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List of abbreviations,
acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
s and initials related to military subjects such as modern armour, artillery, infantry, and weapons, along with their definitions.


A

* AA – anti-aircraft * AA –
AEGIS The aegis ( ; grc, αἰγίς ''aigís''), as stated in the ''Iliad'', is a device carried by Athena and Zeus, variously interpreted as an animal skin or a shield and sometimes featuring the head of a Gorgon. There may be a connection with a d ...
Ashore * AAA – anti-aircraft artillery "Triple A" * AAAV – Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle * AAD – Armoured amphibious dozer * AADC – Area Air Defense Commander * AAG – Anti-aircraft gun * AAK –
Appliqué armor Military vehicles are commonly armoured (or armored; see spelling differences) to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, shells, rockets, and missiles, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include armoured fighting ...
kit (US) * AAN – Army after next * AAP – Advance Authority to Procure * AAPC – advanced armoured personnel carrier (Turkey) * AARADCOM – Army Armament Research and Development Command * AAR –
After Action Review An after action review (AAR) is a technique for improving process and execution by analyzing the intended outcome and actual outcome of an action and identifying practices to sustain, and practices to improve or initiate, and then practicing those c ...
* AAV –
Amphibious assault vehicle The Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAVP-7A1 (formerly known as Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel-7 abbr. LVTP-7)—is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems (previously by Unit ...
* AAV – Assault Amphibious Vehicle * AAW –
Anti-Aircraft Warfare Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
* AAWC – Anti-Aircraft Warfare Coordinator * AB – Air burst * ABC – Atomic, biological, chemical (replaced by chemical, biological, radiological (CBR), and Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC)) * ABC – Automatic brightness control * AB(C) – Aviation battalion (combat) * ABIT – Advanced Built-In Test * ABM – Air Bursting Munition * ABM – Anti-Ballistic Missile * ABMD –
AEGIS The aegis ( ; grc, αἰγίς ''aigís''), as stated in the ''Iliad'', is a device carried by Athena and Zeus, variously interpreted as an animal skin or a shield and sometimes featuring the head of a Gorgon. There may be a connection with a d ...
Ballistic Missile Defense Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception, and also the destruction of attacking missiles. Conceived as a defense against nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), ...
* ABMS – air bursting ammunition system * ABRO –
Army Base Repair Organisation The Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO) was an executive agency which reported to the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. It provided engineering, repair and re-manufacturing services to the British Armed Forces and also to the police and s ...
* ABS – Aww-Busting System * ABS – anti-skid braking system * ABSP – AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Signal Processor * ABSV – Armoured Battlegroup Support Vehicle * A/C – aircraft commander * AC –
alternating current Alternating current (AC) is an electric current which periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously with time in contrast to direct current (DC) which flows only in one direction. Alternating current is the form in whic ...
* ACA – ammunition container assembly * ACADA' – Automatic Chemical Agent Detector and Alarm * ACAVP – Advanced Composite Armoured Vehicle Platform (UK) * ACB – Advanced Capability Build * ACB/TI – Advanced Capability Baseline/Technical Insertion * ACC – AEGIS Computer Center * ACCE – Abrams/Crusader Common Engine * ACCV –
Armored Cavalry Cannon Vehicle Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especial ...
(US) * ACD – Automated Common Diagrams * ACE – Armored Combat Earthmover (US) * ACEGIO – Advanced Conversion Equipment Group Input Output * ACH – Advanced Combat Helmet (
MICH TC-2000 Combat Helmet The Modular Integrated Communications Helmet (MICH) is a U.S. combat helmet and one of several used by the U.S. military. It was developed by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center to be the next generation of protective combat helmets f ...
) * ACLOS –
Automatic Command to Line of Sight Command guidance is a type of missile guidance in which a ground station or aircraft relay signals to a guided missile via radio control or through wire-guided missile, a wire connecting the missile to the launcher and tell the missile where to ste ...
* ACM – Acoustic Countermeasures * ACOG –
Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight The Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) is a series of prismatic telescopic sights manufactured by Trijicon. The ACOG was originally designed to be used on the M16 rifle and M4 carbine, but Trijicon has also developed ACOG accessories for o ...
* ACOMMS – Acoustic Communications * ACP – Automatic Colt Pistol * ACP – Alignment control Panel * ACPU – Aft Central Processing Unit * ACR –
Advanced Combat Rifle The Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) was a United States Army program, started in 1986, to find a replacement for the M16 assault rifle. Under the stress of battle the average soldier with an M16 may shoot a target at 45 meters, but hit probability is ...
* ACR –
Armored cavalry regiment An armored cavalry regiment (ACR) is a regiment of the United States Army (Active Component, or Reserve Component (Army Reserve or Army National Guard)) organized for the specific purposes of reconnaissance, surveillance, and security. The re ...
* ACRV – Armoured command and reconnaissance vehicle * ACS – Artillery communications system * ACS – AEGIS Combat System * ACS – Air Control Supervisor * ACSC' – AEGIS Combat Systems Center * ACTS – AEGIS Combat Training System * ACU –
Army Combat Uniform The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force. Within U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, it is referred to as the OCP (Operational Camouflage Pattern) Uniform ...
* ACU – Antenna Coupler Unit * ACV – Aardvark Clearing Vehicle * ACV –
Armoured combat vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked. Examples of AFVs are tanks, armoured cars, ...
* ACVT – Armored Combat Vehicle Technology Program (US) * A/D – Analog to Digital * ADA –
air defense artillery The Air Defense Artillery Branch is the branch of the United States Army that specializes in anti-aircraft weapons (such as surface to air missiles). In the U.S. Army, these groups are composed of mainly air defense systems such as the Patrio ...
* ADAM – Area Denial Artillery Munition * ADAMS – Air Defense Advanced Mobile System (US) * ADAP – Advanced Digital Antenna Production * ADATS – Air Defence Anti-Tank System * ADC-A – Assistant Division Commander – Fire and Maneuver * ADC-B – Assistant Division Commander – Combat Support * ADEA – Army Development and Employment Agency * ADF – Australian Defence Force * ADG' – Acoustic Display Generator * ADI –
Australian Defence Industries Thales Australia (formerly Australian Defence Industries and ADI Limited) is a defence contractor based in Australia. It is a subsidiary of the French defence technology conglomerate Thales Group. Thales Australia had been engaged in numerous pr ...
* ADM – Advanced Development Model * ADM – Acquisition Decision Memorandum S* ADNS – Automated Digital Network System * ADS – Advanced Display System * AE – action express * AECU – Antenna Environmental Control Unit * AEF – Allied expeditionary force * AEP – Action Entry Panel * AER – Alteration Equivalent to Repair * AESA – Active electronically scanned array * AEWC – Airborne Early Warning and Control * AEV –
Armoured engineer vehicle A military engineering vehicle is a vehicle built for construction work or for the transportation of combat engineers on the battlefield. These vehicles may be modified civilian equipment (such as the armoured bulldozers that many nations field) ...
* AF –
Air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
* AF – And Following (as "in DDG-113 AF ships will receive the AMDR Radar") * AFA/ARA – Aerial field artillery/ aerial rocket artillery (US, Vietnam war era attack helicopter batteries employing 2.75 in. FFAR) * AFARV – Armored, Forward Area, Re-arm Vehicle (US) * AFAS – Advanced Field Artillery System * AFATDS – Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System * AFC –
Australian Flying Corps The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was the branch of the Australian Army responsible for operating aircraft during World War I, and the forerunner of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The AFC was established in 1912, though it was not until ...
* AFCS – automatic fire-control systems * AFD – automatic feeding device * AFDL – Advanced Flight Deck Lighting * AFFF – Aqueous Fire Fighting Foam (smothers fire cutting off oxygen) * AFSC –
Air Force Specialty Code The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing fo ...
* AFSV – armoured fire support vehicle * AFV – Armored Family of Vehicles (US) * AFV –
Armoured fighting vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked. Examples of AFVs are tanks, armoured cars, ...
* AGC – automatic gain control * AGF –
Army Ground Forces The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the large ...
* AGL –
Above Ground Level In aviation, atmospheric sciences and broadcasting, a height above ground level (AGL or HAGL) is a height measured with respect to the underlying ground surface. This is as opposed to height above mean sea level (AMSL or HAMSL), height above elli ...
* AGL –
automatic grenade launcher An automatic grenade launcher (AGL) or grenade machine gun is a grenade launcher that is capable of fully automatic fire, and is typically loaded with either an ammunition belt or magazine. These weapons are often mounted on vehicles or helicopt ...
* AGLS – automatic gun laying system * AGS –
Armored Gun System The Armored Gun System (AGS) was a U.S. Army competition in the 1990s to design a light tank to replace the M551 Sheridan and TOW-equipped HMMWVs. It was the ultimate incarnation of several research programs run in the 1970s with the aim of provi ...
(US) * AGS – advanced gun system * AGV – assault gun vehicle * AGVT – Advanced Ground Vehicle Technology * Ah – Ampere hour * AHC – Attack Helicopter Company (USA) * AHE – Aircraft Handling Equipment * AI – Action Item * AIC – Air Intercept Controller (US Navy) * AICS –
Accuracy International Chassis System The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle designed and manufactured by the British company Accuracy International. It has proved popular as a civilian, police, and military rifle since its introduction in th ...
* AICW –
Advanced Individual Combat Weapon The Advanced Individual Combat Weapon (AICW) was an Australian prototype combination assault rifle and grenade launcher developed as a technology demonstrator. The AICW combined a standard 5.56 mm assault rifle based on the successful F88 Au ...
* AIF – Australian Imperial Force (Australia, WWI or WWII) * AIFS – Advanced Indirect Fire System * AIFV –
Armoured infantry fighting vehicle The AIFV (''Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle'') is a United States, US Continuous track, tracked light armored vehicle that serves as an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) in the armies of several countries. It is a development of the M113 armore ...
* AIPS – Advanced Integrated Propulsion System (US) * AIS – Automatic Identification System (US NAVY) * AIT – Alteration Installation Team * AIT – Advanced Information Technology * AK – Acknowledgement * ALAAVS – Advanced Light Armored/Amphibious Vehicle System (US) * ALC – Advanced Land Combat (US) * ALICE –
All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment The All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE) is a set of load-carrying equipment adopted as United States Army Standard A on 17 January 1973 to replace the M-1956 Individual Load-Carrying Equipment (ILCE) and M-1967 Mo ...
* ALO – AEGIS Light Off * ALS – Advanced laying system * ALS – Advanced Lighting System (flight deck) * ALSV – Armoured logistics support vehicle * ALT – Armoured launching turret * ALWT – Advanced Lightweight Torpedo * AM – Acquisition Manager * AMC –
United States Army Materiel Command U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) is the primary provider of materiel to the United States Army. The Command's mission includes the management of installations, as well as maintenance and parts distribution. It was established on 8 May 1962 and wa ...
* AMC – Advanced Mortar Carrier (Turkey) * AMCCOM – Armament Munitions and Chemical Command * AMDR – Air and Missile Defense Radar * AMDS – Anti-Missile Discarding Sabot * AMF – Amphibische Mehrzweck-Fahrzeuge (multipurpose amphibious vehicle) * AML – Automitrailleuse Légère (light armoured car) * AMLCD –
Active-matrix liquid crystal display An active-matrix liquid-crystal display (AMLCD) is a type of flat-panel display, the only viable technology for high-resolution TVs, computer monitors, notebook computers, tablet computers and smartphones with an LCD screen, due to low weight, ...
* AMN - Afghanistan Mission Network * AMOS – Advanced mortar system * AMPS – Afloat Master Planning System (US NAVY) * AMR – Anti-materiel rifle * AMR – Automitrailleuse de Reconnaissance * AMRWS – Advanced multi-role weapon station * AMS – Armoured mortar system * AMS-H – Advanced Missile System – Heavy * AMX – Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux * ANAD – Anniston Army Depot *
ANZAC The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood comm ...
– Australia and New Zealand Army Corps *
ANZUS The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS or ANZUS Treaty) is a 1951 non-binding collective security agreement between Australia and New Zealand and, separately, Australia and the United States, to co-operate on militar ...
– Australia New Zealand United States Treaty * AO –
Area of operations In U.S. armed forces parlance, an area of operations (AO) is an operational area defined by the force commander for land, air, and naval forces conduct of combat and non-combat activities. Areas of operations do not typically encompass the entire ...
* AOI – Arab Organisation for Industrialisation * AOS – Add-on stabilisation * AP – Anti-personnel * AP –
Armour-piercing Armour-piercing ammunition (AP) is a type of projectile designed to penetrate either body armour or vehicle armour. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armour-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armour carried on many wars ...
* APAM – Anti-personnel, anti-matériel * APBC – Armour-Piercing Ballistic Cap * APC – Army Personnel Centre * APC – Armoured personnel carrier * APC – Armour-piercing capped * APCBC – Armour-piercing capped ballistic cap * APC-T – Armour-piercing capped – tracer * APCT-BF – Armour-piercing capped tracer – base fuze * APCNR – Armour-piercing composite non-rigid * APCR – Armour-piercing composite rigid * APCRBC – Armour-piercing composite rigid ballistic cap * APDS –
Armour-piercing discarding sabot Armour-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) is a type of spin-stabilized kinetic energy projectile for anti-armour warfare. Each projectile consists of a sub-calibre round fitted with a sabot. The combination of a lighter sub-calibre projectile wi ...
* APDS-T – Armour-piercing discarding sabot – tracer * APE – Amphibisches Pionier-Erkundungsfahrzeug (amphibious front-line reconnaissance vehicle) * APEP – Armour-Piercing Enhancement Programme * APERS – Anti-personnel * APERS-T – Anti-personnel tracer * APFIDS – Armour-piercing fragmentation incendiary discarding sabot * APFSDS – Armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot * APFSDS-T – Armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot – tracer * APFSDS(P) – Armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (practice) * APFSDSDU – Armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot, depleted uranium * APG –
Aberdeen Proving Ground Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) (sometimes erroneously called Aberdeen Proving ''Grounds'') is a U.S. Army facility located adjacent to Aberdeen, Harford County, Maryland, United States. More than 7,500 civilians and 5,000 military personnel work a ...
s * APGM – Autonomous precision-guided munition * APHC – Armour-piercing hard core * APHE – Armour-piercing high-explosive * API – Armour-piercing incendiary * APIT – Armour-piercing incendiary tracer * APM –
Anti-personnel mine Anti-personnel mines are a form of mine designed for use against humans, as opposed to anti-tank mines, which are designed for use against vehicles. Anti-personnel mines may be classified into blast mines or fragmentation mines; the latter may ...
* APS – Advanced propulsion system * APS – Artillery pointing system * APSA – Armour-piercing secondary effect * APSE – Armour-piercing secondary effect * APSE-T – Armour-piercing secondary effect – tracer * APT – Armour-piercing tracer * APTE – Abrams Power Train Evolution (US) * APU –
Auxiliary power unit An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115& ...
* APV – Armoured patrol vehicle * AR –
ArmaLite ArmaLite, or Armalite, is an American small arms engineering company, formed in the early 1950s, in Hollywood, California. Many of its products, as conceived by chief designer Eugene Stoner, relied on unique foam-filled fiberglass butt/stock fu ...
rifle * AR/AAV – Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle (US) * ARD – Anti-reflective device * ARDEC – Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center * ARDNOT – Automatic day/night optical tracker * ARE – Atelier de Construction Roanne * ARETS – Armour Remote Target System * ARFORGEN – Army force generation * ARM –
Anti-radiation missile An anti-radiation missile (ARM) is a missile designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio emission source. Typically, these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communications can also be ...
* ARMAD – Armoured and Mechanised Unit Air Defence * ARMSCOR – Armament Manufacturing Corporation (South Africa) * ARMVAL – Anti-armor vehicle evaluation (US) * ARP – Anti-radiation projectile * ARP – Armoured repair plates * ARRADCOM – Armament Research and Development Command * ARRV – Armoured repair and recovery vehicle * ARSV – Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle (US) * ART – Armoured Recon Transport * ARV – Armoured recovery vehicle or Armed Robotic Vehicle (XM1219) * ASA – Advanced security agency * ASAP – As soon as possible * ASARC – Army Systems Acquisition Review Council * ASCOD – Austrian Spanish Co-operative Development * ASM – Air-to-Surface Missile * ASP – Automatic, self-powered * ASTROS – Artillery Saturation Rocket System (Brazil) * ASV – Armored Security Vehicle (US) * ASV – Ammunition supply vehicle * AT – Anti-tank * AT – Ape tape * ATACS – Advanced tank cannon system (US) * ATAS – Automatic target acquisition system * ATCAS – Advanced towed cannon system * ATD – Advanced technology demonstration * ATD – Advanced technology demonstrator (US) * ATD – Automatic target detection * ATDT – Automatic target detection and tracking * ATDU – Armoured Trials and Development Unit (UK) * ATFCS – Automated Targeting and Fire Control System * ATG – Anti-tank gun * ATGL – Anti-tank grenade launcher * ATGM –
Anti-tank guided missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder ...
* ATGW – Anti-tank guided weapon * ATK – Alliant Techsystems * ATLAS – Advanced technology light artillery system * ATLV – Artillery target location vehicle * ATM – Anti-tank mine * ATR – - EDS Automotive test rigElectric drive system * ATS – Atelier de Construction de Tarbes * ATTC – All Terrain Tracked Carrier * ATTS – Air Transportable Towed System * ATV –
All-terrain vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...
* ATV – Armoured TOW vehicle (Turkey) * AUG – Armee Universal Gewehr * AVGP – Armoured Vehicle General Purpose (Canada) * AVH – Armoured Vehicle Heavy * AVL – Armoured Vehicle Light * AVLB –
Armoured vehicle-launched bridge An armoured vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB) is a combat support vehicle, sometimes regarded as a subtype of military engineering vehicle, designed to assist militaries in rapidly deploying tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles across gap-t ...
* AVM – Armoured Vehicle Medium * AVR – Armoured vehicle reconnaissance * AVRE –
Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE), also known as Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers is the title given to a series of armoured military engineering vehicles operated by the Royal Engineers (RE) for the purpose of protecting engineers durin ...
(UK) * AVT – Advanced Vehicle Technologies (US) * AWE – Advanced Warfighting Experiment * AWOL – Absent without official leave * APC -
Armored Personnel Carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Ac ...


B

* BAe –
British Aerospace British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. Formed in 1977, in 1999 it purchased Marcon ...
* BAI – Battlefield
Air interdiction Air interdiction (AI), also known as deep air support (DAS), is the use of preventive tactical bombing and strafing by combat aircraft against enemy targets that are not an immediate threat, to delay, disrupt or hinder later enemy engagement of ...
* BAMCIS – Begin the Planning, Arrange Recon, Make Recon, Complete Planning, Issue Order, Supervise * BAR –
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a family of American automatic rifles and machine guns used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the M1918, chambered for the ...
* BARCAP – Barrier Combat Air Patrol * BARV –
Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle A beach armoured recovery vehicle (BARV) is an armoured recovery vehicle used for amphibious landings. There have been three different BARVs in British service since their introduction during World War II. They have also been used by Dutch and ...
* BASE – British Aerospace Systems and Equipment * BATES – Battlefield Artillery Target Engagement System * BAT – Biometrics Automated Toolset * BB – Base bleed * BB - Battleship * BBSP – Blowback shifted pulse * BC – Battery commander * BC – Battlecruiser * BCC – battery control centre * BCP – Battery command post * BCT – Brigade combat team (US) * BCT – Basic combat training * BCV – Battle command vehicle * BD – base detonating * BDA – Browning double action or
bomb damage assessment Bomb damage assessment (BDA), also known as battle damage assessment, is the practice of assessing damage inflicted on a target from a Standoff missile, stand-off weapon, most typically a bomb or air launched missile. It is part of the larger disc ...
* BDM – Bunker defeat munition * BDU –
Battle dress uniform The Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) is a camouflaged combat uniform that was used by the United States Armed Forces as their standard combat uniform from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. Since then, it has been replaced or supplanted in every br ...
* BE – Base ejection * BFA –
Blank-firing adaptor A blank-firing adapter or blank-firing attachment (BFA), sometimes called a blank adapter or blank attachment, is a device used in conjunction with blank ammunition for safety reasons, functional reasons or a combination of them both. Blank firin ...
or blank-firing attachment * BFV –
Bradley Fighting Vehicle The Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) is a tracked armoured fighting vehicle platform of the United States developed by FMC Corporation and manufactured by BAE Systems Land & Armaments, formerly United Defense. It is named after U.S. General Om ...
* bhp –
Brake horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are the ...
* BIFF – Battlefield identification friend or foe * BILL – Bofors, infantry, light and lethal, referring to
RBS 56 BILL The RBS 56 BILL is a Swedish manportable SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile developed by AB Bofors. Development began in 1979 and entered production in 1985. The Swedish Army began receiving the missile in March 1988. BILL stands for (Bofors, ...
or RBS 56B BILL 2 * BITE –
Built-in test equipment Built-in test equipment (BITE) for avionics primarily refers to passive fault management and diagnosis equipment built into airborne systems to support maintenance processes. Built-in test equipment includes multimeters, oscilloscopes, discharge ...
* BL – Blank * BL-T – Black tracer * BLITS – Beta lighted infantry telescope system * BLT – Battalion landing team * BLR – Blindado Ligero de Ruedas *BM – Brigade Major * BMF – Belgian Mechanical Fabrication * BMNT – Begin morning nautical twilight * BMP – Pronounced "bimp". Former Warsaw Pact IFVs including
BMP-1 The BMP-1 is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle, in service 1966–present. BMP stands for ''Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty 1'' (russian: link=no, Боевая Машина Пехоты 1; БМП-1), meaning "infantry fighting ve ...
,
BMP-2 The BMP-2 (''Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty'', , literally "combat machine/vehicle (of the) infantry") is an amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s. Development hist ...
, BMP-3, etc. * BMR – Blindado Medio de Ruedas * BMS – Battalion mortar system * BMS –
Battlefield management system A battlefield management system (BMS) is a system meant to integrate information acquisition and processing to enhance command and control of a military unit. France The French Army is using SICS (Système d'Information du Combat de SCORPION - SCO ...
* BNCC (USAF) – Base network control center * BNS – BILL night sight * BOCV – Battery operations centre vehicle * BOG-Dwell – Boots on the ground – dwell (down time) * BOL – Bearing-only launch * BOLTS – Bolt-on loading tray system * BOSS – Ballistic optimizing shooting system * BPS – Battery power source * BSB –
Brigade support battalion A brigade support battalion (BSB) is a combat service support battalion of the United States Army. A BSB is an organic part of a brigade combat team (BCT), providing self- sustainment to the BCT for up to 72 hours of high-intensity combat before re ...
* BSP – Bright source protection * BSSG – Brigade service support group * BST – Basic skills trainer * BT – Boat tail * BT –
Bullet trap A bullet trap (or pellet trap when used specifically for air guns) is a device to stop and collect projectiles fired at a shooting range to prevent overpenetrations and stray shots. Bullet traps typically use friction, impact or gradual decele ...
* BTA – Best technical approach * BTRY – Battery * BTU – Bullet trap universal * BUA – BILL under armour or
built-up area An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, ...
* BW –
Biological warfare Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, insects, and fungi with the intent to kill, harm or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war. ...
* BX – Bionix AFV


C

* C2 –
Command and Control Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...
* C3I – Command, control, communications, and intelligence * C4 – Composition C-4 * C4ISTAR – Command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance * C5I – Command, control, communications, computers, collaboration and intelligence * C6ISR – command, control, communications, computers, cyber-defense, combat systems and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance * CAB – Combat aviation battalion * CAB -
Combat Action Badge The Combat Action Badge (CAB) is a United States military award given to soldiers of the U.S. Army of any rank and who are not members of an infantry or special forces MOS, for being "present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, a ...
* CAD – Computer-assisted design * CAG – Commander Air Group * CAL – Canadian Arsenals Limited * CAP – Civil air patrol (USAF civilian auxiliary) * CAP –
Combat air patrol Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...
* CAP – Combustible augmented plasma * CAP – Covering Agent Program * CARRV – Challenger armoured repair and recovery vehicle * CAS – Close air support * CASEVAC –
Casualty evacuation Casualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff or colloquially Dust Off, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air. "DUSTOFF" i ...
* CAT/FCS – Command adjusted trajectory/fire-control system (US) * CAT/LCV – Combined arms team/lightweight combat vehicle (US) * CATT – Combined arms tactical trainer (UK) * CATT-B – Component Advanced Technology TestBed (US) * CAV – Composite armored vehicle (US) * CAWS – Cannon Artillery Weapons Systems (US) * CAX – Combined Arms Exercise * CB –
Heavy Cruiser The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in caliber, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval T ...
* CBR – Chemical, biological, radiological * CBRNE – Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive * CCC – Combustible cartridge case * CCD –
Charge-coupled device A charge-coupled device (CCD) is an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors. Under the control of an external circuit, each capacitor can transfer its electric charge to a neighboring capacitor. CCD sensors are a ...
* CCIP – Constantly computed impact point * CCO – Close combat optic * CCP - Casualty Collection Point * CCP – Computer control panel * CCR – Crown copyright reserved * CCTV – Closed-circuit television * CCU – Central control unit * CCV – Close combat vehicle * CCV – Command and control vehicle (US) * CCV-L – Close combat vehicle – light * cd –
candela The candela ( or ; symbol: cd) is the unit of luminous intensity in the International System of Units (SI). It measures luminous power per unit solid angle emitted by a light source in a particular direction. Luminous intensity is analogous t ...
* CDA – Combat defensive action * CDM – Coastal defence missile * CDU – Command display unit * CDU – Computer display unit * CE – Chemical energy * C/E – Crew/enlisted (enlisted aircrew member) * CECOM – Communications-electronics command * CEFO – Combat equipment fighting order (webbing contents) * CENTCOM – Central Command *
CENTO The Middle East Treaty Organization (METO), also known as the Baghdad Pact and subsequently known as the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), was a military alliance of the Cold War. It was formed in 24 February 1955 by Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Tur ...
– Central Treaty Organisation or Baghdad Pact * CEOI – Communications electronics operating instruction * CEP – Circular error probable * CES –
Engineer Services Regiment The Corps of Engineer Services (CES) a regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. The role of the Corps of Engineer Services is to design, construct and maintain all buildings, roads and associated facilities such as electricity, water supply and drainage sy ...
(Sri Lanka) * CEPP – Controlled effect police projectile * CET – Combat engineer tractor * CEU – Computer electronics unit * CEV – Combat engineer vehicle * CF –
Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Forc ...
* CF – Controlled fragmentation * CFE – Conventional forces Europe * CFV – Cavalry fighting vehicle (US) * CG –
Commanding general The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitud ...
* CGS – Crew gunnery simulator * CHA – Cast homogeneous armour * CHARM – Challenger Chieftain armament * CHIP – Challenger improvement programme * CIFV – Composite infantry fighting vehicle * CILAS – Compagnie Industrielle des Lasers * CINC – Commander In-Chief * CIP –
Combat Identification Panel The Combat Identification Panel (CIP), also known as a Coalition Identification Panel, is an Identification friend or foe device mounted on military ground vehicles used by United States Armed Forces' United States Army with United States Marine ...
* CIS –
Chartered Industries of Singapore ST Engineering Land Systems Ltd (STELS), Trade name, doing business as ST Kinetics, is a strategic business area of ST Engineering and handles land systems and specialty vehicles. In 2000, ST Engineering acquired the Chartered Industries of Sin ...
* CIS –
Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...
* CITV – Commander's independent thermal viewer (US) * CIWS –
Close-in weapons system A close-in weapon system (CIWS ) is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a naval ship. Nearly all classes of la ...
* CL –
Light Cruiser A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to th ...
* CLAMS – Clear lane marking system (US) * CLASS – Computerised Laser Sight System * CLAWS – Close combat light armor weapon system (US) * CLGP –
Cannon-launched guided projectile Cannon-launched guided projectiles (CLGP) are precision-guided munitions launched by howitzers, mortars, tank guns, and naval guns. Those projectile main propulsion system is the initial kinetic shoot, directed as much as possible toward the target ...
(US) * CLOS – Command to line of sight * CLU – Command launch unit as used in
FGM-148 Javelin The FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium (AAWS-M), is an American-made portable anti-tank missile system in service since 1996, and continuously upgraded. It replaced the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service. Its fire ...
* CM – Colour-marking or "continue mission" * CMS – Common missile system * CMS – Compact modular sight * CMT – Cadmium–mercury telluride * CMV – Combat mobility vehicle (US) * CNVD – Clip-on
night vision device A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The devi ...
* COA – Course Of Action * COB – Close of Business * CO – Commanding officer * COG – Course over ground * COMVAT – Combat vehicles armament technology (US) * COMZ –
Communications zone {{Short description, Aspect of military theater of war operations Communications Zone is a US Army and NATO term which describes a part of the theater of war operations. The Communications Zone is the rear part of theater of operations (behind but ...
* COP – Combat outpost * COS – Chief of section * COSCOM – Corps support command (US Army) * CofS – Chief of staff * COTAC – Conduite de Tir Automatique pour Char (tank automatic fire) * COTS – Commercial-off-the-shelf * COV – Counter obstacle vehicle (US) * CP -
Command Post Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or e ...
* CP – Concrete-piercing * CPR – Common practice round * CPS – Cardinal points specification (UK) * CPV – Command post vehicle * CQB –
Close quarters battle Close-quarters combat (CQC) or close-quarters battle (CQB) is a tactical situation that involves a physical fight with firearms involved between multiple combatants at short range. It can occur between military units, police/corrections officer ...
* CQBR – Close-quarters battle receiver * CR – Capability requirement * CR –
Sri Lanka Army Commando Regiment The Commando Regiment ( si, කොමාන්ඩෝ ‍රෙජිමේන්තුව ''komāndo rejimēnthuwa''; ta, இலங்கை இராணுவத்தின் கமாண்டோ படைப்பிரிவ) is the comman ...
* CRISAT – Collaborative Research into Small Arms Technology * CRM – Composite risk management (US) * CROWS – Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station * CRR – Carro de Reconhecimento Sobre Rodas (reconnaissance tracking scout car) * CRT – Cathode ray tube * CRU – Cable reel unit * CS – Communications subsystem * CS –
Confined space A confined space is a space with limited entry and egress and not suitable for human inhabitants. An example is the interior of a storage tank, occasionally entered by maintenance workers but not intended for human occupancy. Hazards in a confined ...
* CS – Communications squadron (USAF) * CSB – Combat Support Boat * CSF – Combined service forces * CSI – computer-synthesised image * CSS – Computer sighting system * CSSD – Combat service support detachment * CTA – Case telescoped ammunition * CTD – Concept technology demonstrator * CTI – Central tyre inflation * CTIS – Central tyre inflation system * CTO – Central Treaty Organisation or Baghdad Pact * CTR – Close Target Recce * CTRA – Carro de Transporte Sobre Rodas Anfibo (amphibious tracking scout car) * CTT – Challenger training tank * CUOPS - Current Operations * CV – Aircraft Carrier * CV90 –
Combat Vehicle 90 The Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90; Sw. ''Stridsfordon'' 90, Strf90) is a family of Swedish tracked combat vehicles designed by Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (''Försvarets Materielverk'', FMV), Hägglunds and Bofors during the mid-1980s to e ...
* CVAST – Combat vehicle armament system technology (US) * CVR(T) – Combat vehicle reconnaissance (tracked) (UK) * CVR(W) – Combat vehicle reconnaissance (wheeled) (UK) * CVRDE – Combat vehicle research and development establishment (India) * CVT – Controlled variable time * CVTTS – Combat vehicle targeting system * CW – Chemical warfare * CWR – Continuous wave radar * CWS – Cupola weapon station


D

* DA – double action * DAHA – dual-axis head assembly * DAO – double action only * DARCOM – US Army Matériel Development and Readiness Command * DAREOD – damaged airfield reconnaissance explosive ordnance disposal * DARPA – Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (US) * DAS – deep air support * DAS –
defensive aids system A defensive aide suite (DAS) is a military aircraft system which defends it from attack by surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles and guided anti-aircraft artillery. A DAS typically comprises chaff, flares, and electronic countermeasur ...
/suite * DASP – demountable artillery surveillance pod * DC –
direct current Direct current (DC) is one-directional flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through semiconductors, insulators, or eve ...
* DCA – défense contre avions (anti-aircraft) * DCCT – dismounted close combat trainer * DD – Detroit Diesel * DD – Destroyer * DDA – Detroit Diesel Allison * DDS – Department of Defense Support * DDU – digital display unit * DEAD – Destruction of Enemy Air Defense * DECA – digital electronic control assembly * DEFA – direction des études et fabrications d'armement * DERA –
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) between 1995 and 2 July 2001. At the time it was the United Kingdom's largest science and technology organisation. It was regarded by its official h ...
(UK) * DESO – Defence Export Sales Organisation (UK) * DFAC – Dining Facility (US) * DFCS – digital fire-control system * DFSV – direct fire support vehicle * DFV – desert fighting vehicle * DDG –
Guided Missile Destroyer A guided-missile destroyer (DDG) is a destroyer whose primary armament is guided missiles so they can provide anti-aircraft warfare screening for the fleet. The NATO standard designation for these vessels is DDG, while destroyers who have a prim ...
* DHSS – data handling subsystem * DIA –
Defense Intelligence Agency The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency and combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense, specializing in defense and military intelligence. A component of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the ...
(US) * DICON – Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria * DIP – driver instrument panel * DISA –
Defense Information Systems Agency The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), known as the Defense Communications Agency (DCA) until 1991, is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) combat support agency composed of military, federal civilians, and contractors. DISA pro ...
* DISCOM – division support command * DIVARTY – division artillery * DMC – digital magnetic compass * DMR –
Designated marksman rifle A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is a modern scoped high-precision rifle used by infantrymen in the designated marksman (DM) role. It generally fills the engagement range gap between a service rifle and a dedicated sniper rifle, at aroun ...
* DMU – distance measurement unit * DNRS – day/night range sight * DoD – Department of Defense (US) * DOIM – Directorate of Information Management (US Army) * DOP – Department of Productivity * DP – demonstration purpose * DP – dual purpose * DPA – Defence Procurement Agency (UK) * DPICM – Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (US) * DPTR –
diopter A dioptre (British spelling) or diopter (American spelling) is a unit of measurement with dimension of reciprocal length, equivalent to one reciprocal metre, 1 dioptre = 1 m−1. It is normally used to express the optical power of a lens or cur ...
* DRA –
Defence Research Agency The Defence Research Agency (DRA) was an executive agency of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) from April 1991 until April 1995. At the time, the DRA was Britain's largest science and technology organisation. In April 1995, the DRA was combined wi ...
(UK) * DROPS – demountable rack offloading and pick-up system * DROS – Date of Return Overseas (US) * DS/T – practice discarding sabot/tracer * DSACS – direct support armored cannon system (US) * DSETS – direct support electrical test system * DSO – Defence Sales Organisation * DSRV – Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (US) * DSWS – Division Support Weapon System * DTAT – Direction Technique des Armements Terrestres * DTT – driver training tank * DU – depleted uranium * DV – demining vehicle * DVE – driver's vision enhancer * DWFK – deep water fording kit * DZ –
drop zone A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes. In ...


E

* EAAK – Enhanced Appliqué Armor Kit (US) * EAS –
End of Active Service End of Active Service (EAS) is the conclusion of the period of active duty commitment for a member of the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps or the U.S. Air Force. The equivalent term used by the U.S Navy, and U.S. Coast Guard is the End of Active Ob ...
* EAOS – Enhanced Artillery Observation System * EBG – Engin Blindé Génie (armoured combat vehicle) * EBR – Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance (armoured reconnaissance vehicle) * EBRC – Engine Blindé à roues de Contact * EC – Enhanced Carbine * ECB – Engineering and Construction Bulletins * ECM – Electronic countermeasures * ECOS – Enhanced Combat Optical Sight * ECS – Environmental Control Subsystem * ECV – Enhanced Capacity Vehicle * EDD – Explosive Detonation Disruption * EDS – Electric Drive System * EFAB – Etablissement d'Etudes et de Fabrications d'Armement de Bourges * EFC – equivalent full charge * EFCR – equivalent full charge rounds * EFM – Explosives Factory Maribyrnong * EFP – Expanded Feasibility Phase * EFP –
Explosively Formed Penetrator An explosively formed penetrator (EFP), also known as an explosively formed projectile (EFP), a self-forging warhead, or a self-forging fragment, is the product of a shaped charge designed to penetrate armor effectively. As the name suggests, the ...
* EFV – Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (New name for AAAV) * EFVS – Electronic Fighting Vehicle System (US) * EG – External Gun * EGLM – Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module * EI – Engineering and Installation * EIS – Engineering and Installation Squadron * EI SIT – Engineering and Installation Site Implementation Team * ELB – Extended Life Barrel * ELEC – Electrical, Electric * ELEK - Electronic * ELEX – Electronics * ELKE – Elevated Kinetic Energy Weapon (US) * ELSAP – Elektronische Schiessanlage für Panzer (electronic fire system for tanks) * EM –
electromagnetic In physics, electromagnetism is an interaction that occurs between particles with electric charge. It is the second-strongest of the four fundamental interactions, after the strong force, and it is the dominant force in the interactions o ...
* EMALS – Electromagnetic Aircraft Launcher System * EMC – Executive Management Committee * EMD – Engineering and Manufacturing Development * EMDG –
Euromissile Euromissile was a European consortium set up in the 1970s by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG of Germany and Aérospatiale of France to produce the Euromissile HOT anti-tank missile. Later on Aérospatiale-Matra, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA) ...
Dynamics Group * EMEW – Electromagnet Explosive Warhead * EMG – externally mounted gun * EMP – electromagnetic pulse * EMPG – Electromagnetic Pulse Grenade * ENGESA – Engesa Engenheiros Especializados (Brazil) * EOC – Essential Operational Capability * EOD –
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the milit ...
* EOR – Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance * EOTS –
Electro-Optical Targeting System An electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), is a system employed to track and locate targets in aerial warfare. It can use charge-coupled device TV cameras, laser rangefinders and laser designators. See also *Forward looking infrared *Infra-r ...
* EOW - End of Watch * EPC – Electronic plane conversion * EPC – Engin Principal de Combat (future main battle tank) * EPG – Enhanced Performance Grenade * EPG – European Production Group * EPG – European Programme Group * EPS – Electrical Power Subsystem * EPU – Electronics Processing Unit * ER – enhanced radiation * ER – extended range * ERA –
explosive reactive armour Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened kinetic ener ...
* ERA – extended range ammunition * ERC – Engin de Reconnaissance Canon * ERFB – extended range full-bore * ERFB-BB – extended range full-bore – base bleed * ERGFCDS – Extended Range Gunnery Fire-Control Demonstration System * ERGP – extended range guided projectile * ERMIS – Extended Range Modification Integration System * ERP – Extended Range Projectile * ERSC – extended range subcalibre * ERV – emergency rescue vehicle * ERV – Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle * ES – Extreme Spread * ESAF – Electronic Safety and Arm Function * ESD – Electronique Serge Dassault * ESLDE – Eyesafe Laser Daylight Elbow * ESPAWS – Enhanced Self-Propelled Artillery Weapon System (US) * ESRS – electro-slag refined steel * ETA –
Estimated Time of Arrival The estimated time of arrival (ETA) is the time when a ship, vehicle, aircraft, cargo, emergency service, or person is expected to arrive at a certain place. Overview One of the more common uses of the phrase is in public transportation where the ...
* ETC – ElectroThermal Cannon * ETD – Estimated Time of Departure * ETE – Estimated Time of Endurance * ETM – Electronic Technical Manuals * ETS – Elevated TOW System * ETS – Engineer Tank System * ETS – End of Term of Service (discharge date) (US) * EW –
electronic warfare Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
* EWK – Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern Gцppner * EWS – external weapon station


F

* FAAD – Forward Area Air Defense * FAAR – Forward Area Alerting Radar (US) * FAARP – Forward Area Arming & Refueling Point * FAASV – Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicle (US) * FAC – Forward Air Control(er) * FAC-A – Forward Air Control(er)-Airborne * FACE – Field Artillery Computer Equipment * FAL – Fusil Automatique Légère * FAPDS – Frangible Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot * FARP – Forward Area Refueling Point * FARS – field artillery rocket system * FARV-A – Future Armored Resupply Vehicle – Artillery (US) * FAST – Forward Area Support Team or Future Assault Shell Technology * FAV – Fast Attack Vehicle (US) * FBI –
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...
* FBM –
Fleet Ballistic Missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which carries a nuclear warhead a ...
* FBRV – Future Beach Recovery Vehicle (UK) * FCC – Fire Command Centre * FCC – Fire-Control Computer * FCCVS – Future Close-Combat Vehicle System (US) * FCE – fire-control equipment * FCLV – Future Command and Liaison Vehicle (UK) * FCS – fire-control system/subsystem * FCS –
Future Combat System Future Combat Systems (FCS) was the United States Army's principal modernization program from 2003 to early 2009. Formally launched in 2003, FCS was envisioned to create new brigades equipped with new manned and unmanned vehicles linked by an unpr ...
* FCU – Fire Control Unit * FDC – fire direction centre * FDCV – fire direction centre vehicle * FDSWS – Future Direct Support Weapon System * FEBA – Forward Edge of the Battle Area * FEP – Firepower Enhancement Programme * FET – Future Engineer Tank * FFAR –
Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket The Mk 4 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR), also known as "Mighty Mouse", was an unguided rocket used by United States military aircraft. It was 2.75 inches (70 mm) in diameter. Designed as an air-to-air weapon for interceptor aircraft to ...
* FFE – Fire for Effect * FFR – Fitted For Radio * FFSS – Future Fighting Soldier System * FFW –
Fitted For Wireless Fitted For Wireless (FFW) and Fitted For Radio (FFR) were British Army designators for vehicles equipped to carry radio equipment. Although many of these vehicles were dedicated 'radio vans' and had complex and expensive radio sets installed, the i ...
* FG – field gun * FH – field howitzer * FIBUA – Fighting In Built-Up Areas * FID –
Foreign Internal Defense Foreign internal defense (FID) is a term used by the military in several countries, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, to describe an integrated, and possibly multi-country, approach to combating actual or threatened i ...
* FIFV – Future Infantry Fighting Vehicle (US) * FIRM – Floating Integrated Rail Mount * FIS – Fuze Interface System * FISH – Fighting In Someone's House (UK) (Colloquial. Slang term for FIBUA) * FIST – Future Integrated Soldier Technology (UK), Fire Support Team (US) * FISTV – Fire Support Team Vehicle (US) * FITOW – Further Improved TOW (US) * FLEA – Frangible Low-Energy Ammunition (i.e. a fragmentation grenade or a low-yield IED) * FLIR – forward-looking infra-red * FLOT – forward line of own troops * FLSW – Future Light Support Weapon * FM – U.S. Army Field Manuals * FM –
Titanium tetrachloride Titanium tetrachloride is the inorganic compound with the formula . It is an important intermediate in the production of titanium metal and the pigment titanium dioxide. is a volatile liquid. Upon contact with humid air, it forms thick clouds ...
(code designation) * FMBS – Family of Muzzle Brake/Suppressors * FMC – Food Machinery Corporation * FMF –
Fleet Marine Force The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Flee ...
* FMJ – Full Metal Jacket * FMJBT – Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail * FMJLF – Full Metal Jacket Lead Free * FMN - Federated Mission Networking * FMPDS – Frangible Missile Piercing Discarding Sabot * FMS –
Foreign Military Sales The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defens ...
* FMTV – Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles * FN –
Fabrique Nationale Fabrique Nationale Herstal (), trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium. It is currently the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe. ...
(Manufacturer) * FNG – Fucking New Guy * FO –
Forward Observer An artillery observer, artillery spotter or forward observer (FO) is responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire onto a target. It may be a ''forward air controller'' (FAC) for close air support (CAS) and spotter for naval gunfire sup ...
* FOB –
Forward Operating Base A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, machine ...
* FOC –
Full Operational Capability In military acquisition, full operating capability or full operational capability (FOC) is the completion of a development effort. This is usually preceded by an initial operating capability or initial operational capability (IOC) phase. For the Un ...
* FOD – Foreign Object Damage (i.e., damage not caused by enemy fire. Includes bugs, dirt, etc.) (Aviation) * FOG – Fibre Optic Gyro * FOM – Fibre Optic Missile * FOO – forward observation officer * FORTIS – Forward Observation and Reconnaissance Thermal Imaging System * FOTT – Follow On To TOW * FOV –
field of view The field of view (FoV) is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment. In the case of optical instruments or sensors it is a solid angle through which a detector is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation. Human ...
* FPA – Focal Plane Array * FPL –
Final Protective Fire Final protective fire (FPF) refers to a tactical plan for a military unit, set up in support of the infantry, to protect itself against overwhelming attack, and generally reserved for units at risk of being overrun. It involves the concentration ...
* FRAG – fragmentation * FRAGO – FRAGmentary Order. (see OPORD) * FRES –
Future Rapid Effect System The Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) was the name for the overarching British Ministry of Defence (MOD) programme to deliver a fleet of more than 4,000 armoured fighting vehicles for the British Army. The vehicles were to be rapidly deployable, ...
* FROG – free rocket over ground * FSCL – fire support coordination line * FSCM – fire support coordination measure * FSCV – fire support combat vehicle * FS – fire support element * FSED – full-scale engineering development (US) * FSSG – Force Service Support Group * FST – Future Soviet Tank/Follow-on Soviet Tank * FSV – fire support vehicle * FSV – Future Scout Vehicle (US) * FTA – Frangible Training Ammunition * FTMA – Future Tank Main Armament * FTS – Future Tank Study * FTT – Field Tactical Trainer * FUBAR – Fouled/Fucked Up Beyond All Reason/Recognition/Repair * FUE – First Unit Equipped * FUG – Felderitц Usу Gépkosci * FV – fighting vehicle * FV/GCE – fighting vehicle gun control equipment * FVDD – Fighting Vehicle Development Division * FVRDE – Fighting Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (UK) * FVS – Fighting Vehicle System (US) * FVSC – Fighting Vehicle Systems Carrier (US) * FY –
fiscal year A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many ...


G

* g –
gram The gram (originally gramme; SI unit symbol g) is a unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI) equal to one one thousandth of a kilogram. Originally defined as of 1795 as "the absolute weight of a volume of pure water equal to th ...
me(s) * G – gendarmerie * GAMA – Gun Automatic Multiple Ammunition * GAO –
General Accounting Office The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is a legislative branch government agency that provides auditing, evaluative, and investigative services for the United States Congress. It is the supreme audit institution of the federal gover ...
* GAP – Gun Aiming Post * GBAD – Ground Based Air Defence * GCE – gun control equipment * GCT – Grande Cadence de Tir (high rate of fire) * GCU – Gun Control Unit * GCW – Gross Combined Weight (not "Gross Combat Weight"). Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) plus Gross Trailer Weight (GTW). * GD – General Dynamics * GDLS –
General Dynamics Land Systems General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is a manufacturer of military vehicles such as tanks and lighter armored fighting vehicles. History In February 1982 Chrysler announced the sale of Chrysler Defense, its profitable defense subsidiary, to ...
* GDU – Gun Display Unit * GFE – Government Furnished Equipment * GH –
gun-howitzer Gun-howitzer (also referred to as gun howitzer) is a type of artillery weapon that is intended to fulfill both the role of ordinary cannon or field gun, and that of a howitzer. It is thus able to convey both direct and indirect fire. Modern gun-ho ...
* GIGN- Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale ("National Gendarmerie Intervention Group") * GIAT – Groupement Industriel des Armements Terrestres * GL – Grenade Launcher * GLATGM – Gun Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile * GLC – gun lay computer * GLDNSM – Grenade Launcher Day-Night Sight Mount * GLH-H – Ground-Launched Hellfire-Heavy (US) * GLLD – Ground Laser Locator Designator (US) * GLS – Gesellschaft für Logistischen Service * GM, MVO – General Motors, Military Vehicle Operations * GMC –
General Motors Corporation The General Motors Company (GM) is an American multinational automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and was the largest in the world for 77 years bef ...
* GMG – Grenade Machine Gun * GMLRS – Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System * GMS – Gun Management System * GND – Ground (electrical) * GOCO – government-owned, contractor-operated (US) * GOP – General Out Post * GP – General Purpose * GP – guided projectile * GPMG –
General Purpose Machine Gun A general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) is an air-cooled, usually belt-fed machine gun that can be adapted flexibly to various tactical roles for light and medium machine guns. A GPMG typically features a quick-change barrel design calibered f ...
* GPO – gun position officer * GPS –
Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
* GPS – gunner's primary sight * GPSS – Gunner's Primary Sight Subsystem * GR –
Gajaba Regiment The Gajaba Regiment (GR) is an elite infantry regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. Formed on 14 October 1983 at the Saliyapura Camp in Anuradhapura, it is named after the famous Sinhalese warrior King Gajabahu the First. It consists of 14 regula ...
(Sri Lanka) * GREM – Grenade Rifle Entry Munition *GRIT – Group, Range, Indication, Type of fire * GRU – Glavnoe Razvedyvatel'noe Upravlenie, meaning Main Intelligence Directorate * GSR – General Staff Requirement (US) * GSRS – General Support Rocket System * GSG9- Grenzschutzgruppe 9 der Bundespolizei (Border Protection Group 9 of the Federal Police) * GSOF –
Georgian Special Operations Forces The Georgian Special Operations Forces (GSOF) ( ka, სპეციალური ოპერაციების ძალები) are the special operations forces component of the Defense Forces of Georgia. They have been established to ...
* GST – General Staff Target * GST – Gesellschaft fьr System-Technik * GTCS – Gun Test and Control System * GTG – Good To Go * GTI – German Tank Improvement * GTW – Gross Trailer Weight * GVW –
Gross Vehicle Weight Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity. Curb or kerb weight Curb weight (U.S. English) or kerb ...
. Curb weight plus max payload weight. * GW –
Gemunu Watch The Gemunu Watch (GW) ("King Dutugemunu's Own") is a infantry regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, formed with troops from the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Sinha Regiment in 1962. It has been deployed in many major operations against the LTTE ...
(Sri Lanka) * GW – guided weapon


H

* h – hour(s) * H&K –
Heckler and Koch Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK; ) is a German defense manufacturing company that manufactures handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and also ...
* HAB – Heavy Assault Bridge (US) * HAB – Heavy Artillery Brigade (UK) * HAG – Heavy Artillery Gun * HAHO – High Altitude High Opening * HALO – High Altitude Low Opening, High Activity/Low Observable * HAMS – Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron – Marine Aircraft Group (USMC) * HAWK – Homing-All-the-Way-Killer (US) * HB – heavy barrel * HBAR – Heavy Barrel Assault Rifle * HC –
Hexachloroethane Hexachloroethane, also known as perchloroethane is the organochlorine compound with the chemical formula . It is white solid at room temperature with a camphor-like odor. It has been used by the military in smoke compositions, such as base-eject ...
/zinc * HC – high-capacity * HC –
Hollow Charge A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to form an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, init ...
* HCER – high-capacity extended range * HCHE – high-capacity high-explosive * HCT – HOT Compact Turret * HDS – HOLOgraphic Diffraction Sight * HE –
high-explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An expl ...
* HE-APERS – high-explosive anti-personnel * HE-FRAG – high-explosive fragmentation * HE-FRAG-FS – high-explosive fragmentation – fin-stabilised * HE-FS – high-explosive – fin-stabilised * HE-S – high-explosive spotting * HE-T – high-explosive tracer * HE/PR – high-explosive practice * HEAA – High-Explosive Anti-Armour * HEAB – High-Explosive Air Burst * HEAP – High-Explosive Armor-Piercing * HEAP-T – high-explosive anti-personnel – tracer * HEAT –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
* HEAT-FS –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
fin-stabilised * HEAT-MP –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
multipurpose * HEAT-MP(P) –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
multipurpose (practice) * HEAT-T –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
– tracer * HEAT-T-HVY –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
– tracer – heavy * HEAT-T-MP –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
– tracer – multipurpose * HEAT-TP-T –
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
– target practice – tracer * HED-D – Hybrid Electric Drive – Demonstrator * HEDP – high-explosive dual-purpose * HEER – High-Explosive Extended Range (US) * HEF – high-explosive fragmentation * HEFT – High-Explosive Follow Through * HEI –
high-explosive incendiary In warfare, high-explosive incendiary (HEI) is a type of ammunition specially designed to impart energy and therefore damage to its target in one or both of two ways: via a high-explosive charge and/or via its incendiary (fire-causing) effects. ...
* HEIAP – High-explosive incendiary/armor-piercing ammunition * HEIT –
high-explosive incendiary In warfare, high-explosive incendiary (HEI) is a type of ammunition specially designed to impart energy and therefore damage to its target in one or both of two ways: via a high-explosive charge and/or via its incendiary (fire-causing) effects. ...
tracer * HEL – High-Energy Laser (US) * HEL – Human Engineering Laboratory (US) * HELP – Howitzer Extended Life Program (US) * HEMAT – Heavy Expanded Mobility Ammunition Trailer (US) * HEMP – High-Explosive Multi-Purpose * HEMTT –
Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck The Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) is an eight-wheel drive, diesel-powered, tactical truck. The M977 HEMTT first entered service in 1982 with the United States Army as a replacement for the M520 Goer, and since that date has re ...
(US) * HEP – high-explosive plastic * HEP-T – high-explosive practice – tracer * HEPD – high-explosive point detonating * HERA – high-explosive rocket-assisted * HESH –
high-explosive squash head High explosive squash head (HESH) in British terminology, or high explosive plastic/plasticized (HEP) in American terminology, is a type of explosive projectile which uses a plastic explosive that conforms to the surface of a target before deton ...
* HESH-T –
high-explosive squash head High explosive squash head (HESH) in British terminology, or high explosive plastic/plasticized (HEP) in American terminology, is a type of explosive projectile which uses a plastic explosive that conforms to the surface of a target before deton ...
– tracer * HET-PF – high-explosive tracer – percussion fuze * HETF – High Explosive Time Fuzed * HETS –
Heavy Equipment Transport System Heavy Equipment Transporter System (HETS) is the name of a U.S. Army logistics vehicle transport system, the primary purpose of which is to transport the M1 Abrams tank. It is also used to transport, deploy, and evacuate armored personnel carriers, ...
* HFCC – Howitzer Fire-Control Computer (US) * HFHTB – Human Factors Howitzer TestBed (US) * HFM – Heavy Force Modernisation (US) * HIFV – Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle * HIMAG – High-Mobility Agility Test Vehicle (US) * HIMARS – High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (US) * HIP – Howitzer Improvement Program (US) * HIRE – Hughes Infrared Equipment * HITP – High-Ignition Temperature Propellant * HIU – Heading Indicator Unit * HMC – Howitzer Motor Carriage * HMD –
Helmet-Mounted Display A helmet-mounted display (HMD) is a device used in aircraft to project information to the pilot's eyes. Its scope is similar to that of head-up displays (HUD) on an aircrew's visor or reticle. An HMD provides the pilot with situation awareness, ...
* HMG –
Heavy Machine Gun A heavy machine gun (HMG) is significantly larger than light, medium or general-purpose machine guns. HMGs are typically too heavy to be man-portable (carried by one person) and require mounting onto a weapons platform to be operably stable or ...
* HMH – Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron * HMLC – High-Mobility Load Carrier * HML/A – Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron * HMM – Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron * HMMWV – High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle * HMX – Marine Special Mission Helicopter Squadron * HOE –
Holographic Optical Element Holographic optical element (HOE) is an optical component (mirror, lens, directional diffuser, etc.) that produces holographic images using principles of diffraction. HOE is most commonly used in transparent displays, 3D imaging, and certain scannin ...
* HOT – Haute subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé * How – Howitzer * HP – High Power;
Hollow Point upright=0.2, Cross-section of a hollow-point bullet; proportions are those of a .22 Long Rifle cartridge Jacketed soft point (JSP) round. Right: Jacketed hollow-point (JHP) round. JSP is a semi-jacketed round as the jacket does not extend to ...
* hp –
Horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...
* HPFP – High-Performance Fragmentation Projectile * HPS – Helmet Pointing System (or Sight) * HPT – high-pressure test * HRU – Heading Reference Unit * HS – Headquarters Squadron – Marine Wing Support Group (USMC) * HSS – Hunter Sensor Suite * HSTV(L) – High-Survivability Test Vehicle (Lightweight) (US) * HTTB – High-Technology TestBed (US) * HVAP – high-velocity armour-piercing * HVAP-T – high-velocity armour-piercing tracer * HVAPDS – high-velocity armour-piercing discarding sabot * HVAPDS-T – high-velocity armour-piercing discarding sabot – tracer * HVAPFSDS – high-velocity armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot * HVCC – High Velocity Canister Cartridge * HVM – Hypervelocity Missile * HVSS – horizontal volute spring suspension * HVSW – Hypervelocity Support Weapon * HVTP-T – high-velocity target practice – tracer * HWSTD – High Water Speed Technology Demonstrator * HYPAK – Hydraulic Power Assist Kit


I

* I – Incendiary * IAF - Indian Air Force * IAFV – infantry armoured fighting vehicle * IAI – Israel Aircraft Industries * IAL – Infrared Aiming Light * IASD – Instant Ammunition Selection Device * IBAS – Improved Bradley Acquisition System * ICBM - Intercontinental ballistic missile * ICC – information co-ordination centre * ICM – Improved Conventional Munition * ICM – BB improved conventional munition base bleed * ICV – Infantry Combat Vehicle * IDF – Israel Defense Forces * IDF –
Indirect fire Indirect fire is aiming and firing a projectile without relying on a direct line of sight between the gun and its target, as in the case of direct fire. Aiming is performed by calculating azimuth and inclination, and may include correcting aim ...
* IDW – Individual Defence Weapon * IED –
Improvised Explosive Device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mecha ...
* IEPG – Independent European Program Group * IFCS – Improved/Integrated Fire-Control System * IFF – Identification Friend or Foe * IFV – infantry fighting vehicle * IFVwCM – Infantry Fighting Vehicle with Integrated Countermeasures (US) * IGLS – Individual Grenade Launcher System * II – image intensification/intensifier * IIR – Imaging Infra-Red * ILL – illuminating * ILMS – Improved Launcher Mechanical System * ILS – Integrated Logistic Support * IM – Insensitive Munition(s) * IMMLC – Improved Medium Mobility Load Carrier * IMSC - International Maritime Security Construct * IMU – Inertial Measurement Unit * INSAS – Indian Small Arms System * InSb – Indium-antimonide * INS -Indian Naval ship * IOC –
initial operational capability Initial operating capability or initial operational capability (IOC) is the state achieved when a capability is available in its minimum usefully deployable form. The term is often used in government or military procurement. The United States D ...
* IOF – Indian Ordnance Factory * IPB – Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield * IPF – Initial Production Facility * IPO – International Programme Office * IPPD – Integrated Product Process Development * IR – Infra-Red * IRBM – Intermediate-range ballistic missile * IRU – Inertial Reference Unit * IS –
internal security Internal security is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories, generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats. Responsibility for internal secu ...
* ISD – In Service Date * ISGU – Integrated Sight and Guidance Unit * ISR – Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance * ISU – Integrated Sight Unit * ISV – Internal Security Vehicle * ITAS – Improved Target Acquisition System * ITOW – Improved
TOW Towing is coupling two or more objects together so that they may be pulled by a designated power source or sources. The towing source may be a motorized land vehicle, vessel, animal, or human, and the load being anything that can be pulled. Th ...
* ITPIAL – Infra-red Target Pointer/Illuminator/Aiming Laser * ITT –
Invitation To Tender An invitation to tender (ITT, otherwise known as a call for bids or a request for tenders) is a formal, structured procedure for generating competing offers from different potential suppliers or contractors looking to obtain an award of business ...
* ITV – Improved TOW Vehicle (US) * IVPDL – Inter-Vehicle Positioning and Data Link (US) * IW – Individual Weapon * IWS – Improved Weapon System


J

* JBMoU – Joint Ballistic Memorandum of Understanding * JDAM – Joint Direct Attack Munition * JERRV – Joint Engineer Rapid Response Vehicle * JGSDF – Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force * JHP – Jacketed hollow point * JMAC – Joint Medium-calibre Automatic Cannon *JOIR - Joint Operations Information Range * JPO – Joint Project Office * JSC – Joint Steering Committee * JSCS – Joint Service Combat Shotgun * JSDFA – Japanese Self-Defence Force Agency * JSP – Jacketed Soft Point * JSSAMP – Joint Services Small Arms Master Plan * JSSAP –
Joint Service Small Arms Program The Joint Service Small Arms Program, abbreviated JSSAP, was created to coordinate weapon standardization between the various United States armed service branches. First Project - XM9 Procurement In 1962, the Air Force adopted the Smith ...


K

* KAAV – Korean Armoured Amphibious Vehicle * KAC –
Knight's Armament Company Knight's Armament Company (KAC) is an American firearms and firearms parts manufacturer, best known for producing the Rail Interface System (RIS) and the Rail Adapter System (RAS) grips for firearms use. They currently produce a variety of fire ...
* KE –
Kinetic energy In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acc ...
* KEC – Kaman Electromagnetics Corporation * KEM – Kinetic Energy Missile (US) * kg –
kilogramme The kilogram (also kilogramme) is the unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI), having the unit symbol kg. It is a widely used measure in science, engineering and commerce worldwide, and is often simply called a kilo colloquially. ...
(s) * KHA – Killed Hostile Action (US Vietnam War) * KIA – Killed in Action * KIFV – Korean Infantry Fighting Vehicle * KNHA – Killed Non-Hostile Action (US Vietnam War) * KPA –
Korean People's Army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) is the military force of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). Under the '' Songun'' policy, it is the central institution of North Korean society. Currently, WPK General S ...


L

* LAAG – light anti-aircraft gun * LAAM – Light Anti-Aircraft Missile * LCAC –
Landing Craft Air Cushion The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is a class of air-cushioned landing craft (hovercraft) used by the United States Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). They transport weapons systems, equipment, cargo and personnel from sh ...
* LAD – light aid detachment * LADS – light air defense system (US) * LAG – Light Artillery Gun * LALO – Low Altitude Low Opening * LAM – Laser Aiming Module * LAPES – Low-Altitude Parachute Extraction System * LAR – Light Automatic Rifle *
LASER A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fi ...
– Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation * LASIP – Light Artillery System Improvement Plan * LATS – Light Armoured Turret System * LAU – Light Armoured Unit * LAV – Light Armored Vehicle (US) * LAV – Light Assault Vehicle (US) * LAV-AD – Light Armored Vehicle – Air Defense * LAW – Light Anti-tank Weapon * LB – Long Barrel * LC – Laser Collimator * LCD – Liquid crystal display * LCS – Loader Control System * LCU –
Landing Craft Utility A Landing Craft Utility (LCU) is a type of boat used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to the shore. They are capable of transporting tracked or wheeled vehicles and troops from amphibious assault ships to beachheads or piers ...
* LCV – Light Contingency Vehicle (LCV) (US) * LD – Low drag,
Line of Departure In the military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable ...
* LE –
Law Enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules Rule or ruling may refer to: Education ...
* LED – light emitting diode * LEP – Life Extension Programme * LEU – Launcher Erector Unit * LF – ATGW Light Forces' Anti-Tank Guided Weapon * LF – Linked Feed * LFHG – Lightweight Fragmentation Hand Grenade * LFL – Light Fighter Lethality * LIA – Linear Induction Accelerator *LIC –
Low Intensity Conflict A low-intensity conflict (LIC) is a military conflict, usually localised, between two or more state or non-state groups which is below the intensity of conventional war. It involves the state's use of military forces applied selectively and with ...
* LIMAWS – Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System * LION – Lightweight Infra-red Observation Night sight * LIW – Lyttleton Engineering Works * LKP – Loader Keyboard Panel * LLAD – low-level air defence * LLLTV –
low light level television Low light level television (LLLTV) is a type of electronic sensing device, usually a CCD camera sensitive to wavelengths above the normal "visible" (0.4 to 0.7 micrometre) wavelengths, and into the short-wave Infrared - usually to about 1.0 to 1.1 ...
* LLM – Launcher Loader Module * LMAW – Light Multi-purpose Assault Weapon * LMG –
Light Machine Gun A light machine gun (LMG) is a light-weight machine gun designed to be operated by a single infantryman, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. LMGs firing cartridges of the same caliber as the other riflemen of the sa ...
* LNS – Land Navigation System * LNS – Laying and Navigation System * L/O –
Liaison Officer A Liaison officer is a person who liaises between two or more organizations to communicate and coordinate their activities on a matter of mutual concern. Generally, liaison officers are used for achieving the best utilization of resources, or empl ...
* LOAL –
Lock-On After Launch Lock-on after launch (LOAL) is an ability of missile systems to lock-on to a target after being launched from a carrier vehicle. The term is normally used in reference to airborne weapons, especially air-to-air missiles. LOAL is an important part ...
* LOBL – Lock-On Before Launch * LOC – Line Of Communication * LOS –
Line Of Sight The line of sight, also known as visual axis or sightline (also sight line), is an imaginary line between a viewer/observer/ spectator's eye(s) and a subject of interest, or their relative direction. The subject may be any definable object taken ...
* LOSAT – Line Of Sight Anti-Tank * LP –
Liquid Propellant A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of pressure. As such, it is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, gas, a ...
* LP – Listening Post * LPC – Launch Pod Container * LPC – Launcher Pod Carrier * LPG – Liquid Propellant Gun * LPO – Leading Petty Officer * LPT – Low-Profile Turret * LPTS – Lightweight Protected Turret System * LR – Long Rifle * LR – Long-Range * LRAR – Long Range Artillery Rocket * LRASS – Long-Range Advanced Scout System * LRAT – long-range anti-tank * LRBB – long-range base bleed * LRD – Long Range Deflagrator * LRF – laser rangefinder * LRF – Low Recoil Force * LRHB – long-range hollow base * LRIP – Low-Rate Initial Production * LRM – Laser Rangefinder Module * LRN – Lead Round Nose * LRN – Low Recoil NORICUM * LRRP –
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol A long-range reconnaissance patrol, or LRRP (pronounced "lurp"), is a small, well-armed reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemy-held territory.Ankony, Robert C., ''Lurps: A Ranger's Diary of Tet, Khe Sanh, A Shau, and Quang Tri,'' revised ...
* LRSA – Long Range Sniper Ammunition * LRSU – Long Range Surveillance Unit * LRU – Launcher Replenishment Unit * LRU – Line Replacement Unit * LRU –
Line-Replaceable Unit A line-replaceable unit (LRU), lower line-replaceable unit (LLRU), line-replaceable component (LRC), or line-replaceable item (LRI) is a modular component of an airplane, ship or spacecraft (or any other manufactured device) that is designed to b ...
* LSAT- Lightweight Small Arms Technologies * LSB – Landing Support Battalion * LSS – Lightweight Shotgun System * LSVW – Light Support Vehicle, Wheeled (Canada) * LSW –
Light Support Weapon A squad automatic weapon (SAW), also known as a section automatic weapon or light support weapon (LSW), is a man-portable automatic firearm attached to infantry squads or sections as a source of rapid direct firepower. Weapons fulfilling this ...
* LTA – Launch Tube Assembly * LTD – Laser Target Designator * LTFCS – Laser Tank Fire-Control System * LTP – Laser Target Pointer, Luminesant Training Projectile * LUTE – Lightweight Uncooled Thermal Imager Equipment * LVA – landing vehicle assault (US) * LVS – Lightweight Video Sight * LVT – Landing Vehicle Tracked (US) * LVTC – Landing Vehicle Tracked Command (US) * LVTE – Landing Vehicle Tracked Engineer (US) * LVTH – Landing Vehicle Tracked Howitzer (US) * LVTP – Landing Vehicle Tracked Personnel (US) * LVTR – Landing Vehicle Tracked Recovery (US) * LWC – Lead Wad Cutter * LWIR – Long Wave Infrared * LWL – LightWeight Launcher * LWML – LightWeight Multiple Launcher * LWMS – LightWeight Modular Sight * LWS – laser warning system * LWT – light weapon turret * LZ –
landing zone In military terminology a landing zone (LZ) is an area where aircraft can land. In the United States military, a landing zone is the actual point where aircraft, especially helicopters, land (equivalent to the commonwealth landing point.) In ...
* LRW – Light Repair Works (Indian Army)


M

* m –
metre The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...
(s) * m/s –
metres per second The metre per second is the unit of both speed (a scalar quantity) and velocity (a vector quantity, which has direction and magnitude) in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the speed of a body covering a distance of one metre in a ...
* MAB – Marine Amphibious Brigade * MABS – Marine Air Base Squadron * MAC – Medium Armored Car (US) * MAC –
Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of th ...
* MACS – Modular Artillery Charge System * MACS – Marine Air Control Squadron * MADLS – Mobile Air Defence Launching System * MAF – Marine Amphibious Force * MAG – Marine Aircraft Group * MAGTEC – Marine Air/Ground Training & Education Command * MAGTF – Marine Air/Ground Task Force * MAHEM – Magnetohydrodynamic Explosive Munition * MALOS – Miniature Laser Optical Sight * MALS – Marine Air Logistics Squadron * MAMBA – Mobile Artillery Monitoring Battlefield Radar * MANPADS – Man Portable Air Defense System * MAOV – Mobile Artillery Observation Vehicle * MAP – Military Aid Programme * MAPS – Modular Azimuth Position System * MAR – Micro Assault Rifle * MARDI – Mobile Advanced Robotics Defence Initiative (UK) * MARDIV – Marine Division (US) * MARS – Military Amateur Radio Station * MARS – Mini Assault Rifle System * MARS – Multi-purpose Aiming Reflex Sight * MARS – Multiple Artillery Rocket System * MASS – Marine Air Support Squadron * MATCS – Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron * MATSG – Marine Air Training Support Group * MAU(SOC) – Marine Amphibious Unit (Special Operations Capable) * MAV – maintenance assist vehicle * MAVD – MLRS Aim Verification Device * MAW – Marine Air Wing (US) * MBA – main battle area * MBB – Messerschmitt-Bцlkow-Blohm * MBC – Mortar Ballistic Computer * MBT –
main battle tank A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension sys ...
* MCISRE – Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Enterprise * MCLOS –
Manual Command to Line Of Sight Manual command to line of sight (MCLOS) is a method for guiding guided missiles. With an MCLOS missile, the operator must track the missile and the target simultaneously and guide the missile to the target. Typically the missile is steered with a ...
* MCRV – Mechanised Combat Repair Vehicle * MCS – Microclimate Conditioning System * MCS – modular charge system * MCSK – Mine Clearance System Kit (US) * MCT – Medium Combat Tractor (US) * MCT –
Mercury Cadmium Telluride Hg1−xCdxTe or mercury cadmium telluride (also cadmium mercury telluride, MCT, MerCad Telluride, MerCadTel, MerCaT or CMT) is a chemical compound of cadmium telluride (CdTe) and mercury telluride (HgTe) with a tunable bandgap spanning the shortwav ...
* MCV – Mechanised Combat Vehicle * MCWL – Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory * MCWS – Minor Caliber Weapons Station (US) * MDB – Multi Domain Battle * MDMP – Military Decision Making Process * MDU – Map Display Unit * MEB – Marine Expeditionary Brigade * MEDEVAC – Medical Evacuation * MEF – Marine Expeditionary Force * MENS – Mission Element Need Statement (US) * MEP – Modular Explosive Penetrator * MEPS – Military Entrance Processing Station * METO – Middle East Treaty Organisation; CENTO or Baghdad Pact * METL – Mission Essential Task List * METT-TC – Mission, Enemy, Terrain and weather, Troops and support available—Time available, Civilians * METT-TSL – Mission, Enemy, Terrain and weather, Troops and fire support available - Time available, Space, Logistics * MEU –
Marine Expeditionary Unit A Marine expeditionary unit (MEU, pronounced as one syllable "" IPA: ) is the smallest air-ground task force (MAGTF) in the United States Fleet Marine Force.Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) * MEV – medical evacuation vehicle (US) * MEWS – Mobile Electronic Warfare System * MEWSS – Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System * MF – multifunction * MFC – Mortar Fire Control(ler) * MFCS – Multi-Fire Control System/Mortar Fore Control System * MFCV – Missile Fire-Control Vehicle * MFF – munition filling factory * MG –
machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) ar ...
* MGB –
Medium Girder Bridge The Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) is a lightweight, man portable bridge and can be assembled without help from heavy equipment. In addition, it is also a deck type, two-girder bridging system capable of carrying loads up to and including Main battl ...
* MGL – Multiple Grenade Launcher * MGS –
Mobile Gun System The M1128 Mobile Gun System (MGS) is an eight-wheeled armored car of the Stryker armored fighting vehicle family, mounting a 105 mm tank gun, based on the Canadian LAV III light-armored vehicle manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems fo ...
* MGTS – MultiGun Turret System * MGU – Mid-course Guidance Unit * MI –
Military Intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...
* MIA –
Missing In Action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...
* MICOM –
Missile Command ''Missile Command'' is a 1980 shoot 'em up arcade video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. and licensed to Sega for Japanese and European releases. It was designed by Dave Theurer, who also designed Atari's vector graphics game '' Temp ...
(US) * MICV – Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicle * MILAN – Missile d'Infantrie Léger Antichar (light infantry anti-tank missile) * MILES – Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (US) * MILSPEC – Military Specification * MILSTD – MILitary STANdard * MILSTAR – MILitary Strategic and Tactical Relay (US) * MIPS – Medium Integrated Propulsion System (US) * MIR -
Mechanized Infantry Regiment The Mechanized Infantry Regiment (MIR) is a mechanized infantry regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. It is made up of four regular battalions and a volunteer battalion. Establish in 2007 by Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka its battalions are equipped with Type ...
(Sri Lanka) * MIRV - Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle * MLA – Manufacturing Licence Agreement * MLC – Military Load Class * MLC – Modular Load Carrier * MLF – Marine Logistics Force * MLR – Marine Logistics Regiment * MLI – Mid-Life Improvement * MLO – Muzzle Loaded Ordnance * MLRS – Multiple Launch Rocket System (US) * mm – millimetre(s) * MMBF – mean miles between failures * MMG –
Medium Machine Gun A medium machine gun (MMG), in modern terms, usually refers to a belt-fed machine gun firing a full-powered rifle cartridge, and is considered "medium" in weight (). Medium machine guns are light enough to be infantry-portable (as opposed to a h ...
* MMS – mast-mounted sight * MMS – Modular Mounting System * MNVD – Monocular Night Vision Device * MoA – Memorandum of Agreement * MOA –
Minute Of Angle A minute of arc, arcminute (arcmin), arc minute, or minute arc, denoted by the symbol , is a unit of angular measurement equal to of one degree. Since one degree is of a turn (or complete rotation), one minute of arc is of a turn. The n ...
* MoD – Ministry of defence * MODA – Ministry of Defence and Aviation * MOLF – Modular Laser Fire Control (Germany) * MOLLE – MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment * MOPP – Mission Oriented Protective Posture (US) * MOS –
Military Occupational Specialty A United States military occupation code, or a military occupational specialty code (MOS code), is a nine-character code used in the United States Army and United States Marine Corps to identify a specific job. In the United States Air Force, a sy ...
(US) * MoU – Memorandum of Understanding * MOUT –
Military Operations in Urban Terrain Urban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both the operational and the tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the presence of civilians and ...
(
urban warfare Urban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both the operational and the tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the presence of civilians a ...
) (US) * MP –
Machine Pistol A machine pistol is an autoloading pistol capable of fully automatic fire. The term can also be used to describe a stockless handgun-style submachine gun. The term is a calque of ''Maschinenpistole'', the German word for submachine guns. Ma ...
* MP -
Military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...
* MPBAV – MultiPurpose Base Armoured Vehicle * MPC – MultiPurpose Carrier (Netherlands) * MPDS – Missile Piercing Discarding Sabot * MPGS – Mobile Protected Gun System (US) * MPI – Mean Point of Impact * MPIM – MultiPurpose Individual Munition * MPM – MultiPurpose Munition * MPS – Maritime Prepositioning Ships (US) * MPV –
Multi-Purpose Vehicle Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe is ...
* MPWS – Mobile Protected Weapon System (US) * MR – Medium Range * MRAP – Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (Vehicle) * MRAR – MultiRole Assault Round * MRAV – MultiRole Armoured Vehicle * MRBF – mean rounds before failure * MRBS – mean rounds between stoppages * MRE – Meal Ready to Eat * MRS – multiple rocket system * MRS – muzzle reference system * MRSI –
Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, ...
* MRV(R) – Mechanised Recovery Vehicle (Repair) * MRVR – Mechanised Repair and Recovery Vehicle (US) * MSSG – MAU/MEU Service Support Group (USMC) * MSL –
Missile In military terminology, a missile is a guided airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight usually by a jet engine or rocket motor. Missiles are thus also called guided missiles or guided rockets (when a previously unguided rocke ...
* MSR – Missile Simulation Round * MSR –
Main Supply Route A main supply route (MSR) is the route or routes designated within an area of operations upon which the bulk of traffic flows in support of military operations and humanitarian operations. MSR is a term that is also used in insurgency and irregul ...
* MSTAR –
Man-portable Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar Man-portable Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar (MSTAR) is a lightweight all-weather battlefield Doppler radar operating in the J band (NATO), J band. It is usually used by artillery observers to acquire and engage targets in bad visibi ...
* MSV – Modular Support Vehicle * MT – mechanical time * MTB – Mobility TestBed * MTBF –
Mean Time Between Failure Mean time between failures (MTBF) is the predicted elapsed time between inherent failures of a mechanical or electronic system during normal system operation. MTBF can be calculated as the arithmetic mean (average) time between failures of a system ...
* MTI –
moving target indication Moving target indication (MTI) is a mode of operation of a radar to discriminate a target against the clutter. It describes a variety of techniques used for finding moving objects, like an aircraft, and filter out unmoving ones, like hills or tree ...
* MTL – Materials Technology Laboratory (US) * MTR – Mobile Test Rig (US) * MTSQ – mechanical time and super-quick * MTSQ – Mechanical Time Semi-Quick * MTU – Motoren- und Turbinen-Union * MTVL – mobile tactical vehicle light * MUGS – Multipurpose Universal Gunner Sight * MULE – Modular Universal Laser Equipment (US) * MUSS – Multifunctional Selfprotection System * MV – muzzle velocity * MVEE –
Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment The Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment (MVEE) was a British defence research unit on Chobham Lane, Chertsey in Surrey. It was responsible for many innovations in armoured vehicle design, including ceramic Chobham armour. History T ...
(UK) * MVRS – Muzzle Velocity Radar System * MWCS – Marine Wing Communications Squadron * MWHS – Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron * MWS – Manned Weapon Station (US) * MWS –
Modular Weapon System A modular weapon system (MWS) is any weapon equipment which has removable core components (or "modules") that can be reconfigured/interchanged to give the weapon different capabilities to adapt to various applications. Modularity can provide seve ...
* MWSG – Marine Wing Support Group * MWSS – Marine Wing Support Squadron


N

* NATO –
North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
* NAVSEA – Naval Sea Systems Command * NBC – Nuclear, Biological, Chemical * NBMR – NATO Basic Military Requirement * NCIS –
Naval Criminal Investigative Service The United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is the primary law enforcement agency of the U.S. Department of the Navy. Its primary function is to investigate criminal activities involving the Navy and Marine Corps, though its ...
(US) * NCO – Non-Commissioned Officer (US, E-4 – E-9) * NCOIC – Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge * NDI –
Non-developmental item Non-developmental item (NDI) is a term used for products procured by the United States federal government which do not require further development or require only minimal modification. Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and Government-off-the-she ...
* NDU – Navigation Display Unit * NFOV – Narrow Field Of View * NG – New/Next Generation * Ni/Cd – Nickel Cadmium * NLAW – Next Light (weight) Anti-armour Weapon * NLOS-C – Non-Line Of Sight-Cannon * NLOS-M – Non-Line Of Sight-Mortar * NOD(s) – Night Observation Device(s) * NOTAM – Notice to Airmen * NRF –
NATO Response Force The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a high-readiness force comprising land, air, sea and special forces units capable of being deployed quickly. Until February 2022, when NATO activated it in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine,JAMES KITFIEL(1 ...
* NS – Network Services * NTC –
National Training Center Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast o ...
(USA) * NUGP – nominal unit ground pressure * NV – Night Vision * NVD –
Night Vision Device A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The devi ...
* NVE – Night Vision Equipment * NVESD – Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate * NVG –
Night Vision Goggle A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The devi ...
* NVS – Night Vision System * NZDF –
New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; mi, Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa, "Line of Defence of New Zealand") are the armed forces of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and her realm, prom ...
* NZEF – New Zealand Expeditionary Force (in WWI & WWII) * NZSAS - New Zealand Special Air Service


O

* OBR – Optical Beam-Riding * OCC – Obus à Charge Creusé ( shaped-charge shell) * OCOKA – Observation and fields of fire, Cover and concealment, Obstacles, Key terrain, and Avenues of Approach. * OCSW – Objective Crew-Served Weapon * OCU – Operational Centre Unit * ODE – Ordnance Development and Engineering (Singapore) * OEG – Occluded Eye Gunsight (a type of
Collimator sight A collimator sight is a type of optical sight that allows the user looking into it to see an illuminated aiming point aligned with the device the sight is attached to, regardless of eye position (with little parallax). They are also referred to as ...
) * OEO – optical and electro-optical * OFSA – Objective Family of Small Arms * OFSA – One Size Fits All * OFW – Objective Force Warrior * OHWS – Offensive Hand Weapon System * OIC – Officer In Charge * OICW –
Objective Individual Combat Weapon The Objective Individual Combat Weapon or OICW was the next-generation service rifle competition that was under development as part of the United States Army OICW program; the program was eventually discontinued without bringing the weapon out of ...
* OOTW – Operations Other Than War * OP – Observation post * OP – Operators Panel * OPCON – OPerational CONtrol * OPDW – Objective Personal Defense Weapon * OPORD – OPerations Order * OPSEC – OPerational SECurity * OPV – Observation Post Vehicle * OSW – Objective Sniper Weapon * OSC – Operation Strategy Command * OSS (USAF) – Operational Support Squadron * OSW (USAF) – Operational Support, Weather * OT – operational test * OTA – overflight top attack * OTEA – Operational Test and Evaluation Agency (US)


P

* P – How pack howitzer * P-38 — P-38 can opener (US) * P3I – Pre-Planned Product Improvements * PAR – pulse acquisition radar * PAT – power-assisted traverse *PAWPERSO – Protection, Ammunition, Weapon, Personal Equipment, Radio, Specialist Equipment, Orders * PC –
Personal Computer A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
* PCB – printed circuit board * PCC – Police Compact Carbine * PCI – Pre-combat inspection * PD – Point Defense * PD – point detonating * PD – Point of Departure * PDNA – Positioning Determining/Navigation Unit * PDRR – Program Definition and Risk Reduction * PDW – Personal Defence Weapon * PE –
MoD Procurement Executive The MoD Procurement Executive was the acquisition organisation of the Ministry of Defence. The Procurement Executive (widely known as ''PE'') was established on 2 August 1971 as a single procurement agency for all three services with Derek Rayner ...
(UK) * PE –
Peace Enforcement Peace enforcement is the use of military force to compel peace in a conflict, generally against the will of combatants. To do this, it generally requires more military force than peacekeeping operations. The United Nations, through its Security Coun ...
(US DoD) * PEC – Printed Electronic Circuits * PFD – proximity fuze disconnector * PFHE – prefragmented high-explosive * PLF – protective line of fire * PFPX – prefragmented proximity fuzed * PGMM – Precision Guided Mortar Munition * PH – Probability of Hit * Pi – Probability of incapacitation *
PIAT The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT) Mk I was a British man-portable anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon ...
Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank * PIBD – Point Initiating Base Detonated * PID – Positive Identification * PIE – pyrotechnically initiated explosive * PIP – Product Improvement Programme * PL – Phase Line * PLA – People's Liberation Army * PLARS – Position Location And Reporting System (US) * PLC – Programmable Logic Control * PLO – Palestinian Liberation Army * PLOS –
Predicted Line Of Sight Predicted line of sight (PLOS) is a method of missile targeting. In PLOS, the operator tracks the target with the missile launcher's onboard sights for a short period of time (3-5 seconds). Software on the launcher extrapolates from the data gather ...
* PLS –
Palletized Load System The Palletized Load System (PLS) is a truck-based logistics system that entered service in the United States Army in 1993. It performs long and short distance freight transport, unit resupply, and other missions in the tactical environment to sup ...
(US) * PM – porte mortier (mortar carrier) * PM –
Product Manager A product manager (PM) is a professional role that is responsible for the development of products for an organization, known as the practice of product management. Product managers own the product strategy behind a product (physical or digital), ...
* PMCS – Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services * PMEE – Prime Mission Electronic Equipment (USAF) * PMO – Program Management Office (US) * PMO – Provost Marshall's Office * PMOD – Platform Modifications * PMS – Pedestal-Mounted Stinger * PNU – Position Navigation Unit * POA&M – Plan Of Action & Milestones * POF – Pakistan Ordnance Factory * POG – Person other than Grunt * POS – Postes Optiques de Surveillance * POW –
Prisoner of War A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
* PPG – PT Parade Games (Bangladesh Cadet Colleges) * PPI – plan position indicator * PPS – Precise Positioning Service *PPV – Protected Patrol Vehicle * PRAC – practice * PRAC-T – practice tracer *PRESAR – Preparation, React to enemy fire, Establish enemy position, Suppress the enemy, Assault, Reorg * PRI – projector reticle image * PRP – Personnel Reliability Program (screening and monitoring of individuals with access to "special" weapons) * PSBC – Platoon Sergeant's Battle Course * PSD – Propulsion System Demonstrator * PSO – Peace Support Operations * PSS – Primary Sight System * PTO – power take-off * PVP – Petit Véhicule Protégé * PW –
Prisoner of War A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
* PWI-SR(GR) – Panser Wagen Infanterie-Standaard (Groep) * PWP – Plasticised
White Phosphorus Elemental phosphorus can exist in several allotropes, the most common of which are white and red solids. Solid violet and black allotropes are also known. Gaseous phosphorus exists as diphosphorus and atomic phosphorus. White phosphorus White ...
* PWR – Power


Q

* QCB – Quick Change Barrel * QE – Quadrant Elevation * QRF – Quick Reaction Force


R

* RA –
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
* RAA –
Royal Australian Artillery The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, normally referred to as the Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), is a Regiment of the Australian Army descended from the original colonial artillery units prior to Australia's federation. Australia's first ...
* RAAM – Rifle-launched Anti-Armour Munition * RAAMS – Remote Anti-Armor Mine System (US) * PABD – Pay Entry Base Date * RAC –
Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is the component of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle. It includes most of the ...
* RADIRS – Rapid Deployment Multiple Rocket System (US) * RAAF –
Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
* RAE – Royal Aircraft Establishment, Royal Aircraft Establishment (Farnborough) * RAE –
Royal Australian Engineers The Royal Australian Engineers (RAE) is the military engineering corps of the Australian Army (although the word corps does not appear in their name or on their badge). The RAE is ranked fourth in seniority of the corps of the Australian Army, b ...
, Australian Combat Engineers * RAF –
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
* RAM-D – reliability, availability, maintainability and durability * RAN –
Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
* RAO – Rear Area Operations * RAP – Regimental Aid Post * RAP –
rocket-assisted projectile A rocket-assisted projectile (RAP) is a cannon, howitzer, mortar, or recoilless rifle round incorporating a rocket motor for independent propulsion. This gives the projectile greater speed and range than a non-assisted ballistic shell, which is ...
* RAPI – Reactive Armour Protection * RARDE –
Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a c ...
(UK) * RATAC – Radar de Tir pour L'Artillerie de Campagne (radar for field artillery fire) * RATELO – Radio Telephone Operator * RAW – Rifleman's Assault Weapon * RBL – Range and Bearing Launch * RBOC – Rapid Bloom Offboard Chaff * RC/MAS – Reserve Component/Modified Armament System * RCAAS – Remote-Controlled Anti-Armor System (US) * RCAF –
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
* RCC – ROLAND Coordination Center (US) * RCWS – Remote-Controlled Weapon Station * RCL – Recoilless rifle * RCN –
Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
* RCS –
Radar Cross Section Radar cross-section (RCS), also called radar signature, is a measure of how detectable an object is by radar. A larger RCS indicates that an object is more easily detected. An object reflects a limited amount of radar energy back to the source. ...
* RCT – Regimental Combat Team * RCT – Royal Corps of Transport * RCV – Robotic Command Vehicle * RDF – Rapid Deployment Forces * RDF/LT – Rapid Deployment Force Light Tank (US) * RDJTF –
Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force The Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) is an inactive United States Department of Defense Joint Task Force. It was first envisioned as a three-division force in 1979 as the Rapid Deployment Force, or RDF, a highly mobile force that could ...
(US) * RDT&E – Research Development Test and Evaluation * REME – Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers * REMF – Rear Echelon Mother Fucker * RF – Rimfire * RFA – Royal Field Artillery or
Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RFA ensures the Royal Navy is supplied and supported by ...
* RFAS – Russian Federation and Associated States * RFC – Royal Flying Corps * RFI – request for information * RFP – request for proposals * RFPI – Rapid Force Projection Initiative * RFQ – Request For Quotations * RGGS – Rifle Grenade General Service * RHA –
rolled homogeneous armour Rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) is a type of vehicle armour made of a single steel composition hot-rolled to improve its material characteristics, as opposed to layered or cemented armour. Its first common application was in tanks. After World ...
* RHA –
Royal Horse Artillery The Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) was formed in 1793 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery (commonly termed Royal Artillery) to provide horse artillery support to the cavalry units of the British Army. (Although the cavalry link r ...
* RIN – the former
Royal Indian Navy The Royal Indian Navy (RIN) was the naval force of British India and the Dominion of India. Along with the Presidency armies, later the Indian Army, and from 1932 the Royal Indian Air Force, it was one of the Armed Forces of British India. F ...
* RIS – Rail Interface System * RISE – Reliability Improved Selected Equipment * RLC –
Royal Logistic Corps The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army. History The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed on 5 April 1993, by the union of five British Army corps: * Royal Engine ...
* RLEM – Rifle-Launched Entry Munition * RLG – Ring Laser Gyro * RLT – Regimental Landing Team * RMG – ranging machine gun * RN –
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
* RNZAF – Royal New Zealand Air Force * RNZN –
Royal New Zealand Navy The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; mi, Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, , Sea Warriors of New Zealand) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act ...
* RO –
Royal Ordnance Royal Ordnance plc was formed on 2 January 1985 as a public corporation, owning the majority of what until then were the remaining United Kingdom government-owned Royal Ordnance Factories (abbreviated ROFs) which manufactured explosives, ammuniti ...
* ROBAT – Robotic Counter-Obstacle Vehicle (US) * RoC – Republic of China * ROC – required operational characteristics * ROE –
Rules Of Engagement Rules of engagement (ROE) are the internal rules or directives afforded military forces (including individuals) that define the circumstances, conditions, degree, and manner in which the use of force, or actions which might be construed as pro ...
* ROF – Royal Ordnance Factory (UK) * ROF – Rate of fire * RoK –
Republic of Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its ea ...
* RoKMC –
Republic of Korea Marine Corps The Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC; ko, 대한민국 해병대, Daehanminguk Haebyeongdae), also known as the ROK Marine Corps or ROK Marines, is the marine corps of South Korea. The ROKMC is a branch of the Republic of Korea Navy respo ...
* RoKIT – Republic of Korea Indigenous Tank * ROR – range only radar * ROTA – Royal Ordnance Training Ammunition * RP – Red phosphorus * RP – rocket-propelled * RP - Regimental police * RPC – Rocket Pod Container * RPG – Rocket-propelled grenade * RPG – Ruchnoy Protivotankovy Granatomyot * RPV –
Remotely piloted vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human Aircraft pilot, pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an #Terminology, unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes add ...
* RR – Recoilless rifle * RRPR – Reduced Range Practice Rocket * RRT – Radio Recon Team * RRTR – Reduced Range Training Round * RSAF – Royal Small Arms Factory (UK) (now closed) * RSN – Role Specialist Nation (US & NATO) * RSS – Rosette Scanning Seeker * RTE – Rifle Team Equipment * RTO – Radio/Telephone Operator * RTT – Roues Transporteur de Troupes * RUC – Royal Ulster Constabulary * RWS –
Remote weapon system A remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), or remote weapon station (RWS), also known as a remote weapon system (RWS), is a remotely operated weaponized system often equipped with fire-control system for light and medium-caliber weapons which can ...
(or station)


S

* s – second(s) * S&W –
Smith & Wesson Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (S&W) is an American firearm manufacturer headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. Smith & Wesson was founded by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson as the "Smith & Wesson Revolver Company" in 1856 ...
* SA –
Situation Awareness Situational awareness or situation awareness (SA) is the perception of environmental elements and events with respect to time or space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their future status. An alternative definition is tha ...
* SABCA –
Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques SABCA (Sociétés Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques) is a Belgian aerospace company. Its main sectors of activity are civil aviation, space and defence. SABCA was established during 1920. Presently, it is owned by the French aircraft ...
* SABR – Selectable Assault Battle Rifle * SABS – Stabilizing Automatic Bomb Sight * SAC – Small Arms Collimator * SACLOS –
Semi-Automatic Command to Line Of Sight Semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) is a method of missile command guidance. In SACLOS, the operator has to continually point a sighting device at the target while the missile is in flight. Electronics in the sighting device and/or th ...
* SADA – Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly * SADARM – Sense And Destroy Armor (US) * SADF –
South African Defence Force The South African Defence Force (SADF) (Afrikaans: ''Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag'') comprised the armed forces of South Africa from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence F ...
* SAE –
Society of Automotive Engineers SAE International, formerly named the Society of Automotive Engineers, is a United States-based, globally active professional association and standards developing organization for engineering professionals in various industries. SAE Internatio ...
* SAF – Small Arms Fire * SAFCS – Small Arms Fire Control System * SAFIRE – Surface-to-Air Fire * SAL –
semi-active laser Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key ide ...
* SAL – search and locate * SAM – surface-to-air missile * SAMM – Société d'Applications des Machines Motrices * SANDF –
South African National Defence Force The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The commander of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister ...
* SANG – Saudi Arabian National Guard * SAP – Semi-Armour-Piercing * SAPHEI – Semi-Armour-Piercing High Explosive Incendiary * SAPI – semi-armour-piercing incendiary or
Small Arms Protective Insert The Small Arms Protective Insert (SAPI) is a ceramic ballistic plate used by the United States Armed Forces. It was first used in the Interceptor Body Armor, a ballistic vest. It is now also used in the Improved Outer Tactical Vest as well as th ...
* SAR – Search and Rescue * SAS – Special Air Service * SASR –
Special Air Service Regiment The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army. Formed in 1957, it was modelled on the British SAS sharing the motto, "Who Dares Wins". The re ...
* SAS-EAS – Sealed Authenticator System – Emergency Action Procedures (Nuclear Weapons Release Control) * SASR – Special Application Sniper Rifle * SAT – Small Arms Trainer * SATCP – Systиme Anti-aérien à Trиs Courte Portée (very short-range anti-aircraft system) * SAVA – Standard Army Vectronics Architecture * SAW –
Squad Automatic Weapon A squad automatic weapon (SAW), also known as a section automatic weapon or light support weapon (LSW), is a man-portable automatic firearm attached to infantry squads or sections as a source of rapid direct firepower. Weapons fulfilling th ...
* SAWS – Squad Automatic Weapon System * SB – Short Barrel * SCORE – Stratified Charge Omnivorous Rotary Engine * SCC,-Sea Cadet corps * SD –
self-destruct A self-destruct is a mechanism that can cause an object to destroy itself or render itself inoperable after a predefined set of circumstances has occurred. Self-destruct mechanisms are typically found on devices and systems where malfunction could ...
(ion) * SEAD – Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses * SEAL – Sea/Air/Land * SEALOCK – Search, Locate, and Communicate or Kill * SEATO – Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation * SEME – School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering * SEN – shell extended range NORICUM * SEP – Soldier Enhancement Programme * SF – Special Forces (US/UK) * SFCS – Simplified Fire-Control System * SFIM – Société de Fabrication d'Instrument de Mesure * SFIRR – solid fuel integral
rocket A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...
/
ramjet A ramjet, or athodyd (aero thermodynamic duct), is a form of airbreathing jet engine that uses the forward motion of the engine to produce thrust. Since it produces no thrust when stationary (no ram air) ramjet-powered vehicles require an as ...
* SFM – Sensor Fuzed Munitions * SFMG – Sustained Fire Machine Gun * SFSW – Special Forces Support Weapon * SFW – Special Forces Weapon * SGTS – Second-Generation Tank Sight * SH/PRAC – squash head practice * SHORAD – Short-Range Air Defence System * shp –
shaft horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are the ...
* SIC – Second-in-command, Second in Command * SICPS – Standard Integrated Command Post Systems * SINCGARS – Single Channel Ground/Air Radio System * SIP – System Improvement Plan/Programme * SIPS – Small Integrated Propulsion System * SITREP – Situation report, Situation Report * SJFN – Semi-Jacketed Flat Nose * SJHP – Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point * SKOT – Sredni Kolowy Opancerzny Transporter (armoured personnel carrier) * SLA - Sri Lanka Army * SLAC - Sri Lanka Armoured Corps * SLAF - Sri Lanka Air Force * SLAGSE - Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps * SLAOC - Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps * SLAPC - Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps * SLASC - Sri Lanka Army Service Corps * SLAWC - Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps * SLCG - Sri Lanka Coast Guard * SLCMP - Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police * SLE - Sri Lanka Engineers * SLEME - Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers * SLLI - Sri Lanka Light Infantry * SLMC - Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps * SLNG - Sri Lanka National Guard * SLN - Sri Lanka Navy * SLRC - Sri Lanka Rifle Corps * SLSR - Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment * SLAP – saboted light armor penetrator * SLAW – Shoulder-Launched Assault Weapon * SLEP – Service Life Extension Program (US) * SLR – Self-loading rifle, Self-Loading Rifle * SLR – Super Low Recoil * SLWAGL – Super Light Weight Automatic Grenade Launcher * SM – smoke * SMAW – Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon, Shoulder-launched Multi-purpose Assault Weapon * SMG – sub-machine gun * SMK – Smoke * SMP – Surface Mine Plough * SMU – Special Mission Unit * SNAFU – Situation Normal, All Fouled Up * SNCO – Staff Non-Commissioned Officer (USMC, E-6 – E-9) * SNCOIC – Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (USMC) * SOCOM – United States Special Operations Command, Special Operations Command * SOF – Special Operations Forces * SOG – Speed Over Ground * SOP – Standard operating procedure, Standing/Standard Operating Procedure(s) * SOS – Struck Off Strength * SP – Shore patrol, Shore Patrol * SP – self-propelled * SP – Soft-point bullet, Soft Point * SPAAG – Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, self-propelled anti-aircraft gun * SPAAM – self-propelled Antiaircraft warfare, anti-aircraft missile * SPAG – self-propelled assault gun * SPARK – solid propellant advanced
ramjet A ramjet, or athodyd (aero thermodynamic duct), is a form of airbreathing jet engine that uses the forward motion of the engine to produce thrust. Since it produces no thrust when stationary (no ram air) ramjet-powered vehicles require an as ...
kinetic energy missile * SPAS – Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun, like Franchi SPAS-12, SPAS-12 or Franchi SPAS-15, SPAS-15 * SPATG – self-propelled anti-tank gun * SPAW – Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled artillery weapon * SPG – Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled gun * SPH – Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer * SPL – self-propelled launcher * SPLL – Self-propelled Loader Launcher * SPLY – Supply * SPM – Self propelled mortar, self-propelled mortar * SPP – Special Purpose Pistol * SPR – Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle, Special Purpose Rifle * SPS – Standard Positioning Service * SPSM – Sensorgezundete Panzerabwehr SubMunition * SPW – Special Purpose Weapon * SR – Short Rifle * SR – Staff Requirement * SR – Special Reconnaissance * SRR – Special Reconnaissance Regiment * SRAW – FGM-172 SRAW, Short Range Assault Weapon * SRC – Space Research Corporation * SRG – shell replenishment gear * SRI – Short Range Insert * SRTS – Short Range Thermal Sight * SRU – Shop-replaceable unit, Shop Replaceable Unit * SRU – Slip Ring Unit * SRV – Surrogate Research Vehicle (US) * SS – Submarine * SSA – Special Spaced Armour * SSE – Sensitive site exploitation, Sensitive Site Exploitation * SSG – Single Shot Gun * SSK – Single Shot Kill * SSR – Sniper Support Rifle * SSR – Special Support and Reconnaissance Company (DNK) * SSW – Squad Support Weapon * ST6 - SEAL Team Six, Seal Team Six * ST – Staff Target * STA – shell transfer arm * STAB – Steered Agile Beams * STAFF – Small Target Activated Fire-and-Forget (US) * STANAG – STANAG, STANdardisation Agreement * STARTLE – Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar for Tank Location and Engagement (US) * STE/ICE – Simplified Test Equipment/Internal Combustion Engine (US) *STF - Special Task Force (disambiguation), Special Task Force * STOVL – STOVL, Short Take Off and Vertical Landing * STUP – spinning tubular projectile * SUB – SUBstitute * SUC – Square Ultra Compact * SUIT – Sight Unit Infantry Trilux * SUSAT – Sight Unit Small Arms Trilux * SWARM – Stabilised Weapon and Reconnaissance Mount * SWAT – Special Weapons And Tactics * SWC – Semiwadcutter, Semi WadCutter * SWS – Sniper Weapon System


T

* T – Tracer ammunition, Tracer * TAAR – Aerial refueling, Tactical Air to Air Refueling * TACBE – Tactical beacon * TACMS – MGM-140 ATACMS, Army Tactical Missile System (US) * TACOM – U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (US) * TACP - Tactical Air Control Party * TAD – Temporary Additional Duty (Naval Services term) Temporary duty assignment, Temporary Duty * TADDS – Target Alert Display Data Set (US) * TADS – TADS/PNVS, Target Acquisition and Designation System (US) * TAM – Tanque Argentino Mediano * TAS – Target Acquisition Subsystem * TAS – tracking adjunct system * TAS – Turret Attitude Sensor * TBAT – TOW/Bushmaster Armored Turret (US) * TC – Tank Commander, also Truck Commander (US Army) * TCO – Tactical Combat Operations * TCTO – Time-Compliance Technical Order * TCU – tactical control unit * TD – Tank Destroyer * TDCS – Tank Driver Command System * TDD – Target Detection Device * TDR – Target Data Receiver * TDY – Temporary duty assignment, Temporary Duty * TE – Tangent Elevation * TEL – Transporter-Erector-Launcher * TELAR – Transporter-Erector-Launcher And Radar * TES – Tactical Environment Simulation * TES – target engagement system * TGMTS – Tank Gunnery Missile Tracking System * TGP – Terminally Guided Projectile * TGP – Targeting pod * TGS – Tank Gun Sight * TGSM – terminally guided submunition * TGTS – tank gunnery training simulator * TI – thermal imaging/imager * TIC – Troops In Contact * TICM – thermal imaging common modules * TIIPS – Thermal Imaging and Integrated Position System * TIM – Thermal Imaging Module * TIPU – Thermal Image Processing Units * TIRE – Tank Infra-Red Elbow * TIS – Thermal Imaging System, thermal imaging system * TLC – Transport Launching Container * TLD – Top Level Demonstrations * TLE – Treaty Limited Equipment * TLP – Troop Leading Procedures (US) * TLR – Tank Laser Rangefinder * TLS – Tank Laser Sight * TM&LS – Textron Marine & Land Systems * TMBC – Turret Management Ballistic Computer * TMP – Tactical Machine Pistol * TMS – Turret Modernisation System * TMUAS – Turreted Mortar Under Armor System (US) * TNI - ''Indonesian National Armed Forces, Tentara Nasional Indonesia'' * TNT – Trinitrotoluene * TO – Technical Order * TOE – Table of organization and equipment, Table of organisation and equipment * TOGS – Thermal Observation and Gunnery System (UK) * TOP – Total Obscuring Power * TOPAS – Transporter Obrneny Pasovy * TOTE – Tracker, Optical Thermally Enhanced *
TOW Towing is coupling two or more objects together so that they may be pulled by a designated power source or sources. The towing source may be a motorized land vehicle, vessel, animal, or human, and the load being anything that can be pulled. Th ...
– Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire command link guided (US) * TP – Target practice, Target Practice * TP-FL – target practice flash * TP-S – or TPS Target Practice-Spotting/Signature * TP-SM – target practice – smoke * TP-SP – target practice – spotting * TP-T – target practice – tracer * TPCM – Target Practice Colour-Marking * TPDS – Target Practice Discarding Sabot * TPFSDS-T – target practice fin-stabilised discarding sabot – tracer * TPTF – Target Practice Time Fuzed * TR – Triple Rail * TRACER – Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement (UK) * TRACKSTAR – Tracked Search and Target Acquisition Radar System (US) * TRADOC – United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, Training and Doctrine Command (US) * TSFCS – Tank Simplified Fire-Control System * TSQ – time and super-quick * TSR – Tavor Sporting Rifle * TT – transport de troupes (troop transporter) * TTB – Tank TestBed (US) * TTD – Transformation Technology Demonstrator * TTG – Time To Go * TTS – Tank Thermal Sight * TU – Terminal Unit * TU – Traversing Unit * TUA – TOW Under Armor (US) * TUR – Tiefflieger-Ьberwachungs-Radar (low-level surveillance radar) * TV – Television * TWD – Thermal Warning Device * TWMP – Track Width Mine Plough * TWS – Thermal weapon sight, Thermal Weapon Sight * TYDP – Ten Year Defence Programme (Australia)


U

* UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle * UBLE – Armoured vehicle-launched bridge, Universal Bridge Launching Equipment * UCVP – Universal Combat Vehicle Platform * UDR – Ulster Defence Regiment * UET – Universal Engineer Tractor (US) * UGV – Unmanned Ground Vehicle * ULC – Unit Load Container * UMA – Universal Mounting Adapter * Heckler & Koch UMP, UMP – Universal Machine Pistol * USA – United States of America/United States Army * USAADS – U.S. Army Air Defense School * USAARMS – United States Army Armor School, U.S. Army Armor School * USAAVNS – U.S. Army Aviation School * USAAF – United States Army Air Forces * USAF – United States Air Force * USCG – United States Coast Guard * USMC – United States Marine Corps * USN – United States Navy * Heckler & Koch USP, USP – Universal Self-loading Pistol * UTL – Universal Tactical Light * UTM – Universal Transverse Mercator * UTS – Universal Turret System * UV – Ultraviolet * UW – Urban warfare


V

* V – Volt(s) * VAB – Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé (front armoured car) * VAB – Vickers Armoured Bridgelayer * VADS – VADS (disambiguation), Vulcan Air Defense System (US) * VAE – Vehiculo Armado Exploracion * VAK – Vehicle Adaptor Kit * VAPE – Vehiculo Apoyo y Exploracion * VARRV – Vickers Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle * VARV – Vickers Armoured Recovery Vehicle * VBC – Véhicule Blindé de Combat (armoured combat vehicle) * VBCI – Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie * VBIED – Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device * VBL – Véhicule Blindé Léger (light armoured vehicle) * VBM – Véhicules Blindés Modulaires * VBSS – Visit, board, search, and seizure, Visit Board Search Seizure * VC – Vehicle Commander * VCA – Véhicule Chenillé d'Accompagnement (tracked support vehicle) * VCC – Veicolo Corazzato de Combattimento * VCG – Véhicule de Combat du Genie (armoured engineer vehicle) * VCI – Véhicule de Combat d'Infanterie; Vehiculo combate infanteria (infantry combat vehicle) * VCP – Vehicle Check Point * VCR – variable compression ratio * VCR – Véhicule de Combat à Roues (wheeled combat vehicle) * VCR/AT – Véhicule de Combat à Roues/Atelier Technique (salvage) * VCR/IS – Véhicule de Combat à Roues/Intervention Sanitaire (stretchers) * VCR/PC – Véhicule de Combat à Roues/Poste de Commandement (HQ) * VCR/TH – Véhicule de Combat à Roues/Tourelle HOT (turret with four Euromissile HOT, HOT ATGW) * VCR/TT – Véhicule de Combat à Roues/Transport de Troupes (troop carrier) * VCTIS – Vehicle Command and Tactical Information System * VCTM – Vehiculo de Combate Transporte de Mortero (armoured mortar carrier) * VCTP – Vehiculo de Combate Transporte de Personal (armoured personnel carrier) * VDA – Véhicule de Défense Anti-aérienne (anti-aircraft defence vehicle) * VDAA – Véhicule d'Auto-Défense Anti-aérienne * VDC – Voltage Direct Current * VDM – viscous damped mount * VDSL – Vickers Defence Systems Ltd * VDU – visual display unit * VEC – Vehiculo de Exploraciòn de Caballerie * VEDES – Vehicle Exhaust Dust Ejection System (US) * VERDI – Vehicle Electronics Research Defence Initiative (UK) * VHIS – visual hit indicator system * VIB – Véhicule d'Intervention du Base * VIDS – Vehicle Integrated Defence System * VINACS – Vehicle Integrated Navigation and Command System * VIRSS – Visual and InfraRed Smoke Screening System * VITS – Video Image Tracking Systems * VLAP – Velocity-enhanced Long-range Artillery Projectile * VLC – Véhicule Léger de Combat (light armoured car) * VLI – Visible Light Illuminator * VLSMS – Volcano mine system, Vehicle-Launched Scatterable Mine System * VMA – Marine Light Attack Squadron * VMA(AW) – Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron * VMBT – Vickers Main Battle Tank * VMF – Marine Fighter Squadron * VMFA – Marine Fighter Attack Squadron * VMFA(AW) – Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron * VMGR – Marine Aerial Refueler/Transport Squadron * VMFP – Marine Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron * VMM – Marine Tilt-rotor (MV-22B) Squadron * VMU – Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron * VMR – Marine Transport Squadron * VMAQ – Marine Electronic Warfare Attack Squadron * VMS – Vehicle Motion Sensor * VNAS – Vehicle Navigation Air System * VRL – Véhicule Reconnaissance Léger (light reconnaissance vehicle) * VSEL – Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd * VT – variable time (fuse) * VTOL – Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft * VTP – véhicule transport de personnel (personnel carrier) * VTT – véhicule transport de troupe (troop transporter) * VVSS – vertical volute spring suspension * VXB – Véhicule Blindé à Vocations Multiples (multipurpose armoured car)


W

* WAAC – Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (disambiguation), Women's Auxiliary Army Corps and individual members of; obsolete * WAC – Women's Army Corps and individual members of; obsolete * WAF – Women (in the) Air Force and individual members of; obsolete * WAM – Wide Area Mines (US) * WAMI – Wide-area motion imagery, Wide Area Motion Imagery (US) * WAPC – Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier (Canada) * WASAD – Wide Angle Surveillance and Automatic Detection Device * WAV – Wide Angle Viewing * WAVES – Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (USN); obsolete * WES – Wing Engineer Squadron (USMC) * WFOV – Wide Field Of View * WFSV – Wheeled Fire Support Vehicle (Canada) * WHA – Wounded Hostile Action (US Vietnam War) * WHA – Weapons Head Assembly * WHSA – Weapons Head Support Assembly * WLR – Weapon Locating Radar * WM – Woman/Women Marine(s) * WMD – Weapon of mass destruction, Weapon(s) of Mass Destruction * WMRV – Wheeled Maintenance and Recovery Vehicle (Canada) * WNHA – Wounded Non-Hostile Action (US Vietnam War) * WP – White phosphorus incendiary, white phosphorus * WP-T – white phosphorus – tracer * WSM – Winchester Short Magnum * WTS – Wing Transportation Squadron (USMC)


X

* XO – Executive officer, Executive Officer


Y

* YMRS – Yugoslav multiple rocket system


Z

* ZULU – Zulu time (timezone equivalent to UTC)


See also

* List of established military terms * List of military tactics * Glossary of firearms terminology * Military Abbreviations www.marx-mil.com by Stefan Marx


References


Armor and Artillery Glossary


* FM 17-97 Cavalry Troop (October 1995) * FM 5-19 (formerly FM 100–14) Composite Risk Management (21 Aug 2006)
Military abbreviations and Dictionaries

Military acronyms and military abbreviations
{{reflist Military lists Glossaries of the military, Lists of government and military acronyms, Glossary