Reporting names The NATO reporting name system is a convenient shorthand that avoids awkward pronunciations and also immediately identifies the type of asset being talked about, simply by the first letter of the name. Fighters are designated by names beginning with ‘F’ – Foxbat, Fulcrum; bombers by ‘B’ – Bison, Badger; helicopters by ‘H’ – Hind, Hormone, and so on
RFA Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Merchant ships that operate under special rules and act as supply vessels to Royal Navy ships
RTB Return to base
SA-2 The most widely deployed SAM system ever manufactured, known in Russia as the S-75 Dvina, and by NATO as ‘Guideline’
SA-3 Isayev SAM system known in Russia as the S-125 Neva or Pechora. NATO reporting name ‘Goa’
SAM Surface-to-air missile system
SAR Search and rescue
SAS Special Air Service. Also known as ‘The Regiment’
Security Service See ‘MI5’
Shadow 2000 UAV Short-range tactical UAV manufactured by the AAI Corporation
Sidewinder See ‘AIM-9’
Sig 226 Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG)-Sauer P226. A full-size combat pistol chambered for the 9mm Luger cartridge
SIGINT Signals intelligence
Sirena S-3M Radar homing and warning system fitted to the MiG-25 Foxbat
SIS Secret Intelligence Service. Frequently but inaccurately known as MI6, and responsible for espionage outside the United Kingdom. Also referred to as ‘Six’
Six See ‘SIS’
SLBM Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile
Speed jeans Anti-g trousers worn by fighter pilots to help prevent g-loc
Splot Senior pilot of a Royal Navy squadron
Spoon Rest Target acquisition and warning radar that forms part of the SA-2 SAM system
Squawk Secondary surveillance radar (SSR) return. Selecting (‘squawking’) a particular SSR code will display a four-digit number or the aircraft’s callsign on a radar screen and allow an aircraft to be identified immediately. Selecting one of the emergency squawks – 7700 (emergency), 7600 (radio failure) or 7500 (hijack) – will generate a flashing symbol
SR-71A Blackbird American high-speed, high-altitude surveillance aircraft, which still holds numerous absolute speed records. It first flew in 1964, nine years after the first flight of the U-2, and had a long and highly successful career before being officially retired in the early 1990s
SSBN Sub-Surface Ballistic Nuclear. American designation of a ballistic missile-carrying nuclear-powered submarine
SSR See ‘Squawk’
Starbase/Starship Slang terms for the USS
STOL Short Take-Off and Landing aircraft
Storm Shadow Anglo-French air-launched cruise missile
Stovie Royal Navy slang term for a Harrier or other fighter pilot
Super Hornet See ‘F/A-18’
Superdollars Near-perfect copies of American banknotes produced in North Korea that even experts find difficult to detect. They’re known in the USA as PN-14342 notes, the numbering derived from Secret Service nomenclature
SVR
TACAMO Literally, ‘Take Charge and Move Out’. A system of survivable communication links and platforms, including aircraft, designed to ensure that in the event of a nuclear exchange, proper control of US forces could still be exercised
TEL Transporter-Erector-Launcher. The vehicle used to transport and fire a missile such as the Scud
Telebrief Communication system used on Royal Navy aircraft carriers to allow a pilot to receive last-minute tactical updates from the Operations staff
TFT Thin-Film Transistor. Technology used in flat-panel computer screens
Trappers Examining officers who assess a pilot’s flying ability and competence
Trident Submarine-launched ballistic missile-carrying nuclear warheads
U-2 High-altitude surveillance aircraft developed by Lockheed in the 1950s
UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
USStratCom United States Strategic Command
Vauxhall Cross The headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service fronting the Thames in London. The building’s bizarre design has spawned a number of uncomplimentary nicknames. To those who work inside the building, it’s known as ‘Legoland’
Wadi Dried-up watercourse in a desert
Wings Commander (Air). The head of the Air Department on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier or air station
North Korean military ranks (in ascending order)
Copyright
First published 2007 by Macmillan
This electronic edition published 2007 by Macmillan
an imprint of Pan Macmillan Ltd
Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Basingstoke and Oxford
Associated companies throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-230-01475-6 (HB)
ISBN 978-0-230-01471-8 (TPB)
