AA-6 See ‘Acrid’
ACRB Aircrew Refreshment Bar. Informal snack bar where aircrew can eat and drink before or after a mission
Acrid NATO reporting name for the Russian R-40 air-to-air missile, also known as the AA-6. First constructed in the 1960s, the missile had two variants: the R-40T (infrared homing) and R-40R (semi- active radar homing), and in the late 1970s two longer-range versions, the R-40TD and R-40RD were introduced. Production was discontinued in 1991
ADD Associate Deputy Director of the CIA
Aegis Generic term for the American SPY-1F radar and associated missile launch system installed on ships from several navies. The system is optimized for engaging high-flying, high-speed targets
AEW Airborne Early Warning
AIM-9 Sidewinder. Short-range air-to-air missile
Alpha Russian hunter-killer submarine
ALR-67 Super Hornet Radar Warning Receiver
AMRAAM AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile
An-28 Antonov twin turbo-prop light transport aircraft, NATO reporting name ‘Cash’
An-72 Antonov STOL twin turbofan transport aircraft, NATO reporting name ‘Coaler’
Bagman Slang term for an AEW Sea King observer, after the shape of the inflatable fabric dome covering the modified Searchwater radar that dangles from the side of the aircraft like a large grey pustule
Bergen Standard-issue British Army rucksack
Boomer Slang term for a ballistic-missile-carrying nuclear submarine or SSBN
Brimstone Solid-fuel anti-armour missile
Bureau 39 The North Korean government department responsible for the cultivation, transport, export and sale of illegal drugs
Bus Device in the nose of an ICBM that supports the warhead
Buster Full chat, maximum speed
CAG Commander, Air Group. The officer in charge of the air wing on an American carrier
CAP Combat Air Patrol. Defensive air patrol usually mounted by pairs of fighters to protect the aircraft carrier and other vessels from air attack
CBG Carrier Battle Group. American surface group headed by an aircraft carrier
CDS Chief of the Defence Staff
CFC Combined Forces Command. The joint American/South Korean military organization
CIC Combat Information Center. The tactical nerve centre of a US Navy aircraft carrier where data is collected and collated for the command
CINCFLEET Commander-In-Chief Fleet
Claymore A directional fragmentation mine that can be triggered by trip-wires, infrared sensors, or by command detonation
COMINT Communications Intelligence
ComSat Communications Satellite
COMSEC Communications Security
Cover All American Strategic Air Command’s airborne command post. One Cover All aircraft is airborne at all times, and additional units are launched in times of crisis. See also ‘E-6B’
CRV7 Ground-attack rocket, fired from an under-wing pod
DEFCON Defense Condition. A measure of the alert state of the American military machine. The DEFCON state runs from Five – the normal peacetime state – to One, which implies that America is either at war or about to go to war
DFC Dedicated Flying Course. Course steered by a carrier when recovering aircraft
DMZ Demilitarized Zone. Buffer separating the two Korean nations
DNI Director of National Intelligence. The highest position in the American intelligence organization
DPRK Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Like most Communist states, it’s neither democratic nor a republic, and certainly isn’t run by or for the people
E-2C All-weather tactical airborne warning and control system aircraft flown from US carriers. Commonly known as a Hawkeye
E-4B The Nightwatch Boeing 747-200 aircraft designed as a command post for the US President and military chiefs. Known as the National Airborne Operations Center or the National Emergency Airborne Command Post – NEACP or ‘Kneecap’
E-6B A modified Boeing 707 that acts as an airborne command post. Known as Cover All, its primary task is relaying instructions from the National Command Authority
EA-6B Electronic warfare aircraft designed to suppress enemy radars and communication systems. Commonly known as a Prowler
ECM Electronic Counter-Measures. Equipment used to counter any form of electronic surveillance or tracking devices, such as radar
EMCON Emission Control. EMCON policy is a statement of intent governing the use of radios and radar
EMP Electromagnetic Pulse. Surge following the detonation of a nuclear weapon, capable of destroying unshielded solid-state electronic devices
F-5 Shenyang F-5. Chinese-built version of the Russian MiG-17 fighter
F/A-18 Twin-engine, multi-role fighter/attack aircraft that has replaced several earlier types. Commonly known as a Super Hornet
Fan Song Tracking and guidance radar for the SA-2 SAM system
Fat Albert Slang term for a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Also known as a ‘Herky- bird’
Five See ‘MI5’
Flat Face Long-range C-band radar that forms part of the SA-2 SAM system
Flight Level Height of an aircraft in thousands of feet based upon the standard pressure setting of 1013.25 hPa (hectopascals) or 29.92 inches (for some American aircraft)
Flyco Flying Control Position. Located on the port side of the bridge of a CVS-class aircraft carrier, Flyco controls all launches from, and recoveries to, the ship
Fox Fire NATO reporting name for the very powerful RP-25M Saphir radar carried by the Russian MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor
Foxbat See ‘MiG-25’
G-loc G-induced loss of consciousness. Caused by excessive g-force that drains blood away from the brain
GBU-28 American bunker-busting bomb
GCHQ Government Communications Headquarters. Britain’s principal electronic intelligence-gathering service, based at Cheltenham
GIA
