by FX Holden
AXEHEAD: Russian long-range hypersonic air-to-air missile
B-21 RAIDER*: Replacement for the retiring US B-2 Stealth Bomber and B-52. The Raider is intended to provide a lower-cost, stealthier alternative to the B-2 with similar weapons delivery capabilities
BARRETT MRAD M22: Multirole adaptive design sniper rifle with replaceable barrels, capable of firing different ammunition types including anti-materiel rounds, accurate out to 1,500 meters or nearly one mile
BATS*: Boeing Airpower Teaming System, semi-autonomous unmanned combat aircraft. The BATS drone is designed to accompany 4th- and 5th-generation fighter aircraft on missions either in an air escort, recon or electronic warfare capacity
BELLADONNA: A Russian-made mobile electronic warfare vehicle capable of jamming enemy airborne warning aircraft, ground radars, radio communications and radar-guided missiles
BESAT*: New 1,200-ton class of Iranian SSP (air-independent propulsion) submarine. Also known as Project Qaaem. Capable of launching mines, torpedoes or cruise missiles
BIG RED ONE: US 1st Infantry Division (see also BRO), aka the Bloody First
BINGO: Radio brevity code indicating that an aircraft has only enough fuel left for a return to base
BLOODY FIRST: US 1st Infantry Division, aka the Big Red One (BRO)
BOGEY: Unidentified aircraft detected by radar
BRADLEY UGCV*: US unmanned ground combat vehicle prototype based on a modified M3 Bradley combat fighting vehicle. A tracked vehicle with medium armor, it is intended to be controlled remotely by a crew in a vehicle, or ground troops, up to two miles away. Armed with 5kw blinding laser and autoloading TOW anti-tank missiles. See also HYPERION
BRO: Big Red One or Bloody First, nickname for US Army 1st Infantry Division
BTR-80: A Russian-made amphibious armored personnel carrier armed with a 30mm automatic cannon
BUG OUT: Withdraw from combat
BUK: Russian-made self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system designed to engage medium-range targets such as aircraft, smart bombs and cruise missiles
BUSTER: 100% throttle setting on an aircraft, or full military power.
CAP: Combat air patrol; an offensive or defensive air patrol over an objective
CAS: Close air support; air action by rotary-winged or fixed-wing aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. CAS operations are often directed by a joint terminal air controller, or JTAC, embedded with a military unit
CASA CN-235: Turkish Air Force medium-range twin-engined transport aircraft
CBRN: Chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (see also NBC, Nuclear Biological Chemical protective suit.)
CENTURION: US 20mm radar-guided close-in weapons system for protection of ground or naval assets against attack by artillery, rocket or missiles
CHAMP*: Counter-electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missiles; a ‘launch and loiter’ cruise missile which attacks sensitive electronics with high power microwave bursts to damage electronics. Similar in effect to an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon
CIC: Combat Information Center. The ‘nerve center’ on an early warning aircraft, warship or submarine that functions as a tactical center and provides processed information for command and control of the near battlespace or area of operations. On a warship, acts on orders from and relays information to the bridge
CO: Commanding Officer
COALITION: Coalition of Nations involved in ‘Operation Anatolia Screen’: Turkey, US, UK, Australia, Germany
COLT: Combat Observation Laser Team; a forward artillery observer team armed with a laser for designating targets for attack by precision-guided munitions
CONTROL ROOM: the compartment on a submarine from which weapons, sensors, propulsion and navigation commands are coordinated.
COP: Combat Outpost (US)
C-RAM: Counter-rocket, artillery and mortar cannon, also abbreviated counter-RAM
CROWS: Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, a weapon such as .50-caliber machine gun, mounted on a turret and controlled remotely by a soldier inside a vehicle, bunker or command post
CUDA*: Missile nickname (from barracuda) for the supersonic US short- to medium-range ‘Small Advanced Capabilities Missile’. It has tri-mode (optical, active radar and infrared heat-seeking) sensors, thrust vectoring for extreme maneuverability and a hit-to-kill terminal attack
DARPA: US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a research and development agency responsible for bringing new military technologies to the US armed forces
DAS: Distributed Aperture System; a 360-degree sensor system on the F-35 Panther allowing the pilot to track targets visually at greater than ‘eyeball’ range
DFDA: Australian armed forces Defense Forces Discipline Act
DFM: Australian armed forces Defense Force Magistrate
DIA: The US Defense Intelligence Agency
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY*. The NSA’s Cyber Security Directorate is an organization that unifies NSA’s foreign intelligence and cyber defense missions and is charged with preventing and eradicating threats to National Security Systems and the Defense Industrial Base. Various US government sources have mooted the elevation of the role of Director of Cyber Security to a cabinet-level Director of National Cyber Security (on a level with the Director of National Intelligence), appointed by the US President to coordinate the activities of the many different agencies and military departments engaged in cyber warfare
DRONE: Unmanned aerial vehicle, UCAV or UAV, used for combat, transport, refueling or reconnaissance
ECS: Engagement Control Station; the local control center for a HELLADS laser battery which tracks targets and directs anti-air defensive fire
EMP: Electromagnetic pulse. Nuclear weapons produce an EMP wave which can destroy unshielded electronic components. The major military powers have also been experimenting with non-nuclear weapons which can also produce an EMP pulse – see CHAMP missile
ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival
F-16 FALCON: US-made 4th-generation multirole fighter aircraft flown by Turkey
F-35: US 5th-generation fighter aircraft, known either as the Panther (pilot nickname) or Lightning II (manufacturer name). The Panther nickname was first coined by the 6th Weapons Squadron ‘Panther Tamers’
F-47B (currently X-47) FANTOM*: A Northrop Grumman demonstration unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) in trials with the US Navy and a part of the DARPA Joint UCAS program. See also MQ-25 STINGRAY
FAC: Forward air controller; an aviator embedded with a ground unit to direct close air support attacks. See also TAC(P) or JTAC
FAST MOVERS: Fighter jets
FATEH: Iranian SSK (diesel electric) submarine. At 500 tons, also considered a midget submarine. Capable of launching torpedoes, torpedo-launched cruise missiles and mines
FELON: Russian 5th-generation stealth fighter aircraft, the Sukhoi Su-57
FISTER: A member of a FiST (Fire Support Team)
FLANKER: Russian Sukhoi-30 or 35 attack aircraft
FOX (1, 2 or 3): Radio brevity code indicating a pilot has fired an air-to-air missile, either semi-active radar seeking (1), infrared (2) or active radar seeking (3)
GAL*: A natural language learning system (AI) used by Israel’s Unit 8200 to conduct complex analytical research support
GAL-CLASS SUBMARINE: An upgraded Dolphin II-class submarine, fitted with the GAL AI system, allowing it to be operated by a two-person crew
G/ATOR: Ground/Air Oriented Task Radar (GATOR); a radar specialized for the detection of incoming artillery fire, rockets or missiles. Also able to calculate the origin of attack for counterfire purposes
GBU: Guided Bomb Unit
GPS: Global Positioning System, a network of civilian or military satellites used to provide accurate map reference and location data
GRAY WOLF*: US subsonic standoff air-launched cruise missile with swarming (horde) capabilities. The Gray Wolf is designed to launch from multiple aircraft, including th
e C-130, and defeat enemy air defenses by overwhelming them with large numbers. It will feature modular swap-out warheads
GREYHOUND: Radio brevity code for the launch of an air-ground missile
GRU: Russian military intelligence service
HARM: Homing Anti-Radar Missile; a missile which homes on the signals produced by anti-air missile radars like that used by the BUK or PANTSIR
HE: High-explosive munitions; general purpose explosive warheads
HEAT: High-Explosive Anti-Tank munitions; shells specially designed to penetrate armor
HELLADS*: High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System; an alternative to missile or projectile-based air defense systems which attacks enemy missiles, rockets or bombs with high energy laser and/or microwave pulses. Currently being tested by US, Chinese, Russian and EU ground, air and naval forces
HOLMES*: A natural language learning system (AI) used by the NSA to conduct sophisticated analytical research support. The NSA has publicly reported it is already using AI for cyber defense and exploring machine learning potential
HORDE*: Drones, missiles or smart bombs with onboard AI and the ability to coordinate their actions with other drones while in flight, either autonomously or using preselected protocols. ‘Horde’ tactics differ from ‘swarm’ tactics in that they rely on large numbers to overwhelm enemy defenses. See also SWARM
HPM*: High Power Microwave; an untargeted local area defensive weapon which attacks sensitive electronics in missiles and guided bombs to damage electronics such as guidance systems
HYPERION*: Proposed lightly armored unmanned ground vehicle (UGCV). Can be fitted with turret-mounted 50kw laser for anti-air, anti-personnel defense and autoloading TOW missile launcher. See also BRADLEY UGCV
HYPERSONIC: Speeds greater than 5x the speed of sound
ICC: Information Coordination Center; command center for multiple air defense batteries such as PATRIOT or HELLADS
IED: Improvised explosive device, for example, a roadside bomb
IFF: Identify Friend or Foe transponder, a radio transponder that allows weapons systems to determine whether a target is an ally or enemy
IFV: Infantry fighting vehicle, a highly mobile, lightly armored, wheeled or tracked vehicle capable of carrying troops into a combat and providing fire support. See NAMER
IMA BK: The combat AI built into Russia’s Su-57 Felon and Okhotnik fighter aircraft
IR: Infrared or heat-seeking system
ISIS: Self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
JAGM: Joint air-ground missile. A US short-range anti armor or anti personnel missile fired from an aircraft. It can be laser or radar guided and has an 18lb warhead.
JASSM: AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile; long-range subsonic stealth cruise missile
JDAM: Joint Direct Attack Munition; bombs guided by laser or GPS to their targets
JLTV*: US Joint Light Tactical Vehicle; planned replacement for the US ground forces Humvee multipurpose vehicle, to be available in recon/scout, infantry transport, heavy guns, close combat, command and control, or ambulance versions
JTAC: Joint terminal air controller. A member of a ground force – e.g., Marine unit – trained to direct the action of combat aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air operations from a forward position. See also CAS
K-77M*: Supersonic Russian-made medium-range active radar homing air-to-air missile with extreme maneuverability. It is being developed from the existing R-77 missile
KALIBR: Russian-made anti-ship, anti-submarine and land attack cruise missile with 500kg conventional or nuclear warhead. The Kalibr-M variant* will have an extended range of up to 4,500 km or 2,700 miles (the distance of, e.g., Iran to Paris)
KARAKURT CLASS: A Russian corvette class which first entered service in 2018. Armed with Pantsir close-in weapons systems, Sosna-R anti-air missile defense and Kalibr supersonic anti-ship missiles. An anti-submarine sensor/weapon loadout is planned but not yet deployed
KC-135 STRATOTANKER: US airborne refueling aircraft
KRYPTON: Supersonic Russian air-launched anti-radar missile, it is also being adapted for use against ships and large aircraft
LAUNCH AND LOITER: The capability of a missile or drone to fly itself to a target area and wait at altitude for final targeting instructions
LCS: Littoral combat ship. In the US Navy it refers to the Independence or Freedom class; in Iran, the Safineh class; in other navies it may be considered equivalent to a frigate or corvette class. Has the capabilities of a small assault transport, including a flight deck and hangar for housing two SH-60 or MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, a stern ramp for operating small boats, and the cargo volume and payload to deliver a small assault force with fighting vehicles to a roll-on/roll-off port facility. Standard armaments include Mk 110 57mm guns and RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles. Also equipped with autonomous air, surface and underwater vehicles. Possessing lower air defense and surface warfare capabilities than destroyers, the LCS concept emphasizes speed, flexible mission modules and a shallow draft
LEOPARD: Main battle tank fielded by NATO forces including Turkey
LS3*: Legged Squad Support System – a mechanized dog-like robot powered by hydrogen fuel cells and supported by a cloud-based AI. Currently being explored by DARPA and the US armed forces for logistical support or squad scouting and IED detection roles
LTMV: Light Tactical Multirole Vehicle; a very long name for what is essentially a jeep
M1A2/3 ABRAMS*: US main battle tank. In 2016, the US Army and Marine Corps began testing out the Israeli Trophy active protection system to provide additional defense against incoming projectiles. Improvements planned for the M1A3 are to include a lighter 120mm gun, added road wheels with improved suspension, a more durable track, lighter-weight armor, long-range precision armaments, and infrared camera and laser detectors
M22: See BARRETT MRAD M22 sniper rifle
M27: US-made military assault rifle
MAD: Magnetic Anomaly Detection, used by warships to detect large man made objects under the surface of the sea, such as mines, or submarines.
MAIN BATTLE TANK: See MBT
MBT: Main battle tank; a heavily armored combat vehicle capable of direct fire and maneuver
MEFP: Multiple Explosive Formed Penetrators; a defensive weapon which uses small explosive charges to create and fire small metal slugs at an incoming projectile, thereby destroying it
MEMS: Micro-Electro-Mechanical System
METEOR: Long-range air-to-air missile with active radar seeker, but also able to be updated with target data in-flight by any suitably equipped allied unit
MIA: Missing in action
MIKE: Radio brevity code for minutes
MIL-25: Export version of the Mi-25 ‘Hind’ Russian helicopter gunship
MOPP: Mission-Oriented Protective Posture protective gear; equipment worn to protect troops against CBRN weapons. See also NBC suit.
MP: Military Police
MQ-25 STINGRAY: The MQ-25 Stingray is a Boeing-designed prototype unmanned US airborne refueling aircraft. See also X-47B Fantom
NAMER: (Leopard) Israeli infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). More heavily armored than a Merkava IV main battle tank. According to the Israel Defense Forces, the Namer is the most heavily armored vehicle in the world of any type
NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NBC suit: A protective suit issued to protect the wearer against Nuclear, Biological or Chemical weapons. Usually includes a lining to protect the user from radiation and either a gas mask or air recycling unit.
NORAD: The North American Aerospace Defense Command is a United States and Canadian bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America. Aerospace warning includes the detection, validation and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands
NSA: US
National Security Agency, cyber intelligence, cyber warfare and defense agency
OFSET*: Offensive Swarm Enabled Tactical drones. Proposed US anti-personnel, anti-armor drone system capable of swarming AI (see SWARM) and able to deploy small munitions against enemy troop or vehicles while moving
OKHOTNIK*: 5th-generation Sukhoi S-70 unmanned stealth combat aircraft using avionics systems from the Su-57 Felon and fitted with two internal weapons bays, for 7,000kg of ordnance. Requires a pilot and systems officer, similar to current US unmanned combat aircraft. Can be paired with Su-57 aircraft and controlled by a pilot
OMON: Otryad Mobil’nyy Osobogo Naznacheniya; the Russian National Guard mobile police force
OVOD: Subsonic Russian-made air-launched cruise missile capable of carrying high-explosive, submunition or fragmentation warheads
PANTHER: Pilot name for the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, first coined by the 6th Weapons Squadron ‘Panther Tamers’
PANTSIR: Russian-made truck-mounted anti-aircraft system which is a further development of the PENSNE: ‘Pince-nez’ in English. A Russian-made autonomous ground-to-air missile currently being rolled out for the BUK anti-air defense system
PARS: Turkish light armored vehicle
PATRIOT: An anti-aircraft, anti-missile missile defense system which uses its own radar to identify and engage airborne threats
PEACE EAGLE: Turkish Boeing 737 airborne early warning and control aircraft (see AWACS)
PENSNE: See PANTSIR
PERDIX*: Lightweight air-launched armed microdrone with swarming capability (see SWARM). Designed to be launched from underwing canisters or even from the flare/chaff launchers of existing aircraft. Can be used for recon, target identification or delivery of lightweight ordnance
PERSEUS*: A stealth, hypersonic, multiple warhead missile under development for the British Royal Navy and French Navy
PHASED-ARRAY RADAR: A radar which can steer a beam of radio waves quickly across the sky to detect planes and missiles
PODNOS: Russian-made portable 82mm mortar
PUMP-JET PROPULSION: A propulsion system comprising a jet of water and a nozzle to direct the flow of water for steering purposes. Used on some submarines due to a quieter acoustic signature than that generated by a screw. The most ‘stealthy’ submarines are regarded to be those powered by diesel electric engines and pump-jet propulsion, such as trialed on the Russian Kilo class and proposed for the Australian Attack class*
