system, to
be incorporated in the AN/APQ-120 radar, but cancelled in 1968.
Cork
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-16 transport aircraft.
Coronet
[USA] Plan for the invasion of the Japanese island of Honshu. 1945.
Coronet Cove
[USA] Deployment of te A-7D to Howard AFB, Panama.
Coronet Havoc
[USA] Deployment of F-117's to Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands.
Coronet Sandpiper
[USA] Deployment of F-15A's to Soesterberg AB, Netherlands.
Coronet Solo
[USA] Coronet Solo I: The EC-121S surveillance version of the
C-121 Constellation; Coronet Solo II: The EC-130E.
Corporate
[UK] British operation to retake the Falkland islands on Argentina,
in 1982. The term 'Corporate Mod' is used for changes that were
applied -- in a hurry -- to increase combat readiness. E.g. the
Harrier GR.3 was given AIM-9 Sidewinder capability in one month.
Corvus
[USA] Missile project, cancelled in 1960. Intended as stand-off attack
missile for carrier aircraft.
CoS
Chief-of-Staff
COSSAC
[Allied] Chief of Staff Allied Supreme Headquarters
Cossack
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-225 transport aircraft.
CoTAM
[France] Commandement du Transport Aerien Militaire -- Military air
transport command.
Cotton Candy
[USA] Boeing RC-135D, equipped with side-looking airborne radar.
Cover All
[USA] Boeing EC-135A and EC-135L, ALCC and ABNCP aircraft.
--CP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CPA
[USA] Central Pacific Area
CPIR
[France] Centre de Prediction et INstruction Radar
CPL
Commercial Pilot's Licence
CPT
Cockpit Procedures Trainer
CP/VC
[Belgium] Centre de perfectionnement / Vervolmakingscentrum --
advanced training centre.
CR
[USA] Control and Reporting
CRAF
[USA] Civilian Reserve Air Fleet; airliners that have special equipment
and can be used for military transport operations.
CRAS
[France] Centre de Reception des Avions de Serie --- Center for the
reception of series-built aircraft.
Crate
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-14 transport aircraft.
Crazy Dog
[USA] RU-21 mission.
CRC
[NATO] Control and Reporting Center
Credible Chase
[USA] Development programme of the AU-23 and AU-24 small gunships.
Credible Sport
[USA] Version of the C-130 for special operations, modified for
the use of very short runways.
Creek
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-12 transport aircraft.
Crew Chief
[USA] Research project on the ergonomics of cockpits.
Crib
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-6 and Yak-8 transport aircraft.
CRL
Common Rail Launcher
CRO
[UK] Civilian Repair Organization. Set up during WWII to repair
aircraft damaged in combat.
Crossbow
[Allied] Attacks on V-1 and V-2 launching sites.
Crow
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-10 and Yak-12 transport aircraft.
Crown Drum
[NATO] Nose radar of the Tu-95 'Bear-B'
CRP
[USA] Control and Reporting Post
CRT
Cathode Ray Tube
CRUD
[USA] Corrosive, Radioactive, Undetermined Deposit
Crusty
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-134 transport aircraft.
--CS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CS
[USA] Seaplane Tender (WW2)
CS
[USA] Strike cruiser (post WW2)
CS
[USA] Commisaryman
CSA
[USA] Combat Support Aircraft. Also: Command Support Aircraft
CSAF
Czechoslovakian Air Force
CSAR
Combat Search And Rescue
CSD
Constant Speed Drive
CSIRS
Covert Survivable In-Weather Reconiassance/Strike. Claimed development
project that created the TR-3A stealth recce aircraft and the F-117.
CSMP
[USA] USN: Current Ship's Maintenance Project
CSRL
[USA] Common Strategic Rotary Launchers, launchers that can accept
both ALCM and SRAM.
CSW
[USA] Conventional Standoff Weapon.
CT
Case-Telescoped, a round that contains the bullet withing the
cartridge, to have a compact, cilindrical round.
CTA
Case-Telescoped Ammunition
CTD
Colour Tactical Display
CTE
[USA] Commander, Task Element
CTF
[USA] Commander, Task Force
CTF
[USA] Combined Test Force
CTG
[USA] Commander, Task Group
CTOL
Conventional Take Off and Landing
CTP
Chief Test Pilot
CTS
[USA] Composite Training Squadron
CTS
Central Tactical System
CTTO
[UK] Central Tactics and Trials Organisation
CTU
[USA] Commander, Task Unit
Cub
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-10 and An-12 transport aircraft.
Cuff
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-30 transport aircraft.
Cupola
[NATO] First large NATO air exercise in Europe, 25-27 August 1950.
Curl
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-26 transport aircraft.
Cutter
[USA] First part of operation 'Strangle' in Korea: attacks on
the railroad system in north Korea.
CV
[USA] Aircraft Carrier, conventional power. Numbers are unique for
ships, names are not; CV-5 Yorktown and CV-10 Yorktown are
different ships, but CV-12 'Kearsage' and 'Hornet' indicates
that the ship was renamed. Double class names (Essex, Oriskany)
identify a modification.
CV-1 Langley (Langley)
CV-2 Lexington (Lexington)
CV-3 Saratoga (Lexington)
CV-4 Ranger (Ranger)
CV-5 Yorktown (Enterprise)
CV-6 Enterprise (Enterprise)
CV-7 Wasp (Ranger, modified)
CV-8 Hornet (Enterprise, modified)
CV-9 Essex (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-10 Bonhomme Richard (Essex)
CV-10 Yorktown (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-11 Intrepid (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-12 Kearsage (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-12 Hornet (Essex)
CV-13 Franklin (Essex)
CV-14 Hancock (Essex)
CV-14 Ticonderoga (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-15 Randolph (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-16 Cabot (Essex)
CV-16 Lexington (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-17 Bunker Hill (Essex)
CV-18 Oriskany (Essex)
CV-18 Wasp (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-19 Ticonderoga (Essex)
CV-19 Hancock (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-20 Bennington (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-21 Boxer (Essex)
CV-22 Independence (Independence)
CV-23 Princeton (Independence)
CV-24 Belleau Wood (Independence)
CV-25 Cowpens (Independence)
CV-26 Monterey (Independence)
CV-27 Crow Point (Independence)
CV-27 Langley (Independence)
CV-28 Cabot (Independence)
CV-29 Bataan (Independence)
CV-30 Reprisal (Independence)
CV-30 San Jacinto (Independence)
CV-31 Bonhomme Richard (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-32 Crown Point (Essex)
CV-32 Leyte (Essex)
CV-33 Kearsage (Essex)
CV-34 Oriskany (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-35 Reprisal (Cancelled)
CV-36 Antietam (Essex)
CV-37 Valley Forge (Essex)
CV-37 Princeton (Essex)
CV-38 Shangri-La (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-39 Lake Champlain (Essex, Oriskany)
CV-40 Tarawa (Essex)
CV-41 Midway (Midway)
CV-42 Franklin D. Roosevelt (Midway)
CV-43 Coral Sea (Midway)
CV-45 Valley Forge (Essex)
CV-46 Iwo Jima
CV-47 Wright (Essex)
CV-47 Phillipine Sea (Essex)
CV-59 Forrestal (Forrestal)
CV-60 Saratoga (Forrestal)
CV-61 Ranger (Forrestal)
CV-62 Independence (Forrestal)
CV-63 Kitty Hawk (Kitty Hawk, improved Forrestal)
CV-64 Constellation (Kitty Hawk, improved Forrestal)
CV-66 America (Kitty Hawk, improved Forrestal)
CV-67 John F. Kennedy (John F. Kennedy, improved Kitty Hawk)
CVA
[USA] Attack carrier
CVA-11 Intrepid
CVA-14 Ticonderoga
CVA-19 Hancock
CVA-34 Oriskany
CVA-41 Midway (Midway)
CVA-42 Franklin D. Roosevelt (Midway)
CVA-43 Coral Sea (Midway)
CVA-58 United States cancelled
CVA-59 Forrestal (Forrestal)
CVA-60 Saratoga (Forrestal)
CVA-61 Ranger (Forrestal)
CVA-62 Independence (Forrestal)
CVA-63 Kitty Hawk (Kitty Hawk (improved Forrestal))
CVA-64 Constellation (Kitty Hawk (improved Forrestal))
CVA-66 America (Kitty Hawk (improved Forrestal))
CVA-67 John F. Kennedy (Kitty Hawk (improved Forrestal))
CVAN
[USA] Attack aircraft carrier, nuclear powered.
CVAN-65 Enterprise (Enterprise)
CVB
[USA] Large Aircraft Carrier
CVB-41 Midway (Midway)
CVB-42 Coral Sea (Midway)
CVB-42 Franklin D. Roosevelt (Midway)
CVB-43 Coral Sea (Midway)
CVBG
[USA] USN: Carrier Battle Group
CVE
[USA] Escort aircraft carrier.
(Casablanca class also known as Anzio class)
CVE-1 Long Island (Long Island)
CVE-9 Bogue (Bogue)
CVE-11 Card (Bogue)
CVE-12 Copahee (Bogue)
CVE-13 Core (Bogue)
CVE-16 Nassau (Bogue)
CVE-18 Altamaha (Bogue)
CVE-20 Barnes (Bogue)
CVE-21 Block Island
CVE-23 Breton (Bogue)
CVE-25 Croatan (Bogue)
CVE-26 Sangamon (Sangamon)
CVE-27 Suwannee (Sangamon)
CVE-28 Chenango (Sangamon)
CVE-29 Santee (Sangamon)
CVE-30 Charger (Long Island)
CVE-31 Prince William (Prince William)
CVE-55 Ameer (Casablanca)
CVE-55 Alazon Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-55 Casablanca (Casablanca)
CVE-56 Liscombe Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-57 Alikula Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-57 Coral Sea (Casablanca)
CVE-57 Anzio (Casablanca)
CVE-58 Anguilla Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-58 Corregidor (Casablanca)
CVE-59 Atheling (Casablanca)
CVE-59 Mission Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-60 Astrolabe Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-60 Guadalcanal (Casablanca)
CVE-61 Bucareli Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-61 Manilla Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-62 Begum (Casablanca)
CVE-62 Natoma Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-63 Chapin Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-63 Midway (Casablanca)
CVE-63 St Lo (Casablanca)
CVE-64 Didrickson Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-64 Tripoli (Casablanca)
CVE-65 Dolomy Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-65 Wake Island (Casablanca)
CVE-66 Elbour Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-66 White Plains (Casablanca)
CVE-67 Nassuk Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-67 Solomons (Casablanca)
CVE-68 Kalinin Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-69 Kasaan Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-70 Fanshaw Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-71 Kitkun Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-72 Fortezela Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-72 Tulagi (Casablanca)
CVE-73 Gambier Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-74 Nehenta Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-75 Hoggatt Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-76 Kadashan Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-77 Kanalku Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-77 Markus Island (Casablanca)
CVE-78 Kaita Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-78 Savo Island (Casablanca)
CVE-79 Ommaney Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-80 Petrof Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-81 Rudyerd Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-82 Saginaw Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-83 Sargent Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-84 Shamrock Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-85 Shipley Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-86 Sitkoh Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-87 Steamer Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-88 Cape Esperance (Casablanca)
CVE-89 Takansis Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-90 Thetis Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-91 Makassar Strait (Casablanca)
CVE-92 Windham Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-93 Makin Island (Casablanca)
CVE-94 Lunga Point (Casablanca)
CVE-95 Alikula Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-95 Bismarck Sea (Casablanca)
CVE-96 Salamaua (Casablanca)
CVE-97 Astrolabe Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-97 Hollandia (Casablanca)
CVE-98 Bucareli Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-98 Kwajalein (Casablanca)
CVE-99 Chapin Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-99 Admiralty Islands (Casablanca)
CVE-100 Didrickson Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-100 Bougainville (Casablanca)
CVE-101 Dolomi Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-101 Manitakau (Casablanca)
CVE-102 Attu (Casablanca)
CVE-103 Alava Bay (Casablanca)
CVE-103 Roi (Casablanca)
CVE-104 Munda (Casablanca)
CVE-105 St Joseph Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-105 Commencement Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-106 Sunset Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-106 Block Island (Commencement Bay)
CVE-107 St Andrews Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-107 Gilbert Islands (Commencement Bay)
CVE-108 Vermillion Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-108 Kula Gulf (Commencement Bay)
CVE-109 Willapa Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-109 Cape Gloucester (Commencement Bay)
CVE-110 Salerno Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-111 Totem Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-111 Vella Gulf (Commencement Bay)
CVE-112 Frosty Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-112 Siboney (Commencement Bay)
CVE-113 Hobart Bay (Commencement Bay)
CVE-113 Puget Sound (Commencement Bay)
CVE-114 Rendova (Commencement Bay)
CVE-115 Bairoko (Commencement Bay)
CVE-116 Badoeng Strait (Commencement Bay)
CVE-117 Saidor (Commencement Bay)
CVE-118 Sicily (Commencement Bay)
CVE-119 Point Cruz (Commencement Bay)
CVE-120 Mindoro (Commencement Bay)
CVE-121 Rabaul (Commencement Bay)
CVE-122 Palau (Commencement Bay)
CVE-123 Tinian (Commencement Bay)
CVE-124 Bastogne (Cancelled)
CVE-125 Eniwetok (Cancelled)
CVE-126 Lingayen (Cancelled)
CVE-127 Okinawa (Cancelled)
CVH
[USA] USN: Helicopter Carrier
CVHA
[USA] USN: Assault Helicopter Transport
CVHA-1 Thetis Bay (Anzio)
CVHE
[USA] USN: Escort Helicopter Aircraft Carrier.
CVHG
[USA] USN: Helicopter Carrier with guided missile armament.
CVL
[USA] USN: Light aircraft carrier.
CVL-22 Independence (Independence)
CVL-23 Princeton (Independence)
CVL-24 Belleau Wood (Independence)
CVL-25 Cowpens (Independence)
CVL-26 Monterey (Independence)
CVL-27 Langley (Independence)
CVL-28 Cabot (Independence)
CVL-29 Bataan (Independence)
CVL-30 San Jacinto (Independence)
CVL-48 Saipan (Saipan)
CVL-49 Wright (Saipan)
CVN
[USA] USN: Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
CVN-65 Enterprise (Enterprise)
CVN-68 Nimitz (Nimitz)
CVN-69 Dwight D. Eisenhower (Nimitz)
CVN-70 Carl Vinson (Nimitz)
CVN-71 Theodore Roosevelt (Nimitz)
CVN-72 Abraham Lincoln (Nimitz)
CVN-73 George Washington (Nimitz)
CVN-74 John Stennis (Nimitz)
CVN-75 United States (Nimitz)
CVR
Cockpit Voice Recorder
CVS
[USA] Support (ASW) Aircraft Carrier. Includes some former CV-'s of
the Essex class.
CVS-11 Intrepid
CVS-12 Hornet
CVS-15 Randolph
CVS-20 Bennington
CVS-29 Lake Champlain
CVT
[USA] USN: Aircraft Carrier, Training
CVU
[USA] Utility Aircraft Carrier
CVW
[USA] Carrier Air Wing
CW
[USA] Composite Wing
CWP
[UK] Central Warning Panel -- 'Christmas Tree' of waring lights in
aircraft's cockpit.
CWS
[Germany] Container Weapon System
CWW
[USA] Cruciform Wing Weapon, the GBU-15 guided bomb.
--CX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CX-HLS
[USA] Cargo Experimental - Heavy Logistics System. Requirement
filled in by the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
CX-X
[USA] Requirement for an utility aircraft for US embassies.
The Beech C-12F was selected.
--CY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cycle
[UK] Evacuation of troops from West-France, June 1940.
Cypress
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kyushu K9W trainer
CzAF
Czech Air Force
Anfangsbuchstabe D:
DA
[USSR] Dalnaya Aviatsiya (Strategic Aviation)
DAACM
[USA] Direct Airfield Attack Combined Munition, CBU-98/B
cluster bomb.
DAB
[USA] Defense Acquisition Board
DACM
[USA] Dissimilar Air Combat Maneuvering, i.e. training in air combat
with 'aggressor' aircraft.
DACT
Dissimilar Air Combat Training
DAD
Dischargeable Aviation Device. Containerised water-bomber system
for Il-76 Candid transports.
DADCAP
Dawn And Dusk Combat Air Patrol
DAFCS
Digital Automatic Flight Control System
Daguet
[France] French participation in the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq.
DARO
[USA] Defense Airborne Reconaissance Office
DARPA
[USA] Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, a research institute.
Renamed ARPA.
Dart Board
[USA] Modification program for the F-106. 1961. New ejection seat and
cockpit hood, and improved fuel systems.
DAS
Direct AIr Support
DASH
Drone Anti Submarine Helicopter
Dash Ten
[UK] Jamming pod.
DASS
[Europe] Defensive Aids Sub System, EW system for the Eurofighter 2000.
Dave
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima E8N floatplane
--DB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DB
Depth bomb
DBA-GK
[USSR] Supreme Command's Long Range Bomber Arm; replaced the AON (see
there) in 1940.
DBNS
Doppler Bombing / Navigation System
DBS
Doppler Beam Sharpening
--DC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DC
Depth Charge
DC
Direct Current
DCA
Defensive Counter Air
DCI
[USA] Director of Central Intelligence
DCMU
[UK] Digital Colour Map Unit
--DD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DD
[USA] USN: Destroyer
DD
[Allied] Duplex Drive. Designation for Sherman tanks for amhibious
operations, fitted with twin propellers and a buoyancy screen.
DDE
[USA] Escort Destroyer
DDG
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Destroyer
DDH
[USA] USN: Helicopter-carrying destroyer
DDI
Digital Display Indicator
DDK
[USA] USN: Hunter-Killer Destroyer
DDR
[USA] USN: Radar Picket Destroyer
DDS
Digital Data System
--DE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DE
[USA] Escort Destroyer
DEA
[USA] Drug Enforcement Agency
Deadlight
[UK] Destruction of German submarines after WWII. 110 submarines
were scuttled.
Deadstick
[UK] Attack by glider and paratroop units to capture bridges over
the Orne river and the Caen canal, near Ouistreham, as part of
'Overlord'. These were the first soldiers to set foot in occupied
France.
DEC
[USA] USN: Control Escort Ship
DECM
[USA] Deceptive Electronic Counter Measures. AN/ALQ-126.
DECU
Digital Engine Control Unit
DEEC
[USA] Digital Electronic Engine Control
Deep Freeze
[USA] Arctic expedition. The purpose and results of this have entered
the realms of myth. 1956.
DEFCON
[USA] Defence Condition:
DEFCON 1 Nuclear War
DEFCON 2 Conventional War
DEFCON 3 Emergency / Crises
DEFCON 4 Heightened Readiness
DEFCON 5 Peacetime
DEG
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Escort Ship
Delta
[NATO] Soviet submarine class
DEMVAL
[USA] Demonstration & Evaluation
Deny Flight
[NATO] NATO operation to enforce the 'no-fly' zone over Bosnia.
DER
[USA] USN: Radar Picket Escort Ship
Desert Shield
[USA] Operation to reinforce the forces in the Gulf to defend
Saudi-Arabia and prepare for an eventual conflict with Iraq.
Desert Storm
[USA] Operation to remove the Iraqi Army from Kuwait.
DESO
[UK] Defence Export Services Organisation
Detroit
[Allied] Airborne operation on D-day, by the 82nd Airborne in the
US sector.
DEW
[USA / Canada] Distant Early Warning, a line of radar sites close
to the Arctic, on the northern coast of Canada and on Greenland.
Dewey Canyon
[USA] Sweep of the A Shau and Da Krong valleys in Vietnam, April
1969.
--DF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DF
Direction Finding
DFCS
Digital Fire Control System
DFDR
Digital FLight Data Recorder
DFVLR
[Germany] Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt fur Luft- und
Raumfahrt --- German research and test institute for air and
space.
--DG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DGAC
[France] Direction Generale de l'Aviation Civile
DGT&E
[UK] Directorate General of Test and Evaluation
--DH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DH
Direct Hit
DHA
[France] Detachement d'Helicopteres Armes -- Armed helicopter
detachment.
DI
[Czechoslovakia] Duverne Israel -- Isreal confidential. Sale of 25
Avia C-210 (Bf 109 with Jumo 211 engine) and 54 Spitfires to Israel,
in 1948. Eleven more were sent in 1949.
DIA
[USA] Defense Intelligence Agency
DIANE
[USA] Digital Integrated Attack and Navigation Equipment, for the
Grumman A-6 intruder.
Dick
[USA] Codename for the Seversky A8V (deriver from P-35) fighter, no longer
in service with the Japanese forces during WWII.
Dinah
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.46 reconaissance aircraft.
DINAS
Digital Inertial Navigation / Attack System
DINS
Digital Inertial Navigation System
Disclipined Guard
[USA] Operation to provide aircover for UN forces in Bosnia.
Disney
[USA] Rocket-powered 4500lb bombs, intended for attacks on U-boat
shelters immune to most other bombs. Only twice used operationally.
DIV
[USA] Division
Diver
[UK] Codename for the V-1.
Dixie
[Allied] The communist movement in China (then in civil war as
well as involved in WWII.) Name given because of the song 'Is it true
waht they say about Dixie?'.
DK
[USSR] Desantniy korabl' (landing ship)
--DL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DL
[USA] USN: Frigate
DLC
Direct Lift Control
DLG
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Frigate
DLGH
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Frigate, Helicopter
DLGN
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Frigate, nuclear-powered
DLI
[USA] Deck-Launch Intercept
DLZ
Dynamic Launch Zone
--DM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DM
[USA] USN: Light Minelayer
DM
[USSR] Dopolnitelny Motor --- Auxiliary Motor. Ramjet engines, usually
fitted underwing to WWII fighters, in an attempt to increase
performance.
DMA
[USA] Defence Mapping Agency
DME
Distance Measuring Equipment
DMPI
Desired Mean Point of Impact
DMS
[USA] High Speed Minelayer
DMZ
Demilitarised Zone
--DN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOAC
[UK] Defence Operational Analysis Centre
Doc
[USA] Codename for the German Messerschmitt Bf 110, assumed to be in
Japanese service. It was not.
DOD
Department of Defense
DOE
Department of Energy
Dog House
[NATO] Medium range early-warning ground radar for ABM-1.
Doris
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi B-97. Did not exist.
DOSAAF
[USSR] Dobrovoln'oe Obshchestvo Sodeistviya Armii, Aviatsii i Flotu.
Voluntary Association for the support of Army, Aviation and Fleet.
Paramilitary sport organization that undertook basic flying
training.
DOT
[UK] Details Of Tasking
Down Beat
[NATO] Nose radar of the Tu-95 'Bear-G' and Tu-22M 'Backfire'.
Downfall
[USA] Plan for the invasion of Japan in 1945. The first phase was
to be 'Olympic', the second phase 'Coronet'.
--DP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DPC
Defence Planning Committee, of NATO.
DR
Dead Reckoning
DRA
[UK] Defence Research Agency. Created on April 1, 1991 to do all
non-nuclear research.
Dragon
[USA] M47 tube-launched, wire-guided anti-tank missile. 14.6kg,
disposable tube.
Dragon Fly
[USA] ?
--DS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DSFC
Direct Side-Force Control
DSP
[USA] Defense Support Programme. A network of early-warning satellites.
DSRV
[USA] USN: Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle.
DSTA
[UK] Defence Science and Technology Agency
--DT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DTG
Date-Time Group
DTM
Data Transfer Module
--DU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--DV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DVI
Direct Voice Input
--DW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DWS
[Germany] Dispenser Weapon System
DZ
Dropping Zone
Anfangsbuchstabe E:
E^3
[USA] Electronic Environmental Effects (mainly interference).
EA
[France] Ecole d'Application
EAATS
[USA] Eastern ARNG Aviation Training Site
EAB
Emergency Air Breathing (Mask)
EADI
[USA] Electronic Attitude Direction Indicator
Eagle Claw
[USA] The failed attempt in 1980 to free the hostages in the US embassy
in Teheran. Also referred to as 'Evening Light'.
EAP
[UK] Experimental Aircraft Programme, technology demonstrator for the
EFA.
EAS
Equivalent Airspeed (corrected for compressibility)-
EB
[France] Escadre de Bombardement -- bombardment wing
EB 1/91 'Gascogne'
EB 2/91 'Bretagne'
EB 3/91 'Cevennes'
EB 1/94 'Guyenne'
EB 2/94 'Marne'
EB 3/94 'Arbois'
E-boat
[UK] British term for the German S-boot, a motortorpedoboat
EC
Electronic Combat
EC
[France] Escadre de Chasse -- fighter wing
EC 1/2 'Cicognes'
EC 3/2 'Alsace'
EC 1/3 'Navarre'
EC 2/3 'Champagne'
EC 3/3 'Ardennes'
EC 1/4 'Dauphine'
EC 2/4 'La Fayette'
EC 1/5 'Vendee'
EC 2/5 'Ile de France'
EC 1/7 'Provence'
EC 2/7 'Argonne'
EC 3/7 'Languedoc'
EC 1/10 'Valois'
EC 2/10 'Seine'
EC 3/10 'Vexin'
EC 1/11 'Rousillon'
EC 2/11 'Vosges'
EC 3/11 'Corse'
EC 4/11 'Jura'
EC 1/12 'Cambresis'
EC 2/12 'Cornouaille'
EC 1/13 'Artois'
EC 2/13 'Alpes'
EC 3/13 'Auvergne'
ECCD
Electronic Cockpit Control Device
ECCFFA
[France] Escadrille de Commandement Central de Forces Francais
Allemande -- flight of the central command of the French forces in
Germany.
ECCM
Electronic Counter-Counter Measures
ECE
[France] Escadron de Chasse et d'Entrainment -- fighter trainer
squadron.
Echo
[NATO]Soviet Submarine class.
ECM
Electronic Counter Measures
ECR
Electronic Combat and Reconaissance. Version of the Panavia Tornado.
ECS
[USA] Electronic Combat Squadron
ECS
Environmental Control System
ECT
[France] Escadron de Chasse et de Transformation -- fighter
trainer conversion squadron.
ECTT
[France] Escadre de Chasse Tous Temps -- All-wheater fighter wing.
ECU
Electronic Control Unit
ECU
Environmental Control Unit
ECU
Engine Change Unit
EDA
[France] Escadre de Detection Aeroportee --- AEW squadron.
EDA 1/36 Berry
EDA 2/36 Nivernais
EDD
[USA] USN: Experimental Destroyer
EDE
[USA] USN: Experimental Escort Ship
Edna
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.71 attack aircraft.
EDO
[USA] Engineering Duty Officer
EDSA
[USA] European Distribution System Aircraft. The C-23, or Shorts
330.
EDU
Electronic Display Unit
EDU
Engine Diagnostic Unit
EE
[France] Escadre Electronique
EEZ
Electronic Exclusion Zone
EFA
European Fighter Aircraft, also known as Eurofighter 2000.
EFAMS
[USA] Enhanced Fuel and Armament Management System, for the
RAH-66 Comanche. Non-lifting, detachable stubs with
additional attachment points.
EFCS
Electronic Flight Control System
EFIS
Electronic Flight Instrumentation System
EFM
[USA] Enhanced Fighter Maneuvrability, the X-31 test aircraft.
EFPH
[USA] Equivalent Full-Power Hours
EFS
[USA] Enhanced Flight Screener
EFTS
[UK] Elementary Flying Training School
Eglantine
[UK] The approach to Heligoland, when referred to for aerial
minelaying ('Gardening').
EGT
Exhaust Gas Temperature
EH
Escadre d'Helicopteres -- helicopter wing
EH 1/67 'Pyrenees'
EH 2/67 'Valmy'
EH 3/67 'Parisis'
EH 4/67 'Durance'
EH 5/67 'Alpilles'
EHAC
Escadrille d'Helicopteres Anti-Chars -- Anti-tank helicopter flight.
EHDD
[UK] Electronic Head-Down Display
EHF
Extremely High Frequency
EHL
Escadrille d'Helicopteres Legers -- light helicopter flight
EHLM
[Belgium] Eenheid voor de Herstelling van het LuchtvaartMaterieel --
Repair Unit for Air Equipment.
ehp
Equivalent Horse Power
EHSI
[USA] Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator
EICAS
Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System
Eiche
[Germany] Operation to free Mussolini, 1944.
EID
[UK] Electronic Identification Device
EIS
Electronic Instrument System
Eisenhammer
[Germany] Late 1944 plan to attack the power stations in the Soviet
Union, at first with bombers, later the plan was modified to use the
'Mistel' combination. Never done. EKA
[Germany] Elektronische Kampffuhrung und Aufklarung. German for ECR,
Electronic Combat and Reconaissance, the electronic warfare version
of the Tornado.
ekW
Equivalent Kilowatt
EL
Emitter Locator
ELA
[France] Escadre de Liaison Aeriennes
ELAS
[France] Escadre de Liaison Aeriennes et de Sauvetage
Eldorado Canyon
[USA] Attack on Libya in 1986.
ELF
[USA] Extremely Low Frequency, frequency band used to communicate with
submarines.
ELINT
Electronic Intelligence
Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia
[Greece] Greek Air Force
Elmira
[Allied] Airborne operation on D-day, by the 82nd Airborne in the
US sector.
ELS
Emitter Location System
ELT
Emergency Locator Transmitter
EM
[USSR] Eskadrenniy minonosets (destroyer)
EMC
Electro-Magnetic Compatibility
EMCON
Emission Control
EMD
Engineering, Manufacture and Development
EMDG
Euro Missile Dynamics Group
EME
ElectroMagnetic Environment
EMERCOM
[Russia] Federation State Committee of Emergencies.
EMI
ElectroMagnetic Interference
Emily
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi H8K flying boat.
EMP
Electromagnetic Pulse (from a nuclear explosion at high altitude)
Enhance Plus
[USA] Transfer of aircraft South Vietnam, just before the signing
of the Paris peace treaty. 1972.
ENJJPT
Euro Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training
Enterprise
[Allied] Crossing of the Elbe, 29 April 1945.
Enzian
[Germany] SAM, designed and built during WWII. Abandoned in January
1945.
EO
Electro-Optically. Said of missile guidance systems and similar
equipment which can 'see', in the most primitive case steering on
contrasting objects, e.g. a dark ship at the horizon, but sometimes
a full-TV link is used.
EOB
Electronic Order of Battle
EOD
[USA] Explosive Ordnance Disposal
EOGB
Electro-Optically Guided Bomb.
EOOW
[USA] USN: Engineering Officer of the Watch.
EP
Estimated Position
EPA
Evasive Plan of Action
EPA/VVS
[Belgium] Ecole de Pilotage Avance / Voortgezette Vliegopleidings
school -- advanced flying school.
EPE/EVS
[Belgium] Ecole de Pilotage Elementaire / Elementaire Vliegschool --
elementary flying school.
EPR
Engine Pressure Ratio
EPU
Emergency Power Unit
EPW
Enemy Prisoner of WarER
[France] Escadre de Reconaissance -- reconaisssance wing
ER 1/33 'Belfort'
ER 2/33 'Savoie'
ER 3/33 'Moselle'
ER
Extended Range
EROPS
Extended Range Operations
ERSA
[USA] Extended Range Strike Aircraft. Requirement, 1963.
E&ERFTS
[UK] Elementary & Reserve Training School, at Sywell before WWII.
ERV
[France] Escadre de Ravitaillement en Vol -- air tanker wing
ERV 1/93 'Aunis'
ERV 2/93 'Landes'
ERV 3/93 'Sologne'
ES
[France] Ecole de Specialisation
ESC
[USA] Electronic Security Command
ESM
Electronic Surveillance Measures
ESM
Electronic Support Measures
ESM
Electronic Signal Monitoring
ESM
[USA] Edible Structural Material. This was proposed for the Lunar
Module, the moon landing craft of the Apollo missions. ESM would have
been made of powdered milk, corn starch, wheat flour, hominy grits,
and banana flakes, baked at high pressure. It could be machined and
drilled and had 300 calories per gram. Its use was not adopted.
ESR
[USA] Equivalent Service Round
ESRP
[Europe] European Supersonic Research Programme, for the development
of a successor to Concorde.
ESSS
[USA] External Stores Support System. Detachable stub wings with
pylons, for the UH-60.
ET
[France] Escadre de Transport -- transport wing
ET 3/60 'Esterel'
ET 1/61 'Touraine'
ET 2/61 'Franche Comte'
ET 3/61 'Poitou'
ET 1/62 'Vercors'
ET 1/64 'Bearn'
ET 2/64 'Anjou'
ET 2/64 'Maine'
ET 3/64 'Bigorre'
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival
ETAC
[USA] Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller
ETC
Electrothermal Chemical (Gun)
ETD
Estimated Time of Departure
ETE
Estimated Time Enroute
ETO
[USA] European Theatre of Operations
ETOM
[France] Escadre de Transport d'Outre Mer -- overseas transport wing
ETOPS
Extended Range Twin-Engine Operations.
ETPS
[UK] Empire Test Pilots School. At Cranfield until 1946, at Farnborough
from 1946 to 1968, and since then at Boscombe Down.
EUCLID
European Co-Operations for the Long-term In Defence
Eureka
[UK] Beacon transmitter, used by paratroop 'pathfinders' during WWII
to identify a landing site to the dropping aircraft.
Eurofar
[Europe] European Future Advanced Rotorcraft.
EVA
Extra Vehicular Activity. Activity outside a spacecraft (in space).
Eva
[USA] Codename for a Japanese aircraft, that was later found not
to be a military aircraft.
Eve
[USA] Codename for a Japanese aircraft, that was later found
not to be a military aircraft.
Evening Light
[USA] Codename used to refer to 'Eagle Claw' (see there)
EVK
[Russia] 'Flotilla a flying ships', the first unit of four-engined
bombers. Created on 10 December 1914. The aircraft were 'Ilya
Mourometz' biplanes designed by Sikorsky.
EVS
[USA] Electro-Optical Viewing System -- system fitted in the turrets
under the nose of the B-52.
EW
Electronic Warfare
EW
Early Warning
EWO
[USA] Electronic Warfare Officer
EWSM
Early-Warning Support Measures
EWTR
[UK] Electronic Warfare Training Range. At Spadedam, in
Northumberland. Extended Capital
[Allied] Attack in Burma, late 1944 and 1945.
Extend Sentry
[USA] Upgrade programme for the Boeing E-3 Sentry.
Anfangsbuchstabe F:
FA
[USSR] Frontovaya Aviatsiya -- tactical air force.
FAA
[UK] Fleet Air Arm
FAA
[USA] Federal Aviation Administration
FAB
[Belgium] FAB/Blu: Force Aerienne Belge / Belgische Luchtmacht. Belgian
Air Force.
FAB
[USA] Forward Avionics Bay
FAC
[USA] Forward Air Control
Faceplate
[NATO] Soviet Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich E-2A fighter prototype.
FACP
[USA] Forward Air Control Post
FAD
[USA] Fleet Air Defense
FADEC
Full Authority Digital Engine Control
FAE
Fuel-Air Explosive
FAEC
[Cuba] Fuerza Aerea del Ejercito Cubano -- Cuban Army Air Force.
Fagot
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter.
FAHV
[Upper Volta] Force Aerienne de Haute Volta -- Air Force of Upper
Volta.
FAI
Federation Aeronautique Internationale
FAirMed
[USA] Fleet Air Mediterranean
Faithless
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-231 fighter prototype.
Falcon
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter, renamed Fagot.
Falcon Eye
[USA] Night vision system for the F-61.
Falke
[Germany] T4 homing torpedo, 1943. Rapidly replaced by T5 Zaunkonig.
FAMET
[Spain] Fuerzas Aeromoviles del Ejercito de Tierras --- Air-mobile
forces of the land army.
FAMG
[USA] Field Artillery Missile Group.
FAN
[USA] Forward Air Navigator
FAN
[Cuba] Fuerza Aerea Naval -- Naval Air Force.
Fang
[NATO] Soviet Lavochkin La-11 fighter.
FANS
Future Air Navigation System
Fan Song
[NATO] Radar associated with the SA-2 'Guideline'
Fantail
[NATO] Soviet Lavockhin La-15 fighter.
Fantan
[NATO] Chinese Nanchang Q-5 fighter.
FAP
[Portugal] Forca Aerea Portuguesa -- Portugese Air Force
FAR
[USA] Federal Aviation Regulations
FAR
[Cuba] Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias --- Revolutionary Armed Forces.
Fargo
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9 fighter.
Farmer
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 fighter.
Farm Gate
Detachement of the 440th 'Combat Crew Training Squadron', a COIN unit,
to Bien Hoa, Vietnam.
FARP
Forward Area Rearm / Refuel Point
Far Side
[USA] Launch of a four-stage rocket from a balloon flying at 30480m,
reaching an altitude of 4345km.
FAS
[France] Force Aerienne Strategique, Strategic Air Force
FAS
[El Salvador] Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena -- Air Force of El Salvador
FAST
[USA] Fighter Airborne Supply Tank, low-drag conformal tanks
attached to the sides of F-15s.
FAST
[USA] Fast Automatic Shuttle Transfer System
FAST
[UK] Farnborough Air Sciences Trust
FATAC
[Congo] Force Aerienne Tactique --- Tactical Air Force. In fact the
air force of the new republic, after its independence in 1960.
FAV
[Venezuela] Fuerzas Aereas Venezolanas -- Venezuelan Air Force
--FB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FBL
Fly By Light
FBM
[USA] USN: Fleet Ballistic Missile
FBW
Fly By Wire
--FC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FCLP
[USA] Field Carrier Landing Practice
FCR
Fire Control Radar
FCS
Fire Control System
FCS
Flight Control System
--FD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FDAS
[USA] Flight Deck Avionics System
FDO
Flight Deck Officer
FDR
Flight Data Recorder
--FE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FEAF
[USA] Far East Air Force
Feather
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-15 and Yak-17 fighters.
FEBA
[USA] Forward Edge of Battle Area
FEFA
[Europe] Future European Fighter Aircraft, renamed EFA.
Feldt-Fl-Abt
[Germany] Feld-Flieger Abteilung, field flying section. Normally
with six aircraft.
Felix
[Germany] German plan, 1940, for operations in the Mediterranean.
Fencer
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-24 fighter.
Fest-Fl-Abt
[Germany] Festung-Flieger Abteiling -- fortress flying unit. WWI.
Feuerlilie
[Germany] SAM under development in 1944. Never entered service. Had
radio command guidance.
FEWSG
[USA] USN: Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group
--FF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FF
[USA] USN: Frigate.
FFAR
Folding Fin Aircraft Rocket, originally Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket.
FFCC
[Europe] Forward-facing Crew Cockpit. The two-seat cockpit of the
Airbus A300.
FFG
[USA] USN: Guided missile Frigate
FFGH
[USA] USN: Guided missile Frigate, Helicopter
FFH
[USA] USN: Frigate, Helicopter
FFI
[Norway] Forsvaret Forskining Institut, defense research establishment.
FFL
[USA] [USA] USN: Corvette
FFOS
Forward Flying Observation System
FFS
Full Flight Simulator
--FG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FG
[USA] Fighter Group
FGA
[UK] Fighter Ground Attack
FGM
[USA] Man-launched, surface-target missile -- mainly anti-tank
missiles.
FGM-77 Dragon
FGR
[UK] Fighter Ground Attack Reconaissance
--FH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--FI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fickle
[Allied] See 'Flabby'.
FICON
[USA] FIghter CONveyer: a GRB-36 carried a RF-84K reconaissance
aircraft in its bomb-bay. Brief operational use in 1955-1956.
Fiddler
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-28 fighter.
Fido
[USA] Oficially known as 'Mark 24 Mine', this was a torpedo with
an acoustic homing head, introduced during WWII.
FIDO
[UK] FOg DIspersal equipment. Kerosene was burned by a system of flares
along the runway. (1945)
FIG
[USA] Fighter-Interceptor Group
177th FIG 'Jersey Devils'
Filo
[Turkey] Squadron.
FIM
[USA] Man-launched SAM.
FIM-43 Redeye.
FIM-92 Stinger
Fin
[NATO] Soviet Lavochkin La-7 fighter.
Finback
[NATO] Chinese Shenyang F-8 II fighter.
Finder
[USA] Signal intelligence missions, flown by RC-135Cs.
FINRAE
[UK] Ferranti Intertial Rapid Alignment Equipment. Equipment to
initialize the INS of a BAe Harrier. Developed during the Falkland
War, to be used by Harrier GR.3s operated during shipboard operations.
FIP
[USA] Fleet Introduction Program
FIR
Flight Information Region
FIRAMS
Flight Incident Recorder and Aircraft Monitoring System
Firebar
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-28 fighter.
Fire Can
[NATO] Radar used with Soviet 57mm and 85mm AAA.
Firedog
[UK] Operations against communist infiltration in Malaya, 1948 -- 1960.
Fire Fly
[USA] Also known as 'United Effort', see there.
FIS
[USA] Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
87th FIS 'Red Bulls'
177th FIS 'Jersey Devils'
178th FIS 'Happy Hooligans'
Fishbed
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter.
Fishpot
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-9 and Su-11 fighter.
Firebee
[USA] The Ryan BQM-34A / MQM-34D RPV.
Firebee II
[USA] The Ryan BQM-34E/F, a supersonic development of the Ryan 147 RPV,
model 166.
Fitter
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-7, Su-17, Su-20 and Su-22 fighter-bombers.
FitWing
[USA] Fighter Wing
--FJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FJLIN
[UK] Fast-Jet Lead-IN (training)
--FL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FL
Flight Level
FLA
[Europe] Future Large Airlifter, a proposed C-130 replacement.
FLA
[Germany] Feld-Luftschiffer-Abteilung. Field Airship Section, equipped
with (static) balloons for observation purposes during WWI.
Flabby
[Allied] Operational condition of the defences against V-1 flying
bombs, in 1944. 'Flabby' : Fighter only, AA guns not firing; 'Spouse':
Fighters not flying, AA guns only; 'Fickle' : Guns firing up to 8000ft,
fighters flying above.
Fl-Abt(A)
[Germany] Artillerie-Flieger-Abteilung, artillery flying unit.
Six aircraft each.
Flagon
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 and Su-21 fighter.
Flanker
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 fighter.
Flap Wheel
[NATO] Gun laying radar for Soviet 130mm AAA.
Flash Dance
[NATO] Radar of the MiG-31.
Flashlight
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-25 and Yak-27 fighters.
Flat Face
[NATO] Radar used with SA-3 and SA-5.
Flat Jack
[NATO] Radar radome of the Tu-126 'Moss'.
Flax
[Allied] Operations against German and Italian transport aircraft
ferrying supplies from Italy to Tunisia. 1943.
Flipper
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-152 fighter prototype.
FLIR
Forward-Looking Infra-Red
Flogger
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 and MiG-27 fighters.
Flora
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-23 fighter.
FLOT
[NATO] Forward Line of Own Troops
Flying Carpet
[Belgium] Transfer of refugees from Amman to Cairo, 1990.
--FM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FMC
Flight Management Computer
FMCS
Flight Management Computer System
FMF
[USA] Fleet Marine Force
FMRAAM
[UK] Future Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.
FMS
[USA] Foreign Military Sales
FMS
Flight Management System
--FN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--FO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOA
[UK] Future Offensive Aircraft. Design study by BAe, 1995.
FOB
Forward Operating Base
FOBS
Fractional Orbit Bombardment System
FOC
Full Operation Capability
FOD
Foreign Object Damage, damage caused by dirt or stones sucked into
jet engines.
Fo Fu
[Germany] Forschungsfuhrung --- Research directorate (of the
Luftwaffe).
FOG
[USA] Finger-On-Glass. A touch-sensitive display screen.
FOL
Forward Operating Location
FOO
[Allied] Forward Observation Officer. Naval officer accompanying the
ground forces, to coordinate and direct fire support from warships
at amphibious operations.
Forca Aerea Portuguesa
[Portugal] Portugese Air Force
Forger
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-38 fighter.
Forget-me-nots
[UK] The Kiel canal, when referred to for aerial minelaying
('Gardening').
Form 700
[UK] Logbook of an aircraft
Fortitude
[Allied] Desinformation plan, to mislead the Germans about the location
of the 1944 invasion. See 'Skye' and 'Quicksilver'.
FOT&E
Follow-On Test & Evaluation
FOV
Field Of View
Foxbat
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 fighter.
Foxer
[UK] Noise-maker towed by escorts, against the German acoustic
homing torpedoes.
Fox Fire
[NATO] Radar of the MiG-25 Foxbat-A
Foxhound
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 fighter.
--FP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FPB
Fast Patrol Boat
FPV
Force Projection Vehicle
--FQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--FR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FR
Flight Refuelling
FRA
[UK] First-Run Attack
FRAM
[USA] Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernisation
Frances
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Yokosuka P1Y Ginga / Kyokko fast bomber.
Frank
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubihi TK-4. Did not exist.
Frank
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.84 Hayate fighter.
Frank
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter.
Frantic
[Allied] 'Shuttle' bombardments of Germany. American bombers
flew over Germany to the USSR and back. The USSR allowed -- under
strict conditions -- American aircraft to use its bases.
Fred
[USA] Codename for the German Focke-Wulf Fw 190. It was not in Japanese
service.
Fred
[NATO] US Bell P-63 Kingcobra fighter in Soviet service.
Freedom Train
[USA] Limited bombing offensive against North Vietnam, began on
April 2, 1972.
Freehand
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-36 fighter fighter.
Freestyle
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-141 fighter fighter.
Frequent Wind
[USA] The helicopter evacuation of Siagon, April 1975.
Fresco
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 fighter.
Friction
[Canada] Canadian participation in the 1991 Gulf War.
Friedensengel
[Germany] Winged torpedoes, developed during WWII. A more or less
standard torpedo was fitted with short wings with endplates and a
tail with twin fins. ABout 450 built.
Fritz
[NATO] Soviet Lavochkin La-9 fighter.
Fritz X
[Germany] WWII guided bomb, also known as FX-1400. Fritz-X sank the
battleship Roma, damaged the battleships Italia and Warspite, sank
the cruiser Spartan, damaged the cruisers Savannah and Uganda, and
sank the destroyer Janus. Numerous merchant ships also fell victim
to Fritz-X.
Frog
[NATO] Free Rocket Over Ground, or Free flight Range Over Ground,
or something else... A family of USSR unguided artillery rockets.
Frogfoot
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft.
Frosty
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-10 attack aircraft.
FRS
[USA] Fleet Replenishment Squadron
FRS
[UK] Fighter, Reconaissance, Strike
--FS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FS
[USA] Fighter Squadron
526th FS 'Black Knights'
FSAT
[USA] Full Scale Aerial Target. Radio-controlled conversions of
older aircraft, as the QF-100 and QF-106.
FSCL
Fire Support Control Line
FSD
Full Scale Development
FSS
[USA] Flight Screening Squadron
FSW
Forward Swept Wings
--FT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FTEG
[USA] Flight Test and Engineering Group.
FTRFLT
[USA] Fighter Flight
FTS
[UK] Flight Training School
FTS
[USA] Flight Training Squadron
FTW
[USA] Flying Training Wing
--FU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuerza Area Argentina
[Argentina] Argentine Air Force
Fuerza Aerea del Ejercito Cubano
[Cuba] Cuban Army Air Force.
Fuerza Aero Moviles del Ejercito de Tierra
[Spain] Air-mobile force of the Spanish Army.
Fuerza Aerea Naval
[Cuba] Naval Air Force.
Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena
[El Salvador] Air Force of El Salvador
Fuerzas Aereas Venezolanas
[Venezuela] Venezuelan Air Force
Fu-Go
[Japan] Attacks on the US during WWII, using balloons carrying
incendiary bombs -- a mode of attack pioneered by the Austrians in
1849. The balloons were released in Japan and carried over the Pacific
by jet streams. Began in November 1944.
Fulcrum
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 fighter.
Full Flow
[UK] Exercise, in 1984, of the deployment of troops to Germany. 35000
are transported by air.
Full House
[USA] Escort missions for fighters of the 8th AF and 9th AF on
D-day.
Funryu
[Japan] 'Raging Dragon', a series of SAM's developed by the
Imperial Navy during WWII.
Fur ball
(Jargon) Dogfight.
FUSAG
[Allied] First US Army Group. 'Ghost Army' created as part of the
desinformation campaign named Quicksilver (see there).
--FW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FW
[USA] Fighter Wing
FWIT
Fighter Weapons Instructors Training
FWOC
[UK] Forward Wing Operations Centre.
FWS
Forward Swept Wing
--FX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--FY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY
Fiscal Year. 1 October to 30 September.
--FZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
FZG
[Germany] Flakzielgerat -- target for anti-aircraft artillery. The
cover designation FZG 76 was applied to the V-1.
Anfangsbuchstabe G:
GA
General Arrangment (drawing)
GA
General Aviation
Gadfly
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-11, SA-N-7.
Gainful
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-6
Galahad
[Allied] Allied special operations unit, operating in Northern Burma.
Better known as "Merril's Marauders".
GALCA
[France] Groupe d'Avitaion Legere de Corps d'Armee -- army corps
light aircraft group.
GALDiv
[France] Groupe d'Aviation Legere de Division -- division light
aircraft group.
Galosh
[NATO] Soviet Anti-Ballistic missile, ABM-1
GALReg
[France] Groupe d'Aviation Legere de la Region -- regional light
aircraft group.
GALSTA
[France] Groupement ALAT de Section Technique de l'Armee de Terre.
GAM
[France] Groupe Aerienne Mixte
GAM 56 'Vaucluse'
GAM
[USA] Air-to-Surface missile.
GAM-63 Rascal
GAM-77 Hound Dog
GAM-83 Bullpup
GAM-87 Skybolt
Game Warden
[USA] USN operations in the Mekong Delta.
Gammon
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-5
Gander
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kokusai Ku-8 glider.
Ganef
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-4
GAO
[USA] General Accounting Office
GAR
[USA] Guided Aircraft Rocket
GAR-1 AIM-4 Falcon (4 and 4A)
GAR-2 AIM-4 Falcon (4B, 4C and 4D)
GAR-3 AIM-4 Falcon (4E and 4F)
GAR-4 AIM-4 Falcon (4G)
GAR-8 AIM-9 Sidewinder
GAR-9 AIM-47 Falcon
GAR-11 AIM-26 Falcon (A and B)
Garden
[Allied] Ground troop component of 'Market Garden'
Gardening
[UK] Minelaying by aircraft.
Gargoyle
[USA] USN guided missile. Flown in 1944, but never operational.
Gaskin
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-9
GAU
[USA] Designation for aircraft guns.
GAU-2 Minigun 7.62mm 2000-6000rds/min 869m/sec
GAU-4 Vulcan
Derivative of the M61 Vulcan.
GAU-7 25mm
Cancelled in 1974, was intended to replace the M61 Vulcan.
GAU-8 Avenger 30mm 2100-4200rds/min 1066m/sec
GAU-12 Equaliser 25mm 3600-4200rds/min 1100m/sec
GAU-13 30mm 3000rds/min 1037m/sec
Derivative of the GAU-8.
Gauntlet
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-15, SA-N-9
Gazelle
[NATO] Soviet Anti-Ballistic missile, ABM-3
GB
[USA] Guided bomb, a standard bomb fitted with wings and a tail on twin
booms. The GB-1 series weapons were used by the 8th AF from 1944
onwards, but had no guidance, effectively being glide bombs. GB-4
entered service in July 1944 with camera guidance, but suffered from
unreliability.
GB-1 glide bomb, unguided
GB-4 TV-guidance
GB-6 IR seeker
GB-8 radio, visual control
GB-12 Light-contrast anti-ship seeker
GB-13 Light flare seeker
GB-14 Active radar seeker
GBTS
[USA] Ground-Based Training System
GBU
[USA] Guided, or Glide Bomb Unit
GCA
Ground Controlled Approach
GC&CS
[UK] Government Code & Cypher School. Also responsible for the
decoding of German transmissions during WWII.
GCI
Ground-Control of Interception
GCHQ
[UK] Government Communications Headquarters
GCT
[USA] Government Competitive Test.
GDE
[UK] Graduate Direct Entrant (pilot student)
GE
[France] Groupement Ecole
Gecko
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-8, SA-N-4
GEE
[UK] For 'Grid'. A navigation system invented by the British during
WWII. A chain of radio station emitted synchronized pulses; aircraft
calculated their position from the phase shift between pulses. The
range of GEE was 400 miles. GEE was used until 1970.
GEM
Ground Effect Machine
GEOREF
Geographical Reference
George
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi N1K1-J and N1K2-J fighters.
GFC
Gun Fire Control
GFE
Government-Furnished Equipment
GFRP
Glass-Fibre Reinforced Plastic
GGS
Gyro Gunsight
GH
[USA] Gee-H, a more advanced development of 'Gee'.
GHA
Greenwich Hour Angle
GHL
[France] Groupe d'Helicopteres Legers -- light helicopter group
GI
[France] Groupement d'Instruction -- Training Group.
Giant
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-12B
Gimlet
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-16
GIRD
[USSR] Rocket Propulsion Study Group, formed in 1931.
GK
[USSR] Germeticheskaya Kabina -- Pressured cabin.
Glad Customer
[USA] Exercises in Australia.
Gladiator
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-12A
GLAM
[France] Groupe de Liaison Aeriennes Ministerielles
Glaviaprom
[USSR] Chief Directorate for the Aviation Industry.
GLCM
[USA] Ground Launched Cruise Missile.
Glenn
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Yokosuka E14Y seaplane.
Glimmer
[Allied] Operation of aircraft simulating a convoy near Boulogne,
as a diversion of the invasion in Normandy. 6 June 1944. See also
'Taxable'.
GLO
[UK] Ground Liaison Officer
GLOC
G-induced loss of consciousness
Glomb
[USA] The Pratt-Read LBE glide bomb, a conversion of a light plane
with a 1814kg warhead. 1942--1944.
GLORIA
[USA] Geographical Long Range Inclined Asdic
GMAv
[UK] GEC Marconi Avionics
GMEA
[France] Groupe de Manoevre de l'Ecolde d'Applications
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Gnat
[UK] German Naval Acoustic Torpedo. British codename for
"Zaunkonig".
Gnat-750
[USA] Unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, sponsored by the CIA.
GNS
Global Navigation System
Goa
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-3, SA-N-1
Goblet
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-N-3
Gold
[Allied] One of the landing beaches used for 'Overlord'.
Golf
[NATO] Soviet submarine class
Goose
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kokusai Ku-8 glider.
Gopher
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-13
GOR
[USA] General Operational Requirement
GOR 49
[USA] The official requirement for the Republic F-105.
Gorgon
[USA] Missiles tested by the USN, 1945--1953.
GP
General Purpose
GPI
Glide Path Indicator
GPMG
General-Purpose Machine Gun
GPS
Global Positioning System
GPU
Ground Power Unit
GPU
[USA] Gun Pod Unit.
GPU-2 Pod with the M197 20mm gun.
GPU-5 Pod with a GAU-13 gun.
GPWS
Ground-Proximity Warning System
GQ
General Quarters (battle stations
GR
[UK] Ground Attack, Reconaissance
Grace
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi B7A Ryusei bomber.
Grail
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-7
Grand Slam
[UK] 22000lb bomb, larger version of 'Tallboy'. (See Tallboy)
Grapple
[UK] Series of nuclear tests. 1957.
Grasshopper
[Allied] See 'Stickleback'.
GRD
[Switzerland] Gruppe fur Rustungsdienste
Great Panjadrum
[UK] Great Panjandrum was designed to demolish concrete fortifications.
It consisted of two wheels, with rockets attached to them to propel the
device, and two tons of explosives attached to the axle. It was
intended to be launched by landing ships. Tests were a failure, but it
may well ahve been only a deception move. 1944.
Green Bamboo
[UK] Nuclear bomb, experimental only. Also used as codename for the
UK H-bomb development effort.
Green Bean
[Belgium] Evacuation of Belgians and Europeans from Ruanda, 1990.
Green Flag
Electronic Warfare exercise, held on Nellis AFB, Nevada, USA.
Green Granite
[UK] Nuclear bomb. 'Green Granite Small' was a 300Kt thermonuclear
device. 'Green Granite Large' was bigger, but yielded only 200Kt.
Both were partial failures.
Green Grass
[UK] Code name for a 'physics package', the actual nuclear weapon
in a series of nuclear bombs --- the bomb casings had their own
codenames. 'Green Grass' was a megaton warhead, but seems to have
been a pure fission weapon, not a H-bomb.
Gremlin
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-14
Griffon
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-5 (renamed Gammon)
Grindstone
[USA] Modernization programme for the F-104C Starfighter. 1961
Grisha
[NATO] Soviet corvette class
Grisom
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-19, SA-N-11
GRP
Glass Reinforced Plastic
GRU
[USSR] Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoye Upravleniye -- military intelligence
service.
Grumble
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-10, SA-N-6
G/S
Ground Speed
GSE
Ground Support Equipment
GSh
[USSR] Gryazev-Shipunov. (gun designers)
GTS
Gas Turbine Starter
GUAP
[USSR] Chief Directorate of the Aviation Industry.
Guard Channel
[UK] 243.0MHz -- International Distress Frequency
Guideline
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-2, SA-N-2
Guild
[NATO] Soviet Surface-to-air missile, SA-1
Gulf Stream
[Belgium] Logistic support flights for the Coalition units
in the Gulf, 1990.
Gun Dish
[NATO] Gun-laying radar for ZSU-23-4 and ZSU-52-2 AAA sets.
Gunsmoke
[USA] Exercise and competition for fighter-bomber squadrons
at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
GU-RKKF
[USSR] Glavoce Upravlenie-Raboche-Krestyanskogo Krasnogo
Vozdushnogo Flota --- Chief directorate of the Workers and Peasants
Military Air Fleet. Created in 1918.
Gus
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima AT-27. Did not exist.
GvOTBVP
[USSR] Gvardeyskii Otdelni'i Transportni'i Boevoi Vertoletni'i Polk ---
Guards Independent Combat Transport Helicopter Regiment.
GW
Guided Weapon
-Gymnast
[Allied] Invasion in French North Africa. Renamed Torch.
Anfangsbuchstabe H:
HA
[USA] USN attack helicopter squadron
HA(L)-3 'Seawolves'
HAAC
Helicopter Air-to-Air Combat
HAARS
High-Altitude Airdrop Resupply System
Habakkuk
[Allied] A project to create large "aircraft carriers" constructed
from "pykrete" --- a mix of ice and wood pulp. The need for such
floating airfields soon disappeared.
HAC
[France] Helicoptere Anti-Char -- anti-tank helicopter.
HADAS
Helmet Airborbe Display And Sight
HADS
Helicopter Air Data System
Haerens Flyvetjeneste's
[Denmark] Army Aviation.
Hagelkorn
[Germany] WWII long-range glided bomb. Range was up to 200km if
launched at 10500m; but guidance was a problem. Hagelkorn was very
streamlined and had high aspect ratio wings with steel cores and
_concrete- aerofoils.
HA-GO
[Japan] Plan for an attack in Birma, that began in February 1944.
Failed.
HALO
High Altitude, Low Opening. A parachuting technique.
Halo
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-26 helicopter.
Halpro
[USA] Plan to attack Japan with B-24 bomber based in Chiina, 1942.
Cancelled.
Han-guk Kong Goong
[Korea] Korean Air Force (South)
Hamp
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Reisen with clipped
wing tips.
Hank
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi E10A seaplane
Hap
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Reisen with clipped
wing tips, renamed 'Hamp' as a courtesy for general 'Hap' Arnold.
HAP
[France] Helicoptere d'Appui Protection
HAR
[UK] Helicopter, search-and-rescue
Hare
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-1 helicopter.
Harke
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-10 helicopter.
HARM
[USA] High-Speed Anit-Radiation missile. AGM-88A.
Harp
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-20 helicopter.
Harry
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi TK-4. Did not exist.
HARS
Heading / Attitude Reference System
Harvest Reaper
[USA] Modification programme for the F-111A. 1967.
HARV
[USA] High-Alpha Research Vehicle. A modified F-18.
Harvey
[UK] Launcher for 3in anti-aircraft rockets. WWII.
Harvey
[USA] Development of radar absorbent materials
HAS
Hardened Aircraft Shelter
HASC
[USA] House Armed Services Committee.
HASP
[USA] High Altitude Sampling Programme.
HASPA
[USA] High Altitude Superpressure Powered Aerostat: Navy programma for
a high-altitude, remotely controlled airship for surveillance and data
relay purposes.
HAST
[USA] High-Altitude Supersonic Target: Project for a target drone that
is to fly at Mach 4 and at altitudes up to 30500m.
HAST
[UK] Harrier Avionics Systems Trainer
Hat
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-10 helicopter.
Have Atlas
[USA] Test pilot school senior project: the Adaptable Target Light
Array system, whatever that is.
Have Blinders
[USA] Test pilot school senior project: Visibility studies for the
NASP.
Have Blue
[USA] Precursor of the F-117, smaller, with inwards canted tailfins.
Have Charity
[USA] U-2 test flights.
Have Dash
[USA] Project for an active radar-guided missile (I) or a stealthy
AAM (II).
Have Djinn
[USA] ?
Have Drag
[USA] Investigation into approach profiles for F-16s carrying stores
and suffering from flame-outs. Test-pilots school project.
Have Dungeon
[USA] Project to track cruise missiles and locate their launchers.
Have Echo
[USA] U-2 test flights.
Have Flag
[USA] Tactical missile project.
Have Lite
[USA] Lighter version of the 'Have Nap' missile.
Have Nap
[USA] The AGM-142 missile, a development of the Israeli Popeye missile.
Have Pole
[USA] Control system design using a specially equipped A-7, DIGITAC.
Test pilots school senior project.
Have Quick
[USA] Communications security system. 'A radio'.
Have Slick
[USA] Low-observable submunitions dispenser.
Have Void
[USA] Development of a concrete-penetrating bomb. Developed into the
BLU-109/B.
Havoc
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-28 helicopter.
HAWFCAR
[USA] Helicopter Adverse Weather Fire Control and Acquisition Radar.
Hawk
[USA] Homing All the Way Killer -- the MIM-23 surface-to-air missile.
HAWTADS
[USA] Helicopter Adverse Weather Traget Acquisition and Designation
System.
Haze
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-14 helicopter.
Hazel Flute
[NATO] Exercise.
--HB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--HC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HC
[USA] USN helicopter combat support squadron
HCA
Heading Crossing Angle
HCDC
[UK] House of Commons Defence Committee.
HCS
Helicopter Combat Support
--HD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HDD
Head Down Display
HDU
Hose Drum Unit, or Hose Drogue Unit.
--HE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HE
High Explosive
Head Dancer
[USA] Boeing EC-135K, a TDCA aircraft.
Head Light
[NATO] Radar for SA-N-3 Goblet.
Head Net
[NATO] Soviet Shipboard surveillance radar.
HEAT
High Explosive Anti-Tank
Hedgehog
[UK] Anti-submarine weapon used by surface ships during WWII. A
mulitiple spigot mortar, that fired 24 explosive charges with contact
fuses, in a circular pattern in front of the submarine hunter.
Hedgerow
[UK] Minefield clearing weapon. A variation on 'Hedgehog', fitted to
landing craft. The projectiles were fitted with 20in fuses, to detonate
mines on the beaches by their blast.
HEL
[USA] High Energy Laser program
Helen
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.49 Donryu bomber
Helix
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-32, Ka-27, and Ka-29 helicopter.
HelSeaConWing
[USA] Helicopter Sea Control Wing --- support organization for all USN
shipboard helicopters.
Hen
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-15 helicopter.
Hen House
[NATO] Soviet Long-range early-warning ground radar.
Hermit
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-34 helicopter.
HESH
High Explosive Squash Head
Heyl Ha'Avir
[Israel] Israeli Air Force, part of the la Tsvah Haganah le Israel --
Israel Defence Force. IDF/AF. This name was adopted in 1953.
Heeresflieger
[Germany] Army Air Force.
--HF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HF
High Frequency
HFDF
[UK] High Frequency Direction Finder. Device that enabled the Allied
to obtain a quick 'fix' on radio transmissions by German submarines.
HFK
[Germany] Heeresflieger Kommando
HFR
Height Finding Radar
HFS
[Germany] Heeresfliegerstaffel -- army air squadron
HFT
[Denmark] Haerens Flyvetjeneste's --- army aviation.
HFWS
[Germany] Heeresfliegerwaffenschule -- army air weapons school
--HG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HGM
[USA] Silo-stored, guided ground-to-ground Missile.
See "us_mil.txt" for an explanation of the USA designation system.
'Silo stored' means that the engines cannot be fired inside the silo.
HGM-16 Atlas
HGM-25 Titan
--HH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HHC
[USA] Headquarters & Headquarters Company
HHO
[Turkey] Hava Harp Okulu --- Air Academy.
HHS
[USA] Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron
HHT
[USA] Headquarters & Headquarters Troop
--HI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIAC
[USA] High Altitude Camera. This weighed nearly 2000kg, and was
carried in a side-looking configuration by the RB-47F.
HIBM
[Turkey] Hava Ikmal Bakim Merzeki --- Air Supply and Maintenance
Center.
Hi-Camp
[USA] Highly Calibrated Airborne Measurements Programme. A support
programme for 'Teal Ruby'.
Hickory
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikawa Ki.54 transport and trainer.
HIDACZ
High Density Airspace Control Zone
HIDEC
[USA] Highly Integrated Digital Electronic Control
HIDSS
[USA] Helmet Integrated Display Sighting System
HIFR
Hover In-Flight Refuelling
Highball
[UK] 'Bouncing' bomb for anti-shipping operations. Highball was
a spherical, rotating bomb, launched at low altitude against
ships, bouncing towards the ship's hull.
High Fix
[NATO] Radar of the Su-17 'Fitter-C' and of the early MiG-21.
High Flight
[USA] Route from the US to Sidi Slimane, Morocco, where the USAFE once
had a training center.
High Jump
[USA] Time-to-height record attempts by F4H-1 Phantom II. 1962.
High Lark
[NATO] Radar of the MiG-23 'Flogger'.
High Lune
[NATO] Height Finding radar used with SA-N-2 Guideline.
Highspeed
[USA] Fly-off between the F-106 Delta Dart and F-4 Phantom, leading to
the selection of the F-4 by the USAF.
High Wire
[USA] Standardization and upgrading
program for the F-100D. 1962.
HIHO
High Insertion, High Opening.
Hiko
[Japan] Air-, as in Hiko Sentai, Hiko Rentai, Hiko Chutai, etc. See
Sentai, Rentai, Chutai...
HILO
High Insertion, Low Opening
HIMAD
High and Medium Altitude Air Defense
HiMAT
[USA] Highly Manoeuvrable Aircraft Technology: a research RPV for
investigation into the aerodynamics of highly-maneuvrable fighters.
HIMEZ
[NATO] High Missile Engagment Zone
Hind
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-24 helicopter.
Hip
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopter.
HIRSS
[USA] Helicopter Infra-Red Suppression System
Hiwi
[Germany] Hilfswillige. Soviet volunteer in the Wehrmacht.
--HJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--HL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HLH
Heavy-Lift Helicopter
--HM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HM
[USA] USN mine-sweeper helicopter squadron
HM-18 'Norsemen'
HM-19 'Golden Bears'
HMD
Helmet-mounted Display
HMG
[UK] Her (His) Majesty's Government
HMMWV
[USA] High-Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle
HMP
[Belgium] Heavy Machine-Gun Pod
HMS
Helmet Mounted Sight
HMS
[UK] Her (His) Majesty's Ship
--HN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--HO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOBOS
[USA] Homing Bomb System. A large family of guided bombs, first
introduced in combat in 1969.
Hog
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-18 helicopter.
Hokum
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-50 helicopter.
Holy Moses
[USA] 5in aircraft rocket. Also known as HVAR.
Homer
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-12 helicopter.
Hoodlum
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-26 and Ka-126 helicopters.
Hook
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-6 helicopter.
Hoop
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-22 helicopter.
Hoplite
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-2 helicopter.
Hop Up
[USA] Upgrade programme for the F-94C, to cure it numerous technical
problems and install ejection seats. 1954.
Horev
[Israel] Actions against Egypt, 1948 -- 1949.
Horizon
[France] Development of Orchidee, a battlefield surveillance radar
for helicopters.
Hormone
[NATO] Soviet Kamov Ka-25 helicopter.
Horse
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-24 helicopter.
Horsefly
[UK] Testing of the Plessey MAWS system for the Harrier GR.5 at the
NWC, China Lake, California.
Horus
[France] See Orchidee. This name was applied to its deployment as part
of Daguet (See there too).
HOT
Haut Subsonique, Optiquement Teleguide, Tire d'un tube --- High
subsonic, optically-guided, fired from a tube. A helicopter-carried
anti-tank missile.
HOTAS
Hands on Throttle And Stick
Hot Brick
[NATO] Soviet IR jammer.
Hotel
[NATO] Soviet submarine class.
HOTOL
Horizontal Take-Off and Landing
Hot Rod
[USA] Evaluation of the North American F-100A Super Sabre, in 1955.
Hound
[NATO] Soviet Mil Mi-4 helicopter.
--HP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HP
High Pressure
HPA
[USA] High Power Amplifier
HPTS
[USA] High Power Transmit System
--HQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HQ
Headquarters
HQAC
[UK] HeadQuarters Air Cadets
--HR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--HS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HS
[USA] USN helicopter anti-submarine warfare squadron
HS-7 'Shamrocks'
HS-9 'Sea Griffens'
HS-12 'Wyverns'
HSCT
High-Speed Commercial Transport
HSI
Horizontal Situation Indicator
HSL
[USA] USN light helicopter anti-submarine warfare squadron
HSS
Helicopter Support Ship
--HT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTS
[USA] HARM Targeting System
HTOVL
Horizontal Take-Off, Vertical Landing
--HU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HUD
Head-Up Display
HUDWAC
Head-Up Display Weapon Aiming Computer
HUDWASS
Head-Up Display Weapon Aiming Sub-System
HUET
[UK] Helicopter Underwater Escape Training
Huff Duff
[UK] See HFDF.
HUK
Hunter-Killer Force
HUMS
Health and Usage Monitoring System
Husky
[Allied] Invasion of Sicily, July 1942.
--HV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HVAR
[USA] High-Velocity Aircraft Rocket, the 5 inch 'Holy Moses' and
later 'Zuni' rockets.
HVM
[USA] Hyper-Velocity Missile
--HW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--HX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--HY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HySTP
[USA] Hypervelocity System Technology Program
--HZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe I:
I^2R
Imaging Infra-Red
IADS
Integrated Air Defense System
IAM
[UK] Institute of Aviation Medicine
IAP
[USSR] Istrebitelnye Aviatsionnye Polki -- Fighter Aviation
Regiment.
IAS
Indicated Airspeed
IATA
International Air Transport Association
--IB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IB
[USSR] Istrebitel Bombardirovschik --- fighter bomber, as in
Su-27IB.
--IC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organisation
ICBM
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
ICE
[Germany] Improved Combat Efficiency. An upgrade of the F-4 Phantom II.
Iceberg
[USA] Landing on Okinawa.
Ichigo
[Japan] Operations in South China, March 1944.
ICNIA
[USA] Integrated Communication, Navigation and Identification
Avionics.
--ID-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ID
Identification
Ida
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikawa Ki.36 and Ki.55
army-cooperation and training aircraft.
IDF
[Taiwan] Indigenous Defence Fighter, the Ching-Kuo.
IDF
Instantaneous Direction Finder
IDF/AF
[Israel] Israeli Defence Force / Air Force
Idflieg
[Germany] Inspectorate for aircraft. WWI.
IDM
[USA] Improved Data Modem. Replaced ATHS.
IDS
Infra-Red Detection Set
IDS
InterDictor / Strike. Panavia Tornado version.
--IE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ieshi la Wanachi la Tanzania
Air Force, Tanzanian People's Army
--IF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IFF
Identification Friend or Foe
IFIS
[UK] Integrated Flight Instruments System
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules
IFR
In-Flight Refuelling
IFREP
[UK] In-Flight Report
IFS
[USA] USN: Inshore Fire Support Ship
IFTU
[UK] Intensive Flying Trials Unit
--IG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IGE
In Ground Effect. Usually indicated by the operational ceiling of
helicopters; this is the ceiling if the heli is flown near to the
earth's surface, i.e. in mountaineous terrain. The air compressed
between the surface and the aircraft increases the performance. A
similar effect applies to fixed-wing aircraft.
--IH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IHADSS
[USA] Integrated Helmet And Display Sighting System
IHE
[USA] Improved High Explosive -- mainly intended for nuclear bombs.
IHPTET
[USA] Integrated High-Performance Turbine Engine Technology
--II-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IIR
Imaging Infra-Red
--IJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--IK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--IL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ilmailuvoimat
[Finland] Air Force. Created in 1918.
Ilmavoimat
[Finland] Air Force.
ILS
Instrument Landing System
Iluft
[Germany] Inspectorate for airships. WWI.
--IM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IM
[USA] Intercept missile, i.e. Surface-to-Air missile.
IMC
Image Motion Compensation
IMC
Instrument Meteorological Conditions
IMI
[USA] Improved Manned Interceptor
IMN
Indicated Mach Number
IMT
[USA] Inflight Maintenance Technician. On board of e.g. RC-135s
on long-range missions.
--IN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
INAS
Integrated Navigation / Attack System
INEWS
[USA] Integrated Navigation / Electronic Warfare System
INS
Inertial Navigation System.
Insect
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 21 July 1942.
INTERACT
[USA] Integrated Research Aircraft Control Technology.
--IO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IOC
Initial, or Interim Operational Capability
Ione
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi AI-104. Did not exist.
IOR
Immediate Operational Requirement
--IP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IP
Initial Point for attack run
IP
Instructor Pilot
IP
Intermediate Pressure
--IQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--IR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IR
Infra Red
IRADS
[USA] Infra-Red Acquisition and Detection System
I-RAMS
[USA] Integrated Retractable Aircraft Munition System, for the
RAH-66 Comanche.
IRAN
[USA] Inspect and Repair As Necessary, a maintenance procedure.
IRBM
Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile
IRCCM
Infrared Counter-counter Measures
IRCM
Infrared Counter Measures
IRD
[UK] InfraRed Decoy
Irene
[USA] Codename for the German Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber,
that was not in Japanese service.
IRH
Infrared Homing
IRIAF
[Iran] Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.
IRLS
Infra-Red Line Scan
Iron Hand
[USA] Early 'Wild Weasel' missions over Vietnam, 1965.
Iron Lung
[USA] Boeing KC-135R and RC-135M, ELINT aircraft.
IRS
Inertial Reference System
IRST
Infrared Search and Track
IRSTS
Infrared Search and Track Sensor
Irving
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima J1N Gekko fighter
IRWR
Infra-Red Warning Receiver
--IS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ISA
International Standard Atmosphere
ISADS
[USA] Innovative Strategic Aircraft Design Study.
ISAR
[USA] Inverted Synthetic Aperture Radar. Intended for the EH-101
Merlin helicopter.
ISD
In Service Date
ISO
International Standardisation Organisation
--IT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITP
[USSR] Istrebitel'tyazhely Pushechny --- Heavy Fighter, cannon-armed.
ITP
Intent to Purchase
ITP
Instruction to Proceed
ITT
Invitation To Tender
--IU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IUKADGE
[UK] Improved United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment
--IV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IVS
Interactive Voice System
--IW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I/WAC
[USA] Interface/ Weapon Aiming Computer, fitted to USMC AV-8A Harriers
in place of the more complicated British FE541 navigation system.
IWS
Integrated Weapon System
--IX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
IX
[USA] USN: Unclassified Auxiliary.
IX-64 Wolverine (Training carrier)
IX-81 Sable (Training carrier)
IXSS
[USA] USN: Unclassified Auxiliary Submarine
--IY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--IZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe J:
J
[China] Jian -- Fighter
--JA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAA
Joint Airworthiness Authorities
JAAT
Joint Air Attack Team
Jack
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi J2M Raiden fighter.
JAFE
[USA] Joint Advanced Fighter Engine
Jake
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi E13A seaplane.
JAN
[USA] Joint Army-Navy
Janice
[USA] Codename for the German Junkers Ju 88 bomber, erronously
assumed to be in Japanese service.
JAR
Joint Airworthiness Requirements
JASDF
[Japan] Japan Air Self-Defence Force
JAST
[USA] Joint Advanced Strike Technology
Jasta
[Germany] Jagdstaffel --- fighter squadron.
JATO
Jet-Assisted Take-Off. More correct: Rocket-Assisted Take-Off (RATO).
Jay Bird
[NATO] Small radar set, used by the MiG-25U Foxbat-C trainer and
the MiG-21MF.
Jaywick
[Allied] Raid by Britsh commando units on Singapore Harbour. 1943.
--JB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JB
[USA] Jet powered bomb.
JB-1 Northrop JB-1 'Bat', a twin-jet flying-wing guided bomb.
JB-2 Americanized German V-1 flying bomb.
JB-3 Air-to-Air missile with rocket engine and SARH homing.
JB-4
JB-5 Rocket.
JB-6 Rocket.
JB-7 Pilotless bomber.
JB-10 Northrop JB-10 flying-wing jet-engined cruise missile.
JBG
[Germany] Jagdbombergeschwader -- fighter bomber wing
JBG 31 'Boelcke'
--JC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JCS
[USA] Joint Chiefs of Staff
--JD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JDAM
[USA] Joint Direct Attack Munition. Guidance system for a
'smart bomb' with a GPS navigation system and (in a later phase)
an imaging seeker. Under development. The current versions employ
2000lb warheads.
--JE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jean
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Yokosuka B4Y bomber.
JEFTS
[UK] Joint Elementray Flying Training Squadron
Jericho
[UK] Bombardment on the Amiens prison, on 18 February 1944, in a
desperate attempt to free 180 resistance members convicted to death.
Jerry
[USA] Codename for the German Heinkel He 112 fighter. Japan had
bought some, but these were not used in combat during WWII.
Jezebel
[USA] AQA-3 long-range acoustic search equipment for ASW aircraft.
--JF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JFACC
Joint Force Air Component Commander
JFC
Joint Force Commander
--JG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JG
[Germany] Jagdgeschwader -- fighter wing
JG 71 'Richthofen'
JG 74 'Molders'
JGSDF
[Japan] Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force
--JH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JHSU
Joint Helicopter Support Unit
--JI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JIAWG
[USA] Joint Integrated Avionics Working Group
Jill
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima B6N bomber.
Jim
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.43 fighter. unofficial.
Jindalee
[Australia] Over-the-horizon backscattering radar.
--JJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JLRSS
[USA] Joint Long Range Strategic Study
--JM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JMC
Joint Maritime Course
JMFU
[USA] Joint Force METOC Forecast Unit
JMO
Joint Maritime Operations
JMO
[USA] Joint METOC Officer, attached to a Joint Force Commander's
Staff.
JMSA
[Japan] Japanese Maritime Safety Agency
JMSDF
[Japan] Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force
--JN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe
[USA] Codename for the Japanese TK-19. Did not exist.
JOOD
[USA] Junior Officer of the Deck (USN)
JOOW
[USA] Junior Officer of the Watch (USN)
JORD
[USA] Joint Operational Requirements Document, requirements
published by the USAF and USN.
Jostle
[Allied] Jamming of German R/T communications.
Joyce
[USA] Codename for a Japanese aircraft, supposed to be built
by Tachikawa. Did not exist.
--JP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JP
Jet Propulsion. Used to designate different grades of jet fuel.
JPATS
[USA] Joint Primary Aircraft Trainer System, a basic trainer to replace
the T-37 and T-34C.
JPL
[USA] Jet Propulsion Laboratory of Caltech.
JPT
Jet Pipe Tempature
--JQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JSCP
[USA] Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan
JSOP
[USA] Joint Strategic Objectives Plan
JSOR
[USA] Joint Systems Operational Requirements
JSORD
[USA] Joint Systems Operational Requirements Document, requirements
published by the USAF and USN. Now replaced by 'JORD'.
JSOW
[UK/USA] Joint Stand-Off Weapon. Texas Instruments--Shorts proposal
for the CASOM requirement.
JSTARS
[USA] Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
--JT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
JTDE
[USA] Joint Technology Demonstrator Engine
JTIDS
[UK/USA] Joint Tactical Information Distribution System. A tactical
display that combines information from the aircraft own equipment
with information from an AWACS, gound stations or ships. Fitted to
the Sea Harries FRS.2.
JTF
[USA] Joint Task Force
JTS
[USA] Joint Training Squadron
--JU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Judy
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Yokosuka D4Y bomber.
Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo
[Yugoslavia] Yugoslav Air Force.
Ju Jitsu
[USA/UK] Overflights of the USSR by RB-45C's, on loan from the USAF
to the RAF, with British crews. One flight by three aircraft in 1952,
another one a year and a half later.
Julia
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Type 97 heavy bomber. Did
not exist. (Was Ki.48)
Julie
[USA] Explosive echo-sounding gear for ASW aircraft.
June
[USA] Codename for the seaplane version of the Japanese
Aichi D3A dive bomber. Did not exist. (Was E13A)
Jungle Jim
[USA] See "Farm Gate".
Juno
[Allied] One of the landing beaches used for 'Overlord'.
--JV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--JZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe K:
K
[USSR] Korrektirovchik --- Corrector. Meaning artillery spotter,
as in the Mi-24K 'Hind-G2'.
--KA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kadesh
[Israel] Israeli operations that initiated the Suez conflict. 1956.
Kagohl
[Germany] Kampfgeschwader der OHL, bombing units directly assigned to
the OHL, the headquarters of the armed forces, instead of assigned
to local field commanders. WWI.
Kaiten
[Japan] Single-seat suicide submarine, in fact a modification of the
'Long lance' torpedo. The I-class submarines could carry four (later
six). Sunk only three allied ships: a tanker, an escort destroyer,
and a cargo vessel.
Kairyu
[Japan] Two-seat submarine. Originally designed to carry two
torpedoes; later modified for a suicide attack with 450kg explosives.
Kangaroo
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-3
Kanin
[NATO] Soviet destroyer class
Kara
[NATO] Soviet cruiser class
Karen
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-10
Kashin
[NATO] Soviet destroyer class
Kasta
[Germany] Kampstaffel, combat squadron; name for multi-role units
in the WWI air force.
Kate
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima B5N torpedo-bomber.
Kate 61
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi B5M torpedo-bomber.
--KB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KB
[USSR] Konstruktorskoye Byuro -- Design Bureau.
--KC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KDF
[Denmark] Kongelige Danske Flygvabnet -- Royal Danish Air Force
--KE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kedge
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-14
Kegler
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-12
Kehl
[Germany] Command transmitter for Fritz-X and Hs 193 guided weapons.
KEK
[Germany] Kampfeinsitzerkommando. Single-seat combat aircraft units,
the precursors of the fighter squadrons. WWI.
Kelt
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-5
Kennel
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-1
Keokuk
[Allied] Airborne operation on D-day, by the 101st Airborne in the
US sector.
KEPD
[Germany] Kinetic Energy Penetrating Destroyer. Bunker-destructing
weapon.
Kerry
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-7
KESt
[Germany] Kampf-Einsitzer Staffel. SIngle-seat fighter squadron.
--KF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KFP
[South Korea] Korean Fighter Programme
--KG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KGB
[USSR] Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopastny, secret service.
--KH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KIA
Killed in Action
KIAS
Knots Indicated Air Speed
Kickback
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-16
Kikusui
[Japan] Campaign of suicide attacks to defend Okinawa against
US invasion, April 1945. Involved suicide attacks by over 1600
aircraft, about 80 'Kaiten' manned torpedos, the battleship Yamato,
the cruiser Yahagi, and eight destroyers. The US lost 26 ships,
and 164 were damaged, out of a total of 1300. (On Okinawa itself,
about half of the 100,000 Japanese death were the result of
suicide actions.)
Kildin
[NATO] Soviet (ship) class
Kilter
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-11
Kingbolt
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-13 (? or Kingpost)
Kingfish
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-6
Kingfisher
[USA] Anti-ship cruise missile. AQM-60. (Also a NATO
codename for a USSR cruise missile, see sov_mil.txt.)
Kingpost
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-13 (? or Kingbolt)
Kipper
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-2
KISS
'Keep It Simple, Stupid' principle
Kit Carson
[USA] Ex-NVA or Viet Cong people, serving as scouts for the USA / South
Vietnamese forces.
Kitchen
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-4
Kitty Car
[USA] Upgrade for the F-101B Voodoo, to make the carrying of Genie
rockets with nuclear warheads --- intended for air-to-air use --
possible.
--KJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KLu
[Netherlands] Koninklijke Luchtmacht -- Royal Air Force.
--KM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KMU
[USA] Guidance unit for guided bombs.
--KN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KNL
[Norway] Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret -- Royal Norwegian Air
Force
--KO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Koala
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-X-19
Kogenluft
[Germany] Kommandierende General der Luftstreitkrafte ---
Commanding general of the air force. The first was Ernst von Hoeppner,
in October 1916.
Kogge
[Germany] WWII guidance transmitter, used for the Enzian
missile.
Koku Hombu
[Japan] Air Headquarters of the Imperial Army.
Koku Jieitai
[Japan] Air Self-Defense Force.
Koluft
[Germany] Kommandeure der Luft-Schiffer Truppen. --- Commander of the
airship forces. WWI.
Kongelige Danske Flygvabnet
[Denmark] Royal Danish Air Force
Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret
[Norway] Royal Norwegian Air Force
Koninklijke Luchtmacht
[Netherlands] Royal Air Force.
Koryu
[Japan] Five-seat submarine.
KOSOS
[USSR] Konstruktorski otdel opytnovo samolyetostroeniya --- Design
department for experimental aircraft construction.
Kotlin
[NATO] Soviet SAM-carrying destroyer class
--KP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KP
[USA] Kitchen Punishment
--KQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KR
[USSR] Kreyser (cruiser)
Kresta
[NATO] Soviet cruiser class
Krivak
[NATO] Soviet destroyer class
KRPL
[USSR] Krylataya raketa podvodnykh lodok - SLCM
KRU
[USSR] Korabl' upravleniye (command ship)
Krupny
[NATO] Soviet destroyer class
KRVB
[USSR] Krylataya raketa vozdushnogo bazirovaniya - ALCM
Krypton
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-17
KRZB
[USSR] Krylataya raketa zemnogo bazirovaniya - GLCM
--KS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KTO
Kuwait Theatre of Operations
--KU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
KU
[USSR] Koreblnyi Uchebno --- shipboard instructional, as in Su-27KU.
Ku.Fl.Gr.
[Germany] Kustenfliegergruppen, coastal air group.
Kurier
[Germany] High-speed 'squirt' data transmitter, used by German
submarines during WWII.
Kuril
[NATO] Soviet carrier class
--KV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--KY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kyle
[NATO] Soviet air-to-surface missile, AS-9
Kynda
[NATO] Soviet cruiser class
--KZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe L:
LAAS
Low Altitude Airfield Attack System
LABS
[USA] Low-altitude Bombing System -- 'tossing' nuclear
bombs in a half-loop, returning to low altitude on the opposite
direction.
LAC
Leading Air Craftsman
LAD
[USA] Low Altitude Dispenser. Cancelled in favour of 'Have Slick'.
LADD
[USA] Low Altitude Drogue Delivery -- dropping nuclear bombs that are
retarded by a parachute and have a time fuse.
Laffing Eagle
[USA] RU-21 mission.
LAH
Light Attack Helicopter
LAM
[UK] Long Aerial Mine. An explosive charge, towed behind an aircraft
on a 600m line, in to hope that enemy aircraft would hit it. During
WWII twenty RAF Douglas A-20 Boston/Havoc aircraft were actually using
this weapon for a brief period.
Lamantin
[France] Operations to support the government of Mauretania in actions
against the Polisario movement, 1977.
LAMPS
[USA] Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System. LAMPS I was the SH-2D Seasprite,
LAMPS II is the SH-60B Seahawk.
Lam Son 719
[USA] US support for Souith-Vietnamese operations in Laos,
autumn 1970.
LANA
[USA] 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation. The L is the symbol for
50 in the Roman numeric system. This was a transcontinental speed
record attempt, flown by F4H-1Fs. 869.73mph.
LANA
[USA] Low-Altitude Night Attack system. Podded system carrier by the
A-7.
Land Mattress
[Allied] Land-based version of 'Sea Mattress', using 3in rockets with
5in warheads and 30-tube launchers.
LANDSS
[USA] Lightweight Advanced Night/Day Surveillance System. A
surveillance RPV programme.
LANTIRN
[USA] Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infra-Red for Night.
Equipment carried by aircraft configured for night attacks.
LAPES
[USA] Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System
LARA
[USA] Light Armed Reconaissance Aircraft. Requirement filled in
by the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco.
LASL
[USA] Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
LASS
[USA] USN: Launch Area Suport Ship
LatWing
[USA] Light Attack Wing
LAU
Launcher Unit
Laura
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi E11A floatplane
--LB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LB
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 18 May 1942.
LBA
[Germany] LuftfahrtBundesAmt
LBH
Light Battlefield Helicopter
--LC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LCA
[India] Light Combat Aircraft. Indigenous fighter aircraft, under
development in India.
LCAC
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Air Cushioned
LCC
[USA] USN: Command ship for amphibious operations.
LCC
[USA] Land Component Commander
LCD
Liquid Crystal Display
LCD
Load Classification Group
LCEHV
[USA] Low Cost Expendable Harassment Vehicle. RPV development
programme.
LCH
Light Combat Helicopter
LCI
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Infantry
LCLM
[USA] Low-Cost Lightweight Missile, a possible Sidewinder replacement.
LCM
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Mechanized (units)
LCN
Load Classification Number
LCP
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Personnel
LCT
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Tank
LCU
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Utility
LCVP
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Vehicles and Personnel
--LD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
L/D
Lift / Drag Ratio
LDA
Landing Distance Available
LDGP
Low-Drag, General Purpose (Bomb)
LDO
[USA] Limited Duty Officer
--LE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LED
Light Emitting Diode
Left Foot
[USA] RU-21 mission.
Left Jab
[USA] RU-21 mission.
LeLv
[Finland] Lentolaivue
LEM
[USA] Lunar Excursion Module, renamed LM.
LERX
Leading Edge Root eXtension
LEX
Leading Edge eXtension
--LF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LFA
Low Frequency Active
--LG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LGB
[USA] Laser Guided Bomb
LGM
[USA] Silo-launched, guided ground-to-ground Missile. See "us_mil.txt"
for an explanation of the USA designation system.
LGM-25 Titan II
LGM-30 Minuteman
LGP
Laser Guided Projectile
--LH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LH
Light Helicopter
LHA
[USA] Helicopter Assault Ship. Carrier for helicopters and VTOL
aircraft, combined with loading dock for amphibious operations.
LHA-1 Tarawa (Tarawa)
LHA-2 Saipan (Tarawa)
LHA-3 Belleau Wood (Tarawa)
LHA-4 Nassau (Tarawa)
LHA-5 Da Nang (Tarawa)
LHA-5 Pelileu (Tarawa)
LHD
[USA] USN: Amphibious Assualt Ship. Improved LHA.
LHD-1 Wasp (Wasp)
LHD-2 Essex (Wasp)
LHD-3 Kearsage (Wasp)
LHD-4 Boxer (Wasp)
LHD-5 (Wasp)
LHX
[USA] Light Helicopter eXperimental. The RAH-66 Comanche.
--LI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lichtmeer
[Germany] 'Sea of Light'. Attack on the bases of the RAF Bomber
Command, during the Battle of Britain.
Licht Vliegwezen / Aviation Legere
[Belgium] army air force
LID
[USA] Lift Improvement Devices. On the AV-8 Harrier: two strakes on
the underside of the fuselage and a retractable ventral dam,
improving lift for vertical take-off.
LIDAR
Laser lIght Detection And Ranging
Lightning Bug
[USA] Ryan 147B recconaissance drone, used to investigate the guidance
systems of SAMs --- see 'United Effort'.
Lilo
[Allied] A simple 3in rocket on an easily detachable mount, with
an armour-piercing warhead, for use against fortified positions
in the Pacific.
Lily
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.48 bomber
LIM
[USA] Silo-launched SAM.
LIM-49 Nike Zeus / Spartan
Limbo
[UK] Launcher for three 440lb depth charges in a triangular pattern,
2000m ahead of the launching ship.
Linebacker I
[USA] Bombardment offensive in Vietnam, 8 May -- 22 October 1972.
Linebacker II
[USA] Bomber offensive in Vietnam, 18-30 December 1972.
Linnet
[Allied] Planned airborne dropping at Lille, France, after 'Overlord'.
Not done.
Lisa Ann
[USA] Boeing RC-135E, with SLAR.
Little Brother
[USA] Intended gunship version of the Cessna 337. Abandoned.
Liz
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajia G5N bomber
--LJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LKA
[USA] USN: Amphibious Cargo Ship
LKdo
[Germany] Luftflotten Kommando
--LL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LLGB
Launch & Leave Guided Bomb
LLGB
Low-Level Guided Bomb
LL/LGB
Low-Level Laser Guided Bomb
LLLTV
Low-Light Level TeleVision
LLRV
[USA] Lunar Landing Research Vehicle.
LLTR
[USA] Low-Level Transit Route
LLTV
[USA] Lunar Landing Training Vehicle.
LLTV
Low-Light TeleVision
LLv
[Finland] Lentolaivue --- squadron.
--LM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LM
[USA] Lunar Module, the actual moon landing craft.
LMTR
Laser Marker & Target Ranger
--LN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LO
Low Observable (technology)
LoADS
[USA] Low Altitude Air Defense System. The 'Sentry' ABM missile.
LOC
[USA] Line Of Communication
LOFT
[UK] Line Oriented Flight Training
L&OG
[USA] Logistics & Operations Group
LOH
[USA] Light Observation Helicopter. Requirement for which the Bell OH-4,
Hiller OH-5 and Hughes OH-6 were built.
LoI
Letter of Intent
Loise
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.2 bomber
Lombard
[UK] Diversionary operation over Norway, June 1944.
LOMEZ
[USA] Low Missile Engagement Zone
Long Lance
[Japan] The "type 93" torpedo used by the Japese forces during WWII, an
uniquely powerful weapon: 9m long, with a 60cm cross-sectioon, a
weight of 2700kg and a warhead of 450kg. Driven by oxygen.
Long Thrust
[USA] Exercise. During Long Thrust II, in 1962, 5273 troops were
flown for the USA to Germany in seven days.
Long Track
[NATO] Surveillance radar associated with the SA-4 and SA-6
Looking Glass
[USA] Boeing KC-135B, EC-135A, EC-135C and EC-135P, ABNCP aircraft
(airborne command posts for the nuclear forces).
Lookout
[USA] ?
Loon
[USA] Navy version of the JB-2, the Americanized version of the
German V-1. Never operational, but fired from two submarines in tests.
LORAD
[USA] Long-Range Active Detection
LORAN
Long Range Aid to Navigation
Lorna
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kyushu Q1W Tokai ASW aircraft
LOROP
Long-Range Oblique Photography
LOTEX
Life-Of-Type Extension
Louise
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.2 bomber
Low Blow
[NATO] Radar associated with the SA-3
LOX
Liquid Oxygen.
--LP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LP
Low Pressure
LPA
[USA] USN: Amphibious Transport
LPD
[USA] USN: Amphibious Transport Dock
LPH
[USA] Amphibious Assault Ship. Includes a number of former CV's of the
Essex class and CVE's of the Anzio and Commencement Bay class. The
later 'Iwo Jima' class were purpose-designed helicopter carriers. They
are also suitable for AV-8 Harriers.
LPH-2 Iwo Jima (Iwo Jima)
LPH-3 Okinawa (Iwo Jima)
LPH-4 Boxer (Essex)
LPH-5 Princeton (Essex)
LPH-6 Thethis Bay (Anzio / Casablanca)
LPH-7 Guadalcanal (Iwo Jima)
LPH-8 Valley Forge (Essex)
LPH-9 Guam (Iwo Jima)
LPH-10 Tripoli (Iwo Jima)
LPH-11 New Orleans (Iwo Jima)
LPH-12 Inchon (Iwo Jima)
LPI
Low Probability of Intercept
LPO
[USA] Leading Petty Officer (USN)
LPSS
[USA] USN: Amphibious Transport Submarine
--LQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LRBM
Long-Range Ballistic Missile
LRCA
[USA] Long Range Combat Aircraft. The B-1B.
LRDMM
[USA] Long-Range Dual-Mission Missile. A ship-launched missile
programme, intended against both ships and aircraft.
LRGB
Long-Range Glide Bomb
LRIP
Low-Rate Initial Production
LRIX
[USA] Long-Range Interceptor Experimental; the F-108 Rapier project.
This Mach 3+ fighter was cancelled.
LRMP
[USA] Long-Range Maritime Patrol
LRMTS
[UK] Laser Range Meter and Target Seeker, targeting equipment
fitted to the Jaguar and Harrier.
LRP
[Allied] Long-Range Penetration, operations of small units behind the
enemy lines.
LRPA
Long-Range Patrol Aircraft
LRU
Line Replaceable Unit
--LS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS
[USA] USN: Landing Ship
LSD
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Dock
LSI
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Infantry
LSM
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Medium
LSM(R)
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Medium, rockets
LST
[USA] Landing Ship, Tank
LSU
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Utility
--LT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LTD
Laser Target Designator
LTF
[UK] Lightning Training Flight
LTG
[Germany] Lufttransportgeschwader -- air transport wing.
LTWA
[USA] Long Trailing Wire Antenna. For the E-6 Mercury TACAMO aircraft;
this antenna has a length of 8530m.
--LU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luke
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi J4M fighter
Lulu
[USA] Air-dropped nuclear depth charge.
Luftwaffe
[Germany] Air Force.
--LV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LVA
[Netherlands] Luchtvaartafdeling, Air Corps,
name of home-based air force before and during WWII.
LVA
[Czechoslovakia] Letecka Vojenscka Akademie --- Military Air Academy.
LVT
[USA] USN: Landing Vehicle, Tracked
--LW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LWF
[USA] LightWeight Fighter, the program that created the F-16 and F-17.
LWR
Laser Warning Receiver
--LX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LZ
Landing Zone
LZC
[USA] Landing Zone Construction -- dropping blast bombs to clear an
area.
LZP
[USA] Landing Zone Preparation -- supressing enemy action to make
landing of aicraft or helicopters possible.
Anfangsbuchstabe M:
M
[USSR] Modifikatsirovanny or Modifikatsiya; both indicating a
modification.
M
[USA] Code applied to designations for armament
systems and equipment, used by the US Army.
M1 Cluster bomb
M2 Browning .30 or .50 machine gun
M3 Browning .50 machine gun
M5 40mm grenade launcher
M6 The M6 combined four M60s with six 70mm rockets.
M8 MDD Grenade launcher
M12 Incendiary cluster bomb
M13 Incendiary cluster bomb
M16 Combination of the M60 guns and two M158 rocket launchers.
M17 Incendiary cluster bomb
M19 Incendiary cluster bomb
M20 Incendiary cluster bomb
M21 Incendiary cluster bomb
M21 Emerson M21 armament system for helicopters; two M134 and two
M158.
M22 Incendiary cluster bomb
M24 20mm cannon.
M26 Cluster fragmentation bomb
M27 McDonnell Douglas M27, a nose turret for helicopters with a
single M134 gun or M8 grenada launcher, interchangeable.
M28 Emerson gun turret for helicopters with one M134 and one M129.
M28 Cluster fragmentation bomb
M30 Cluster adapter
M30A1 45.4 kg General Purpose bomb
M31 20mm cannon
M31 Incendiary cluster bomb
M32 Gas cluster bomb
M35 Installation of the M195 in helicopters.
M35 Incendiary cluster bomb
M36 Incendiary cluster bomb
M38A2 45.4 kg Practice bomb
M39 Pontiac M39, a 20mm revolver cannon, copy of the WWII German
MG213 gun.
M40A1 10.4 kg Fragmentation bomb
M41A 9.1 kg Fragmentation/ shaped-charge bomb M43 Gas cluster bomb
M44 Gas generator
M47 45.4 kg Incendiary / Smoke bomb
M50 1.81 kg Thermite, incendiary bomb
M52 454 kg Armour-piercing bomb
M56 1814 kg Blast bomb
M57 113 kg General Purpose bomb
M58 227 kg Semi-armour piercing bomb
M59 454 kg Semi-armour piercing bomb
M60 7.62mm aicraft gun.
M61 General Electric 20mm 'Vulcan' aircraft gun.
M64 227 kg General Purpose bomb
M65 454 kg General Purpose bomb
M65 Airborne TOW system.
M66 907 kg General Purpose bomb
M69 2.7 kg Incendiary bomb
M70 52.2 kg Mustard gas / gel bomb
M74 4.5 kg Incendiary bomb
M76 227 kg Incendiary bomb
M78 227 or 454 kg Gas bomb
M81 117.9 kg Fragmentation bomb
M82 40.8 kg Fragmentation bomb
M83 1.81 kg Fragmentation bomb
M86 54.4 kg Fragmentation bomb
M88 99.8 kg Fragmentation bomb
M103 907 kg Semi-armour piercing bomb
M104 45.4 kg Leaflet bomb
M105 227 kg Leaflet bomb
M109 5443 kg General Purpose bomb
M110 9979 kg General Purpose bomb
M112 Flare, used for aerial photography.
M113 56.7 kg Gas bomb
M116 340 kg Napalm bomb
M117 340 kg General Purpose bomb
M118 1361 kg General Purpose, low-drag bomb
M121 4536 kg General Purpose bomb
M124 113 kg Practice bomb
M125 4.54 kg Gas bomb
M126 1.81 kg Incendiary bomb
M129 340 kg Leaflet bomb
M129 MDD 40mm grenade launcher
M134 General Electric 7.62mm 'Minigun'
M138 Gas-filled bomblet
M156 Flexible gun mount.
M157 Rocket pod
M158 Pod with seven 70mm rockets.
M185 Flare, used for aerial photography.
M188 G.E. Development of the M61 Vulcan; a three-barrel 30mm gun.
M195 Derivation of the M61 for use in helicopters.
M197 General Electric 20mm, three-barrel gun.
M200 19 rocket pod, probably 70mm.
M214 General Electric 5.56mm gun.
M230 McDonnell Douglas 'Chain Gun', a 30mm single-barrel gun.
M247 Shaped-charge warhead for 70mm rockets
M255 Flechette warhead for 70mm rockets
M261 Subminution warhead for 70mm rockets
M262 Illumination warhead for 70mm rockets
M264 Smoke screen warhead for 70mm rockets
M439 Fuze.
--MA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAAG
[USA] Military Advisory and Assistance Group
Mabel
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi B5M torpedo-bomber.
MAC
[USA] Military Airlift Command
MAC
Mean Aerodynamic Chord
Mach
Speed of Sound, used as speed unit. 340.5 m/sec, or 1225.5 km/h
as sea level under standard conditions, and decreases with altitude.
Above the tropopause (about 11000m) Mach 1 is 295.5 m/sec or
1063.2 km/h.
MACV
[USA] Military Assisctance Command in Vietnam
MAD
Magnetic Anomaly Detector or Magnetic Airborne Detector. Detects
submarines by measuring the changes in the magnetic field of the
earth.
MAD
Mutual Assured Destruction
MADAR
[USA] Malfunction Detection, Analysis and Recording. Installed in
Lockheed C-5s.
Madcap
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-74 AEW aircraft.
Madge
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-6 reconaissance flying boat.
Madge
Microwave Aircraft Digital Guidance Equipment. A landing-aid.
Madrid
[Germany] WWII IR-guidance system for missiles.
MAEE
[UK] Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment. During WWII at
Helensburg, Scotland; previously at Felixstowe.
Maestro
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-28 trainer.
MAFFS
[USA] Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, installed in ANG C-130s
to assist in firefighting.
MAG
[USA] Military Airlift Group
MAG
[USA] Marine Air Group
MAG
[Canada] Maritime Air Group
Magnet
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-17 trainer.
Magnum
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-30 trainer.
MAGTF
[USA] Marine Air-Ground Task Force
Maiden
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-11 trainer.
Mail
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-12 flying boat.
Mainstay
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-76 AEW aircraft.
Mallard
[Allied] Reinforcement of the airborne units on the Normandy
bridgehead, by a second wave of airborne droppings. June 6, 1944.
Mallow
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-10 flying boat.
Mandrake
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-25 trainer.
Mandrel
[UK] Monitoring And Neutralizing Defensive Radar Electronics, British
WWII jamming equipment.
Mangrove
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-27 trainer.
MANPADS
[USA] Man-Portable Air-Defense System. Became FIM-92 Stinger.
MANPRINT
[USA] Manpower, Personnel, and training. Ergonomic design effort.
Mantis
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-32 trainer.
MAP
[USA] Military Aid Program, or Military Assistand Program, or
Mutual Assistance Program.
MAP
[UK] Ministery of Aircraft Production
Maple Flag
Exercise held in Canada.
Marder
[Germany] Contingency plan for an Alied landing near Rome. Used
after the landing at Anzio-Nettuno, January 1944.
Mare
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-14 trainer.
Marita
[Germany] Intervention of the German army in the Balkan, 1941.
Mark
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-7U trainer.
Market
[Allied] Paratroop component of 'Market Garden'
Market Garden
[Allied] Combined airborne and ground forces attack in September 1944
to break through the German lines, cross the Rhine and invade the Ruhr.
The airborne units captured the bridges in Son, Veghel, Grave, and
Nijmegen but had to surrender in Arnhem.
Market Time
[USA] Patrol sorties of P2V Neptunes over the Vietnamese coast and
Cambodja.
MARS
Mid-Air Recovery / Retrieval System
MARV
Manoeuvrable Re-entry Vehicle
MAS
[USA] Mission Avionics System
MASCDC
[USA] Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center. Davis-Monthan,
Arizona.
Mascot
[UK] Carrier air strike against 'Tirpitz', July 1944.
Mascot
[NATO] Soviet Ilysuhin Il-28 trainer.
MATS
[USA] Mid-Atlantic Tracking System. Equipment carried by test aircraft,
based on GPS. These replace tracxking radars.
MATS
[USA] Military Air Transport Service.
Matterhorn
[USA] Bombing offensive againts Japan. First mission on 15 June 1944.
MATV
[USA] Multi-Axis Thrust Vectoring, an F-16 with a vectoring nozzle.
MatWing
[USA] Medium Attack Wing
MATZ
Military Air Traffic Zone
MAU
[USA] Marine Amphibious Unit
Mavis
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi H6K flying boat.
MAW
[USA] Military Airlift Wing
MAW
[USA] Marine Aircraft Wing
MAW
[UK] Missile Approach Warning system.
MAW
Mission Adaptive Wing.
MAWS
[UK] Missile Approach Warning System
MAWS
[USA] Missile Attack Warning System
Max
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-18 trainer.
May
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-38 ASW aircraft.
Maya
[NATO] Czech Aero L-29 Delfin trainer.
Mayday
Distress call, indicating an emergency
--MB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MBR
[USSR] Mezhkontenental'naya ballisticheskaya raketa - ICBM
MBRRGChIN
[USSR] MBR s razdelyayuchimi golovnyym chastyami indiviual'nogo
navedeniya - MIRV
--MC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCAS
Marine Corps Air Station
MCB
[USA] Mobile Construction Battalion
MCLOS
Manual Command Line-Of-Sight (missile guidance)
MCM
[USA] USN: Mine Countermeasures Ship
--MD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDAP
Mutual Defence Assistance Programme
MDC
Miniature Detonating Cord, used to fragment canopies before ejection.
MDI
[Canada] Miss Distance Indicator
--ME-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEB
[USA] Marine Expeditionary Brigade
MEDA
Military Emergency Diversion Airfield
MEF
[USA] Marine Expeditionary Force
MEISR
[USA] Minimum Essential Improvement in System Reliability, an
upgrade of the F-106 in 1967.
MELIN
[UK] Multi-Engine Lead-IN training
MEP
[USA] Mission Equipment Package
MER
Multiple Ejection Rack
MERCAST
Merchant Shop Broadcast System
MEREP
Merchant Ship Report
Merkur
[Germany] Mercury. Codename for the conquest of
Crete, the largest as well as the last German deployment of airborne
units.
Merlin
[UK] Terminally-guided anti-tank mortar grenade. 81mm calibre.
Mermaid
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-42 flying boat.
METOC
[USA] Meteorological and Oceanographic
Metox
[Germany] Radar warning receiver for U-boats.
Metro Tango
[USA] Codename for TREDS, see there.
METS
[UK] Multi-Engined Training Squadron
MEU
[USA] Marine Expeditionary Unit
MEWSG
Maritime Electronic Warfare Support Group
MEZ
Maritime Exclusion Zone
MEZ
Missile Engagement Zone
--MF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MF
Medium Frequency
MF
Multi-Function
MFA
[Germany] Marine Feldflieger Abteilung --- Navy field flying unit. WWI.
MFC
Missile Fire Control
MFCS
[UK] Manual Fuel Control System
MFD
Multi-Function Display
MFG
[Germany] Marinefliegergeschwader
MFG 3 'Graf Zeppelin'
MFS
[USA] Manned Flight Simulator
--MG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MG
[Germany] Maschinengewehr -- Machine Gun
MG 15 7.92 mm, drum-fed, hand-aimed 1000rds/min 760m/s
MG 17 7.92 mm, belt-fed, fixed 1100rds/min 760m/s
MG 81 7.92 mm, belt-fed 1500rds/min 2800ft/s
MG 131 13 mm, belt-fed 900rds/min 750m/s
MG c30/L 20 mm, drum-fed 350rds/min 950m/s
MG FF 20 mm, drum-fed 530rds/min 585m/s
MG 151 15 mm, belt-fed 700rds/min 850m/s
MG 151/20 20 mm, belt-fed 780rds/min 790m/s
MG 213 20 mm, 1400rds/min 1050m/s
MG 213 30 mm, 1200rds/min 570m/s
MG 301 20 mm, 1000rds/min 1000m/s
MGGB
[USA] Modular Guided Glide Bomb, GBU-15(V)HOBOS.
MGM
[USA] Mobile, guided ground-to-ground Missile. See "us_mil.txt" for an
explanation of the USA designation system.
MGM-5 Corporal
MGM-13 Mace
MGM-18 Lacrosse
MGM-29 Sergeant
MGM-31 Pershing I
MGM-51 Shillelagh
MGM-52 Lance
MGR
[USA] Mobile, ground-targeted rocket. See "us_mil.txt" for an
explanation of the USA designation system.
MGR-1 Honest John
MGR-3 Little John
MGU
Mid-Course guidance unit, for missiles.
--MH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MHC
[USA] USN: Coastal Minehunter
--MI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIA
Missing In Action
Michael
[Germany] Plan for the spring offensive of 1918.
MICo
[USA] Military Intelligence Company
Midas
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-76 tanker
Midget
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 trainer.
MIFASS
[USA] Marine Integrated Fire and Air Support System
MiGCAP
MiG Combat Air Patrol
Mighty Mouse
A FFAR used by the USAF in the '60s.
Mike
[USA] Codename for the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter,
incorrectly thought to be in Japanese service.
Millenium
[UK] 1000-aircraft attack on Cologne, 30 May 1942.
Millie
[USA] Codename for the US-built Vultee VG-11 bomber. It was
not in Japanese service.
MILSTAR
[USA] Military Strategic and Tactical Relay
MILSTRIP
[USA] Military Standard Requisitioning and Issuing Procedures
MIM
[USA] Mobile SAM.
MIM-3 Nike Ajax
MIM-14 Nike Hercules
MIM-23 Hawk
MIM-43 Redeye
MIM-46 Mauler
MIM-72 Chapparal
MIM-104 Patriot
MIMIC
MIcrowave / MIllimetre wave Integrated Circuit.
Mink
[NATO] Soviet UT-2 trainer.
MirSIP
[Belgium] Mirage Safety Improvement Programme.
MIRV
Multiple Indepentdly Targeted Reentry Vehicle, i.e. a payload for
a ballistic missile consisting of multiple, independently guided
warheads or decoys.
MIS
[USA] Missile Squadron
Mistel
[Germany] A 'mistel' was created by combining a unmanned bomber, loaded
with explosives, with a fighter on top. The pilot of the fighter
steered the combination to the target, aimed the bomber, and then
uncoupled. The bombers had large 'shaped charge' warheads, and the
fighter drained fuel from the bomber to extend its range.
Mistel 1 Ju 88A-4 with Bf 109F. Maybe sometimes Ju 88C-6s were used.
Mistel 2 Ju88G-1 with Fw 190A-6 or Fw 190A-8.
Mistel S 2 Trainer version of Mistel 2; the Ju 88
retained a cabin for a two-man crew. Sometimes a
transparent nose cap was fitted (the Ju 88G was a
nightfighter version).
Mistel 3C Ju 88G-10 with Fw 190A or Fw 190F. The Ju 88G-10 had
additional fuel tanks installed because its normal fuel
wasn't suitable for the fighter.
Mistel S3C Trainer version of the Mistel 3C.
Misty FAC
[USA] Fast-jet FAC. F-100Fs were used.
MIW
Mine Warfare
--MJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--MK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MK
[Germany] Maschinenkanone
MK 101 30 mm, drum-fed 250rds/min
MK 103 30 mm, 420rds/min 960m/s
MK 108 30 mm, belt-fed 600rds/min 505m/s
MK 112 55 mm, 300rds/min 595m/s
MK 114 55 mm, 150rds/min 1050m/s
MK 115 55 mm, belt-fed 600m/s
MK 214 50 mm, belt-fed
MK 303 30 mm 900rds/min 1000m/s
MK 412 55 mm 300rds/min 1000m/s
--ML-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ML
[USA] USN: Minelayer (ship)
MLD
[Netherlands] Marine Luchtvaart dienst -- Naval Air Service
MLMS
[USA] Multipurpose Lightweigth Missile System, an air-launched
development of Stinger, intended as a self-defense weapon for
helicopters and small aircraft.
MLRS
[UK] Multiple Launch Rocket System. Armoured vehicle with two six-
tube launchers. For unguided or guided missiles, with conventional
warheads, cluster warheads or chemical loads.
MLS
Microwave Landing System
MLU
Mid-Life Upgrade
MLW
Maximum Landing Weight
--MM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MMH/FH
Maintenance Man Hours per Flying Hour
Mmo
Maximum operating Mach number
MMS
Mast-Mounted Sight (for helicopters)
MMSA
[USA] Multi-Mission Surveillance Aircraft
MMWR
Milimetre-Wave Radar
--MN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mne
Mach number Never to be Exceeded
--MO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mobile Zebra
[USA] Deployment of a large number of aicraft to the Philippines.
1957.
MoA
Memorandum of Agreement
Moby Dick
[USA] This program used unmanned balloons with camera's and recording
equipment to overfly the USSR, from 1952 onwards. The project was
stopped in 1956 after the USSR publicisized it and complained.
MoD
Ministry of Defence.
mod
model, or modification.
Mode
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-8 flying boat.
Moked
[Israel] The attack of 5 June 1968, start of the Six-Day War.
MOL
[USA] Manned Orbiting Laboratory. Contract awarded in 1965, but
later cancelled.
Mole
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-14 or Beriev Be-8 ?
MOMP
[Allied] Mid-Ocean Meeting Point, for convoys and their escorts.
Mongol
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 trainer
Moon Glow
[USA] Alert in Vietnam, 1961.
Moose
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-11 trainer
Moritz
[Germany] WWII IR-guidance system for missiles.
Morskaya Aviatsiya
[USSR] Naval Air Force
MOS
Military Occupational Skill, i.e. the task one is trained for.
Moss
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-126 AEW aircraft
Mote
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-2 / MDR-2 flying boat.
MOT&E
[NATO] Multinational Operational Test & Evaluation
MOU
Memorandum of Understanding
Moujik
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-7 trainer
--MP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MPA
Maritime Patrol Aircraft
MPA
Man Powered Aircraft
MPC
Missile Practive Camp
MPD
Multi-Purpose Display
MPK
[USSR] Maliy protivolodochniy korabl' (small anti-submarine ship)
MPR
Medium Power Radar
--MQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--MR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MR
Maritime Reconaissance
MRAAM
Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile
MRASM
[USA] Medium Range ASM, the tactical, non-nuclear
development of the AGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile: BGM-109.
MRB
[USA] Multi-Role Bomber
MRBF
Mean Rounds Before Failure, number indicating
the reliability of a gun.
MRC
[USA] Movement Report Center
MRCA
Multi-Role Combat Aircraft -- the Panavia Tornado.
MRF
Multi-Role Fighter
MRF
[UK] Meteorological Research Flight
MRK
[USSR] Maliy raketniy korabl' (small rocket ship)
MRL
Multiple Rocket Launcher
MRO
[USA] Movement Report Office
MRU
Military Radar Unit
MRW
Maximum Ramp Weight
--MS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MS
[USA] USN: Minesweeper (ship)
MSA
Minimum Safe Altitude
MSAM
[UK] Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile. A replacement for Bloodhound.
MSB
Minesweeping Boat
MSC
[USA] Military Sealift Command
MSH
[USA] USN: Minesweeper, coastal
MSIP
[NATO] Multinational Staged Improvement Programme
MSIP
[USA] Multi-Stage Improvement Program.
MSL
Mean Sea Level
MSO
[USA] USN: Minesweeper, ocean
MSOW
[USA] Modular Stand-Off Weapon. Now cancelled.
MSP
[USA] Mach Sweep Programmer, automatic wing sweep control system of the
F-14 Tomcat.
--MT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MT
[USSR] Morskoy tral'shchik (seagoing minesweeper)
MTA
Military Training Area
MTACC
[USA] Marine Tactical Command and Control System
MTAS
Millimetric Target Acquisition System
MTAS
Modular Target Acquisition System
MTAS
Multi-Sensor Target Acquisition System
MTBF
Mean Time Between Failures
MTD
Moving Target Detection
MTI
Moving Target Indicator
MTOGW
Maximum Take-Off Gross Weight
MTOW
Maximum Take-Off Weight
MTR
Missile Tracking Radar
MTT
Multiple Target Tracking
--MU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MU
[UK] Maintenance Unit
Mug
[NATO] Soviet Chetverikov Che-2 / MBR-2 flying boat.
Mulberry
[Allied] Artificial harbour, constructed in the invasion area in
Normandy, June 1944. Two were built, one in the British and one in
the US sector.
Mule
[NATO] Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 trainer
Mule Train
[USA] Deployment of 346th TCS to Vietnam. 1961.
MUPSOW
[South Africa] Modular Stand-Off Weapon developed by Kentron.
Murphy's Law
Often rendered as 'Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong'. In its
original form it stated that if there are two ways to do someting, one
of which has catastrophic results, then someone will inevitably do it
the wrong way.
Musgrave
[UK] Deployment of heavy bombers to Malaya, in 1950, as part of
operation Firedog (see there).
MuSIC
[USA] Multi-System Integrated Control, a study
into thrust-vectoring.
--MV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MV
[USA] USN: Merchant Vessel
--MW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MW
[USA] Missile Wing
MW
[Germany] Mehrzweckwaffe --- multi-purpose weapon
--MX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MX
[USA] New generation ICBM.
--MY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Myrt
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima C6N Saiun reconaissance
aircraft.
Mystic
[NATO] Soviet Myasischew M-17 / M-55 reconaissance aircraft
--MZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MZFW
Maximum Zero Fuel Weight
Anfangsbuchstabe N:
NAAFI
[USA] Navy, Army & Air Force Institutes
NAAS
[USA] Naval Auxiliary Air Station
NAC
[NATO] North Atlantic Council
NAC
[UK] Naval Air Command
NACA
[USA] National Advisory Commitee for Aeronautics
NACES
[USA] Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seat
NACF
[USA] Naval Air Combat Fighter. The F-18 programme.
NAD
[UK] Naval Air Department
NADC
[USA] USN: Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania.
NADGE
[NATO] NATO Air Defence Ground Environment
NAEW
[NATO] NATO Airborne Early Warning
NAEWF
[NATO] NATO Airborne Early Warning Force
NAF
[USA] Naval Air Facility
NAFEC
[USA] National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center. Pomona, NJ.
NAMMA
[NATO] NATO MRCA development & procurement Management Agency
NAMFI
NATO Missile Firing Installation: a firing ground for missiles
at Akrotiri, Crete.
Nancy Rae
[USA] Boeing JKC-135A TELINT aircraft
Nanuchka
[NATO] Soviet missile boat class
NAO
[UK] National Audit Office, of the Public Accounts Committee.
NARF
[USA] Naval Air Reserve Force
Narkomaviaprom
[USSR] State Commissariat for the Aviation Industry.
NAS
[USA] Naval Air Station, Naval Air Squadron
NASA
[USA] National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration
NASARR
[USA] North American Search And Range Radar. Radar of the F-104.
NASC
[USA] USN: Naval Air Systems Command
NASMO
[NATO] NATO Starfighter Management Office
NASP
[USA] National Aero-Space Plane
NATC
[USA] Naval Air Training Command
NATC
[USA] Naval Air Test Center, at Patuxent, Maryland, USA.
Nate
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.27 fighter
NATF
[USA] Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Created in 1949.
Navaho
[USA] Large jet-powered cruise missile, an intercontintal Mach 3+
weapon the size of a big bomber. Abandoned in favour the ICBM.
Flew first in 1958.
Navaid
Navigation Aid
Navair
[USA] Naval Air Systems command
NavAirLant
[USA] Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet
NavAirPac
[USA] Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet
NAVALT
[USA] Naval Alteration
NAVCOM
[USA] Navigation / Communications
NAVEX
Navigation Exercise
NAVSAT
[USA] Navy Sattelite System
NAVSTAR
[USA] Navigation Satellite Timing And Ranging. Now known as GPS.
NAVWASS
Navigation & Weapon Aiming Sub System
NAWC
[USA] Naval Air Warfare Center. The former NATC at Patuxent River, NADC
at Warminster, NAEC at Lakehurst, NAPC at Trenton and NAC at Indianapolis
were combined to create NAWC.
NAWC AD
[USA] Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division.
--NB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBAA
[USA] National Bussiness Aircraft Association
NBC
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (weapons)
NBMR-3
[NATO] Requirement formulated in 1960-1961 for a supersonic VTOL
strike fighter. Candidates included the Mirage IIIV and Hawker
P.1154.
--NC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCA
[USA] National Command Authority
NCAC
[Allied] Northern Area Combat Command. Chinese Army units that had
been trained by US forces and operated from Ramgarh in India.
NCO
Non-Commissioned Officer
NCTI/R
Non-Cooperative Target Identification / Recognition
--ND-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDAA
[USA] Non-Developmental Airlift Aircraft. An off-the-shelf
transport as a cheaper alternative for the C-17. Might be
a 747, MD-11, a new C-5 or a modified C-17.
NDB
Non-Directional Beacon
NDI
Non-Developmental Item, an 'off-the-shelf' product.
NDRE
[Norway] Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, the FFI.
NDRF
[USA] National Defense Reserve Fleet
NDT
Non-Destructive Testing
--NE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nectarines
[UK] The Frisian Islands, when referred to for aerial
minelaying ('Gardening').
NEFMA
[NATO] NATO EFA/Eurofighter Management Agency
Nell
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi G3M bomber
Neptune
[Allied] Crossing of the Channel for Overlord, 6 June 1944.
NEWRADS
[USA] Nuclear Explosion Warning and Radiological Data System
NEX
[USA] Navy Exchange
--NF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NFGF
[UK] Naval Flying Grading Flight.
NFH
[NATO] NATO Frigate Helicopter
NFO
[USA] Naval Flight Officer
NFST
[USA] National Fleet Surgical Team
NFWS
Naval Fighter Weapons School ('Top Gun')
NFZ
No-Fly Zone
--NG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NGB
[USA] National Guard Bureau
NGT
[USA] Next Generation Trainer, a replacement for the elderly T-37.
The T-46 won the contract, but was later cancelled.
NGTE
[UK] National Gas Turbine Establishment. Established in 1946 at
Farnborough.
--NH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIB
[Allied] Noise Investigation Bureau. Studied German radar emissions.
Nick
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.45 Toryu fighter
Nickel Grass
[USA] Transfer of USAF equipment to Israel in 1973, to compensate
its losses in the Yom Kippur War.
Night Light
[USA] Loan of two RF-4C Phantom IIs to Israel, 1970-1971, pending
delivery of 6 RF-4Es.
Night Watch
[USA] Boeing EC-135J, ABNCP aircraft
Nihon Koku Jietai
[Japan] Japanese Defence Force
NII V-VS
[USSR] Nauchno-Issledovatelsky Institut V-VS --- Scientific
Research Institute of the V-VS.
Nirou Havai Shahanshahiye Iran
[Iran] Imperial Iranian Air Force.
NITE-OP
Night Imaging Trough Electro-Optics
Nit Picker
[USA] Modification program for the F-100C and F-100D.
--NJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NLOS
Non-Line of Sight
--NM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NMANG
[USA] New Mexico ANG.
NMPC
[USA] Naval Military Personnel Command
--NO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOA
[USSR] Scientific Test Aerodrome. Replaced by the NII V-VS in
1926.
NOAA
[USA] National Ocenanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOE
Nap-Of-the-Earth
NOGS
[USA] Night Observation Gunship System. The Rockwell YOV-10D Bronco
version. The 'G' was dropped with the gun from the OV-10D.
NOL
[USA] Naval Ordnance Laboratory
NOMAD
[USA] Navy Oceanographic and Meteorological Automatic Device
NORA
[France] Nacelle Optique de Reconaissance Aerienne --- Optical
airborne reconaissance pod. A real-time videocamera.
NORAD
[USA, Canada] North Atlantic Aerospace Defense Command. Created in 1957.
Norm
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi E15K Shiun seaplane.
Norma
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Type 97 light bomber, did not
exist. (Was Ki-15)
NOS
[USA] National Ocean Survey
NOS
Night Observation Surveillance
NOS
[USA] Night Observation System. See NOGS.
NOTAM
Notice To Airmen
NOTAR
No Tail Rotor. Helicopter without tail rotor; contra-torque
stabilisation is achieved by the air flow through a slit in the tail
boom.
NOTE
Nap-Of-The-Earth
--NP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPE
[USA] Naval Preliminary Examination, testing of equipment by the USN
before procurement.
NPIC
[USA] National Photographic Interpretation Center.
NPO
[USSR] Nauchno-Proizvodstvennoye Obyedineniye -- research
manufacturing association.
NPT
Non-Proliferation Treaty
--NQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NRL
[USA] Naval Research Laboratory
NRO
[USA] National Reconaissance Office. Created in 1960. Its existence
was admitted in 1992!
NROTC
[USA] Naval Reserce Officer Training Corps
--NS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NSA
[USA] National Security Agency
NSFO
[USA] Navy Standard Fuel Oil
NSFS
[USA] Naval Surface Fire Support
NSG
[USA] Naval Security Group
NSGr
[Germany] Nachtslachtgruppe --- night attack group. Light attack
aircraft operating on the Eastern front, as an imitation of Soviet
harrasment attacks using Po.2 biplanes.
NSRDC
[USA] Naval Ship Research and Development Center.
NSSMS
[USA] NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System.
--NT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NTDO
[USA] Naval Technical Data Office
NTDS
[USA] Naval Tactial Data System, data processing system fitted to the
E-2C Hawkeye.
NTP
[USA] Near-Term Penetrator
NTPS
[USA] Naval Test Pilots School (Patuxent River NAWC)
--NU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUC
[USA] navy Unit Commendation
--NV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NVA
North-Vietnamese Army
NVG
Night Vision Goggles
NVPS
[USA] Night Vision Pilotage System
NVS
Night Vision System
--NW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NWC
[USA] Naval Weapons Center
--NX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NZ------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe O:
Oak
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi K10W trainer
OASIS
[USA] Over-the-horizon Airborne Sensor Information System
OAT
Outside Air Temperature
--OB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBA
Oxygen Breathing Apparatus
Oboe
[UK] Navigation system, developed in the UK during WWII. Two radar
stations were used for each aircraft, one determining range and one
position. 'Oboe' was used by Pathfinder aircraft because of its accuracy.
OBOGS
[USA] On Board Oxygen Generating System
Observations-helikopter Kompagni
[Denmark] observation helicopter company.
OBSKMP
[Denmark] Observations-helikopter Kompagni --- observation
helicopter company.
--OC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OC
Officer Commanding
OCA
[USA] Offensive Counter Air
OCA
Obstacle Clearance Altitude
Ocean Safari
[UK] Exercise.
Ocean Venture
[UK] Exercise.
Ocelot
[Allied] Codename for a code used by the Luftwaffe, that could be read
by the Allied Intelligence.
OCH
Obstacle Clearance Height
OCONUS
[USA] Outside Continental United States
OCU
[UK] Operational Conversion Unit
OCU
[USA] Operational Capability Update
--OD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Odd Rods
[NATO] Soviet IFF set, characterised by a row of three antennas
of increasing length.
ODR
Omnidirection Range
OEU
[UK] Operational Evaluation Unit
OHL
[Germany] Oberste Heeresleitung --- Supreme Command of the Army.
Headquarters of the German forces during WWI.
OH-X
[Japan] Armed scout/observation light helicopter. Mock up revealed
in September 1994.
--OI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OIS
[USA] Orbit Improvement System, for the E-6 Mercury. The E-6 TACAMO
flies circles around a fixed point to keep its long trailing wire
antenna (LTWA) in a fixed vertical position. OIS is to improve the
steadiness of the antenna.
OKB
[USSR] Design Bureau
OKO
[USSR] Optny Konstruktorsky Otdel --- Experimental Design Section
--OL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OL
Operating Location.
Olympic
[USA] Plan for the invasion of the Japanese island Kyushu. 1945.
Olympic Fire
[USA] U-2 surveillance missions from Patrick AFB, Florida.
Olympic Harvest
[USA] U-2 surveillance missions from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus.
Olympic Torch
[USA] U-2 surveillance missions from Osan AFB, South Korea.
--OM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
O&M
Operations & Maintenance
OMAG
[USR] Osobaya Morskaya Aviatsionna Grupa -- Independent Naval
Aviation Group.
Omaha Beach
[Allied] One of the landing beaches used for 'Overlord'.
Omar
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Suzukaze 20. Did not exist.
Omega
Long-range navigation aid.
--ON-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ONR
[USA] Office of Naval Research.
--OO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OOA
[USA] Orbiting Optical Adjunct. Boeing 767 testbed operated by the
US Army for evaluation of a Hughes sensor system to detect orbiting
objects.
OOD
[USA] Officer of the Deck (USN)
OOD
[USA] Officer of the Watch (USN)
--OP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OP
Operator
OPC
[Australia] Offshore Patrol Combatants
OPCON
[USA] Operational Control
Open Skies
[USA] Proposal to allow mutual reconaissance flights over the territory
of the superpowers. Accepted after the end of the Cold War. Also used
as name for the OC-135B equipped for this role.
Operation Bolo
[USA] Operation in Vietnam, 2 January 1967, that ended with the
shooting down of seven MiG-21s by F-4s.
OPORD
[USA] Operation Order
OPPLAN
[USA] Operation Plan
OR
[UK] Operational Requirement
Orange Crop
ESM system.
Orange Herald
[UK] Nuclear bomb. 720 kiloton. Probably experimental only.
ORB
[UK] Operations Record Books.
Orchidee
[France] Observatoire Radar Coherent Heliporte d'Investigation des
Elements Ennemis -- Basically this means that Orchidee is a
pulse-doppler radar that is carried by a helicopter and is used to
track moving ground targets.
ORE
[USA] Operational Readiness Evaluation
ORI
[USA] Operational Readiness Inspection.
Orient Excess
[USA] SIGINT missions, flown along the Chinese coast from bases in
Japan. 11 hours flying from Yokota, 9 from Kadena. Reportedly very
boring. 1960s.
Orient Express
[UK] Exercise in the Indian Ocean, 1983.
ORP
[UK] RAF: Operational Readiness Platform
ORS
[Allied] Operational Research Section
--OS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OSA
[USA] Operational Support Airlift / Aircraft
Osa
[NATO] Soviet missile boat class
OSAP
[USSR] Otdelni'i Smeshanni'i Aviatsoni'i Polk -- Independent Mixed
Aviation Regiment.
Oscar
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.43 Hayabusa fighter
OSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Osirak
[Iraq] Nuclear reactor newr Bagdad, Iraq. Destroyed by Israeli
F-16s, escorted by F-15s, on June 7, 1981.
OSS
[USA] Operational Support Squadron
OSS
[USA] Office of Secret Services.
OSSV
[USSR] Ogrnichenie i sokrashchenie stratigicheskykh vooruzhenii - START
OSV
[USSR] Ogranichenie stratigicheskykh vooruzhenii - SALT
--OT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otdelni'i Vertoletni'i Eskadrilya
[USSR] Independent helicopter squadron.
Otdelni'i Vertoletni'i Polk
[USSR] Independent helicopter regiment.
OTH
Over The Horizon.
OTHB
[USA] Over The Horizon Backscatter -- radar development.
OTP
[UK] Operational Training Phase
--OU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--OV-------------
OVE
[USSR] Otdelni'i Vertoletni'i Eskadrilya -- Independent helicopter
squadron.
Overlord
[Allied] Invasion on the coasts of Normandy, 6 June 1944.
OVP
[USSR] Otdelni'i Vertoletni'i Polk -- Independent helicopter regiment.
Normally three squadrons (OVE) of 20 helicopters each.
--OW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
OWE
Operating Weight Empty
--OX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oxcart [USA]
Codename for the A-12 design, precursor of the SR-71.
--OY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--OZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
=
Anfangsbuchstabe P:
P
[USSR] Perekhvatchuk, interceptor.
P
[USSR] Pushechny, cannon-armed.
P^3I
Pre-Planned Product Improvement
--PA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAC
[UK] Parachute and Cable. The Type L was a 2in rocket launched to
1000ft, dispensing a 600ft cable with a parachute at either end and an
explosive charge at one. Type J used a drum on the ground for the
cable, launched to 2000ft. Type K used a 3in rocket to bring a 1000ft
cable as high as 19000ft, and a larger paracute to slow down its
descent.
PACAF
[USA] Pacific Air Forces
Pacer Century
[USA] Test of F-100-PW engines in an F-15, to the max. operating
time of 750 hours.
Pacer Coin
[USA] Surveillance version of the C-130.
Pacer Link
[USA] Boeing EC-135, ABNCP aircraft
Pacer Plank
[USA] Life extension program for the B-52D.
Pacer Power
[USA] Boeing EC-135
Pacer Six
[USA] Conversion of F-106 fighters to target drones. 1986.
Pacer Snow
[USA] ECM and avionics upgrade program for the C-5. Missile-warning
system, and chaff and flare dispensers.
Pacer Speckled Trout
[USA] Boeing NC-135B avionics testbed
Pacer Strike
[USA] Avionics upgrade for the F-111F.
Pacer Wave
[USA] Avionics upgrades for the F-4C.
Pacer Wing
[USA] Upgrade for the C-5 Galaxy, including rewinging; early C-5s
were restricted to 25% of their design payload because of wing
fatigue.
PACIR
[USA] Propulsion, Aerodynamic, Controls Integrated Research
PACCS
[USA] Post Attack Command & Control System
PAE
Program Analysis & Evaluation
PAF
Pakistani Air Force
PAG
[Germany] PersonenAbwurfGeraet --- Personnel-dropping device. This
was a capsule with three seats, that could be parachuted by a
transport aircraft, to drop spies in enemy-occupied territory.
PAH
[Germany] Panzerabwehrhubschrauber. Anti-tank helicopter
Pakistan
[UK] 'Operation Pakistan' was a population shuffle, 1-15 September 1947,
after the partition of India.
Pakistan Fiza'ya
[Pakistan] Pakistan Air Force
PAL
[USA] Permission Active Link. Device to trigger nuclear bombs from
the cockpit.
PAN
Radio code, indicating alert, but not a serious emergency. A level lower
than 'Mayday'.
Pandora
[UK] Codename for the Long Aerial Mine --- See LAM.
Panservaerns-helikopter Kompagni
[Denmark] anti-tank helicopter company.
Papa
[NATO] Soviet Submarine class.
Paperclip
[USA] Transfer of German scientists to the USA after the end of
WWII.
PAPI
Precision Approach Path Indicator
PAR
[Germany] Panzerabwehrregiment. Anti-tank regiment
PAR
Phased Array Radar
PAR
Precision Approach Radar
PAR
[USA] Progressive Aircraft Rework
Parafrag
[USA] Fragmentation bomb, carried down by a parachute and fused to
explode in mid-air. Used by the USAAF against Japanese airfields in
the Pacific.
Pat
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikawa Ki.74 reconaissance aircraft
PAT/ARM
[USA] Passive Angle Tracking / Anti-Radation Missile system, fitted to
some A-6B Intruders for operations against SAM-sites in Vietnam.
Pat Hand
[NATO] Radar associated with SA-4 and SA-6.
Patsy
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikawa Ki.74 reconaissance aircraft
PatWing
[USA] Patrol Wing
PatWingsLant
[USA] Patrol Wings Atlantic Fleet
Paukenschlag
[Germany] Offensive of the U-boats against merchant shipping in
the West Atlantic, immediately after the declaration of war
between Germany and the US.
Paul
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi E16A Zuiun seaplne
PAV
[USA] Prototype Air Vehicles
Pave Aegis
[USA] The Lockheed AC-130 Pave Aegis carries a 105mm cannon.
Pave Arm
[USA] Programme to create missiles that homed on the emissions of
aircraft. See also Brazo. Cancelled.
Pave Arrow
[USA] Two F-4Ds were modified to locate heat sources on the ground,
using modified AIM-9 seekers.
Pave Claw
[USA] The GPU-5/A 30mm gun pod. The gun is the GAU-13/A, a
four-barrelled version of the GAU-8 'Avenger' of the A-10.
Pave Coin
[USA] Development programme for a low-cost, high-performance close
support aircraft, undertaken during the Vietnam war.
Pave Cricket
[USA] ECM RPV, based on 'Pave Tiger'.
Pave Deuce
[USA] Conversion of F-102 for use as manned or unmanned target.
Pave Eagle
[USA] QU-22 Bonanza.
Pave Fire
[USA] Pod with a low-light level television camera and a laser ranger,
to be used in night attacks. Unsuccessfull.
Pave Gat
[USA] Martin B-57G night attack aircraft equipped with a triple-barrel
20mm gun.
Pave Hawk
[USA] The MH-60G or HH-60G rescue helicopter.
Pave Knife
[USA] Guidance pod for laser-guided bombs. AN/AVQ-10.
Pave Light
[USA] AN/AVQ-9 laser designator.
Pave Low
[USA] Special operations helicopters. Pave Low II was MH-53, Pave Low III
is the MH-60.
Pave Mover
[USA] A side-looking radar for targeting missiles to enemy forces.
Pave Nail
[USA] Modification of the OV-10 for night precision attacks.
Pave Nickel
[USA] Radar reconaissance flights of the RB-57F at the border of the
Warsaw pact territory.
Pave Onyx
[USA] Tactical electronic reconnaissance sensor. Litton AN/ALQ-125
Terec.
Pave Pat II
[USA] BLU-76 Fuel-Air Explosive subminution bomb.
Pave Paws
[USA] Phased array radar, to be installed on the coastline of the
USA as a early warning system for missiles launched by submarines.
Pave Penny
[USA] Laser designation system for missiles, also known as TISL.
Pave Phantom
[USA] Modification of the F-4D Phantom II with AN/ARN-92 LORAN
navigation equipment. Phantoms equipped with this were primarily
used for the dropping of sensors.
Pave Pillar
[USA] Effort to develop a standardised avionics system.
Pave Pronto
[USA] AC-130A gunship.
Pave Spectre
[USA] AC-130 gunship. I: A-C130E, II: AC-130H, III: AC-130U.
Pave Spike
[USA] AN/AVQ-23 or AN/ASQ-152(V) laser designation system.
Pave Spot
[USA] Equipment for the coordination of air strikes, installed in OV-10
'Pave Nail' aircraft. AN/AVQ-12 laser designator, stabilised sight,
and LORAN navigation equipment.
Pave Storm
[USA] KMU-421/B guidance unit, a member of the Paveway family. Fitted
to cluster bombs.
Pave Strike
[USA] Defence suppression programme. EW equipment and precision
munitions were added to a number of aircraft.
Pave Sword
[USA] AN/AVQ-11 precision attack sensor. A modified AIM-9 seeker
head, used to track the targets designated by the AN/AVQ-12 Pave Spot
laser designator.
Pave Tack
[USA] Precision bombing system with laser designation, AN/AVQ-26.
Pave Tiger
[USA] Small RPV, CQM-121.
Paveway
[USA] Family of laser guided bombs.
PAWS
[Norway] Programme for Avionics and Weapon System improvements.
--PB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PB
[USSR] Pikuriyushi Bombardirovshchik -- dive bomber
PB
[USSR] Plovuchaya baza (floating base)
PBF
[UK] Personnel Briefing Facility
PBR
[USA] USN: Patrol Boat, River
--PC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PC
[USA] USN: Patrol Corvette / Patrol Craft.
PCB
[UK] Plenum Chamber Burning. This involves the burning of fuel in the
forward nozzles of the R.R. Pegasus engine. This is the engine used by
the (AV-8) Harrier. PCB was proposed for the supersonic P.1154, and is
a possibility for future versions of the Pegasus; it is not used on
current models.
PCB
Printed Circuit Board
PCTA
Plastic-Cased Telescoped Ammunition
PCU
Power Control Unit
--PD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PDF
Precision Direction Finder
PDF
Panamanian Defence Force
PDM
[USA] Programmed Depot Maintenance
PDMS
[USA] Point-Defense Missile System. SAM system for ships, built around
the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow.
PDR
Periscope Detection Radar
PDWE
Pulse Detonation Wave Engine. The PDWE uses explosions of fuel rather
than continous buring of fuel. It is said be able to operate at speeds
up to Mach 10.
--PE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PE
[UK] Procurement Executive
Peace Diamond
[USA] Delivery of F-4 Phantom IIs to Turkey.
Peace Eagle
[USA] Delivery of F-15s to Japan.
Peace Echo
[USA] Delivery of RF-4E Phantom IIs to Israel, in the '70s.
Peaco Fox
[USA] Delivery of F-15s to Israel.
Peace Icarus
[USA] Delivery of 36 F-4Es to Greece, in 1974.
Peace Jack
[USA] Development of the F-4 Phantom II, intended as reconaissance
aircraft for Israel. Ended up as the F-4E(S) carrying the
HIAC camera in a lengthened nose.
Peace Onyx
[USA] Delivery of F-16s to Turkey. The aircraft are actually built in
Turkey, then tested by and deliverd to the USAF, and then deliverd
to the Turkish air force.
Peace Patch
[USA] Delivery of 12 ex-USAF F-4Es to Israel.
Peace Pearl
[USA] Installation of Western electronics in the Chinese J-8B fighter.
Cancelled after the Tien-an-men killings.
Peace Pharaoh
[USA] Delivery of 35 McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs to Egypt.
This was a consequence of the 'Camp David' agreement, but Egypt
was unable to operate the fighters effectively.
Peace Pheasant
[USA] Delivery of 37 F-4E Phantom IIs to South Korea, 1978.
Peace Reef
[USA] Loan of 24 F-4E Phantom IIs to Australia, to compensate the
late delivery of the ordered F-111Cs.
Peace Sentinel
[USA] Delivery of Boeing E-3A and KE-3A to Saudi Arabia.
Peace Spectator
[USA] Delivery of F-4D Phantom II to South Korea, in the early 1970's.
Peace Station
[USA] Boeing 707-3J9C tanker for Iran.
Peace Sun
[USA] Delivery of the first F-15 to Saudi Arabia.
Peace Trout
[USA] modification of a Luftwaffe RF-4E as electronic warfare aircraft
for the German Luftwaffe.
Peace Vector IV [USA]
Delivery of F-16s, built in Turkey, to Egypt.
Peach Wings
[USA] Exchange of the surviving Canadian F-101s for upgraded F-101B
interceptors, 1970.
PECM
Passive ECM
PECS
Powered Elevator Control System. In improvement for the Saab 2000
commuter aircraft.
PEE
[UK] Proof and Experimental Establishment, at Foulness.
Peel Group
[NATO] Radar for SA-N-1 Goa.
Peggy
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.67 bomber
Peipenkopf
[Germany] EO-homing anti-tank missile. WWII.
Perry
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.10 fighter biplane
Pete
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi F1M seaplane
--PF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PF
[USA] USN: Patrol Frigate
PFA
Popular Flying Association
PFCS
Primary Flight Control System
PFD
Primary Flight Display
PFP
[NATO] Partnership For Peace
--PG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PG
[USA] USN: Patrol Gunboat
PGH
[USA] USN: Patrol Gunboat, Hydrofoil
PGM
Precision Guided Munition
PGM
[USA] Missile. See "us_mil.txt" for an explanation of the USA
designation system.
PGM-1 Al Hakim
PGM-3 Pegasus
PGM-11 Redstone.
--PH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phalanx
[USA] Radar-controlled version of the 20mm Vulcan six-barrel cannon,
intended as anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapon. Range about
5000m.
PHARE
[Europe] Programme for Harmonised Air Traffic Management Research
(Europe).
Phimat
[France] Chaff and flares dispenser. Also carried by RAF Tornados.
PHM
[USA] USN: Missile-armed Patrol Hydrofoil.
--PI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PI
Practice Interception
PI
Photographic Interpreters
PIAT
[UK] Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank. WWII anti-tank weapon,
a shoulder-held spigot mortar.
PIC
Pilot In Command
Picket
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 21 and 29 March 1942.
Pierce Arrow
[USA] Strike at North Vietnamese torpedo boat bases, as a retaliation
for the so-called 'Tonkin Gulf Incident'. 1964.
PIF
[USA] Photo Interpretation Facility.
Pig Through
[UK] A rack carrying 14 2in anti-aircraft rockets, introduced on
RN ships in the beginning of WWII.
Pillar Box
[UK] Anti-aircraft rokcet launcher, a circular box with an aimer in
the central seat and ten rockets at each side. WWII.
PILOT
[USA] Piloted Lowspeed Tests -- Martin-Marietta X-24. 'Low Speed' was
in comparison with the X-23 PRIME vehicle.
Pilot's Associate
[USA] Development of 'user friendly' aircraft cockpits.
Pine
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi K3M trainer
Pine Tree
[USA / Canada] A line of early-warning ballistic missile radar stations,
close the US-Canadian border, on the Canadian side. Covers most of Canada.
Pink Team
[USA] Organisation of the US helicopter units of the Cavalry; divided
into a 'White' section for reconaissance, a 'Red' section with
gunships, and a 'Blue' section with infantry carriers.
Pinpoint
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 16 July 1942.
Pinsel
[Germany] EO-homing anti-tank missile. WWII
Pipe Dream
[Allied] Fuel pipeline from Calcutta, India to Kunming, China.
2900km in mountainous jungle.
Piperack
[Allied] Jamming transmitter, fitted to the lead aircraft of bomber
formations.
--PJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--PK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PKR
[USSR] Protivolodochniy kreyser (anti-submarine cruiser)
--PL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PL
[USSR] Podvodnaya lodka (patrol submarine)
PLA
[USSR] Atomnaya podvodnaya lodka (nuclear attack submarine)
Plainfare
[UK] British contribution to the airlift to Berlin.
Plain Jane
[USA] First AC-130A gunship version, also reported as
nickname for the KC-135A.
PLAP
[USSR] Atomnaya protivolodochnaya podlodka (nuclear hunter-killer
submarine)
PLARB
[USSR] Atomnaya podlodka raketnaya ballisticheskaya (nuclear ballistic
missile submarine)
PLARK
[USSR] Atomnaya podlodka raketnaya krilataya (nuclear cruise missile
submarine)
PLK
[USSR] Podlodka raketnaya krilataya (cruise missile submarine)
Plunder
[Allied] Montgomery's crossing of the Rhine, 23 and 24 March 1944.
--PM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PM
[USA] USN: Patrol Missile Boat
PM
[USSR] Plovuchaya masterskaya (floating workshop)
PMFD
[USA] Primary Multi-Function Display
PMTC
[USA] Point Mugu Test Center, missile test center of the USN.
--PN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PNVS
[USA] Pilot's Night Vision Sensor
--PO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
POC
Proof Of Concept
POD
Plan Of the Day
Pointblank
[Allied] Instruction for the bomber offensive against Germany,
10 June 1943.
POL
Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants
Pop Group
[NATO] Radar for SA-N-4.
Porcupine
[UK] Version of 'Hedgehog' with percussion firing instead of
electric firing. Abandoned.
POST
[USA] Proposed Optical Stinger. A FIM-92 version with a new seeker.
POW
Prisoner Of War
--PP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PPA
[USSR] Pastanovchik-Pamech Aktivni'i -- Active Jammer. As in Mi-18PPA
'Hip-J'
PPI
Plan Position Indicator
PPL
Private Pilot's License
PPL
[USA] Pre-Production Verification
--PQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--PR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PR
Public Relations
PR
Photo-Reconaissance
Prairie Fire
[USA] Reconaissance missions in Vietnam, north of the 17th degree.
PRC
People's Republic of China
PRF
Pulse Repetition Frequency
PRIME
[USA] Precision Recovery Including Maneuvring Entry. Martin X-23
lifting-body entry vehicle.
Prize Crew
[USA] Development of quiet observation aircraft by Lockheed.
PRO
[USA] Protivoraketnaya oborona - ABM
PRO
[UK] Public Records Office
PROFIT
[USA] Propulsion/Flight Control Technology.
Project Amber
[USA] Twin-engined RPV project for the USN.
Project Anvil
[USA] The use of the BQ-8 unmanned flying bomb conversion of the B-24.
Project Batty
[USA] Operational use of the GB-4 guided bomb, by the 388th BG, in July
1944.
Project Bullet
[USA] Attempt to set a transcontinental speed record with a F8U-1 and
an F8U-1P. John Glenn in the F8U-1P made it at an average speed of
1167km/h.
Project Buster
[USA] Attempt during the Korean War to develop a 'radar-busting'
aircraft, based on the RB-26 Invader.
Project Danny
[USA] Mid-1944 plan to use USMC aircraft, F4U Corsairs, to attack V-1
and V-2 laucnhing sites with the 'Tiny Tim' rocket. Never done.
Project Gunboat
[USA] Development program for the gunship version of the C-130.
Project Hot Shot
[USA] The development of the AIM-7 Sparrow AAM.
Project Look Alike
[USA] Modification programme to bring all F-105D's to F-105D-25-RE$
standard and increase their capability. 1964.
Project Optimize
[USA] Modification programma to the F-105 to cure some problems. 1960.
Project Peewee
[USA] The RB-57F program.
Project Perilous
[USA] The use of the Boeing BQ-7 guided bomb version of the B-17.
Project Tailchaser
[USA] Investigation into the application of sideward-spointing
armament. Created the first AC-47 gunships.
Project Vulcan
[USA] Gun development program that produced the M61 Vulcan cannon.
Began in 1946.
Provide Assistance
[USA] Humanitarian operations in Zaire and Ruanda, following the civil war
in Ruanda, 1994.
Provide Comfort
[USA] Operations over Nothern Iraq to establish the no-fly zone created
there after the Gulf War.
Provide Hope II
[USA] Humanitarian operations in conflict zones in the former USSR.
Provide Promise [USA]
Humanitarian operations in Bosnia.
PRU
[UK] Photographical Reconaissance Unit.
--PS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS
[USSR] Passazhirskii i syaz -- passenger and liaison/communications.
As in Mi-8PS.
PSKR
[USSR] Pogranichniy storozhevoy korabl' (border patrol ship)
PSP
[USA] Pierced Steel Planking -- surface for improvised runways.
PSR
Post-Strike Reconaissance
PSSK
Probability of Single-Shot Kill
--PT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PT
[USA] USN: Torpedo Boat
PTG
[USA] USN: Torpedo Boat, guided missile armament
PTM
[USA] USN: Missile-armed Torpedo Boat
PTT
[USA] Part Task Trainer
--PU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUC
[USA] Presidential Unit Citation
Puff Ball
[NATO] Big surveillance radar, carried by the Tu-16.
PUFFS
[USA] Passive Underwater Firecontrol Feasability System.
Puppchen
[Germany] 88mm antitank rocket launcher
Purple Warrior
[UK] Exercise in Scotland, November 1987. This was a 'rerun' of the
Falkland War.
--PV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PV
[USSR] Pulemot Vozdushny -- Machine Gun, Air.
PV-1 7.62mm 780rds/m
PV
Private Venture
PVHKMP
[Denmark] Panservaerns-helikopter Kompagni --- anti-tank helicopter
company.
PVO
[USSR] Protivo-Vozdushnoy Oborony Strany, Air Defence of the homeland
PVOS
[USSR] See PVO.
--PW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PWR
[UK] Passive Warning Receiver
PWW
[USA] Planar Wing Weapon, a cancelled alternative for CWW.
--PX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--PY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
Anfangsbuchstabe Q:
QFE
Atmospheric pressure at aerodrome elevation
QFI
[UK] RAF: Qualified Flying Instructor
--QG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
QM
Quartermaster
--QN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
QNE
Altimeter reading at airfield when subscale is set to 1013.2 millibars.
QNH
Altimeter subscale setting to destination airfield altitude
--QO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
QRA
Quick Reaction Alert
--QS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q Star
[USA] A Schweizer sailplane, modified to a prototype silent
reconaissance aircraft with an engine behind the pilot. A long shaft
was positioned above the cockpit, and a big propellor was fitted on top
of the nose.
--QT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quadrant
[Allied] Conference of the allied war leaders in
Quebec, August 1943.
Quail
[USA] The ADM-20 decoy missile.
Quick Draw
[USA] Withdrawal of US forces from Somalia, 1994.
Quick Fix
[USA] Electronic Warfare helicopter. Quick Fix I was the EH-1H;
Quick Fix II is the EH-60. The equipment used is ALQ-151.
Quick Look I
[USA] Program to modify the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk to RV-1C recce
aircraft.
Quick Look II
[USA] Program to modify the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk to RV-1D recce aircraft
with AN/ALQ-133 radar receivers.
Quicksilver
[Allied] Also known as Fortitude South. Desinformation plan, that
created a 'Ghost army' in England, purporting to prepare an
invasion in the Pas de Calais area.
Quickstrike
[USA] Family of air-dropped mines.
--QT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--QZ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe R:
R4M
[Germany] Rakete, 4kg, Minenkopf. 4kr rocket with explosive head.
The R4M was 812mm long, had a cross-section of 55mm, weighed 3.85kg,
had a range of 1500m and a speed of 525m/sec. It was carried by Me 262
fighters at the end of WWII.
--RA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAAF
[Australia] Royal Australian Air Force
RAAWS
Radar Altimeter & Altitude Warning System
Radar
'RAdio Detection And Ranging', detection, location and tracking of
aircraft by reflected radio waves. First patented in 1904 by one
Christian Hulsemeyer, but became of practical use at the time of the
outbreak of WWII. Brits, Germans and Russians developed their own
systems.
RADIAC
Radiactivity Detection, Indication, and Computation
Radiator
[UK] Anti-aircraft rocket launcher. WWII.
Radieschen
[Germany] Passive radar homer fitted to some BV 246 Hagelkorn
long-range glide bombs.
Radop
[Canada] Radar reflective Optical scoring target. Towed target.
RAE
[UK] Royal Aircraft Establishment, later Royal Aerospace Establishment.
RAeS
[UK] Royal Aeronautical Society
RAF
[UK] Royal Air Force
RAFG
[UK] RAF Germany
RAFVR
[UK] RAF Volunteer Reserve. Created in 1936.
RAG
[USA] Replenishment Air Group
RAGEL
[France] Reconaissance, Attaque, Guerre Electronique ---
Reconaissance, attack, electronic warfare. Development of
the Mirage G4 variable geometry reconaissance and attack
aircraft. Abandoned.
RAID
[USA] Reconaissance And Intediction Detachment. ARNG helicopter unit
assigned to assist the DEA in law enforcement.
RAKR
[USSR] Atomnaya raketniy kreyser (nuclear rocket cruiser)
RALS
Remote Augmentation Lift System
RAM
Radar Absorbent Material
RAM-x
Aircraft first identified at the Soviet airfield of Ramenskoye were
temporarely labeled RAM-x by NATO, were _x_ is a sequence letter.
Ram-J => Su-25
Ram-K => Su-27
Ram-L => MiG-29
Ramrod
[UK] Bomber escort mission. WWII.
Ranch Hand
[USA] Modified C-123 for defoliation missions.
Randy
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.102 attack aircraft / fighter.
Rankin
[Allied] Plan for the occupation of Europe after the defeat of
nazi Germany.
RAP
Radar Absorbent Paint
RAS
Rectified Airspeed
RAT
Ram-Air Turbine
RATAN
Radio And Television Aid to Navigation
RATO
Rocket-Assisted Take Off
RATO
Rocket-Assisted Take Off Gear
RATT
Radioteletype
RAuxAF
[UK] Royal Auxiliary Air Force
RAWIN
[USA] Radar Wind Sounding
RAWINSONDE
[USA] Radar Wind Sounding and Radiosonde
RAWS
Radar Altitude Warning System
RAWS
Radar Attack & Warning System
Razon
[USA] See VB.
Ray
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Type 1. Did not exist. (Was A6M)
--RB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--RC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RC
Radio Control
RCC
[USA] Rescue Coordination Centre
RCM
Radio Countermeasures
RCS
Radar Cross Section.
--RD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RDT&E
Research, Development, Test & Evaluation
RCV
Reaction Control Valves, 'puffer jets' using compressed air, used
to control VTOL aircraft in the hover mode.
R&D
Research and Development
RDF
[UK] Radio Direction Finding, the original acronym for 'radar'.
--RE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real Nite
[USA] Test of night navigation and attack systems on an A-6E Intruder.
Rebecca
[UK] Receiver for 'Eureka', see there.
REC
Radio Electronic Combat -- translation of the Russian terminology for
ECM.
RECSHIP
[USA] Receiving Ship
RECSTA
[USA] Receiving Station
RED
Risk Estimate Distance, 'safe' distance to friendly forces to use
weapons.
Red Bean
[Belgium] Humanitary intervention in Zaire, 1978.
Red Beard
[UK] Free-fall nuclear weapon. 5 to 20 kiloton, weight 794kg.
Service between 1958 and 1972.
Red Crown
[USA] ? radar operatign in SE Asia.
Red Dragon
[USA/Belgium] Operations in Congo in 1964, after severe clashes and
killings in this country. The USA provided transport, Belgium
provided ground forces.
Red Flag
[USA] Exercise held on Nellis AFB.
Red Horse
[USA] Rapid Engineer Deployment, Heavy Operational Repair Squadron
Red Snow
[UK] Code name for a 'physics package', the actual nuclear weapon
in a series of nuclear bombs --- the bomb casings had their own
codenames.
Reforger
[NATO] REturn of FORces to GERmany -- exercise to transport US troops
to Germany.
Regulus
[USA] Ship-launched long-range cruise missile. Regulus I and II were
otherwise totally different. The Regulus missile was also carried by
the two 'Grayback' class submarines. No longer in service.
REMBASS
[USA] Remotely Monitored Battlefield Sensor System
Rentai
[Japan] Regiment
RESCAP
[USA] Rescue Combat Air Patrol
Restore Hope
[USA] United Nations effort for Humanitarian Operations in Somalia.
Rex
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi N1K Kyofu seaplane fighter
--RF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RF
Radio Frequency
RFA
[Germany] Riesenflugzeug-Abteilung. Giant aircraft unit, i.e.
long-range bomber unit, equipped with 'R' type aircraft. WWI.
RFC
[UK] Royal Flying Corps. The WWI air corps of the British Army.
RFI
Request for Information
RFNA
Red Fuming Nitric Acid, nitric acid with a stabilizer added. Used as
oxidizer in rocket engines, with the advantage that it can easily be
stored. Common in 'storable liquid' missiles. (In contrast with
missiles that use cryogenic, non-storable liquid fuels.)
RFP
Request For Proposals
RFQ
Request For Quotations
RFT
Request For Tender
RFWDF
[USA] Radio Frequency Warner and Direction Finder
--RG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RG
[USA] Reconaissance Group
RGM
[USA] Ship-launched, guided ground-to-ground Missile. See "us_mil.txt"
for an explanation of the USA designation system.
RGM-6 Regulus I
RGM-66 Standard
RGM-84 Harpoon
RGM-15 Regulus
--RH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RHAW
[USA] Radar Homing And Warning system. Used for strikes at enemy radar
sites, AN/APR-25.
RHC
[France] Regiment d'Helicopteres de Combat -- combat helicopter
regiment.
Rheinbote
[Germany] A slender, four-stage, unguided surface-to-surface missile,
built at the end of WWII. Over 200 were fired at Antwerp. Range was
218km; it used solid fuel.
Rheintochter
[Germany] A WWII SAM, a large and ambitious missile. Terminated in
1944.
Rheinubung
[Germany] Originally planned as a operation of the German surface fleet
against allied convoys, with Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Bismarck and Prinz
Eugen involved. Reduced to the latter two by damage to the former;
ended with the sinking of Bismarck on 26 May 1941.
Rhubarb
[UK] Fighter sweep against ground targets, during WWII.
RHWR
Radar Homing & Warning Receiver
RHWS
Radar Homing & Warning System
--RI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RIC
[UK] Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre.
Ricebowl
[USA] Planning for 'Eagle Claw'.
Rigel
[USA] Program to create a supersonic cruise missile, 1946 -- 1952.
RIO
[USA] Radar Intercept Officer; the second crewmember in USN two-seat
fighters.
RIM
[USA] Ship-launched SAM.
RIM-2 Terrier
RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
RIM-8 Talos
RIM-24 Tartar
RIM-46 Sea Mauler
RIM-50 Typhon
RIM-55 Typhon
RIM-66 Standard
RIM-67 Standard ER
Rimau
[Allied] Raid by Britsh commando units on Singapore Harbour. 1944.
RINT
Radiation Itelligence; refers to radiation emitted by equipment, e.g.
the ignition systems of car engines.
Rita
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima G8N Renzan bomber
Rivet Ace
[USA] B-52G, used to test compatibility with the SRAM missile and
a new ECM package.
Rivet Amber
[USA] Boeing RC-135E, ELINT aircraft
Rivet Ball
[USA] Boeing RC-135S, ELINT aircraft.
Rivet Brass
[USA] Boeing RC-135, TELINT aircraft.
Rivet Card
[USA] Boeing RC-135M, SIGINT aircraft.
Rivet Joint
[USA] Boeing RC-135V and RC-135W, SIGINT aircraft.
Rivet Quick
[USA] Boeing RC-135M, SIGINT aircraft.
Rivet Rider
[USA] Psychological warfare version of the C-130 Hercules. EC-103E
--RJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--RK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RKA
[USSR] Raketniy kater (rocket cutter)
RKR
[USSR] Raketniy kreyser (rocket cruiser)
--RL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RLAF
Royal Laotian Air Force
RLM
[Germany] Reichsluftfartministerium -- imperial air ministry
RLS
[USSR] Radiolokatisonnaya stantsiya - RADAR
--RM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
R&M
Reliability & Maintainability
RMA
[Germany] Reichsmarineamt. German admiralty during WWI.
--RN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RNAF
[Norway] Royal Norwegian Air Force
RNAS
[UK] Royal Naval Air Service
RNAS
[UK] Royal Navy Air Station.
RNAV
Navigation system that makes use of airway beacons.
RNAY
[UK] Royal Navy Aircraft Yard
RNHF
Royal Navy Historical Flight
RNZAF
Royal New Zealand Air Force
--RO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rob
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.64 fighter
ROC
Rate of Climb
ROC
Required Operational Capability
ROC
[USA] Reserve Officer Candidate
ROCC
Regional Operations Control Center
Rockeye
[USA] Family of cluster bombs.
ROE
Rules Of Engagement
RoKAF
[South Korea] Republic of Korea Air Force
RoKN
[South Korea] Republic of Korea Navy
Rolling Thunder
[USA] Bombardment campaign against North Vietnam, began on 2 March
1965 and ended in 1968.
RO/RO
Roll On / Roll Off (ship)
Rosvooruzheniye
[Russia] Weapons export agency
ROTC
[USA] Reserve Officer Training Corps
Rotkapchen
[Germany] WWII experimental guided anti-tank missile. Wireguided.
Roundup
[Allied] Proposal for an invasion of West Europe in 1942.
Route Package
[USA] Combat sector in Vietnam.
Royal Flush
[USA] Escort and attack missions for fighters of the 8th AF and 9th AF on
D-day.
ROZ
Restricted Operating Zone
--RP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RP
[UK] Rocket Projectile
RP
Rocket Propelled
RP
[USA] Route Package (see there)
RPG
Rounds Per Gun
RPM
Revolutions Per Minute
RPMB
[USA] Remotely Piloted Mini-Blimp, a small airship for seurveillance
purposes.
RPRA
[USA] Remotely Piloted Research Aircraft: A teleguided aircraft to
test the oblique wing concept.
RPRV
Remotely Piloted Research Vehicle
RPV
Remotely Piloted Vehicle
--RQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RQF
[USA] Rescue Flight
RQG
[USA] Rescue Group
RQS
[USA] Rescue Squadron
RQW
[USA] Rescue Wing
--RR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RRC
[NATO] Rapid Reaction Corps
RRE
[UK] Royal Radar Establishment. Later renamed RSRE.
RRF
[NATO] Rapid Reaction Force
RRITA
[USA] Rapid Response Intra-Theater Airlifter
--RS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RS
[USA] Reconaissance Squadron
192nd RS 'High Rollers'
RSAF
[Saudi-Arabia] Royal Saudi Air Force
RSO
Reconaissance System Operator
RSO
[UK] Range Safety Officer, for shooting ranges.
RSRE
[UK] Royal Signals and Radar Establishment
RSS
Relaxed Static Stability
R&SU
[UK] Repair and Salvage Unit; sometimes mobile technical units that
folowwed WWII RAF units.
--RT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT
[USSR] Reydovoy tral'shchik (roadstead minesweeper)
RTAFB
Royal Thai Air Force Base
RTB
Return To Base
RTF
Radiotelephone
RTPQA
[Canada] Real Time Performance Quality Assurance. Evaluation of the
effiency of the defence.
RTPS
[USA] Real-time Telemetry Processing System. Installed at the NAWC AD
division at Patuxent River, to monitor flight testing.
RTU
[USA] Replacement Training Unit
--RU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rufe
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima A6M, floatplane version of
the A6M 'Zeke'.
Rumpelkammer
[Germany] V-1 offensive against London, 1944.
RUR
[USA] Ship-launched, anti-submarine rocket -- the torpedo is dropped
by the missile at the end of flight.
RUR-4 Weapon Alpha
RUR-5 Asroc
RUS
[USSR] Air defence radar set. RUS-1 and RUS-2 were put in service in
May 1941.
Ruth
[USA] Codename for the Italian Fiat BR 20 bomber, some of which
were in Japanese service.
--RV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RV
Re-entry Vehicle
RV
Rendez Vous
RVR
Runway Visual Range
RVSN
[USSR] Rakentye Voiska Strategityesko Naznatseniya (Strategic Missile
Force)
RVV-AE
[USSR] See AAM-AE.
--RW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
RW
[USA] Reconaissance Wing
RWE
[UK] Radar Warning Equipment
RWR
Radar Warning Receiver
RWR
Rear Warning Radar
--RX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--RY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--RZ-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe S:
SA
Surface Attack
SA
Situation Awareness
SAAF
[South Africa] South African Air Force
SAAHS
Stability Augmentation & Altitude Hold System
SABA
Small Agile Battlefield Aircraft
Saber
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-25
Sabre Penetrator
[USA] The ATB, or Advaned Technology Bomber.
SAC
[USA] Strategic Air Command
SACEUR
[NATO] Supreme Allied Commander Europe
SACLANT
[NATO] Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
SACLOS
Semi-Active Command Line Of Sight guidance, or
Semi-Automatic Command to Line-Of-Sight
SADARM
[USA] Search And Destroy Armor Munition
Saddler
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-7
SAFE
[USA] Selected Area For Evasion
Safeguard
[USA] ABM defence system for Washington DC and Grand Forks AFB, in
agreement with SALT I. Deactivated one day after it became
operational, on 1 October 1975.
SAG
Surface Action Group
SAGE
[USA] Semi-Automatic Ground Environment
Sageburner
[USA] Attempt to set low-altitud speed records with the McDonnell
F4H-1F Phantom II. 902.760mph at below 25ft!
Sagger
[NATO] Soviet anti-tank missile, AT-3
SAHRS
Standard/Strapdown Attitude & Heading Reference System
SAL
[USA] Strategic ALCM launcher. The Rockwell B-1.
SALH
[USA] Semi-Active Laser Homing
Salish
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface cruise missile, SSC-2A
Sally
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.21 bomber
SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
Salvo
[Israel] Life extension program for the Mirage IIIC.
Sam
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi A7M Reppu fighter
SAM
Surface to Air Missile
SAM
[USA] Special Air Mission
Samlet
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface cruise missile, SSC-2B
SAMOVAR
[Norway] SAM Obstruction in Velocity, Angle and Range. Electronic
jamming pod fitted to Tiger-PAWS aircraft.
SAMSON
Special Avionics Mission Strap-on Now (avionics pod).
Sandal
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-4
Sandbag
[USA] (unofficial) Vietnamese pseudo-trainee, often non-flying
personnel, accompanying US pilots on combat missions, because the
US presence in Vietnam was at the time restricted to a 'training'
mission. 1964.
Sandbox
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-12
Sandy
[USA] Mission for a strike aircraft to escort rescue helicopters over
Vietnam.
SAOEU
[UK] Strike/Attack Operational Evaluation Unit
SAP
Semi-Armour Piercing
Saphir
[France] Flare-launching system used by helicopters of the ALAT.
Sapwood
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-6
SAR
Search And Rescue
SAR
Synthetic Aperture Radar. The aperture of such radar is 'synthetic'
because a series of radar recordings of a side-looking radar is
combined into one image. This increases the 'virtual size' of the
radar antenna to several times its physical size, greatly improving
the resolution of the radar image.
SAR
Semi-Active Radar (homing)
SAR
Synthetic Array Radar.
SARA
[France] Systeme Aerotransportable de Reconaissance Aerienne ---
Air-transportable air-reconaissance system. A lightweight,
transportable ground station, transmitting information to
battlefield commanders in real time.
SARBE
[UK] Search And Rescue Beacon Equipment
SARH
Semi-Active Radar Homing -- missile guidance system. The missile
steers on the reflection of the radar beam transmitted by the aircraft.
SAS
[USA] Stability Augmentation System; equipment installed in the B-52 to
increase controllability in turbulence.
SAS
[UK] Special Air Service
Sasin
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-8
Satan
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-18
SATCOM
Sattelite Communications
SATIN
[USA] Survivability Augmentation for Transport aIrcraft -- Now! The
acronym SATAN would have been more logical, but has obvious
disadvantages... This is an ECM system for transport aircaft.
Satin
[Allied] Plan for an attack on Sfax on the North African coast.
Abandoned, January 1943.
SATNAV
Sattelite Navigation
SATS
Short Airfield for Tactical Support
SAU
Search and Attack Unit
Saucy
[Allied] Plan for invasion of Northern Burma, a poor man's version of
'Anakim'. 1943.
Savage
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-13
Savil Guvenlik
[Turkey] Coast Guard
Saw Buck
[USA] Deployment of TAC units to Vietnam. 1962.
Sawfly
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-6
--SB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
S-boot
[Germany] Motor torpedo boat
SBS
[UK] Special Boat Service. Naval equivalent of the SAS.
SBT
[UK] Submarine Bubble Target. Release of bubble-generating chemicals
to confuse sonar.
SBX
[USA] Slow Burning eXplosive. Bomb based on the use of 'dust'
explosions, found to be more effective against buildings than
conventional explosives. A WWII development that did not become
operational.
--SC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SC
[Germany] Sprengbombe, Cylindrisch. Cylindrical high-explosive bomb.
Suffix used to designate German bombs, preceded by the weight of
the bomb in kg.
SCAD
[USA] Subsonic Cruise Armed Decoy, the first designation of the AGM-86
programme. At this stage, AGM-86 was intended as a decoy launched by
the B-52, of which some would carry nuclear warheads.
Scaleboard
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-12
Scamp
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile,
SS-14 'Scapegoat' plus road trailer.
Scapegoat
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-14
Scan Odd
[NATO] The 'Izumrud' radar of the all-wheater MiG-19 and maybe the
MiG-17P.
Scan Fix
[NATO] Early version of the Izumrud radar, fitted to the MiG-17P.
Scan Three
[NATO] Radar of the Yak-25.
Scarp
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-9
SCAS
Stability & Control Augmentation System
SCAT
[USA] SCout-ATtack version, of LHX.
SCIMITAR
System for Countering Interdiction Missiles & Target Acquisition Radars
Schatzgraeber
[Germany] Weather station on Alexandra Land, in the Arctic.
Scherhorn
[Germany] Operations in support of an alledged isolated group of German
soldiers in Russia, October 1944 -- April 1945. Then it was found out
that it was a Soviet trick!
Schmetterling
[Germany] This was the first SAM in large scale production. Production
was up to 3000 per month in November 1945, but it was never used
operationally. Radio command guidance.
SCM
[USA] Space Cargo Modified. Two C-5As, modified to carry Space
Shuttle payloads.
SCN
[USA] Shipbuilding and Conversion Navy
Scope Light
[USA] Boeing EC-135H and EC-135P, ABNCP aircraft
Scrag
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-10
Scrooge
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-15
Scrubber
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-1
SCUBA
Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
Scud
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-1
Scunner
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-1
--SD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SD
[Germany] Armour-piercing bomb. See SC.
SDA
[France] Systeme de Detection Aeroportee --- Airborne detection
system. The Boeing E-3F Sentry aircraft.
SDC
[USA] Situation Display Console
SDI
[USA] Strategic Defense Initiative. An anti-ICBM defense project.
SDK
[USSR] Sredniy desantniy korabl' (medium landing ship)
SDM
[USA] Site Defense of Minuteman. ABM research programme.
SDR
[USA] System Development Requirement
SDRLO
[USSR] Sistiem Dalnovo Radiolokacyo-mnovo Obanrushenya --- Long-Range
Radar Detection System. The Beriev/Antonov A-50 'Mainstay' AEW aircraft.
--SE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEA
South East Asia
SeaBasedAirASWWingsLant
[USA] Sea Based Air Anti Submarine Warfare Wings Atlantic Fleet
Seabee
[USA] CB, Construction Battalion
SEAD
[USA] Suppresion of Enemy Air Defences
Seahorse
[USA] Transport of German aircraft to the USA after WWII.
SEAL
[USA] Sea, Air, Land
Seal
[Australia] A WWII project to generate artificial tidal waves.
It didn't work.
SEAM
[USA] Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode. An upgrade of the guidance
systems for the AIM-9.
Sea Mattress
[Allied] See 'Stickleback'.
Sea Skimmer
[USA] Renamed Sea Skipper.
Sea Skipper
[USA] Modification programma to convert the supersonic Beechcraft
AQM-37 target drone for simulated anti-shipping attacks.
Sea Spray
[UK] Radar fitted in the Westland Lynx.
SEBS
[USA] Submarine Emergency Buoyancy System
Secede III
[USA] Release of a barium cloud in near space by a rocket.
SECNAV
[USA] Secretary of the Navy
Seek Bat
[USA] Project to develop an IR guided version of the Standard
missile. 1972.
Seek Iglo
[USA] The FPS-39 radar system, a ground-based radar now replacing
older systems in the 'DEW line'.
Seek Smoke
[USA] Retrofitting of the F-4D Phantom II with kits to reduce the
smoke of their engines.
Seelowe
[Germany] Abandoned WWII German plan for the invasion of the UK.
Postponed on 17 September 1940.
Sego
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-11
SELF
Submarine Extremely Low Frequency, see also ELF.
SEM
[USA] Standard Electronics Module
SEMA
[USA] Special Electronic Mission Aircraft. In this role several
aircraft were sued, such as the EH-60 'Quick Fix II'.
SEM-E
[USA] Standard Electronics Module, E-size
SEMA-X
[USA] Special Electronic Mission Aircraft. This was a twin-turbofan
VSTOL aircraft, designed by Grumman. SEMA-X had a small wing and
rotating 9065lb TF34-GE-100 engines at the mid-fuselage position. It
was cancelled.
Senior Book
[USA] Program for operations of Taiwanese U-2s over China.
Senior Bowl
[USA] The D-21 high-speed drone, carried by the M-12, a special
version of the A-12, itself the CIA precursor of the SR-71.
Senior Citizen
[USA] The alledged program name of the alledged 'Aurora' high-speed
reconaissance aircraft. Also reported as a tactical airlift
programme...
Senior Crown
[USA] The SR-71 reconaissance aircraft.
Senior Hunter
[USA] C-130 support aircraft for the EC-130E Volant Solo.
Senior Ice
[USA] Development programme for the B-2 bomber.
Senior Lance
[USA] U-2R with SAR in Goodyear inflatable dome.
Senior Open
[USA] U-2R with rotating LOROP camera system in nose.
Senior Prom
[USA] Program for a stealthy cruise missile. Cancelled.
Senior Ruby
[USA] Sensor package carried by the U-2R; a radar emission monitoring
system.
Senior Sky
[USA] The F-22 stealthy fighter.
Senior Span
[USA] Datalink-equipment carried by U-2Rs to relay data to sattelites.
A large radome on top of the aft fuselage.
Senior Spear
[USA] Sensor package carried by the U-2R, a radio signal monitoring
system.
Senior Stretch
[USA] Renamed Senior Span.
Senior Trend
[USA] The F-117 development programme.
Senior Year
[USA] Operations with the Lockheed U-2R.
Sentai
[Japan] Wing.
Sentinel
[USA] ABM defence system for cities. Abandoned in favour of Safeguard.
Sentry Wolverine
[NATO] Exercise, on Selfridge AFB, Michigan, USA.
SEP
Specific Excess Power
Sepal
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface cruise missile, SSC-1B
Serb
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-5
SERVFOR
[USA] Service Force
SES
[France] Section Experimental et de Servitude.
SES
Surface Effect Ship
Seven Up
[USA] Modification of the J79-GE-7 engine of the F-104C. 1963.
SEW
Space and Electronic Warfare
Sextant
[Allied] Conference in Cairo, December 1943.
SFC
Specific Fuel Consumption. Fuel consumption per unit of thrust or
power and per time unit.
Shaddock
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-3
SHADOW
[USA] Sikorsky Helicopter Advanced Demonstrator of Operator Workload.
A S-76 was modified with a single cockpit in front of the normal
one.
SHAEF
[Allied] Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces
SHAPE
[NATO] Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe
Sharp Guard
[NATO] Enforcment of the arms embargo against Bosnia.
Sharp Shooter
[USA] Installation of the 20mm Vulcan cannon in the internal weapons
bay of the F-106A Delta Dart.
Sheet Bend
[NATO] Radar associated with SSC-2B Samlet cruise missiles.
Shershen
[NATO] Soviet torpedo boat class.
Sherut Avir
[Israel] Air Service. Name of the Israeli Air Force until 1948.
SHF
Super High Frequency
Shilka
[NATO] ZSU-23-4 self-propelled AA gun platform
Shimpu
[Japan] Unit of suicide aircraft, operating from the Philippines from
20 October 1944. 'Shimpu' is an alternative interpretation of the
characters for 'Kamikaze'.
Shingle
[Allied] Invasion at Anzio; Italy. 2 January 1944.
Shinyo
[Japan] Small, fast boat, intended for suicide (ramming) attacks by
night against US ships. About 6000 were built, but none used.
SHIPALT
[USA] Ship Alteration
Shiver
[Allied] Jammer used during WWII against the German Wurzburg radars.
ShKAS
[USSR] Shpitalny-Komaritsky Aviatsionny Skorostrelny --- 'Rapid-Firing
Aircraft Gun' designed by B. G. Shpitalny and I. A. Komaritsky.
7.62mm, 1800rpm, 10kg
SHORAD
Short Range Air Defence
Short Granite
[UK] Nuclear bomb, experimental only, 1957.
Short Horn
[NATO] Navigation and bombing radar. Fitted to Tu-95 'Bear-H'.
Short Horn
[NATO] Search radar of the Ka-25 'Hormone-A'
Shotai
[Japan] Company
ShVAK
[USSR] Shpitalny-Vladimirov Aviatsionnaya Krupno-Kalibernaya ---
'Large Calibre Aircraft Gun' designed by B. G. Shpitalny and S. V.
Vladimirov. 20mm, 800m/sec, 800rpm, 42kg.
Shyster
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-3
SI
Specific Impulse (For rockets: thrust per unit of fuel per second.)
Sibling
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-2
SID
Standard Instrument Departure
Side Net
[NATO] Height finding radar for SA-5.
SIGINT
Signal Intelligence
Silakh Al-Jawwiya As'Sudaniya
[Sudan] Sudanese Air Force
Silk Purse
[USA] Boeing EC-135H, ABNCP aircraft
Silver Bullet
[USA] The B-61 nuclear bomb.
SINS
[USA] Ship's Inertial Navigation System
SIOP
[USA] Single Integrated Operational Plan. The 'war plan' in case
of a major (nuclear) war.
SIP
Systems Improvement Programme
SIR
[USA] Systems Integrated Receiver, receiver equipment in the
tail pod of the EA-6B Prowler.
Siren
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-7
SITREP
Situation Report
SIV
[USA] Special Interest Vehicle
SIVAM
[Brazil] Sistema de Vigilancia da Amazonia --- Amazon surveillance
system. Development of the Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia into an AEW
aircraft (EMB-120EW) and a remote sensing (EMB-120SR) aircraft.
Skean
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-5
SKG
[Germany] Snellkampfgeschwader, a fast fighter-bomber unit.
Ski Jump
[USA] Research operations in the Arctic regions. 1949.
Skipper II
[USA] Rocket-assisted version of the Paveway LGB, used by the USN.
Skip Spin
[NATO] Radar set of the Yak-28P 'Firebar', Su-11 'Fishpot' and
Su-15 'Flagon'.
Skoshi Tiger
[USA] Program to test the F-5A Tiger under combat condition in
Vietnam.
SKR
[USSR]Storozhevoy korabl' (patrol ship)
Skunk Works
[USA] Nickname for Lockheed's Advanced Development Project Office
in Burbank, California. Alledgedly this nickname originated because
they at first used to work in a tent near a smelly workshop, or as
reference to a comic strip. Now the name is copyrighted by Lockheed.
Skybolt
[USA] Development of an air-launched ballistic missile. Cancelled
in 1962.
Skyburner
[USA] Speed record flight by a McDonnel YF4H-1 Phantom II, 22 December
1961. 1606.347mph.
Skye
[Allied] Also known as 'Fortitude North'. Desinformation plan, with as
goal to keep part of the German forces in Scandinavia. 1944.
Sky Shield II
[USA] Exercise in 1961. Involved thousands of military aircraft, and
the grounding of all commercial traffic for 12 hours!
S/L
Sea Level
SLAB
[USA] Subsonic Low Altitude Bomber. A requirement for a new long-range
bomber, 1961.
SLAM
[USA] Stand-off Land-Attack missile. A derivative of the Harpoon
missile.
SLAM
Supersonic Low-Altitude Missile
SLAM
[UK] Submarine Launched Airflight Missile. A SAM system for
submarines.
SLAM
[USA] Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition. Developed by Project
Manager Mines, Countermine and Demolitions, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ.
SLAMMR
Side-Looking Airborne (Modulated) Multi-Mission Radar, fitted to a
maritime surveillance version of the Boeing 737.
Slapstick
[Allied] Invasion at Taranto, 9 September 1943.
SLAR
Side-Looking Airborne Radar
SLBM
Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile
SLCM
Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile
SLDF
[Sierra Leone] Sierre Leone Defence Force
Sledgehammer
[Allied] Proposal for an invasion of West Europe in 1942.
SLEP
[USA] Service Life Extension Program -- modernisation program
for carriers.
Slim
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Watanabe E9W seaplane
SLIM
[USA] Simplified Logistics and Improved Maintenance, an upgrade
for the F-106.
Slim Net
[NATO] Missile-associated radar.
SLMM
[USA] Submarine Launched Mobile Mine
SLOC
Sea Lines Of Communication
Slot Black
[NATO] Radar set of the MiG-29.
SLR
Side Looking Radar
SLR
Side Looking Reconaissance Radar
SLVSV
[France] Section de Liaison et de Vol Sans Visibilite -- liaison and
IFR training part of a French Air Force squadron.
SM
[USA] USN: Minelayer
SM
[USA] Ground-to-ground missile.
SM-62 Snark
SM-65 Atlas
SM-68 Titan
SM-73 Goose
SM-75 Thor
SM-78 Jupiter
SM-80 Minuteman
SMALC
[USA] SacraMento Air Logistics Center, Clellan AFB, California.
SMFD
[USA] Secondary Multi-Function Display
SMO
[USA] Senior METOC Officer, attached to an 'Unified Command Staff'.
SMTD
[USA] STOL/Manoeuvring Technology Demonstrator, an F-15 with canards
and two-dimensional thrust-vectoring nozzles.
SMOTEC
[USA] Special Missions Operations and Evaluation Center.
SMTI
Selective Moving Target Indicator
SMTS
[USA] Space and Missile Training Squadron
SMW
[USA] Strategic Missile Wing
SNAP
[USA] Shipboard Nontactical Automated Data Processing
SNAPII
[USA] Shipboard Nontactical Automated Data Processing -- II
Snapper
[NATO] Soviet anti-tank missile, AT-1
Snappy
[USA] Fitting of a unspecified sensor system to E-3 Sentry AEW
aircraft during the Gulf War, 1991.
Snark
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-4
SNARS
[USSR] Samonavoyashchiysa Aviatsionnyi Reaktivnyi Snariad. SNARS-250
was the first Soviet guided air-to-air missile.
Sneewitchen
[Germany] Development of Friendensengel. Few built.
Snooper
[USA] Low-altitude night attacks, by radar-equipped B-24 bombers
in the Pacific.
Snow Falcon
[UK] Exercise: deployment of Harriers to Bardufoss, Norway, in 1988.
Snowflake
[UK] Illuminating rocket used by convoy escorts during WWII.
SOAR
[USA] Special Operations Aviation Regiment
SOBT
[USA] Submarine On-Board Training
SOC
Section Operations Center
SOC
[UK] Struck Off Charge
SOE
[UK] Special Operations Executive
SOF
[USA] Special Operations Forces
SOFA
Status Of Forces Agreement
SOFAR
Sounding, Fixing, And Ranging
SOG
[USA] Special Operations Group
SOI
[USSR] Stratigicheskaya oboronitel'naya initsiativa - SDI
SOM
Stand-Off Missile
SONAR
Sound Navigation and Ranging. Technique to detect objects under water
(submarines) using sound pulses.
Sonia
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.51 attack aircraft.
SOP
Standard Operating Procedure
SOP
[USA] Senior Officer Present
SOPA
[USA] Senior Officer Present Affloat
SOR
[USA] Specific Operational Requirement.
SOR-49-2 Requirement for the RF-105 derivative of the Thunderchief.
SOR-182 Requirement for the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
SOR
Struck Off Records
SORD
[USA] Submerged Ordnance Recovery Device
SOS
[USA] Special Operations Squadron
21st SOS 'Dust Devils'
SOS
Standard distress signal, ...---... in Morse code.
SOS
Stabilised Optical Sight
SOTAS
[USA] Stand-Off Target Acquisition System. An EH-60B helicopter,
with a Motorola search radar under the fuselage. Remained experimental.
Source
[UK] Attack of X-class midget submarines on the German battleship
Tirpitz, September 1943.
Southern Breeze
[Belgium] Logistic support flights for the ships of the Belgian Navy
in the Gulf, 1990.
Southern Watch
[USA] Operations from Saudi-Arabia.
South Wind
[USA] Exercise in the large-scale long-range air transport of Army
units, 1960.
SOW
[USA] Special Operations Wing
SOW
Stand-Off Weapon
SP
[USA] Shore Patrol
SPAAG
Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun
SPACECOM
[USA] Space Command
SPADATS
[USA] Space Detection And Tracking System
Spandrel
[NATO] Soviet anti-tank missile, AT-5
SPARK
[USA] Solid Propellant, Advanced Ramjet, Kinetic energy -- a small
anti-tank missile with a solid, non-explosive penetrator warhead and a
solid-fuelled ramjet engine, and a projected speed of Mach 6.
Spartan
[Allied] Exercise of the Tactical air forces in the UK, March 1943.
SPARTAN
[UK] Terrain-reference navigation system, developed by GEC-Marconi.
Cancelled.
Spetnaz
[USSR] Special Forces.
SPG
[USA] Space Group
Spigot
[NATO] Soviet anti-tank missile, AT-4
SPILS
Spin Prevention & Incidence Limiting System, or Stall Protection
& Incidence Limiting System.
Spin Scan
[NATO] The R1L radar fitted to some MiG-21 versions.
Spiral
[NATO] Soviet anti-tank missile, AT-6
SPO
[USA] System Programme Office
Spoon Rest
[NATO] Soviet Early-warning radar
Spotter
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 7 March 1942.
Spouse
[Allied] See 'Flabby'.
Spruce
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikawa Ki.9 trainer
SPTW
[USA] Support Wing
SPW
[USA] Space Wing
--SQ----
Square Pair
[NATO] Target-tracking radar for SA-5.
Squid
[Allied] Anti-submarine weapon for surface ships. Squid launched three
depth bombs in a pattern.
SR
[USA] Strategic Reconaissance
SR(A)
[UK] Staff Requirement (Air)
SRA
Surveillance Radar Approach
SRAAM
Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile
SRAM
[USA] Short-Range Attack Missile, AGM-69, a nuclear-headed missile
carried by the B-52 and FB-111.
SRBM
Short Range Ballistic Missile
SRL
[France] Section Reacteur Leger -- light jet section.
SRS
[USA] Strategic Reconaissance Squadron
SRTS
[USA] Strategic Reconaissance Training Squadron
4029th SRTS 'The Dragon Tamers'
SRW
[USA] Strategic Reconaissance Wing
SRZ
Special Rules Zone
SS
[USA] USN: Submarine
SSA
[USA] USN: Cargo Submarine
SSB
[USA] USN: Ballistic Missile Submarine
SSB
Single Side-Band
SSBN
[USA] USN: Nuclear-powered Ballistic Missile Submarine
SSC
[USA] Supply Systems Command
SSD
[France] Section de Soutien de Dugny -- Dugny maintenance unit
SSE
[Sweden] Fly-By-Wire
SSG
[USA] USN: Guided Missile Submarine
SSGN
[USA] Nuclear-powered Guided Missile Submarine
SSK
[USA] USN: Hunter-Killer Submarine
SSKN
[USA] USN: Hunter-Killer Submarine, nuclear powered
SSKP
Single-Shot Kill Probability
SSM
Surface-to-surface missile.
SSN
[USA] USN: Nuclear-powered (attack) Submarine
SSO
[USA] USN: Oiler Submarine
SSP
[USA] USN: Vehicle Transport Submarine
SSR
[USA] USN: Radar Picket Submarine
SSR
Secondary Surveillance Radar
SSR
[NATO] SACEUR's Strategic Reserve
SSRN
[USA] USN: Radar Picket Submarine, nuclear powered
SST
SuperSonic Transport
SSTOL
Super-Short Take-Off & Landing, or: Supersonic STOL.
Stabo
[Germany] Startbahnbombe, Anti-runway bomb.
STAC
[UK] Supersonic Transport Aircraft Committee. Created in 1956.
STANAVFORLANT
[NATO] Standing Naval Force, North Atlantic
STAPL
[USA] Ship Tethered Aerial Platform, a small shipboard RPV of autogiro
design.
STARC
[USA] State Area Command
Stargazer
[USA] Balloon flight at high (25000m) altitude for astronomical
observations. 1962.
Starkey
[Allied] Exercise of the Tactical air forces in the UK,
September 1943.
STARM
[USA] Standard ARM
STARS
Surface-to-Air Recovery System
STARS
Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
START
Strategic Arms Reduction Talks / Treaty
STAVKA
[USSR] Supreme Command Staff.
STC
[UK] Strike Command
STC
[USA] Supplemental Type Certificate
Steel Tiger
[USA] Interdiction missions over Laos, during the Vietnam war.
Steinbock
[Germany] IR-homing version of Rotkapchen.
Stella
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kokusai Ki.76 liaison aircraft
Stickleback
[Allied] Shore bombardment weapon. A landing craft carried 1080
5in rocket launchers, ripple-fired against shore targets.
Stiletto
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-19
Stofl
[Germany] Stabsoffizier der Flieger --- Air force staff officer.
STOL
Short Take Off and Landing
Stonefish
[UK] Series of sea mines.
Stormy FAC
[USA] Fast-jet FAC. F-4Ds were used.
STOVL
Short Take Off, Vertical Landing
Straight Flush
[NATO] Radar for SA-6.
Strangle
[Allied] Bomber attacks on German lines of communication in
Italy. Ended in May 1944.
Strangle
[UN] Attack on lines of communication in Korea.
Strassburg
[Germany] Radio reciever fitted to Fritz-X and Hs 293.
Streak Eagle
[USA] Program to set all eight time-to-eight records with a modified
F-15 Eagle, in 1974. The final record was a time of 3 min 27.8 sec
from standstill to 30000m.
Strela
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-N-1 (also Scrubber)
Strength Through Joy
[UK] Hydraulically controlled version of 'Pig Through'. Too
troublesome to be useful. The name was a Nazi slogan, obviously
used satirically.
Stud
[USA] Escort and attack missions for fighters of the 8th AF and 9th AF on
D-day.
STV
[USA] Steerable Low-Light TV System -- fitted in the turrets under the
nose of the B-52.
STWA
[USA] Short Trailing Wire Antenna. For the E-6 Mercury TACAMO aircraft;
this antenna has a length of 1520m. See also LTWA.
Style
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 3 June 1942.
Styx
[NATO] Soviet surface-to-surface missile, SS-7, SS-N-2
--SU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBCAP
Submarine Combat Air Patrol
SUBROC
[USA] Submarine launched, anti-submarine missile.
Super Octopus
[UK] 10 kiloton nuclear warhead, planned for the British version of
the cancelled GAM-87 Skybolt.
Sunfish
[UK] Side-mounted avionics steerable ball for Lynx helicopters,
containing a IR imaging system.
Sun Ray
[UK] Detachment to Shallufa, in the Suez canal zone.
Sunray
[UK] Commanding Officer
Sun Run
[USA] Transcontinental flight by some RF-101C's, one of which made it
in 3h 7m 43s and another set a roundtrip time of 6h 46m 36s.
Suntan
[USA] This secret research programma lead to the design by Lockheed of a
large, hydrogen-fuelled, high-speed aircraft. It was abandoned during
contruction of the mock-up.
Superareo
[Italy] Air Staff
SURE
[USA] Sensor Update and Refurbishment Effort, for the RF-4B Phantom II.
Surprise Package
[USA] An AC-130 armed with two 20mm Vulcan guns and a 40mm Bofors.
Susie
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi D1A dive bomber
SUU
[USA] Suspended Underwing Unit. A subminutions dispenser or gun pod.
SUU-7 Subminution dispenser
SUU-10 Subminution dispener
SUU-11 Pod with the GAU-2 Minigun
SUU-13 Subminution dispenser
SUU-14 Subminution dispenser
SUU-16 Pod with the M61 Vulcan gun.
SUU-23 Pod with the M61 Vulcan gun.
SUU-28 Subminution dispenser
SUU-30 Subminution dispenser
SUU-31 Subminution dispenser
SUU-36 Subminution dispenser
SUU-38 Subminution dispenser
SUU-50 Subminution dispenser
SUU-51 Subminution dispenser
SUU-54 Subminution dispenser
SUU-58 Subminution dispenser
SUW
Surface to Underwater Missile
SUWACS
[USA] Soviet Airborne Warning & Control System
--SV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SVS
[France] Section de Vol Sporti
SW
[USA] Strategic Wing
SWAARM
[UK] Smart Weapon Anti-ARMour. SWAARM 2000 is a submunitions dispenser
developed by Hunting.
Swatter
[NATO] Soviet anti-tank missile, AT-2
SWERVE
[USA] Sandia Winged Energetic Re-entry Vehicle Experiment. A
classified Mach 14 test vehicle.
Swift Rod
[NATO] ILS system carried by many USSR aircraft.
SWIP
[USA] Systems and Weapon Improvement Programme, for the A-6 Intruder.
SWIP
[USA] Super Weight Improvement Program, a desperate attempt to reduce
the weight of the F-111B to make it acceptable for carrier landings ---
the F-111B weighed 78000lb, while the limit for the USN had been
55000lb!
SWL
[USA] Strategic Weapons Launcher
SWNCC
[USA] State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee.
Sword
[Allied] One of the landing beaches used for 'Overlord'.
SWPA
[Allied] South West Pacific Area
--SX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SYERS
[USA] Senior Year Electro-optical Relay System. 'Senior Year' is the
U-2R; SYERS is a CCD-camera, of which the image can be data-linked
to a ground station.
Symbol
[Allied] Conference in Casablanca, January 1943.
Anfangsbuchstabe T:
T
[USSR] Tyazhely --- heavy.
TA
Target Acquisition
TA
Terrain-Avoidance
Tabby
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Showa / Nakajima L2D transport
TAC
[USA] Tactical Air Command
TACAMO
[USA] TAke Charge And Move Out -- aircraft that relay communications
with the USN's submarines.
TACAMO II EC-130G with paletted VLF radio array
TACAMO III EC-130Q
TACAMO IV Improved EC-130 with more powerful radio equipment
TACAN
[USA] Tactical Aid to Navigation
Tacaud
[France] Deployment of ground personnel from EC 7 to Africa, in 1978. The
aircraft of EC 7 (Sepecat Jaguars) did not go, because they are equipped
with secret equipment to deliver nuclear weapons.
TACC
[USA] Tanker Airlift Control Center, at Scott AFB.
TACCO
[USA] Tactical Coordinator -- the second crewmember in some USN
aircraft.
TACEVAL
[NATO] Tactical Evaluation
TACGRU
[USA] Tactical Air Control Group
Tacit Rainbow
[USA] Northrop AGM-136A, a loitering, anti-radiation cruise missile.
TACP
[USA] Tactical Air Control Party
TACRON
[USA] Tactical Air Control Squadron
TACS
[USA] Tactical Air Control System
TACSIT
[USA] Tactical Situation, of a USN battlegroup:
TACSIT 1 Exact location of battlegroup known to enemy
TACSIT 2 General location of battlegroup known to enemy
TACSIT 3 Location of battlegroup unknown to enemy
TacSupWing
[USA] Tactical Support Wing
TACT
[USA] Transonic Aircraft Technology, programme that involved
the modification of a F-111 to research supercritical wings.
TACW
[USA] Tactical Air Command Wing
TADIL
[USA] TActical Digital Information Link
TADS
[USA] Target Acquisition And Designation System
TADS
[Germany] Target Adaptive Dispenser System
TAF
Tactical Air Force
TAG-x
Aircraft identified at the Soviet airfield of Taganrog were temporarly
labeled TAG-x were _x_ is a sequence letter.
Taifun
[Germany] Taifun was a cheap, high-velocity, unguided anti-aircraft
rocket, in mass production in January 1945.
TAKR
[USSR] Takticheskoye avianosniy kreyser (tactical aircraft-carrying
cruiser)
TALCM
[USA] Tomahawk Air-Launched Cruise Missile. The competition for ALCM.
TALD
Tactical Airborne Laser Designator
TALD
[USA] Tactical Air-Launched Decoy
Tallboy
[UK] Streamlined 12000lb bomb, developed in Britain during WWII.
Tallboy fell at supersonic speed and buried itself deep in the ground
before exploding. It was designed for near-misses, destroying its
target by an earthquake effect.
Tall King
[NATO] Soviet ground-based radar.
Tally Ho
[USA] Strikes in North Vietnam.
TALON
Theater Application: Launch On Notice
TAM
Tactical Air Meet
TANK
[USA] USN: Tanker
Tannenbaum
[Germany] Plan for the invasion of Switzerland, during WWII.
TANS
Tactical Air Navigation System
TAO
[USA] Tactical Action Officer
Taran
[USSR] 'Ramming'. Air-to-air ramming was used in combat in 1941, when
most Soviet aircraft were obsolete and could not combat the German
aircraft with normal tactics. It was also used before and after WWII.
TARCAP
[USA] Target Combat Air Patrol
TARG
Telescoped Ammunition Revolver Gun
TARH
Terminal Active Radar Guidance
TARPS
[USA] Tactical Air Reconaissance Pod System
Tarzon
[USA] See VB.
TAS
[USA] Tactical Airlift Squadron
TAS
Target Acquisition System
TAS
True AirSpeed
TASG
[USA] Tactical Air Support Group
TASM
[USA] Tomahawk Antishipping Missile
TASM
[UK] Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile
TASS
[USA] Tactical Air Support Squadron
TAV
Trans-Atmospheric Vehicle
TAW
[USA] Tactical Airlift Wing
Taxable
[Allied] Operation of aircraft simulating a convoy near Cap d'Antifer,
as a diversion for the invasion in Normandy. 6 June 1944. The Lancasters
of 617 squadron flew circles with a circumference of 22.39km, to
simulate a convoy with a speed of 6 knots. See also 'Glimmer'.
TBAP
[USSR] Tyazhyolobombardirovotschnii Aviatsonii Polk --- Heavy
Bomber Regiment.
TBD
To Be Decided
TBM
Tactical Ballistic Missile
TBO
Time Between Overhauls
--TC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
t/c
Thickness / Chord ratio
TC
[NATO] Transit Corridor
TCC
Traffic Control Center
TCAS
Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System
TCS
[USA] Troop Carrier Squadron
TCS
[USA] Television Camera System, long-distance TV cameras to aid in the
visual identification of aircraft.
TDCA
[USA] Tactical Deployment & Control Aircraft
TDP
Technology Development Programme
TDRS
[USA] Tracking & Data Relay Sattelite
TDY
[USA] Temporary Duty
Teal Cameo
[USA] High-altitude RPV as TR-1 replacement.
Teal Ruby
[USA] Programme to develop a sattelite to detect aicraft from space
by IR measurements.
Team Spirit
[USA] Exercise.
TECHEVAL
Technical Evaluation
TEDS
[USA] Tactical Expendable Drone System.
TEG
[USA] Test and Evaluation Group
TELINT
Telemetry Intelligence
Tentara Udara Diraya Malaysia
[Malaysia] Royal Malaysian Air Force
TER
Triple Ejection Rack
TERCOM
Terrain Countour Matching --- Navigation by comparison of the terrain
with a stored map.
Terec
[USA] Tactical Electronic REConnaissance sensor with real-time
datalink capability. Litton AN/ALQ-125 Terec.
TERF
Terrain (following) flight
TERPROM
[UK] Terrain Profile Matching
TES
[USA] Test and Evaluation Squadron
Tess
[USA] Codename for the Douglas DC-2 transport, in Japanese service.
TET
Turbine-Entry Temperature
TEZ
Total Exclusion Zone
TF
[USA] Task Force
TFG
[USA] Tactical Fighter Group
TF
Terrain Following
T/FDS
[USA] Time and Frequency Standards Distribution System
TFR
Terrain Following Radar
TFS
[USA] Tactical Fighter Squadron
136th TFS 'Rocky's Raiders'
308th TFS 'Emerald Knights'
336th TFS 'Rocketeers'
415th TFS 'Nightstalkers'
416th TFS 'Ghost Riders'
417th TFS 'Bandits'
481th TFS 'Crusaders'
TFTS
[USA] Tactical Fighter Training Squadron
TFW
[USA] Tactical Fighter Wing
4th TFW 'Fourth But First'
8th TFW 'Wolf Pack'
33th TFW 'Gulf Eagles'
37th TFW 'Defender of the Crossroads'
TF/TA
Terrain Folowwing / Terrain Avoidance radar
TFTS
[USA] Tactical Fighter Training Squadron
TFTW
[USA] Tactical Fighter Training Wing
TFG
[USA] Tactical Fighter Group
TFW
[USA] Tactical Fighter Wing
TFX
[USA] Tactical Fighter Experimental. Became the F-111.
TG
[USA] Test Group
TGSM
Terminally Guided Sub Minution
THAAS
[USA] Theater High-Altitude Air Defense
Thalia
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.56 transport aircraft.
THAP
[USA] Tactical High Altitude Penetrator. Alledged Nortrop technology
demonstrator for the (also alledged) stealth reconnaissance aicraft
TR-3. 1981.
Thelma
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Tachikawa LO transport aircraft.
Theresa
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kokusai Ki.59 liaison aircraft.
THK
[Turkey] Turk Hava Kuvvetleri -- Turkish Air Force
Thora
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.34 transport aircraft.
Thunderbolt
[USA] Joint operation of the USN, USCG, US customs and DEA against
drug transporting aircraft, in 1981. Seized 45 aircraft in 77 days.
Thunderbolt
[UK] RAF post-WWII analysis of bombing operations.
Thunderclap
[Allied] Bombardment campaign against German cities, early in 1945.
Halted after the attack on Dresden.
Thunderstick II
[USA] Modification of the F-105D with a new nav/attack system in a
dorsal spine.
TI
Trials Installation
TI
Thermal Imager
TIALD
[UK] Thermal Imaging and Laser Designation.
TIARA
[UK] Tornado Integrated Avionics Research Aircraft.
TIAS
[USA] Target Identification and Acquisition System, fitted to some
A-6B Intruders for 'Iron Hand' Wild Weasel missions. Texas Instruments
AN/APS-118.
TIC
[USA] Troops In Contact
TICM
[USA] Thermal Imaging Common Module
TIFS/ASTTA
[USA] Total In-Flight Simulator / Avionics System Test and Training
Aircraft.
Tiger FAC
[USA] Fast-jet FAC. F-E4s were used.
Tiger Force
[UK] Force created by the UK in 1945 for deployment to the Far East.
This was made unecessary by the end of WWII.
Tiger Hound
[USA] Interdiction missions over Laos, during the Vietnam war.
Tiger-PAWS
[Norway] See PAWS.
Tina
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi L3Y, transport version of
the G3M bomber.
TINS
Thermal Imaging Navigation Set
TIP
[USA] TACAMO Improvement Phase
TIR
Target Illuminating Radar
TIR
Thermal Imaging Radar
TIR
Tracking & Illumination Radar
Tirpitz
[UK] Steep diving half-loop, initiated by a roll-over at the top.
TIS
[USSR] Tyazhely Istrebitel Soprovozdeniya --- Heavy escort fighter.
TISL
[USA] Target Indicator System Laser; the 'Pave Penny' equipment.
TIT
[USA] Theatre Indoctrinatrion Training -- familiarization flights
during the first combat operations.
Titanic
[Allied] Dropping of dummy paratroopers as a diversion during
D-day, 6 June 1944.
TKA
[USSR] Torpedniy kater (torpedo cutter)
TL
[NATO] Transit Level
TLAM
[USA] Tomahawk Land Attack Missile
TLeLv
[USSR] Tiedustelulentolaivue
TLP
[NATO] Tactical Leadership Program.
TM
[USA] missiles.
TM-61 Matador
TM-76 Mace
TMA
Terminal Control Area
TMN
True Mach Number
TMR
[UK] Thrust Measuring Rig, a crude VTOL craft, powered by two
Rolls-Royce Nene jet engines, whose efflux was directed downwards.
Better known as 'Flying Bedstead'.
T/O
Take Off
Toby
[USA] Codename for the Lockheed 14 in Japanese service.
TOD
Top Of Descent
TODA
Take-Off Distance Available
TODR
Take-Off Distance Required
TO&E
Table of Organization and Equipment
TOF
Time Of Flight
TOGW
Take-Off Gross Weight
Tojo
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.44 Shoki fighter.
Tom Tom
Project to have a B-29 'carry' a fighter escort, with the weight
supported by their own wings but the propulsive force generated
by the bomber. Two F-84s were attached to its wingtips.
Tonga
[Allied] Airborne operations on D-day, to secure the left flank of
the British landing sector.
Tonsil
[Allied] Barrage rockets used against V-1s.
Tony
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.61 Hien fighter.
Top Flight
[USA] Altitude record flight by a McDonnell YF4H-1, 6 December 1959.
98560ft.
Top Off
[USA] Training in weapons delivery.
Top Sail
[NATO] Surveillance radar associated with SA-N-3 Goblet.
Topsy
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.57 transport.
TORA
Take-Off Run Available
Torch
[Allied] Invasion of North Africa, 8 November 1942.
TORR
Take-Off Run Required
TOT
Time Over Target
Totalize
[Allied] Attack against Falaise by the Canadian Army, 7 August 1944.
Halted on 9 August at 16km from Falaise.
TOW
Take-Off Weight
TOW
[USA] Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided -- an anti-tank
missile, probably the most numerous guided missile ever. BGM-71.
TPP
[USA] Total Package Procurement. A fixed-price contract for the
entire design and production of an aircraft type.
TPS
Test Pilots' School
TR
Tactical Reconaissance
TRA
[USA] Tonopah Range Airfield
Trail Dust
[USA] Escort missions for C-123 'Ranch Hand' defoliation aircraft.
Train
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 24 October 1942.
TRAM
[USA] Target Recognition and Attack Multisensor, a sensor package
carried by the A-6 Intruder.
TRAN
[USA] USN: Transport Ship
Transphire
[UK] TRN / Synthetic Image Enhancement
TRDI
[Japan] Technical Research and Development Institute
TRE
[UK] Telecommunications Research Establishment.
TREDS
[USA] TR-1 Exploitation Development System, a data processing
installation at Hahn AB for data acquired by the TR-1.
T/RIA
[USA] Telemetry / Range Instrumented Aircraft
Trident
[Allied] Conference in Washington, 18 May 1943.
TRIGAT
Third Generation Anti-Tank Missile
TRIM
[USA] Trails, Roads, Interdiction Multisensor
Trixie
[USA] Codename for the German Junkers Ju 52/3m transport aircraft.
Not in Japanese service.
TRN
Terrain-Reference Navigation
TRS
[USA] Tactical Reconaissance Squadron
TRUCKIN'
[USA] Fuel transports by air from the UK to France, in late 1944.
B-24s. Some other materials were also transported, a total of
9880 tons in 2248 missions.
Trudy
[USA] Codename for the German Focke Wulf Fw 200 long-range patrol
aircraft. Not in Japanese service.
TRW
[USA] Tactical Reconaissance Wing
Try Add
[NATO] Ground radar associated with the ABM-1 'Galosh'
--TS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TS
[USA] Test Squadron
4450th TS 'Nightstalkers'
TsAGI
[USSR] Tsentralny Aerogidrodinamichesky Institut --- Central Aero- and
Hydrodynamic Institute.
TSD
[USA] Tactical Situation Display
TSFC
Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption
TsIAM
[USSR] Tsentralny Institut Aviatsionnove Motorostroeniya -- Central
Aeroengine Institute.
TsKB
[USSR] Tsentralnoye Konstruktorskoye byoro --- Central Design Burea.
TSO
Technical Standing Order
TSOR
Tentative Specific Operational Requirement
TSSAM
[USA] Tri-Service Stand-off Attack Missile. Will have a warhead that
dispenses guided subminutions. The US Army already abandoned it, Navy
and USAF continue to support it.
--TT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TTAE
Total Time, Airframe & Engine
TTBTS
[USA] Tanker/Transport/Bomber Training System
TTC
[USA] Technical Training Center
TTF
Tanker Task Force
TTR
Target Tracking Radar
TTTE
[NATO] Tornado Tri-national Training Establishment. Set up at
RAF Cottesmore, UK, in 1981.
T&TW
[USA] Test & Training Wing
TTW
[USA] Tactical Training Wing
TTW
[USA] Technical Training Wing
TUDM
[Malaysia] Tentara Udara Diraya Malaysia -- Royal Malaysian Air Force
Tungsten
[UK] Attack of carrier aircraft on the German battleship 'Tirpitz',
at Kaatfjord; 3 April 1944.
Turk Donama Havaciligi
[Turkey] Turkish Navy.
Turkey Buzzard
[Allied] Towed flight of Airspeed Horsa gliders from the UK to
North Africa, for use in the invasion of Sicily. 3 June 1942.
Turk Hava Kuvvetleri
[Turkey] Turkish Air Force
Turqoise
[UN/France] French intervention in Ruanda, June 1994.
--TV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
TVC
Trust Vector control
TVD
[USSR] Teatr Voennykh Deistvii - Theater of Operations
T/W
Thrust / Weight ratio
TW
[USA] Training Wing or Test Wing
TW/AA
Threat-Warning and Attack Assesment
TWI
Threat Warning Indicator
Twin Scan
[NATO] Radar of the Su-21 'Flagon-E'
TWR
Threat Warning Receiver
TWR
aerodrome control ToWeR
TWS
Track-while-scan
TWT
Travelling Wave Tube, wave generator used in Pulse-Doppler radars.
TWU
[UK] Tactical Weapons Unit
--TX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--TY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--TZ-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe U:
U
[USSR] Uluchshennyi --- Improved.
UAE
United Arab Emirates
UAS
[UK] University Air Squadron
UAV
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
--UB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
U-boot
[Germany] Submarine
--UC-------
UC
[UK] University Cadet
UCMJ
[USA] Uniform Code of Military Justice
UDF
Un-Ducted Fan
UDI
Unilateral Declaration of Independence
UDT
Underwater Demolition Team
*UGM
[USA] Underwater-launched, guided ground-to-ground Missile. See
"us_mil.txt" for an explanation of the USA designation system.
UGM-27 Polaris
UGM-73 Poseidon
UGM-93 Trident
U-GO
[Japan] Attack in Burma, against Imhpal and Kohima, cities in the
border region of in India, 1944. Failed.
--UH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
UHB
Ultra-High Bypass
UHF
Ultra High Frequency
UHU
[Germany] Unterstutzungshubschrauber, support helicopter.
--UI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--UJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--UK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
UKADGE
United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment
UKADR
[UK] United Kingdom Air Defence Region
UKAIR
[NATO] United Kingdom Air Forces
UKV
[USSR] Udarnye kosmicheskie vooruzheniya - Space-based offensive
weapons.
--UL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ULM
Ultra Light Motorised (aircraft)
ULMS
[USA] Underwater Long range Missile System. The Trident missile.
--UM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--UN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
UN
United Nations
UNACE
Universal Aircraft Com/Nav Evaluation
United Effort
[USA] Program to gather data on the SA-2 Guideline SAM missile, by
making them fire on unmanned recconaissance drones. ELINT aircraft
wre then able to gather the required information.
UNPROFOR
United Nations Protection Force
UNREP
Underway Replenishment
--UO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--UP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
UP
[UK] 'Unrotated Projectile', a codename used for rockets.
Uphold Democracy
[USA] Invasion of Haiti, 1994, to restore the elected president
Aristide to power.
UPT
[USA] Undergraduate Pilot Training
--UQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--UR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Urgent Fury
[USA] Invasion of Grenada, October 1983.
--US-------------------------------------------------------------------------
u/s
unserviceable
USAAC
[USA] United States Army Air Corps
USAAF
[USA] United States Army Air Force
USAAS
[USA] United States Army Air Service. Created on May 24, 1918.
USAF
[USA] United States Air Force. Created 18 September 1947.
USAFC
[USA] United States Forces in China. (1920's)
USAFE
[USA] United States Air Force in Europe
USCG
[USA] United States Coast Guard
USMC
[USA] United States Marine Corps
USN
[USA] United States Navy
USNI
[USA] United States Naval Institue
USNR
[USA] United States Navy Reserve
USNR(R)
[USA] United States Navy Reserve (Ready)
USNS
[USA] United States Navy Ship
USS
[USA] United States Ship
--UT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Utah Beach
[Allied] One of the landing beaches used for 'Overlord'.
UTTAS
[USA] Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System. Replacement
for the UH-1; the UH-60 was selected.
UTTCo
[USA] Utility Tactical Transport helicopter Company.
UUM
[USA] Submarine-launched, anti-submarine missile. Subroc is launched
underwater, breaks trough the surface, travels through air, and then
drops it warhead into the water. It has a nuclear warhead.
UUM-4 Subroc.
UUV
Unmanned Undersea Vehicle
--UV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
UV
Ultra-Violet
UV-VS
[USSR] Upravlenie Voenno-vozdushnikh Sil -- Administration of the
air force.
--UX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
U-X
[Japan] multi-purpose support aircraft requirement for the JASDF.
The Gulfstream IV was selected.
UXB
[UK] UneXploded Bomb.
--UY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--UZ---------------------------------------------
Anfangsbuchstabe V:
V-1
[Germany] Vergeltungswaffe 1, 'revenge weapon one'. Also know as Fi
103 or FZG 76. The V-1 was a pulse-jet powered flying bomb. Over
29000 V-1s were built. About 8000 were fired at London, of which 2419
hit. An additional 2448 fell on Antwerp.
V-2
The V-2 was the A-4 ballistic missile. Over 10000 were built. 1120
launched against England, of a total of 4320 operational firings.
Range was up to 320 km, but winged developments had a range of 750km
and the A-10 was a two-stage missile with intercontinental range.
After WWII the V-2 was tested by the Allied. This included a launch
from USS Midway, 6 september 1947.
--VA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VA
[USA] USN attack squadron
VA-12 'Clinchers'
VA-14 'Tophatters'
VA-15 'Valions'
VA-27 'Royal Maces'
VA-35 'Black Panthers'
VA-42 'Green Pawns'
VA-52 'Knight Riders'
VA-65 'Tigers'
VA-66 'Waldomen'
VA-75 'Sunday Punchers'
VA-82 'Marauders'
VA-85 'Black Falcons'
VA-86 'Sidewinders'
VA-87 'Golden Warriors'
VA-95 'Skyknights'
VA-95 'Green Lizards'
VA-97 'Warhawks'
VA-115 'Arabs'
VA-145 'Swordsmen'
VA-165 'Boomers'
VA-182 'Golden Intruders'
VA-176 'Thunderbolts'
VA-205 'Green Falcons'
VA-304 'Firebirds'
VAAC
[UK] Vectored thrust Aircraft for Advanced flight control. A Harrier
testbed, equipped with fly-by-wire controls.
VADS
Vulcan Air Defence System
VAID
[USA] Variable AIr Inlet Duct
VAL
[USA] USN light attack squadron
VAL-4 'Black Ponies'
Val
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi D3A dive bomber
Valhalla
[Germany] Bomber formation. The bomber stream was protected by a
direct escort, a top cover, and free-hunting fighters up front.
VAMOM
[France] Visite d'Aptitude a la Mise en Oevre et a la Maintenance ---
Evaluation of servicing and maintenance.
VAP
[Russia] Vilivnoj Aviatsionnii Pribor --- Dischargeable Aviation System.
A system of water tanks installed in the cargo hold of the Il-76 for
firefighting tasks.
VAQ
[USA] USN tactical electronic warfare squadron
VAQ-34 'Flashbacks'
VAQ-130 'Zappers'
VAQ-132 'Scorpions'
VAQ-134 'Garudas'
VAQ-137 'Rooks'
VAQ-309 'Axemen'
Varsity
[Allied] Operations of the 17th US and 6th British airborne divisions
in support of 'Plunder' (which to see). 23-24 March 1945.
VASI
Visual Approach Slope Indicator
VAW
[USA] USN airborne early warning squadron.
VAW-88 'Cottonpickers'
VAW-114 'Hormel Hawgs'
VAW-125 'Tigertails'
VAW-126 'Seahawks'
VAW-127 'Seabats'
--VB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VB
[USA] Vertical Bomb. VB-1 and VB-2 were free-fall weapons with
azimuth-only guidance, later VBs had complete guidance. VB-9 to
VB-13 had annular wings. VB-13 was used on large scale in Korea.
VB-1 Azon 454kg, used during WWII, used with succes against
bridges.
VB-2 Azon Similar to VB-1, 907kg.
VB-3 Razon 454kg
VB-4 Razon 907kg
VB-5 454kg, image contrast ligth seeker.
VB-6 Felix 45kg, IR seeker
VB-7 TV-guidance
VB-8 TV-guidance
VB-9 Radar homing
VB-10 TV guidance
VB-11 IR guidance
VB-12 Radio control, visual guidance
VB-13 Tarzon 5443kg
VBF
[USA] USN fighter-bomber squadron.
--VC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vc
Design cruise speed
VC
[USA] USN composite squadron
--VD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VD
[USSR] Vertikalnye dvigateli, 'vertical engines', i.e. lift engines.
Vd
Maximum dive speed
VDF
VHF Direction Finding (station)
VDS
Variable Depth Sonar (towed on a cable).
VDU
Video, or Visual Display Unit
--VE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veli aya Otechestvennaya Voina
[USSR] Great Pattriotic War, i.e. WWII.
VERTREP
[USA] Vertical Replenishment --- transport by helicopter of supplies
to warships.
--VF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VF
[USA] USN Fighter Squadron
VF-1 'Wolf Pack'
VF-2 'Flying Chiefs' (WWII)
VF-2 'Bounty Hunters'
VF-10 'Grim Reapers'
VF-14 'Tophatters'
VF-21 'Freelancers'
VF-31 'Sluggers'
VF-32 'Swordsmen'
VF-42 'Green Pawns'
VF-43 'Challengers'
VF-51 'Screaming Eagles'
VF-53 'Blue Knights'
VF-74 'Be-Devilers'
VF-84 'Jolly Rogers'
VF-101 'Grim Reapers'
VF-103 'Tomcatters'
VF-103 'Sluggers'
VF-111 'Sundowners'
VF-124 'Moonshiners'
VF-142 'Ghost Riders'
VF-143 'Pukin' Dogs'
VF-202 'Superheats'
VF-211 'Checkmates'
VF-301 'Devial Disciples'
VF-302 'Stallions'
VF-513 'Red Rippers'
VFA
[USA] Fighter-Attack squadron of the US Navy.
VFA-15 'Valions'
VFA-22 'Fighting Redcocks'
VFA-25 'Fist of the Fleet'
VFA-27 'Chargers'
VFA-37 'Bulls'
VFA-81 'Sunliners'
VFA-82 'Marauders'
VFA-83 'Rampagers'
VFA-86 'Sidewinders'
VFA-87 'Golden Warriors'
VFA-94 'Nighty Strikes'
VFA-97 'Warhawks'
VFA-105 'Gunslingers'
VFA-106 'Gladiators'
VFA-113 'Stingers'
VFA-125 'Rough Riders'
VFA-127 'Cylons'
VFA-131 'Wildcats'
VFA-132 'Privateers'
VFA-136 'Knight Hawks'
VFA-137 'Kestrels'
VFA-146 'Blue Diamonds'
VFA-147 'Argonauts'
VFA-151 'Vigilantes'
VFA-131 'Wildcats'
VFA-132 'Privateers'
VFA-192 'World Famous Golden Dragons'
VFA-195 'Dambusters'
VFA-203 'Blue Dolphins'
VFA-204 'River Rattlers'
VFA-303 'Golden Hawks'
VFA-305 'Lobos'
VFC
[USA] USN Fighter Composite Squadron.
VFP
[USA] USN photo-reconaissance squadron
VFR
Visual Flight Rules
--VG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VG
Variable Geometry
VGO
[UK] Vickers Gas-Operated gun.
--VH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VHF
Very High Frequency
VHSIC
Very High Speed Integrated Circuit
--VI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VI
[USSR] Vysotny Istrebitel -- High-altitude fighter
Victor
[NATO] Soviet submarine class
VID
Visual Identifaction
VIFF
Vectoring In Forward Flight, use of the vectoring jet nozzles of the
Harrier to enhance maneuvrability in combat. Never used operationally,
because the large energy loss outweighs the advantages.
Vigilant Warrior
[USA] Deployment of US forces to the Gulf Region, late in 1994.
Violet Club
[UK] Code name for a 'physics package', the actual nuclear weapon
in a series of nuclear bombs, or a bomb casing. Bomb and casing had
their own codenames. 'Violet Club' was based on 'Orange Herald';
twelve entered service in 1958. The bomb casing was 'Blue Danube'.
VISTA
[USA] Variable stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft, a modified
F-16.
--
VKP
[USSR] Vozduzhnyi Komandnii Punkt --- airborne command post. As in
Mi-6VKP 'Hook-B'.
--VL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VL
Vertical Landing
VLAGES
Very Low Altitude Gravity Extraction System. Airdropping at low
altitude and low speed, without parachutes.
VLF
Very Low Frequency
VLG
[Netherlands] VliegtuigGroep --- Aircraft Group.
VLO
Very Low Observable
VLU
[Czechoslovakia] Aviation Research Institute.
--VM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VMA
[USA] USMC attack squadron
VMA-231 'Ace of Spades'
VMA-242 'Batmen'
VMA-331 'Bumblebees'
VMA-513 'Flying Nightmares'
VMA-542 'Flying Tigers'
VMA-(AW)
[USA] USMC All-weather attack squadron. (Numbers: see VMA)
VMAT
[USA] USMC attack training squadron.
VMB
[USA] USMC Bombardment Squadron
VMC
Visual Meteorological Conditions
VMCJ
[USA] USMC electronic warfare squadron
VMCJ-2 'Playboys'
VMF
[USA] USMC Fighter Squadron
VMF-111 'Devil Dogs'
VMF-112 'Wolf Pack'
VMF-115 'Silver Eagles'
VMF-214 'Blacksheep'
VMF-215 'Fighting Corsairs'
VMF-221 'Flying Falcons'
VMF-222 'Flying Duces'
VMF-311 'Hell's Belles'
VMF-321 'Hell's Angels'
VMF-323 'Death Rattlers'
VMF-441 'Black Jacks'
VMF-513 'The Flying Nightmares'
VMF-542 'Bengals'
VMFA
[USA] Fighter-Attack squadron of the USMC.
VMFA-115 'Silver Eagles'
VMFA(AW)-121 'Green Knights'
VMFA-122 'Crusaders'
VMFA-134 'Hawks'
VMFA-142 'Flying Gators'
VMFA-212 'Lancers'
VMFA(AW)-225 'Vagabonds'
VMFA-232 'Red Devils'
VMFA-235 'Death Angels'
VMFA(AW)-242 'Batmen'
VMFA-251 'Thunderbolts'
VMFA-312 'Checkertails'
VMFA-314 'Black Knights'
VMFA-323 'Death Rattlers'
VMFA-333 'Shamrocks'
VMFA-451 'Warlords'
VMFA-531 'Grey Ghosts'
VMFAT
[USA] Fighter-Attack Training squadron of the USMC.
Vmo
Maximum permitted operating speed
VMO
[USA] USMC observation squadron
VMO-1 'Yazoo'
VMO-2 'Hostage'
VMO-6 'Tomcats'
--VN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VNAF
[South Vietnam] Vietnamese Air Force
Vne
Never to exceed speed (structural limitation)
--VO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOD
Vertical On-Board Delivery
Volant Dew
[USA] Supply missions to the Dew radar line in Greenland, flown by
ski-equipped LC-130H aircraft.
Volant Forest
[USA] Fire-fighting program for the C-130 Hercules.
Volant Oak
[USA] C-130 at Howard AFB, Panama, for the US Southern Command.
Volant Solo
[USA] Psychological warfare version of the C-130 Hercules. The EC-130E
exists in 'Comfy Levi' and 'Rivet Rider' versions.
VOLMET
Routine broadcast of meteoroloigcal information
VOR
VHF Omnidirectional Range (beacon)
VORTAC
VHF Omni Range & Tactical Air Navigation
--VP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VP
Variable Pitch (propeller)
VP
[USSR] Visotny Perekhvatchik --- High-Altitude Interceptor.
VP
[USA] USN patrol squadron
VP-8 'Tigers'
VP-17 'White Lightnings'
VP-23 'Sea Hawks'
VP-24 'Batmen'
VPR
Virtual PPI Reflectoscope
--VQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VQ
[USA] USN electronic reconaissance squadron.
VQ-3 'Iron Men'
VQ-4 'Shadows'
VQ-6 'Sea Shadows'
--VR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vr
Rotation Speed
VR
[USA] USN heavy transport squadron
VR-60 'Volunteer Express'
VR
Volunteer Reserve
VRC
[USN] USN Carrier on-board delivery squadron
VRC-50 'Foo Dogs'
VRF
[USA] USN ferry transport squadron
VRDK
[USSR] 'Air-turbocompressor reaction engine', also known as
'accelerator', an auxiliary reaction engine used in 1945 to increase
the performance of several fighters with reciprocating engines. Air
was compressed by an engine-driven compressor, then mixed with fuel
and ignited.
VRF
[USA] USN transport wing.
--VS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vs
Stalling Speed
VS
[USA] USN submarine warfare squadron
VS-21 'Fighting redtails'
VS-22 'Checkmates'
VS-30 'Diamondcutters'
VS-37 'Sawbucks'
VSI
Vertical Speed Indicator
VSS
[USA] Variable Stability System. Installed in an SH-60B.
VSSU
[USA] USN Anti-Submarine Warfare Support Unit
VSTT
[USA] Variable Speed Training Target: Competition for a traget drone,
won by the Beechcraft MQM-107.
V/STOL
Vertical / Short Take-Off and Landing
VSWing
[USA] USN Air Anti Submarine Warfare Support Wing
--VT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VT
[USA] USN training squadron.
VT
[USSR] Voyenniy transport (military transport ship)
VT
Variable Time (proximity) fuse.
VTA
[USSR] Voenno-Transportnaya Aviatsiya (Military Transport Aviation)
VTAS
[USA] Visual Target Acquisition System. A helmet sight.
VTOL
Vertical Take-Off and Landing
VTX-TS
[USA] Trainer competition for the US Navy, won by the British
Aerospace Hawk, known as T-45 in USN service.
--VU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--VV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
V-VS
[USSR] Voenno-Vozdushniye Sily --- Air force. Formed in 1924.
VVSRF
[Russia] Voenno-Vozdushniye Sily Rossiskoi Federatsii (Air Forces of
the Russian Federation)
VVS-VMF
[USSR] Voenno-Vozdushniye Sily -- Voenno Morskovo Flota. Naval air
force. Formed in 1924.
--VW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VW
[USA] USN Airborne Early Warning Squadron
--VX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VX
[USA] USN Air Test and Evaluation Squadron
VX-4 'Evaluators'
VX-5 'Vampires'
VXE
[USA] USN development squadron
VXE-6 'Puckered Penguins'
VXN
[USA] USN Oceanographic Development Squadron
--VY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--VZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VLU
[Czechoslovakia] Aviation Research and Test Institute.
VZPU
[USSR] Vozdushnyi Zapastnoi Punkt Upravlenya --- Airborne Reserve
Command Post. As in Mi-8VZPU 'Hip-D'.
Anfangsbuchstabe W:
WAAF
[UK] Women's Auxiliary Air Force
WAAM
[USA] Wide-Area Anti-Armor Munitions, a development program for
anti-tank munitions.
WAATS
[USA] Western ARNG Aviation Training Site
WAC
Weapon Aiming Computer
Wacht am Rhein
[Germany] Plan for the attack in the Ardennes, 1944.
WADC
[USA] Wright Air Development Center
Wa F
[Germany] Waffenforschung --- Weapons Research (Bureau)
WAGB
[USA] USCG: Icebreaker
WAGL
[USA] USCG: Lighthouse Tender
Wako
[Germany] Waffenausbildungskomponente. Weapon-Trainings Component.
Walkure
[Germany] WWII. Emergency plan for a possible internal rebellion,
but used by the leaders of the attempted coup that followed on the
July 1944 plot to kill Hitler.
Wa Pruf
[Germany] Heereswaffenamt Prufwesen --- Test service of the Army
weapons bureau.
Warden
[UK] British part of 'Provide Comfort'.
WARPAC
Warsaw Pact
WAS
Weapon Aiming System
Wasserfall
[Germany] WWII development programme for a SAM. Abandoned in February
1945. Wasserfall was steered by radio commands.
WAT
Weight, Altitude, Temperature (factors determining take-off
performance)
--WB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--WC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WC
Weapons Controller
WC^3
Warning, Command, Control and Communications
--WD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WD
Weapons Director
WDNS
Weapons Delivery & Navigation System
--WE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WE 177
[UK] Family of nuclear weapons currently in use. Little
information is available.
WEF
With Effect From
WEG
[USA] Weapons Evaluation Group
WEU
Western European Union (defence organisation)
--WF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WFU
Withdrawn From Use.
--WG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WG
[USA] Wing
WHEC
[USA] USCG: High Endurance Cutter
Whisky
[NATO] Soviet submarine class. 'Whisky Twin Cylinder' with two deck
launchers for SS-N-3 cruise missiles, 'Whisky Long Bin' with four
internal launchers.
White Paper
[UK] The 1957 Defence White Paper, created by Duncan Sandys,
that declared that aircraft were made obsolete by the
development of guided missiles --- a decision that wrecked most
of the British aviation industry.
--WI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIG
Wing-In-Ground effect
WIGE
Wing-In-Ground effect
Wild Goose
[USA] Upgrading of F-106s to the latest production standard, 1960.
Wild Weasel
[USA] Generic designation applied to aircraft specialized in
anti-radar and anti-SAM operations. Wild Weasel 1 was a modified
F-100. Wild Weasel 1A, 2 and 3 were F-105's. Wild Weasel 4 was
a F-4 version.
William Tell
[USA] Exercise and competition for fighter squadrons at Tyndall AFB,
Florida.
Willie
[USA] Conversion of B-17s to unmanned BQ-7s.
Willow
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Yokosuka K5Y trainer.
WIP
Work In Progress
WIU
Weapons Interface Unit
WIX
[USA] USCG: Training Cutter
Wizzo
[USA] (slang) WSO
--WJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--WL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WLA
[UK] Women's Land Army
WLB
[USA] USCG: Seagoing Buoy Tender
WLM
[USA] USCG: Coastal Buoy Tender
WLR
[USA] USCG: River Buoy Tender
--WM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WMEC
[USA] USCG: Medium Endurance Cutter
--WN-------------------------------------------------
W/O
Written Off.
WOC
[USA] Wing Operations Center
WOD
Wind Over the Deck -- of a carrier, of course.
Wolf FAC
[USA] Fast-jet FAC. F-4Ds were used.
--WP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WP
White Phosporus
WPB
[USA] USCG: Large Patrol Boat
--WQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--WR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WRAF
[UK] Women's Royal Air Force
WRAMA
[USA] Warner-Robins Air Material Area
WRS
[USA] Weather Reconaissance Squadron
WRSK
[USA] War Readiness Spares Kit
--WS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WS
[USA] Weather Squadron
WSES
[USA] USCG: Surface Effect Ship
WSIP
Weapon Systems Improvement Program
WSMR
[USA] White Sands Missile Range
WSO
Weapon Systems Officer
--WT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--WU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WUDO
[Europe] Western Union Defence Organization. Created in 1948 by the treaty of Brussels; precursor of NATO.
Anfangsbuchstabe X:
XO = [USA] (slang) Executive Officer
XST = [USA] Experimental Stealth Technology. A Lockheed technology demonstrator aircraft, possible a prototype of the F-117.
Anfangsbuchstabe Y:
Yankee = [NATO] Soviet submarine class
Ye Ethiopia Ayer Hail = [Ethiopia] Ethiopian Air Force
Yellow Gate = [UK] Loral 1017A ESM pod.
Yellow Grain = [USA] Modification to the F-100 to cure the flame-out problems of the J57 engine
Yellow Sun = [UK] Nuclear bomb, a free-fall weapon.
YSR = [USA] USN: Seaplane Wrecking Derrick
YTB = [USA] USN: Large Harbour Tug
Anfangsbuchstabe Z:
Zapadnaya Gruppa Voisk = [USSR] Western Group of Soviet Armed Forces, in the DDR.
ZAR = [USA] Zeus Acquisition Radar. Large pyramidal radar used with the Nike Zeus ABM missile.
Zaunkonig = [Germany] T5 acoustic homing torpedo
ZEL = [USA] Zero Launch system -- a zero-length launch system for F-100s that carried nuclear bombs.
Zeppelin = [Germany] Attempt to assassinate Stalin. A special force was partly air-dropped, and partly flown to near Moscow by an Ar 232.
Zero = [USA] Nickname for the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Reisen 'Zeke' fighter, unofficial.
ZFW = Zero Fuel Weight
Zitadelle = [Germany] Operation against Soviet positions near Kursk, July 1943.
Zitteroschen = [Germany] Winged, supersonic guided missile, terminated in October 1944