Pale Moon Rising- Glossary
The Ultimate Lingo link- Militarywords.com
AB Short for afterburner, also known as burner- raw fuel augmented thrust for a modern jet fighter. Vastly expands the thrust produced by the engine.
AFMSS Air Force Mission Planning Support System, mobile planning system used to pre-load mission data to a DTM module.
AGL Above Ground Level- a reference to height above the ground
AMRAAM The most advanced radar/inertial guided air-to-air missile used by the US Air Force- the AIM-120
AOR Area of Operations- typically the combat area with defined borders
ASL Azimuth Steering Line- part of the F-15E air-to-ground system, the ASL gives steering information for the pilot to line up on the target. It is wind corrected.
ATO Air Tasking Order- also known as the FRAG (for Fragmentary Order). This is the document that tasks subordinate units with specific missions and weapons. It is produced by the CAOC.
Auto Acq Auto-Acquisition switch, one of the HOTAS (hands-on-throttle-and-stick) controls on the F-15E.
AWACS Airborne Warning and Control aircraft. E-3A Sentry, a Boeing 707 type fuselage with a very large radar. Their most important function is air traffic control and warning.
BDA Bomb Damage Assessment- Term used to describe the effectiveness of a particular air attack.
CAOC Combined Air Operations Center- a deployed command and control unit that plans, monitors and serves as the ultimate control for all air operations in a theater of battle.
CAP Combat Air Patrol- for example CAPs can be used for air-to-air purposes or search and rescue.
CAS Close Air Support- air support using bombs and direct fire weapons to support troops in contact with the enemy.
CEP Circular Error of Probability- a way of measuring the accuracy of a weapons guidance system.
Chopper A slang term for a helicopter.
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
Conex Container Export- a metal container used for shipping goods aboard ship. Commonly used for temporary secure, rain-proof storage.
CP Command Post- central area where commanders and staff exercise command and control over a unit or operation.
CSAR Combat Search and Rescue- Forces used to locate and rescue downed aircrew under combat conditions.
DTM Data Transfer Module, a device a little larger than a cigarette pack that is used to input waypoints, mission planning data and weapons information into the F-15E.
Danger Close A term used to describe CAS with friendly troops are within the danger area of an exploding weapon. Used when the enemy is very close to friendly troops... notionally for friendly troops they should be prone to avoid the frag pattern.
ELINT Electronic Intelligence collection
ETAC Enlisted Terminal Attack Controller- a US Air Force enlisted member qualified to control CAS attacks and authorize live weapons drops.
FAC Forward Air Controller- a term used to describe personnel that control CAS air strikes in support of ground troops. The term could be used for ground FACs or Air FACs (airborne), normally a FAC is an officer.
FM Fox Mike- a Very High Frequency sideband used by ground troops for radio communications.
FM 31-27 US Army Field Manual- 31-27 was written by Special Forces Troopers to instruct others how to load a horse or pack mule with cargo.
FRAG Fragmentary Order, otherwise known as the ATO... See Air Tasking Order.
GMTI Ground Moving Target Indicator- a symbol on an aircraft radar to depict a vehicle moving at a pre-determined speed.
Helo A slang term for a helicopter.
HF High Frequency radio- commonly used for long range, non-line of sight radio communications. Susceptible to atmospheric conditions.
HMMWV High Mobility Multi-Wheel Vehicle- the HumV, an excellent general purpose off-road vehicle.
IFR Instrument Flight Rules- a particular set of rules for separating aircraft. Does not necessarily mean that the aircraft is in the weather.
IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions- actually in the clouds.
INS Inertial Navigation System- a machine that measures movement in three axis, this movement can be used to extrapolate position and speed.
JFACC Joint Force Air Component Commander- In the US Military a Theater Commander may preside over a land component, an air component and a sea component.
JSTARS A US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft whose sophisticated radar can detect moving vehicles.
LGB Laser Guided Bomb- a 500 to 2000lb bomb with a laser guidance package that guides on reflected laser energy from the intended target.
LZ Landing Zone- a designated area for a Helo insertion of extraction.
Master Arm A switch that arms the weapons release system in a combat aircraft.
MDA Minimum Descent Altitude- the lowest altitude an airplane should descend to on a non-precision approach to a runway.
MFWIC Mother Fucker What’s in Charge- a derogatory term used to describe those that are in charge of an operation.
Mil Power Military Power, or Mil- a term used to describe maximum power in a jet fighter without using afterburner.
MOPP 1-4 Mission Oriented Protection Posture 1, 2,3, or 4- a means of describing the stages of dress to combat chemical warfare in the US Military.
MRE Meals-Ready-to-Eat- a plastic bag containing an entire meal that can be eaten in the field with minimal utensils. Shelf-life is measured in years, each meal contains approximately 2400 calories. It is a matter of opinion whether the MRE is palatable.
MSL Mean Sea Level- A reference to altitude corrected for a standard barometer, or pressure setting. Used to de-conflict air traffic.
NATO North American Treaty Organization- a European based grouping of free nations originally formed to oppose Soviet Communist Block aggression.
NOTAM Notices to Airmen- a means to disseminate information about the status of airfields and navigation aids.
OODA Loop ‘Observe, orient, decide, act’ a theory used to describe perception and action by units and commanders in combat.
OSS Office of Strategic Services- an organization developed by the United States in World War II to plan and execute covert operations. The forerunner of today’s CIA.
POPEYE A term used by US Air Force pilots to describe being in the clouds and unable to see visually.
QSY A term used by German military air traffic controllers when they switch frequencies- short for ‘Happy to Quit Speaking to You.’
RPG Rocket Propelled Grenade- a light Russian hand-held anti-tank and anti-personnel weapon.
RTB Return-to-Base- a term used by aircrews to refer to going home after a mission is complete.
RWR Radar Warning Receiver- a device aboard US combat aircraft to warn them when a hostile radar has illuminated them.
SA –2/9/13 Russian Surface-to-Air missiles. Each one of these uses a different propellant, seeker and warhead. They compliment each other in capability.
SARCAP Search and Rescue Combat Air Patrol
SATCOM Satellite Communications- a reliable means of communicating across very long distances. Not usually susceptible to atmospheric conditions (although sun spots will interfere with communications).
SAW Squad Automatic Weapon- a light machine gun carried by small units. The SAW uses the same ammunition the M-16/M-4 uses.
Sippr Net A secure network used by the US Military to disseminate intelligence and other data to deployed units.
SOF Special Operations Forces.
Tad A way of referring to a radio frequency without naming the actual frequency over the air.
Tally A term used by pilots to denote that the pilot sees the subject in question- airplane, ground target or what-have-you.
TDC A HOTAS control on the F-15E throttle to slew the weapon system to designate a target for weapons delivery.
TDY Temporary Detached Duty- A US Air Force term used to refer to deploying away from the home unit.
TOT Time-on-Target- a term used to describe a particular hard time that weapons delivery is assigned or when a weapon actually detonated.
TWS A mode in the F-15E radar where the radar can track multiple aircraft.
UAV Un-manned Air Vehicle- a remotely controlled aircraft. Used for reconnaissance and combat.
UHF Ultra-high Frequency- the radio frequency band most used by Air Force aircraft to communicate.
UPT Undergraduate Pilot Training- the course US Air Force pilots must attend to win their wings.
USAFE IG United States Air Forces- Europe Inspector General. USAFE is the US Air Force command dedicated to support NATO operations. The Inspector General is an organization within the command that exists to investigate problems and maintain a check on the readiness of subordinate units.
VASI Visual Approach Slope Indicator- a device used by pilots to help them approach a runway on a constant descent path.
VFR Visual Flight Rules- more liberal rules for separation of aircraft, used primarily in good weather.
VHF Very High Frequency- a radio band used for air-to-air and air-to-ground communications, most commonly for Air Traffic Control.
VORTAC VOR is a ground based radio navigation aid used by pilots to navigate in the air. A TACAN is a military specific equivalent. A VORTAC has both pieces of equipment co-located at one ground station.
Vul A term used by USAF pilots to refer to a Vulnerability time, a time when they need to be on station and available for tasking.
Winchester A term used by USAF crews to describe being out of weapons--- all your weapons have been expended.
WSO An Air Force Officer- a Weapon System Officer. The WSO is a rated Navigator, not a pilot, whose job is to operate complicated equipment aboard a two crew fighter aircraft.
ZSU 23-4 A Russian anti-aircraft gun. The ZSU 23-4 is a tracked vehicle mounting four 23mm rapid firing guns in a steerable turret.
ZU 23 A towed Russian anti-aircraft gun. Two 23mm guns mounted on a wheeled trailer that can be towed or pushed.