tracking systems and command, control, and communications electronics.
TERCOM Terrain Contour Matching. A cruise missile guidance concept that relies on a radar altimeter and a stored digital map of elevations along the line of flight. Flight plans require detailed and lengthy preparation, and cannot be generated for relatively flat, featureless terrain.
TFR Terrain-Following Radar. A low-powered radar that scans the terrain ahead during low-level flight and either automatically commands the flight-control system to avoid hitting the ground, or sounds a warning to the pilot to pull up when necessary.
TFW Tactical Fighter Wing. A unit of three fighter squadrons and supporting units.
TO&E Table of Organization and Equipment. The official document that prescribes in detail the structure and authorized assets of a military unit.
Top Gun The U.S. Navy Fighter Weapon School, scheduled to relocate from NAS Miramar, California, to NAS LeMoore, California. Responsible for training fleet pilots in air-combat maneuvering.
TSSAM Tri-service Standoff Attack Missile (AGM-137). A stealthy, long-range precision- guided munition for Air Force, Navy, and Army (ground-launched) use; cancelled in 1994 when the projected unit cost exceeded $2 million. Air-launched version intended for B-1B, B2, B-52, F-16, and F-22 weighed about 2,300 lb./1,045 kg. with a range of less than 375 miles/600 km.
U-2 High-altitude (over 90,000 ft./27,430 m.) reconnaissance aircraft originally developed in the 1950s for the Central Intelligence Agency by Lockheed. Single J57, later J75, turbojet. Many variants with diverse sensors operated by the USAF and NASA (civilian research).
UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Also known as a drone or RPV (remotely piloted vehicle). A recoverable pilotless aircraft, either remotely controlled over a radio-data link, or pre-programmed with an advanced autopilot. The U.S. Air Force has tended to resist any use of UAVs, except as targets, because they take jobs away from pilots. There are also real safety concerns about operating UAVs and manned aircraft in the same airspace, since UAVs are usually small and hard to see.
UPT Undergraduate Pilot Training.
Variable Geometry Ability of an aircraft to change the sweep of its wings in flight, to optimize performance for a given speed and altitude.
Viewgraph An overhead-projector transparency or slide used in briefings or presentations. Sometimes used as a term of derision for a project that is incompletely developed, as: 'His plan was nothing but a set of viewgraphs.'
Warthog Nickname for the A-10 Thunderbolt.
Waypoint Pre-set navigational reference point on an aircraft's flight plan. May include geographical coordinates, plus altitude, speed, and time-of-arrival data.
WCMD Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser. A cluster bomb with an inertial-guidance system and GPS receiver, allowing accurate delivery from high altitudes. Intended for use on the B-1B, beginning around 2002.
WICP Wing Initial Communications Package. A set of radios, satellite communications antennas, portable electric power generators, and related equipment maintained by selected Air Force wings for rapid emergency deployment to remote locations.
Wild Weasel An aircraft configured with Radar Homing and Warning (RHAW) gear and Anti-Radiation Missiles (ARMs) operated to suppress enemy surface-to-air missile sites. Originally performed by F- 100F, F-105F, and F-4G Phantom II aircraft, this mission will increasingly be borne by specially trained and equipped F-16Cs.
William Tell An air-superiority competition held every other year at Tyndall AFB, Florida. Live-fire missions are conducted over the Gulf of Mexico.
WSO Weapons System Officer. The backseater in an F-15E or F-111. Pronounced 'wizzo.' Although not specifically trained as a pilot, the WSO usually acquires basic flying skills.
XO Executive Officer. Second in command of a squadron or equivalent unit.
Yaw Change of an aircraft's attitude relative to its vertical axis (a line drawn from top to bottom through the center of gravity). Yaw to port and the nose points further to the left; yaw to starboard and the nose points further to the right.
ZSU-23-4 Soviet four-barreled 23mm anti-aircraft gun on light tank chassis with radar and optical fire control. Deadly against unarmored low-altitude aircraft. Usually employed together with mobile SAM launchers. Russian nickname is Shilka.
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