JCS Joint Chiefs of Staff. The senior U.S. military command level, responsible for advising the President on matters of national defense. The JCS consists of a Chairman, who may be drawn from any service, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. JFACC Joint Forces Air Component Commander. The officer who has operational control over all air units and air assets assigned to a theater of operations. The JFACC is typically drawn from the service that has the greatest amount of airpower in the area of operations, and reports directly to the theater Commander in Chief.
JP-5 Standard U.S. jet fuel. A petroleum distillate similar to kerosene.
JTF Joint Task Force: a military unit composed of elements of two or more services, commanded by a relatively senior officer. JTFs may be organized for a specific mission, or maintained as semi- permanent organizations, such as the anti-drug JTF-4 based in Florida.
KC-10 Extender Heavy tanker/transport based on Boeing DC-10 wide-body commercial airliner. 59 aircraft in service, some modified with drogue refueling hose reel as well as tail boom. Three CF6 turbofan engines. Maximum takeoff weight is 590,000 lbs.
KC-130 Lockheed 'Hercules' four-engine turboprop, used as a transport and aerial tanker by Marine air units.
Knot Nautical miles (6,076 feet) per hour. Often used by U.S. Air Force and Navy to measure aircraft speeds, particular in the subsonic range. One knot equals one nautical mile per hour.
LGB Laser-guided bomb, such as the Paveway-series LGBs produced by Raytheon.
LHA Large amphibious assault ship designed to operate helicopters and STOVL aircraft, with a well deck for landing craft.
LHD Amphibious assault ship with flight deck and well deck.
LPD Amphibious ship with well deck.
LPH Amphibious assault ship designed to operate helicopters.
LRIP Low Rate Initial Production. A phase in the development of a new weapon system in which the 'bugs' are worked out of manufacturing techniques, tooling, and documentation before shifting to full- rate production.
LSD Amphibious landing dockship.
M-61 Vulcan Six-barreled rotary ('Gatling') 20mm cannon used as standard weapon on U.S. aircraft. Very high rate of fire. Also mounted on Army vehicles and Navy ships for short-range antiaircraft defense.
Mach The speed of sound at sea level (760 feet per second). An aircraft's Mach number is dependent on altitude, since sound travels faster in a denser medium. Named for Ernst Mach (1838–1916), Austrian physicist.
MAG Marine Aircraft Group.
MAGTF Marine Air-Ground Task Force.
MAW Marine Aircraft Wing.
MCAS Marine Corps Air Station.
MEB Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
MEF Marine Expeditionary Force.
MEU Marine Expeditionary Unit.
MEU (SOC) Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).
MFD Multi-function Display. A small video monitor or flat panel display on an aircraft control panel that allows the operator to display and manipulate different kinds of sensor information, status indications, warnings, and system diagnostic data.
MiG Russian acronym for the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau, developers of some of the greatest fighter aircraft in history. Survived the breakup of the Soviet Union, and is actively competing in the global arms market.
MOS Military Occupational Specialty.
MPF Maritime Prepositioning Force.
MPS Maritime Prepositioning Ship.
MPSRON Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron.
MRC Major Regional Contingency Pentagon euphemism for small war or large crisis requiring a significant intervention of U.S. military forces as directed by the President.
MRE Meals, Ready to Eat. Military field ration in individual serving packs. Eaten by Marines on deployment until regular dining facilities can be constructed. Humorously known as 'Meals Rejected by Everyone.'
NAF Naval Air Facility (typically a smaller base than a Naval Air Station).
NAS Naval Air Station.
Nautical Mile (nm) 6,076 feet. Not to be confused with Statute Mile, of 5,280 feet.
NAVAIR Naval Air Systems Command. Organization that procures and manages aircraft and related systems and equipment for the Navy and Marine Corps. Formerly called Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAir)
NAVSEA Naval Sea Systems Command. Organization that procures and manages ships and related systems for the Navy. Formerly called Bureau of Ships (BuShips).
NBC Nuclear-Biological-Chemical. General term for weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear bombs or weapons designed to disperse radioactive material, toxic gases, liquids, or powders, infectious microorganisms or biological toxins. Forbidden by many international treaties that have been widely ignored.
NCO Non-Commissioned Officer. An enlisted soldier, sailor, or airman with supervisory responsibility or technical qualifications. There are nine standardized enlisted pay grades, but each service has its own complex nomenclature for NCO ranks. In the navy these are petty officer, chief petty officer, senior chief petty officer, and master chief petty officer. The senior NCO on a vessel, regardless of rank, is informally known as 'Command Master Chief.'
NEO Non-combatant Evacuation Operations. Use of military force to rescue American and foreign citizens, diplomatic personnel, and relief workers endangered by civil unrest or factional fighting.
NORAD North American Air Defense Command. Joint U.S.-Canadian headquarters located inside Cheyenne Mountain, CO, responsible for air defense of North America. CINCNORAD is also the Commander of U.S. Space Command.
NRO National Reconnaissance Office. Formerly super-secret intelligence agency established in early 1960's within the Department of Defense. Not officially acknowledged to exist until 1990's. Responsible for procurement, operation, and management of various types of reconnaissance satellites. A separate organization, the Central Imagery Office, is responsible for processing, interpretation, and dissemination of satellite imagery.
NS Naval Station, typically a larger base that includes shore facilities, airfields, and logistic installations.
'Nugget' Pilot jargon for an inexperienced aviator, or new person in the squadron.
O&M Operations and Maintenance. A major budget item for all military units.
OpTempo Operational tempo-subjective measure of the intensity of military operations. In combat high OpTempos can overwhelm the enemy's ability to respond, at the risk of burning out your own forces. In peacetime a high OpTempo can adversely affect morale and exhaust budgeted funds.
Ordnance Weapons, ammunition, or other consumable armament. Frequently misspelled.
OTH Over the Horizon. Used in references to sensors and targeting. Distance to the visual horizon may be 20 miles from the masthead of a ship, or more than 200 miles from an aircraft at high altitude.
PAA Primary Aircraft Authorized-the number of planes allocated to a unit for the performance of its operational mission. PAA is the basis for budgeting manpower, support equipment, and flying hours. In some cases, a unit may have fewer aircraft because of delivery schedule slippage or accidents. Units may
