Acronyms and Codenames FAQ, A-B
==0==========================================================================
0/0
Zero-zero : Ejection seat designed to be used at zero altitude and
zero speed.
1MC
[USA] Ship's primary broadcast system.
243.0MHz
International Distress Frequency
==A==========================================================================
A^2C^2
[USA] See AACC.
--AA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AA
Air-to-Air
AA
[France] Armee de l'Air --- Air Force.
AAA
Anti-Aircraft Artillery
AAAD
[UK] All Arms Air Defence
AAAM
[USA] Advanced AIr-to-Air Missile. A replacement for AIM-54 Phoenix.
Cancelled.
AAAW
[UK] Air-Launched Anti-Armour Weapon. The Brimstone missile was
chosen for this requirerement.
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, at Boscombe Down,
UK. Former : Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment.
AAF
Auxiliary Air Force
AAF
[USA] Army Airfield
AAFA
[USA] Army Aviation Flight Activity
AAFCE
[NATO] Allied Air Forces Central Europe
AAFSS
[USA] Advanced Aerial Fire Support System. A 1965 competition for
a gunship helicopter, won by the AH-56 Cheyenne.
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. Also used by the USN to label its missiles, before
the introduction of the tri-service designation system:
AAM-N-2 Sparrow I
AAM-N-6 Sparrow III
AAM-N-7 Sidewinder
AAM-AE
[USSR] Air-to-Air Missile, Active, Export. Export version of the
R-77 (AA-12 'Adder', also known as "AMRAAMski") 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
[UK] Advanced Air Striking Force. In France, 1939-1940.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AB
[USA] Air Base
ABC
[UK] AirBorne Cigar, codename for equipment used during WWII to
jam German communications.
ABC
[USA] Advancing Blade Concept. Helicopter design incorporating two
inflexible, three bladed, contra-rotating rotors. Tested in the
H-59. Only the forward-moving blades produced lift.
ABCCC
[USA] Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center.
Abdul
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.27 fighter. Unofficial.
ABG
[USA] Air Base Group
ABL
[USA] AirBorne Laser. Plans to put a powerful laser into a 747 as
experimental defense against ballistic missiles.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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; created at 1 June 1992 by merging TAC and
SAC.
ACC
Air Component Commander
ACCP
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. The aircraft is suspended in an
anechoic chamber, and fed with simulated or 'live' data.
ACF
Air Combat Fighter
ACF
[South Africa] Active Citizen Force
Achse
[Germany] Order to disarm all Italian units. Given on
9 September 1943.
ACI
[UK] Air Controlled Interception --- An interception which is
controlled by an airborne radar in an AWACS aircraft. The British
experimented with this as early as during WWII, mainly against
V-1 carrying He 111s over the North Sea.
Acid Gambit
[USA] Plan to free CIA-agent Kurt Meuse from a Panamese prison,
in case of an invasion. Done as a part of "Just Cause". 1989.
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?
ACMG
[Canada] Air Combat and Mobility Group. Would be created in 1996,
and combine fighter, air transport and tactical helicopter forces.
Cancelled.
ACMI
[USA] Air Combat Manoeuvering Instrumentation. Records what actually
happens during combat exercises, for evaluation afterwards.
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. See also 'Provide Comfort' and 'Warden'.
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
ACSEA
[UK] Air Command South-East Asia
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. See CVE for
numbers.
ACW
[USA] Air Control Wing
ACWW
[Japan] Air Control and Warning Wing
--AD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Adder
[NATO] Russian AAM, AA-12. Russian name for this missile
is Vympel R-77, also RVV-AE. Unofficially it is known as
AMRAAMski.
ADF
Automatic Direction Finder
ADG
[Canada] AIr Defence Group
ADGB
[UK] Air Defence of Great Britain.
ADGE
Air Defence Ground Environment
ADGES
Air Defence Ground Environment System
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 Quail
ADM
Advanced Development Model, or Advanced Demonstration Model
ADMG
[Japan] Air Defence Missile Group
ADO
[USA] Advanced Development Objective
ADP
Advanced Ducted Propeller (P&W)
ADP
Automated Data Processing
ADR
Accident Data Recorder
ADR
[UK] Air Defence Region
ADRC
[UK] Air Defence Research Committee. Set up in 1935.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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] AEW / 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
[UK] Air Education & Training Command
AEU
Airborne Electronics Unit
AEW
Airborne Early Warning
AEW&C
Airborne Early Warning & Control
AETC
[USA] Air Education & Training Command
--AF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AF
Air Force
AF
[USA] USN: Stores Ship
AFA
[Portugal] Academia da Forca Aerea.
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
AFDS
[UK] Advanced Fighter Development Squadron. At West Raynham.
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
AFM
[Malta] Armed Forces of Malta
AFMC
[USA] Air Force Materiel Command
AFMS
Automatic Flight Management System
AFP
[Germany] Armeeflugpark. Unit, usually of twelve aircraft, assigned
to a WWI army. The German armies controlled also a number of other
aircraft, such as a staff flight of six aircraft.
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 (or Service) Command
AFSOC
[USA] Air Force Special Operations Command
AFSOUTH
[NATO] Allied Forces, Southern Europe
AFSPACECOM
[USA] Air Force Space Command
AFSS
[USA] Air Force Security Service
AFT
[UK] Advanced Flying Training
AFTI
[USA] Advanced Fighter Technology Integration
AFV
Armoured Fighting Vehicle
AFWL
[USA] Air Force Weapons Laboratory
--AG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
II.
AGL
Above Ground Level
AGLT
[UK] Automatic Gun Laying Turret
AGM
[USA] USN: Missile Range Instrumentation Ship
AGM
[USA] Air-to-Ground Missile
AGM-12 Bullpup
AGM-28 Hound Dog
AGM-45 Shrike
AGM-53 Condor
AGM-62 Walleye
AGM-64 Hornet
AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-69 SRAM
AGM-78 Standard ARM
AGM-84 Harpoon and SLAM
AGM-86 ALCM
AGM-88 HARM
AGM-109 Tomahawk TALCM
AGM-114 Hellfire
AGM-119 Penguin
AGM-122 Sidearm
AGM-123 Skipper
AGM-129 ACM
AGM-131 SRAM II
AGM-136 Tacit Rainbow
AGM-137 TSSAM
AGM-142 Have Nap
AGM-154 JSOW
A Go
[Japan] Japanese operations during the Battle of the Marianas.
June 1944.
AGOR
[USA] USN: Oceanographic Research Ship
AGOS
[USA] USN: Ocean Surveillance Ship
AGOS
[USSR] Department for the development of seaplanes.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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,
initiated in 1981.
AHRS
Altitude and Heading Reference System
--AI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AI
Air Interdiction
AI
Air Interception
AI
Air Interception (radar). Used for British WWII radar sets.
AI Mk.I 1.5m May 1939 Experimental only
AI Mk.II 1.5m November 1939 Production version of Mk.I
AI Mk.III 1.5m Late 1939 Only used for training
AI Mk.IV 1.5m July 1940 First version to be used in combat
AI Mk.V 1.5m Mk.IV for use by a pilot alone
AI Mk.VI 1.5m Mk.IV for use by a pilot alone
AI Mk.VIII April 1942 First centimetric radar set
AI Mk.IX Frequency-tunable
AI Mk.X 10cm The American SCR 720 set.
AIAA
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
AIAAM
[USA] Advanced Intercept Air-to-Air Missile, a proposed replacement for
AIM-54 Phoenix.
AIB
[UK] Accident Investigation Branch
AID
[UK] Aeronautical Inspection Directorate
AIDC
[Taiwan] Aero Industry Development Center. The Taiwanese aircraft
builder, under control of the ministry of defence.
AIDS
[USA] Advanced Integrated Display System
AIM
[USA] Air-to-air missile.
AIM-4 Falcon
AIM-7 Sparrow
AIM-9 Sidewinder
AIM-26 (Falcon)
AIM-47 (Falcon)
AIM-54 Phoenix
AIM-82
AIM-92 Stinger
AIM-95 Agile
AIM-97 Seekbat
AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-132 ASRAAM
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-2 Genie
AIR
Air Inflatable Retarder (bomb decelerator)
AIR
Air Intercept Radar
AIRCOM
[Canada] Air Command
AIROPS
Air Operations
AIRP
[USA] Airborne Instrumentation Research Programme. A NASA project.
AISF
[USAF] Avionic Integration Support Facility. Ground testing
equipment for F-15 avionics.
AIWS
[USA] Advanced Interdiction Weapon System
--AJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--AK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AK
[USA] USN: General Cargo Ship
AKA
[USA] USN: Attack Cargo Ship
AKG
[Germany] Aufklarungsgeschwader -- reconaissance wing
AKG 51 'Immelmann'
AKN
[Germany] AbwehrKommando Nord --- Defence Unit North. A WWI fighter
unit, mostly equipped with Fokker E's. These were initially not
allowed to cross the front lines, because of the secret nature
of the interrupter gear, and later continued in a defensive role.
AKR
[USA] USN: Vehicle Cargo Ship
AKV
[USA] Aircraft Ferry. Often old carriers.
--AL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Al Abbas
[Iraq] Improved Scud missile.
Alacrity
[UK] Force of Canberra bombers, put on alert to reinforce units
in the Middle East at 96 hours notice.
Aladdin
[USA] Modifications to the S-3 Viking carrier-borne ASW aircraft
to make it suitable for surveillance missions over Bosnia.
Alamo
[NATO] Soviet AA-10 air-to-air missile (R-27)
Alamo
[USA] Plans for a last-ditch defense of Tan Son Nuth airport, near
Saigon, during operation 'Frequent Wind' in 1975.
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'.
Albert
[UK] Air attacks on targets in Egypt, a part of 'Musketeer'.
ALBM
Air-Launched Ballistic Missile
ALC
[USA] Air Logistics Center
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
Aldebaran
[France] Test of the AN 52 nuclear bomb, on 2 July 1966.
ALE
[Italy] Aviazone Leggera dell'Esercito. Army light aviation.
ALF
[USA] Airlift Flight
Alf
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi E7K floatplane.
ALFS
[USA] Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar. Hughes AQS-22
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
[India] Advanced Light Helicopter
Al Hussein
[Iraq] Improved Scud missile.
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
ALOA
[France] Aviation Legere d'Obervation d'Artillerie --- Light
aviation for artillery spotting.
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
[USA] 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
Al Sakusen
[USA] Japanese diversion offensive against Dutch Harbour and the
Aleutian islands. 1942.
ALUSNA
[USA] U.S. Naval Attache
AL-X
[Brazil] Requirement for a light attack aircraft. 1996. A
development of the Tucano is intended.
Al Yamamah
[Saudi-Arabia] Defence co-operation agreement between Saudi-Arabia
and the UK.
ALYCAT
[UK] Aeromechanical Lynx Control Agilty Testbed. Lynx helicopter
testbed.
--AM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AMAC
[USA] Aircraft Monitor and Control system.
AMB
[Netherlands] Air Mobile Brigade
AMC
[USA] Air Materiel Command
AMC
[USA] Air Mobility Command. Created in 1992, combining the transport
part of MAC, TAC and SAC.
AMCM
[USA] Airborne Mine CounterMeasures
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
AMF
[NATO] Allied Commander Europe Mobile Forces
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 with an 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.
AMSDU
[UK] Air Ministry Servicing Development Unit
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
AMWD
[UK] Air Ministry Works Department. Responsible for all works on
RAF bases.
--AN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, i.e. a radar set
carried by aircraft.
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
An Hsiang
[Taiwan] Safe Flight. Codename for the development of the Ching
Kuo fighter.
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.
Antler
[UK] Nuclear Weapons Trials in South Australia, 1957.
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.
ANZUK
Australia, New Zealand and US. Military alliance.
--AO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. Expected to enter service in 1997.
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)
APFC
[NATO] Air Portable Fuel Cell. Standard volume is 1955 liters.
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. August 1944.
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
Apollo
[USA] The project to put a man on the moon.
APR
Automatic Power Reserve
APS
[USA] USN: Transport Submarine
APS
[UK] Armament Practice Station
APS
Aircraft Prepared for Service
APSF
[UK] Aden Protectorate Support Flight.
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.
--AQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--AR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
ARCANA
[France] Appareil de Recalage et de Cartographie pour Navigation
Aveugle. All-weather navigation and cartography system.
Archer
[NATO] Soviet AA-11 air-to-air missile (Molniya, R-73)
Archery
[UK] Commando raid on Vaagso in Norway, December 1941.
Archimedes
[Germany] WWII acoustic guidance system for missiles.
Arc Light
[USA] Deployment of B-52s to Guam in support of the American forces
in Vietnam.
ARCO
[USA] Airborne Remote Control Officer, in drone controller aircraft.
ARCP
Air Refuelling Control Point
ARCT
Air Refuelling Control Time
ARD
[USA] USN: Floating Dry Dock
ARDC
[USA] Air Research and Development Command
Ardent
[UK] Exercise, 1952.
ARE
[UK] Admiralty Research Establishment
AREFG
[USA] Air Refuelling Group
AREFS
[USA] Air Refuelling Squadron
AREFW
[USA] Air Refuelling Wing
ARESE
[USA] Atmospheric Radiation Enhanced Short-Wave Experiment. An
investigation into global warming.
ARF
[USA] "Aerial Relay Facility" - RC-12 portion of the GRCS which is
used to relay intelligence info from aircraft to aircraft and
also to the ground.
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, creating 'pure' battalions with
72 AH-64 helicopters each.
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
ARL
[USA] "Airborne Reconnaisance-Low" - Army INSCOM RC-7B COMINT/DF or
IMINT system. Non-covert but low-profile airborne intel system
based on the DeHavilland Dash-7.
ARL-M
[USA] "Multifunction Airborne Reconnaisance-Low" - Army INSCOM
improved RC-7B with COMINT/DF/IMINT all on the same aircraft.
Program name is Crazy Hawk.
ARM
Anti-Radiation Missile
ARMADAS
[UK] Anti-Radar Missile Airborne Data Analysis System. Installed in
a BAe Andover.
Armat
[France] Anti-Radiation MArTel. Version of the Martel ASM.
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. Modified
the AN/APS-120 radar to AN/APS-125.
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.
ARRC
[NATO] Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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)
ASH
[UK] Air to Surface Homing (radar)
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
ASLP
[France] Air-Sol Longue Portee -- Long-range air-to-surface
missile, with a nuclear warhead. Development halted.
ASM
Air-to-Surface Missile. Also used by the USN to label its missiles,
before the tri-service designation system was introduced.
ASM-N-7 Bullpup
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. The
goal of this programme was to reduce radar cross-sections of equipment;
so-called 'Stealth' technology.
ASTOR
[UK] Airborne Stand-Off Radar. Previously known as CASTOR.
ASTOVL
[USA] Advanced STOVL
ASTRA
[UK] Advanced System Training Aircraft. A modified Hawk Mk.1
ASU
[UK] Aircraft Storage Unit. Set up during WWII to store surplus
aircraft. In January 1946 the RAF had 21842 aircraft in storage,
and 12560 of these were in long-term storage.
Asura
[France] Air-to-SURface Ramjet with Automatic guidance. Development
of ASMP.
ASUW
Anti-Surface Unit Warfare
ASV
[UK] Anti-Surface Vessel (radar)
ASV Mk.I 1.5m January 1940 Training only
ASV Mk.II 176MHz September 1940 First practical system
ASV Mk.III 1943 Based on H2S
ASV Mk.VI Included 'Vixen' attenuator
ASW
Anti-Submarine Warfare
ASWAC
[India] Airborne Surveillance, Warning And Control. An AEW development
of the Hs.748 twin-turboprop transport, with a large radar rotating
dish. A prototype flew in 1990.
ASWOC
[USA] Anti-Submarine Warfare Operations Center
--AT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
ATA
[UK] Air Transport Auxiliary. The ATA ferried aircraft from
manufacturers to the RAF squadrons.
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
[USA] Air Transport Command
ATC
Air Traffic Control
ATC
[UK] Air Training Corps
ATCA
[USA] Advanced Tanker/Cargo Aircraft. The KC-10.
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.
ATFERO
[UK] Atlantic Ferry Organisation
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, produced by Martin Marietta
and Thomson-CSF.
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. A
series of commuterliners built by French/Italian manufacturers.
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
--AU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AV
[USA] Aircraft (seaplane) Tender
AV-4 Curtiss (Curtiss)
AV-5 Albemarle (Curtiss)
AV-7 Currituck (Currituck)
AV-8 Tangier (Tangier)
AV-9 Pocomoke (Tangier)
AV-10 Chandeleur (Chandeleur)
AV-11 Norton Sound (Currituck)
AV-12 Pine Island (Currituck)
AV-13 Puget Sound (Currituck)
AV-13 Salisbury Sound (Currituck)
AV-14 Kenneth Whiting (Whiting)
AV-15 Hamlin (Whiting)
AV-16 St. George (Whiting)
AV-17 Cumberland Sound (Whiting)
Avalanche
[Allied] The landing in Salerno Bay, Italy, 1943.
AVCRAD
[USA] Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot
AvEs
[Italy] Aviazone dell'Esercito. Army aviation.
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
AVIAVNITO
[USSR] Departement for the organisation of aeronautic technical
and scientific research.
AVIM
[USA] Aviation Intermediate Maintenance facility.
AVM
[UK] Air Vice Marshall
AV-MF
[USSR] Aviatsiya Voenno-Morsko Flota (Naval Air Force)
AVP
[USA] Small Seaplane Tender
AVP-10 Barnegat (Barnegat)
AVP-32 Yukatat
AVP-34 Bering Strait
AVP-37 Corson (Barnegat)
AVP-38 Duxbury Bay (Barnegat)
AVP-39 Gardiners Bay (Barnegat)
AVP-40 Floyds Bay (Barnegat)
AVP-41 Greenwich Bay (Barnegat)
AVP-48 Onslow (Barnegat)
AVP-49 Orca (Barnegat)
AVP-51 San Carlos (Barnegat)
AVP-52 Shelikof (Barnegat)
AVP-53 Suisun (Barnegat)
AVP-54 Timbalier (Barnegat)
AVP-55 Valcour (Barnegat)
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.
AVT-6 Saipan (Saipan)
AVT-7 Wright (Saipan)
AVT-16 Lexington (Essex)
AVT-59 Forrestal (Forrestal)
AVTR
[USA] Airborne Video Tape Recorder
--AW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AW
[USA] 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
AWRE
[UK] Atomic Weapons Research Establishment
AWS
[UK] Automatic Wing Sweep. For the Tornado ADV.
--AX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
AX
[USA] Requirement for a medium-sized carrier-based attack aircraft
to replace the A-6 Intruder. Cancelled in 1993.
Axiom
[Allied] Plan for attacks on Malaya, Sumatra and Hong Kong. Not
accepted.
--AY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--AZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Azon
[USA] See VB.
Azul
[Argentina] The occupation of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) in
1982.
==B==========================================================================
B
[USSR] Bombardirovshkchik
--BA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Balgarskite Voennovasdushni Sily
[Bulgaria] Bulgarian Air Force.
BALLUTE
Balloon Parachute (bombr retarder)
BAM
[Germany] Brieftauben-Abteilung Metz --- Carrrier pigeon group Metz.
See BAO!
Bandit
Hostile aircraft
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 -- carrier pigeon group Ostend.
A cover name for an unit that was created for bombing attacks on
England. Later interpreted as 'Bombenaufwurf-Abteilung der OHL',
bomber unit of the OHL (directly responsible to OHL, the
supreme command, and not assigned to a local army unit).
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.
Bat
[UK] Equipment which allowed Mosquito nightfighters to home in to
the emissions of radio jammers. Two dipole anttenae were carried
on each wing.
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 1943.
Bay Window
[UK] Alternative name for 'Homing Eye', an infrared guidance
system.
--BB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BB
[USA] USN: Battleship
BBMF
[UK] Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
--BC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BC
[USA] USN: Battlecruiser
BCAEAU
[UK] Bomber Command Advanced Emergency Airfield Unit. Created
at Juvincourt, France, in 1944.
BCAR
[UK] British Civil Airworthiness Requirement
BCAS
[UK] Bomber Command Armament School
BCD
Bad Conduct Discharge
BCE
Battlefield Coordination Element
BCGN
[USA] USN: Nuclear-powered, Guided Missile Battlecruiser
--BD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BDA
Battle / Bomb Damage Assessment
BDF
[Botswana] Botswana Defence Force
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] Bomb Dummy Unit. Practice versions of nuclear bombs.
BDZ
[NATO] Base Defense Zone
--BE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
BEF
[UK] British Expeditionary Force
Belfry Express
[USA] Operations of RPVs from the aircraft carrier USS Ranger,
in 1969.
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 --- a set of rotating disks that can be
carried in a flying suit pocket.
Berlin
[Germany] FuG 240 airborne radar. Dish antenna inside streamlined
nose cover; 30 to 50 issued to service units, mostly on the
Ju 88G-6. Berlin used a wavelength of 10cm and was based on
captured examples of the British cavity magnetron.
BERP
[UK] British Experimental Rotor Programme. Development of the
high-performance rotor system later fitted to eg. the Westland
Lynx helicopter.
Bersatu Padu
[UK] Exercise deployment to Far East. 1970.
Beryl
[France] Nuclear test of the AN 11 bomb, 1 May 1962.
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.
Beware
[UK] Defence exercise, held in 1955 to test the air defences of
the UK.
--BF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BFT
Basic Flying Training
--BG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BG
[USA] Bombardment Group
91th BG 'The Ragged Irregulars'
345th BG 'Air Apaches'
BG
[USA] USN: battle group
BG
[USA] Bomb Glider.
Fletcher XBG-1
Fletcher XBG-2
Cornelius XBG-3
BGM
[USA]
BGM-71 TOW
BGM-109 Tomahawk
--BH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bharatoya Vayusena
[India] Air Force.
BHELA
[Spain] Battalon de Helicopteros de Ataque --- Battalion of attack
helicopters.
--BI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 to test the vulnerability of aircraft to
missiles.
Big Eye
[USA] Detachment of EC-121 AEW aircraft to Taiwan during the Vietnam
war, in support of 'Rolling Thunder'.
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.
Biscay Cross
[Germany] Nickname given to the cross-shaped antenna of the Naxos
radar warning receiver, carried by U-boats.
Bison
[NATO] Soviet Myasichew M-4 bomber.
BITE
[USA] Built-In Test Equipment
--BJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--BK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BK
[Germany] Bordkanone
BK 3,7 37mm clip-fed 180rds/min 798m/s
BK 5 50mm 50rds/min 917m/s
BK 7,5 75mm 933m/s
BKAV
[USSR] Bureau of Commissars of Aviation and Aeronautics, created in
1917.
--BL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Buck
[UK] Attacks on Argentine positions on the Falkland Islands, flown
by Vulcan bombers based on Ascension, with air refuelling.
The Vulcan was refuelled six times, by a fleet of twelve Victor
tankers. Results were minimal.
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 Light
[USA] ARPA program, ?
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.
Blind Logic
[USA] Plan to support a new government in Panama with US military
assistance. See also Prayer Book.
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 guided glide bomb with a television/command
guidance system. Cancelled in 1954.
Blue Cradle
[USA] Electronic warfare system, installed in the B-47s of SAC.
Blue Danube
[UK] Nuclear bomb, a free-fall weapon. The codename refers to the
bomb casing, the actual nuclear weapon in it was changed at least
once.
Blue Devil
[UK] Bomb sight.
Blue Eagle
[USA] Boeing EC-135J, ABNCP aircraft.
Blue Harrier
[NATO] Exercise in minesweeping, 1994.
Blue Jay
[UK] Original project name of the British 'Firestreak' AAM.
Blue Joker
[UK] An experimental AEW system, a radar on a balloon tethered
at 5000ft.
Blue Lagoon
[UK] Development of infrared guidance systems for missiles.
Lead to 'Blue Jay'.
Blue Parrot
[UK] Radar set, fitted to the Buccaneer strike aircraft.
Blue Rapier
[UK] Specification UB.109 for an unmanned, catapult-launched
jet bomber. Cancelled.
Blue Saga
[UK] Radar warning receiver.
Blue Shadow
[UK] Sideways-looking radar fitted to some Canberra reconnaissance
aircraft.
Blue Sky
[UK] Original project name of the British 'Fireflash' AAM.
Blue Spoon
[USA] Plan for a military invasion of Panama. Later renamed Just
Cause. See also Prayer Book.
Blue Springs
[USA] The 4080th SRW unit, equipped with Ryan 147 (AQM-34) recce
drones and DC-130 drone control aircraft.
Blue Steel
[UK] Air-to-surface missile with a nuclear warhead (possibly 'Red
Snow', see there). Just 50 in service in the 1962--1970 period.
Unreliable, but accurate when it worked. Blue Steel was 35ft long
aand weighed 17000lb. It flew at speeds up to Mach 2.5 and had a
range of 180km.
Blue Streak
[UK] Medium-range ballistic missile. Cancelled.
Blue Sword
[NATO] Close air support operations for UN peace-keeping units in
Bosnia, 1994.
Blue Team
[USA] Helicopters carrying infantry. See 'Pink Team'.
Blue Water
[UK] Tactical guided missile. Cancelled in 1962.
--BM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
--BN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B/N
[USA] Bombardier / Navigator
BNEP
[USA] Basic Naval Establishment Plan
BnHATk
[Belgium] Battalion of anti-tank helicopters.
BnHLn
[Belgium] Battalion of liaison helicopters.
--BO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-4 bomber.
Bob
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi 97 seapleane. Did not exist.
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, most on the ground, but the German
losses, 220, were irreplacable.
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 Eagle
[USA] Exercise : deployment to Egypt
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.
BOMI
[USA] BOmber-MIssile. 1952 proposal for a stratospheric, Mach 4
vehicle, powered by a two stage rocket, and with a range of
5500km. This evolved into project MX-2276, a three-stage design
with a range of 19600km.
Bookie Escort
[USA] Air cover for transport aircraft on resupply missions.
Boot
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-91 bomber.
Boozer
[UK] Series of radar warning receivers, developed during and
after WWII.
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'.
Box Top
[USA] Reconaissance missions over South-East Asia, flown by RB-47
aircraft.
BOZ 100
[UK] Decoy & chaff dispensing pod.
--BP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BPDMS
[USA] Basic Point Defence Missile System
BPE
[USA] Bomber Penetration Evaluations
BPI
[USA] Boost Phase Intercept. Interception of a ballistic missile
during its boost phase, i.e. while climbing and accelerating
under power.
BPK
[USSR] Bol'shoy protivolodochniy korabl' (large anti-submarine ship)
BPR
Bypass Ratio
--BQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BQ
[USA] Unmanned aircraft carrying explosives.
--BR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brass Bell
[USA] Design study, started in 1956, for a manned spaceplane, to
fly reconaissance missions.
Brave Shield
[USA] Exercise : deployment to Egypt
Brawn
[UK] Carrier strike against the German battleship Tirpitz.
Abandoned because of bad weather.
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, ELINT aircraft
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.
Bright Star
[UK] IR floodlight, fitted to UK helicopters and used in
combination with Night-Vision Goggles.
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).
Brown Cradle
[USA] Electronic warfare system, a version for TAC of the 'Blue
Cradle' system used by SAC. Installed in B-66s.
BRPL
[USSR] Ballistichekaya raketa podvodnykh lodok - SLBM
Brussels Treaty
[NATO] Defensive alliance of Belgium, Britain, France, the
Netherlands and Luxemburg. 17 March 1948.
BRW
Brake Release Weight. Maximum permitted weight at the start of
take-off run.
--BS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BS
[USA] Bombardment Squadron
390th BS 'Crusaders'
498th BS 'Falcons'
499th BS 'Air Apaches'
499th BS 'Bats Outta Hell'
500th BS 'Rough Raiders'
501th BS 'Black Panthers'
BS
[USSR] Berezin Skorostrelnye --- Berezin Rapid-Firing gun. 12.7mm,
1000rds/min, 860m/sec.
BSD
[USA] Ballistic Systems Division of the ARDC.
BST
British Summer Time
--BT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
--BU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buccaneer
[Allied] Naval operations off the coast of Burma, to conquer the
Andaman islands. Cancelled.
Buck
[NATO] Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber.
Bueffel
[Germany] Withdrawal of Army Group Center, February 1943.
Buffalo
[UK] First live drop of a 'Blue Danube' nuclear free-fall bomb.
South Australia, October 1956.
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.
Bumble Bug
[USA] Program that used RPVs in South-East Asia.
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. Existed as 3.45in,
3.7in, 95mm and 7.2in guns, with a lower muzzle velocity but a far more
effective shell than conventional weapons. The 3.45in was
shoulder-held. They were too late to see service in WWII.
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.
--BV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BVR
Beyond Visual Range
BVVS
[Bulgaria] Balgarskite Voennovasdushni Sily --- Bulgarian Air Force.
--BW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BW
[USA] Bombardment Wing
--BX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--BY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--BZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This FAQ created and maintained by Emmanuel Gustin
Reproduction, reuse, or distribution without permission is prohibited.