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Military Glossary of Acronyms

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Military Factory > Military Glossary of Acronym s

Military Glossary of Acronyms

The who's who of what's that.
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A AA - Air-to-Air AA - Anti-Aircraft AAA - Anti-Aircraft Artillery AAC - Army Air Corps (UK) AAM - Air-to-Air Missile AAMG - Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun AAAV - Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle AAV - Amphibious Assault Vehicle AAV - Assault Amphibian Vehicle AAVC - Assault Amphibian Vehicle, Command ABM - Anti-Ballistic Missile ACC - Air Combat Command (USAF) ACM - Air Combat Maneuvering ACMI - Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation ACMR - Air Combat Maneuvering Range ACP - Armored Command Post ADATS - Air Defense Anti-Tank System ADF - Australian Defense Force ADIZ - Air Defense Identification Zone AEW - Airborne Early Warning AEW&C - Airborne Early Warning and Control AEV - Armored Engineer Vehicle AF - Air Force AFB - Air Force Base (US) AFD - Automatic Feeding Device AFMC - Air Force Material Command (USAF) AFV - Armored Fighting Vehicle AIFV - Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle ALBM - Air Launched Ballistic Missile ALCM - Air Launched Cruise Missile AMC - Air Mobility Command (USAF) AMRAAM - Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (Raytheon AIM-120) AMX - Atelier De Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (France) ANG - Air National Guard (US) ANZAC - Australia New and Zealand Army Corps ANZUS - Australia New Zealand United States Security Treaty AP - Armor Piercing APAM - Anti-Personnel, Anti-Material APC - Armored Personnel Carrier APDS - Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot APDS-T - Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot Tracer APFSDS - Armor Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot APHE - Armor Piercing High Explosive APU - Auxiliary Power Unit AP-T - Armor Piercing - Tracer ARM - Anti-Radiation Missile ARRV - Armored Repair and Recovery Vehicle ARV - Armored Recovery Vehicle ASCOD - Austrian-Spanish Co-Operative Development ASLAV - AUstralian Light Armored Vehicle www.militaryfactory.com/glossary.asp
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Military Glossary of Acronyms

ASLAV - AUstralian Light Armored Vehicle ASM - Air-to-Surface Missile ASPJ - Airborne Self-Protection Jammer ASRAAM - Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile AST - Air Staff Target ASTOVL - Advanced Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing ASV - Anti-Surface Vessel ASW - Anti-Submarine Warfare ASuW - Anti-Surface Warfare AT - Anti-Tank ATGW - Anti-Tank Guided Weapon ATBM - Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile AUW - All Up Weight AVLB - Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge AVRE - Armored Vehicle Royal Engineers (UK) AWACS - Airborne Warning and Control System (Boeing E-3 Sentry) AWOL - Absent WithOut Leave B B - Bomber designation (as in B-52 Stratofortress) BAe - British Aerospace, now BAe Systems bhp - Brake Horsepower BVR - Beyond Visual Range C C2 - Command and Control C3 - Command, Control and Communications C3I - Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence CAF - Canadian Armed Forces, now Canadian Forces CAP - Combat Air Patrol CAS - Close-Air Support CAWS - Close Assault Weapon System CDU - Control Display Unit CEA - Circular Error Average CEP - Circular Error Probable CEV - Combat Engineer/Engineering Vehicle CF - Canadian Forces CFE - Conventional Forces Europe CFV - Cavalry Fighting Vehicle CIWS Close-In Weapon System (US) CO - Commanding Officer COIN - Counter Insurgency COL - Colonel COTAC - Conduite de Tir Automatique pour Char (France) CPL - Corporal CPT - Captain CRARRV - Challenger Armored Repair and Recovery Vehicle CRT - Cathode Ray Tube CSB - Close-Support Bridge CV - Conventionally Powered aircraft carrier (USN) CV - Combat Vehicle CVN - Attack aircraft carrier, nuclear powered (US) CVRT - Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked D DEW - Distant Early Warning (US) DFC - Distinguished Flying Cross: air force decoration DGPS - Differential GPS DoD - Department of Defense DP - Dual Purpose DVI - Direct Voice Input DZ - Drop Zone E E - Enlisted EAAK - Enhanced Applique Armor Kit (France) ECCM - Electronic Counter CounterMeasures ECM - Electronic CounterMeasures ECR - Electronic Combat Reconnaissance, SEAD Panavia Tornado variant EFIS - Electronic Flight Instrument System ELINT - ELectronic INTelligence Endurance - Length of time an aircraft's fuel load will permit it to stay airborne. EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal EPG - Engin Principal du Genie (France) ERA - Explosive Reactive Armor eshp - Equivalent Shaft Horsepower ESM - Electronic Support Measures EW - Electronic Warfare www.militaryfactory.com/glossary.asp

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EW - Electronic Warfare EW - Electronic Warning F F - Fighter designation (as in F-15 Eagle)

Military Glossary of Acronyms

FA - Frontal Aviation FAA - Fleet Air Arm (UK, Australia, Argentina) FAB - Forca Aerea Brasileira , Brazilian Air Force FAC - Forward Air Control / Forward Air Controller FAE - Fuel Air Explosives FAR - Force d'Action Rapide (France) FAV - Fast Attack Vehicle FBW - Fly-by-Wire FCS - Fire Control System FEBA - Foward Edge of Battle Area FLIR - Forward Looking Infrared FIFV - Future Infantry Fighting Vehicle Fly-by-Wire - Flight control systems with electric signaling FMC - Food Machinery Corporation FMS - Foreign Military Sale (US) FN - Fabrique National (Belgium) FUBAR - 'Fouled' Up Beyond All Recognition FV - Fighting Vehicle G g - Measure of the force of gravity GAM - GPS-Aided Munition GCI - Ground-Controlled Intercept GCT - Grande Cadence de Tir (France) GE - General Electric GIAT - Groupement Industriel des Armements Terrestres (France) GP - General Purpose GPMG - General Purpose Machine Gun GPS - Global Positioning System gr - Grams (or Grain if talking about small arms ammunition) GTK - Gepanzertes Transport-Kraftfahzeug (Germany) H HE - High Explosive HEAP - High Explosive Anti-Personnel HEAT - High Explosive Anti-Tank HEAT -FS - High Explosive Anti-Tank - Fin Stabilized HE-FRAG - High Explosive-Fragmentation HEI - High Explosive Incendiary HEMAT - Heavy Expanded Mobility Ammunition Trailer HEP - High Explosive Plastic HESH - High Explosive Squash Head HE-T - High Explosive - Tracer HF - Hi Frequency (Between 3 to 30 MHz) HOTAS - Hands On Throttle and Stick HOTCC - Hands on Throttle, Collective and Cyclic HMS - Her Majesty's Service (UK/Australia) HP - HorsePower HQ - Headquarter(s) HR - Hour(s) HUD - Head Up Display HUDWAC - Head Up Display Weapon Aiming Computer HUDWASS - Head Up Display Weapon Aiming SubSystem HVAP - High Velocity Armor Piercing HVM - High Velocity Missile I IADS - Integrated Air Defense System IAS - Indicated Airspeed Shown ICBM - InterContinental Ballistic Missile IFF - Identification Friend or Foe IFV - Infantry Fighting Vehicle IGE - In Ground Effect ILS - Instrument Landing System IMP - Imperial (UK) INS - Inertial Navigation System IOC - Initial Operational Capability IR - InfraRed IRAN - Inspect and Repair as Necessary IRBM - Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile IRCM - Infra-Red CounterMeasure ISA - International Standard Atmosphere www.militaryfactory.com/glossary.asp

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6/30/12 ISA - International Standard Atmosphere IRS - Inertial Reference System IRST - Infra-Red Search and Track

Military Glossary of Acronyms

J JASDF - Japan Air Self Defense Force JAST - Joint Advanced Strike Technology JDAM - Joint Direct Attack Munition JGSDF - Japan Ground Self Defense Force JMSDF - Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Joint-STAR - Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Grumman E-8) JSOW - Joint Stand-Off Weapon JSF - Joint Strike Fighter JTIDS - Joint Tactical Information Distribution System K KCAS - Calibrated AirSpeed (in Knots) KG - Kilograms KIAS - Knots Indicated Airspeed KM - KiloMeter KM/H - KiloMeters per Hour kN - KiloNewton measure of force (1,000 Newtons : 1 Newton = 0.2248 lbs of force) Knot - Aviation and maritime unit of velocity KT - Kiloton (equivalent explosive force of 1,000 tons of TNT) Kt/Kts - Knot(s) KTAS - True AirSpeed in Knots kW - KiloWatt L LABS - Low Altitude Bombing System LAMPS - Light Airborne MultiPurpose System LANTIRN - Low Altitude Targeting InfraRed for Night LAPES - Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System LARS - Light Artillery Rocket System LAV - Light Assault Vehicle LAV - Light Armored Vehicle lb - Pound(s) LCD - Liquid Crystal Display LF - Low Frequency (30 to 300 kHz) LGB - Laser-Guided Bomb LLLTV - Low Light Level Television LO - Low Observables LPT - Low Profile Turret LRMP - Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft LT - Lieutenant LT - Light Tank LVTP - Landing Vehicle Tracked Personnel LZ - Landing Zone M MACH - Measure of Airspeed (Mach 1 = 1,223 kph/760 mph at sea level) MAC - Military Airlift Command; Now AMC (USAF) MAD - Magnetic Anomaly Detector MAJ - Major MAP - Military Assistance Program MAW - Marine Air Wing (USMC) MBT - Main Battle Tank MCM - Mine Countermeasures MFD - Multi-Function Display MG - Machine Gun MILAN - Missile d'Infanterie Leger Anti-Char min - Minute(s) MLU - Mid-Life Update MLRS - Multiple Launch Rocket System mm - Millimeter MoD - Ministry of Defense MPA - Maritime Patrol Aircraft MPC - Multi-Purpose Carrier MR - Maritime Reconnaissance MRAV - Multi-Role Armored Vehicle MRBM - Medium Range Ballistic Missile MSIP - Multi-Stage Improvement Program MTOW - Maximum Take-Off Weight N NAS - Naval Air Station NASA - National Aeronautics & Space Administration NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization www.militaryfactory.com/glossary.asp

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6/30/12 NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization Nautical Mile - Measurement of distance NBC - Nuclear, Biological and Chemical nm - Nautical Mile NOE - Nap of the Earth
O O - Officer OCU - Operational Conversion Unit OGE - Out of Ground Effect OTH-B - Over-The-Horizon Backscatter radar OTHR - Over-The-Horizon Radar OTHT - Over-The-Horizon Targeting P PACAF - Pacific Air Force (USAF) PFC - Private First Class PGM - Precision-Guided Munition PID - Passive IDentification PNGDF - Papua New Guinea Defense Force PTG - Poseur de Travures du Genie (France) PVT - Private Q (None available)

Military Glossary of Acronyms

R R&D - Research & Development RAF - Royal Air Force (UK) RAAF - Royal Australian Air Force RAAWS - Radar Altimeter and Altitude Warning System RAM - Radar Absorbing Material RAN - Royal Australian Navy RAST - Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse system RATO - Rocket-Assisted Take-Off RCS - Radar Cross-Section Recce - Reconnaissance RISE - Reliability Improved Selected Equipment RMAF - Royal Malaysian Air Force RMG - Ranging Machine Gun RN - Royal Navy (UK) RNAS - Royal Navy Air Service RNeAF - Royal Netherlands Air Force RNZAF - Royal New Zealand Air Force ROE - Rules of Engagement RoKAF - Republic of Korea Air Force (South Korea) RP - Rocket Propelled RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade RPM - Revolutions Per Minute (or Rounds Per Minute if dealing with small arms) RPV - Remotely-Piloted Vehicle RR - Rolls Royce RSAF - Republic of Singapore Air Force RSAF - Royal Saudi Air Force RTC - Royal Tank Corps RWR - Radar Warning Receiver S SA - Surface-to-Air SAAF - South African Air Force SAC - Strategic Air Command (USAF - merged into ACC) SAM - Surface-to-Air Missile SAR - Search And Rescue SAS - Special Air Service SEAD - Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses SENSO - SENSor Operator SEP - Systems Enhancement Package SEALs - SEA, Air and Land (USN) SGT - Sergeant shp - Shaft HorsePower (usually in reference to a helicopter's engine output power) Sigint - SIGnals INTelligence SLAP - Saboted Light Armor Penetrator SLAR - Side-Looking Airborne Radar SLEP - Service Life Extension Program SOCOM - Special Operations COMmand SOLRS - Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron (USAF) SMG - Sub Machine Gun SNAFU - Situation Normal, All 'Fouled' Up www.militaryfactory.com/glossary.asp

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6/30/12 Military Glossary of Acronyms SNAFU - Situation Normal, All 'Fouled' Up SP - Specialist (when referred in a soldiers rank) SP - Self-Propelled SPG - Self-Propelled Gun SPAAG - Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun SSM - Surface-to-Surface Missile SRAM - Short Range Attack Missile STO - Short Take-Off STOL - Short Take-Off and Landing STOVL - Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing
T TAC - Tactical Air Command (USAF, now merged into ACC) TACAMO - TAke Charge And Move Out TACAN - TACtical Aid to Navigation TACCO - TACtical COordinator TANS - Tactical Air Navigation System TBO - Time Between Overhauls TBT - Tank Bridge Transporter TFR - Terrain Following Radar TIALD - Target Identification Airborne Laser Designation TNI-AU - Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara, Indonesian Air Force TOW - Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-Guided TSSAM - Tri-Service Stand-off Attack Missile TRV - Tank Recovery Vehicle U UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UHF - Ultra-High Fequency (300MHz to 3 GHz) UN - United Nations USAF - United States Air Force USAFE - United States Air Force in Europe USMC - United States Marine Corps USN - United States Navy V VDU - Visual Display Unit VHF - Very High Frequency (3 to 300MHz) V/STOL - Vertical or Short Take-Off and Landing VSEL - Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering LTD VTAS - Voice, Throttle and Stick VTOL - Vertical Take-Off and Landing W WO - Warrant Officer WSO - Weapon System Operator (or Weapon System Officer) X (None available) Y (None available) Z (None available) Contacting MilitaryFactory.com
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Military Glossary of Acronyms

through the public dom ain. Digital art work courte sy of Dan Ale x . Busine ss C onsulting by Kyle W illiam s Mate rial pre se nte d throughout this we bsite is for historical and e nte rtainm e nt value and should not to be construe d as usable for hardware re storation, m ainte nance or ge ne ral ope ration. Ple ase consult m anufacture rs for such inform ation.

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