Pacific Siege sts-8

by Keith Douglass

  ELINT: ELectronic INTelligence. Often from satellite in orbit, picture-taker, or other electronic communications.

  EOD: Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Navy experts in nuclear material and radioactivity.

  Equatorial Satellite Pointing Guide: Used to aim antenna for radio to pick up satellite signals.

  ES-3A: Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) intercept craft. The platform for the battle group Passive Horizon Extension System. Stays up for long patrol periods, has comprehensive set of sensors, lands and takes off from a carrier. Has 63 antennas.

  ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival.

  Executive Order 12333: By President Reagan authorizing Special Warfare units such as the SEALS.

  Exfll: Exfiltrate, to get out of an area.

  F/A-18 Hornet: Carrier-based interceptor that can change from air-to-air to air-to-ground attack mode while in flight.

  Fitrep: Fitness Report.

  Flash-bang Grenade: Non-lethal grenade that gives off a series of piercing explosive sounds and a series of brilliant strobe-type lights to disable an enemy.

  Flotation Bag: To hold equipment, ammo, gear on a wet operation.

  Fort Fumble: SEALs’ name for the Pentagon.

  Forty-mm Rifle Grenade: The M576 multipurpose round, contains 20 large lead balls.

  Four-Striper: A Navy Captain.

  Fox Three: In air warfare, a code showing that the aircraft’s machine gun or cannon is being fired.

  FUBAR: SEAL talk: Fucked Up Beyond All Repair.

  Full Helmet Masks: For high-altitude jumps. Oxygen in mask.

  G-3: German-made assault rifle.

  Gloves: SEALs wear sage-green, fire-resistant Nomex flight gloves.

  GMT: Greenwich Mean Time. Where it’s all measured from.

  GPS: Global Positioning System. A program with satellites around Earth to pinpoint precisely aircraft, ships, vehicles, and ground troops. Position information is to a plus or minus four feet. Also can give speed of a plane or ship to one quarter of a mile per hour.

  GPSL: A radio antenna with floating wire that pops to the surface. Antenna picks up positioning from the closest 4 global positioning satellites and gives an exact position within 10 feet.

  Green Tape: Green sticky ordinance tape that has a hundred uses for a SEAL.

  GSG-9: Flash-bang grenade developed by Germans: a cardboard tube filled with 5 separate charges timed to burst in rapid succession, blinding and giving concussion to enemy, leaving targets stunned, easy to kill or capture. Usually non-lethal.

  GSG9: Grenzschutzgruppe Nine. Germany’s best special warfare unit and counterterrorist group.

  H&K 21A1: Machine gun with 7.62 NATO round. Replaces the older, more fragile M-60 E3. Fires 900 rounds per minute. Range 1,100 meters. All types of NATO rounds: ball, incendiary, tracer.

  H&K G-11: Automatic rifle, new type. 4.7mm caseless ammunition. 50-round magazine. The bullet is in a sleeve of solid propellant with a special thin plastic coating around it. Fires 600 rounds per minute. Single-shot, three-round burst, or fully automatic.

  H&K MP-5SD: 9mm submachine gun with integral silenced barrel, single-shot, three-shot, or fully automatic. Rate 800 rds/min.

  H&K P9S: Heckler & Koch’s 9mm Parabellum doubleaction semiauto pistol with 9-round magazine.

  H&K PSG1: 7.62 NATO round. High-precision, bolt-action sniping rifle. 5-to-20-round magazine. Roller lock delayed blowback breech system. Fully adjustable stock. 6 x 42 telescopic sights. Sound suppressor.

  HAHO: High Altitude jump, High Opening. From 30,000 feet, open chute for glide up to 15 miles to ground. Up to 75 minutes in glide. To enter enemy territory or enemy position unheard.

  HALO: High Altitude jump, Low Opening. From 30,000 feet. Free fall in 2 minutes to 2,000 feet and open chute. Little forward movement. Get to ground quickly, silently.

  Hamburgers: Often called sliders on a Navy carrier.

  HELO: SEAL talk for helicopter.

  Herky Bird: C-130 Hercules transport. Most-flown military transport in the world. For cargo or passengers, paratroops, aerial refueling, search and rescue, communications, and use as a gunship. Has flown from a Navy carrier deck without use of catapult. Four turboprop engines, max speed 325 knots, range at max payload 2,356 miles.

  Hezbollah: Lebanese Shiite Muslim militia. Party of God.

  HMMWV: The Humvee, U.S. light utility truck, replaced the honored Jeep. Multipurpose wheeled vehicle, 4 x 4, automatic transmission, power steering. Engine: Detroit Diesel 150 hp diesel V-8 air-cooled. Top speed 65 mph. Range 300 miles.

  Hotels: SEAL talk for hostages.

  Humint: Human intelligence. Acquired on the ground, from a human as opposed to satellite or photo recon.

  Hydra-Shock: Lethal hollowpoint ammunition made by Federal Cartridge Company. Outlawed in some areas.

  Hypothermia: Danger to SEALS. A drop in body temperature that can be fatal.

  IBS: Inflatable Boat Small. 12 x 6 feet. Carries 8 men and 1,000 pounds of weapons and gear. Hard to sink. Quiet motor. Used for silent beach, bay, lake landings.

  IR Beacon: Infrared Beacon. For silent nighttime signaling.

  IR Goggles: “Sees” heat instead of light.

  Islamic Jihad: Arab holy war.

  IV Pack: Intravenous fluid that you can drink if out of water.

  JAG: Judge Advocate General. Navy legal investigating arm.

  JNA: Yugoslav National Army.

  JP-4: Normal military jet fuel.

  JSOC: Joint Special Operations Command.

  JSOCCOMCENT: Joint Special Operations COMmand CENTer in the Pentagon.

  K-bar: SEALs’ combat knife.

  KATN: Kick Ass and Take Names. SEAL talk, get the mission in gear.

  KH-11: Spy satellite, takes pictures of ground, IR photos, etc.

  KIA: Killed In Action.

  KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. SEAL talk for streamlined operations.

  Klick: A kilometer of distance. Often used as a mile. From Vietnam era, but still widely used in military.

  Krytrons: Complicated, intricate timers used in making nuclear explosive detonators.

  KV-57: Encoder for messages, scrambles.

  L-T: Short for lieutenant in SEAL talk.

  Laser Pistol: The SIW pinpoint of ruby light on a weapon emitted for aiming. Usually silenced weapon.

  Left Behind: In 30 years SEALs have seldom left behind a dead comrade, never a wounded one. No SEAL has ever been taken prisoner.

  Let’s Get the Hell out of Dodge: SEAL talk for leaving a place, bugging out, hauling ass.

  Light Sticks: Chemical units that make light after twisting to release chemicals that phosphoresce.

  Loot and Shoot: SEAL talk for getting into action on a mission.

  LZ: Landing Zone.

  M-16: Automatic U.S. rifle. 5.56 round. Magazine 20 or 30 rounds, rate of fire 700 to 950 rds/min. Can attach M203 40mm grenade launcher under barrel.

  M-18 Claymore: Antipersonnel mine. A slab of C-4 with 200 small ball bearings. Set off electrically or by trip wire. Can be positioned and aimed. Sprays out a cloud of balls. Kill zone 50 meters.

  M-203: A 40mm grenade launcher fitted under an M-16 or the M-4A1. Can fire a variety of grenade types up to 1,200 feet.

  M-3 Submachine Gun: WWII grease gun, 45-caliber. Cheap. Introduced in 1942.

  M-60E3: Lightweight handheld machine gun. Not used now by the SEALS.

  M-86: Pursuit Deterrent Munitions. Various types of mines, grenades, trip-wire explosives, and other devices in antipersonnel use.

  MI-8: Russian Chopper.

  M1A1 M-14: Match rifle upgraded for SEAL snipers.

  M60 Machine Gun: Can use 100-round ammo box snapped onto the gun’s receiver. Not used much now by SEALS.

  M61(j): Machine pistol, Yugoslav make.

  M-61A1: The usual 20mm cannon used on many American fighter planes.

  M662: A red flare for signaling.

  Magsafe: Lethal ammunition that fragments in human body and does not exit. Favored by some p
olice units to cut down on second kill from regular ammunition exiting a body.

  Make a Peek: A quick look, usually out of the water, to check your position or tactical situation.

  Mark 23 Mod 0: Special operations offensive handgun system. Double action, 12-round magazine. Ambidextrous safety and mag-release catches. Knight screw-on suppressor. Snap-on laser for sighting. 45-caliber. Weighs 4 pounds loaded. 9.5 inches long, with silencer 16.5 inches long.

  Mark II Knife: Navy-issue combat knife.

  Mark VIII SDV: Swimmer Delivery Vehicle. A bus, SEAL talk. 21 feet long, beam and draft 4 feet, 6 knots for 6 hours.

  MAVRIC Lance: A nuclear alert for stolen nukes or radioactive goods.

  MC-13 °Combat Talon: A specially equipped Hercules for covert missions in enemy or unfriendly territory.

  Mcmillan M-87R: Bolt-action sniper rifle. 50-caliber. 53 inches long. Bipod, fixed 5-or 10-round magazine. Bulbous muzzle brake on end of barrel. Deadly up to a mile. All types of .50-caliber ammo.

  MGS: Modified Grooming Standards. So SEALs don’t all look like military and can do undercover work.

  MH-53j: Chopper, updated CH-53 from Nam days. 200 mph, called the Pave Low III.

  MH-60K Blackhawk: Navy chopper. Forward infrared system for low-level night flight. Radar for terrain following and avoidance. Crew of 3, takes 12 troops. Top speed 225 mph. Ceiling 4,000 feet. Range radius 230 miles. Arms 2 12.7mm machine guns.

  MIDEASTFOR: MIDdle EAST FORce.

  Mig: Russian-built fighter, many versions, used in many nations around the world.

  Mike Boat: Liberty boat off a large ship.

  Mike-Mike: Short for mm, millimeter, as 9-mike-mike.

  Milstar: Communications satellite for pickup and bouncing from SATCOM and other radio transmitters. Used by SEALS.

  Minigun: In choppers. Can fire 2,000 rounds per minute. Gatling gun-type.

  Mitrajez M80: Machine gun from Yugoslavia.

  MI5: British domestic intelligence agency.

  Mocha: Food energy bar SEALs carry in vest pockets.

  Mossburg: Pump-action shotgun, pistol grip, 5-round magazine. SEALs use it for close-in work.

  Motorola Radio: Personal radio, short range, lip mike, earpiece, belt pack.

  MRE: Meals, Ready to Eat. Field rations used by most of U.S. Armed Forces, and the SEALs as well. Long-lasting.

  MSPF: Maritime Special Purpose Force.

  Mugger: MUGR, miniature underwater locator device. Sends up antenna for pickup on positioning satellites. Works underwater or above. Gives location within 10 feet.

  Mujahideen: A soldier of Allah in Muslim nations.

  NAVAIR: NAVY AIR command.

  NAVSPECWAR: NAVal SPECial WARfare section. SEALs are in this command.

  NAVSPECWARGRUP-TWO: NAVal SPECial WARfare section GROUP TWO, based at Norfolk.

  NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service. A civilian operation not reporting to any Navy authority to make it more responsible and responsive. Replaces the old NIS, Naval Investigation Service, that did report to the closest admiral.

  NEST: Nuclear Energy Search Team. Non-military unit that reports at once to any spill, problem, or Broken Arrow to determine the extent of the radiation problem.

  Newbie: A new man, officer, or commander in an established military unit.

  NKSF: North Korean Special Forces.

  NLA: Iranian National Liberation Army. About 4,500 men in South Iraq, helped by Iraq for possible use against Iran.

  Nomex: The type of material used for flight suits and hoods.

  NPIC: National Photographic Interpretation Center in D.C.

  NRO: National Reconnaissance Office, runs and coordinates satellite development and operations for the intelligence community.

  NSA: National Security Agency.

  NSC: National Security Council. Meets in Situation Room, support facility in the Executive Office Building in D.C. Main security group in the nation.

  Nsvhurawn: Iranian Marines.

  NUCFLASH: An alert for any nuclear problem.

  NVG One Eye: Litton single-eyepiece Night Vision Goggles. Prevents NVG blindness in both eyes if a flare goes off. Scope shows green-tinted field at night.

  NVGS: Night Vision Goggles. One eye or two. Give good night vision in the dark with a greenish view.

  OAS: Obstacle Avoidance Sonar. Used on many low-flying attack aircraft.

  OIC: Officer In Charge.

  Oil Tanker: Regular-sized tanker: 885 feet long, 140 feet beam, 121,000 tons, 13 cargo tanks that hold 35.8 million gallons of fuel, oil, or gas. Crew of 24. Not a super tanker.

  OOD: Officer Of the Deck.

  Orion P-3: Navy’s long-range patrol and antisub aircraft. Some adapted to ELINT roles. Crew of 10. Max speed loaded 473 mph. Ceiling 28,300 feet. Arms: internal weapons bay and 10 external weapons stations for a mix of torpedoes, mines, rockets, and bombs.

  Passive Sonar: Listening for engine noise of a ship or sub. It doesn’t give away the hunter’s presence as an active sonar would.

  Pave Low III: A Navy chopper.

  PC-170: Patrol Coastal-class 170-foot SEAL delivery vehicle. Powered by four 3,350-hp diesel engines, beam of 25 feet and draft of 7.8 feet. Top speed 35 knots, range 2,000 nautical miles. Fixed swimmer platform on stern. Crew 4 officers, 24 EM, and 8 SEALS.

  Plank Owners: Original men in the start-up of a new military unit.

  Polycarbonate material: Bullet-proof glass.

  PRF: People’s Revolutionary Front. Fictional group in Nucflash SEAL book.

  Prowl and Growl: SEAL talk for moving into a combat mission.

  Quitting Bell: In BUD/S training. Ring it and you quit the SEAL unit. Helmets of men who quit the class are lined up below the bell in Coronado. (Now the bell is no longer rung. Just place your helmet and go.)

  RAF: Red Army Faction. A once-powerful German terrorist group not so active now.

  Remington 200: Sniper rifle. Not used by SEALs now.

  Remington 700: Sniper rifle with Starlight Scope. Can extend night vision to 400 meters.

  Ring Knocker: An Annapolis graduate with the ring.

  RIO: Radar Intercept Officer. The officer who sits in the backseat of an F-14 Tomcat off a carrier. RIO’s job: find enemy targets in the air and on the sea.

  Roger That: A yes, an affirmative, a go answer to a command or statement.

  RPG: Rocket Propelled Grenade. Quick and easy, shoulder-fired. Favorite weapon of terrorists, insurgents.

  S&W Mark 23 MOD: .45-caliber Special. 12-round magazine. Large handgun. Has suppressor.

  SAS: British Special Air Service. Commandos. Special warfare men. Best that Britain has. Works with SEALS.

  SATCOM: Satellite-based communications system for instant contact with anyone anywhere in the world. SEALs rely on it.

  SAW: Squad Automatic Weapon. Usually a machine gun or automatic rifle.

  SBS: Special Boat Squadron. On-site Navy unit that transports SEALs to many of their missions. Located across the street from the SEALs’ Coronado, California, headquarters.

  SD3: Sound-suppression system on the H&K MP-5 weapon.

  SDV: Swimmer Delivery Vehicle. SEALs use a variety of them.

  Seahawk SH-60: Navy chopper for ASW and SAR. Top speed 180 knots, ceiling 13,800 feet, range 503 miles. Arms: 2 Mark 46 torpedoes.

  SEAL Headgear: Boonie hat, wool Balaclava, green scarf, watch cap, bandanna roll.

  SERE: Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape training.

  Shipped for Six: Enlisted for six more years in the Navy.

  Shit City: Coronado SEALs’ name for Norfolk.

  Show Colors: In combat, to put U.S. flag or other identification on back for easy identification by friendly air or ground units.

  Sierra Charlie: SEAL talk for everything on schedule.

  Simunition: Canadian product for training that uses paint balls instead of lead for bullets.

  Sixteen-Man Platoon: Basic SEAL combat force. Up from 14 men a few years ago.

  Spac
e Blanket: Green foil blanket to keep troops warm. Vacuum-packed and folded to a cigarette-sized package.

  Sprayers and Prayers: Not the SEAL way. These men spray bullets all over the place hoping for hits. SEALs do more aimed firing for sure kills.

  SS-19: Russian ICBM missile.

  STABO: Using harness and lines under chopper to get down to the ground.

  STAR: Surface To Air Recovery operation.

  Starflash Round: Shotgun round that shoots out sparkling fireballs that ricochet wildly around a room, confusing and terrifying the occupants.

  Stasi: Old-time East German secret police.

  Stick: British 2 4-man SAS teams. 8 men.

  Stokes: A kind of Navy stretcher. Open-coffin shape of wire mesh and white canvas for emergency patient transport.

  STOL: Short Takeoff and Landing. Aircraft with high-lift wings and vectored-thrust engines to produce extremely short takeoffs and landings.

  Subgun: Submachine gun, often the suppressed H&K MP-5.

  Suits: Civilians, usually government officials wearing suits.

  Sweat: The more SEALs sweat in peacetime, the less they bleed in war.

  Sykes-Fairbairn: A commando fighting knife.

  Syrette: Small syringe for field administration, often filled with morphine. Can be self-administered.

  Tango: SEAL talk for a terrorist.

  TDY: Temporary Duty assigned outside of normal job designation.

  Terr: Another term for terrorist. Shorthand SEAL talk.

  Tetrahedral reflectors: Show up on multimode radar like tiny suns.

  Thermal Tape: ID for Night Vision Goggles user to see. Used on friendlies.

  TNAZ: Trinittroaze Tidine. Explosive to replace C-4. 15 % stronger than C-4 and 20 % lighter.

  TO&E: Table showing organization and equipment of a military unit.

  Top SEAL Tribute: “You sweet motherfucker, don’t you never die!”

  Train: Men directly behind each other. For contact in smoke, no light, fog, etc. Right hand on weapon, left hand on shoulder of man ahead. Squeeze shoulder to signal.

  Trident: SEALs’ emblem. An eagle, with talons clutching a Revolutionary War pistol, and Neptune’s trident superimposed on the Navy’s traditional anchor.

  TRW: A camera’s digital record that is sent by SATCOM.

  TT33: Tokarev, a Russian Pistol.

  UAZ: A Soviet 1-ton truck.

  UBA Mark XV: Underwater life support with computer to regulate the rebreather’s gas mixture.