Acronyms and Codenames FAQ, L-N
==L==========================================================================
--LA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAAS
Low Altitude Airfield Attack System
LABS
[USA] Low-altitude Bombing System -- 'tossing' nuclear bombs
in a half-loop, returning to low altitude on the opposite
direction.
LAC
Leading Air Craftsman
LAD
[USA] Low Altitude Dispenser. Cancelled in favour of 'Have Slick'.
LADD
[USA] Low Altitude Drogue Delivery -- dropping nuclear bombs that are
retarded by a parachute and have a time fuse.
Lafayette
[USA] Conversion for B-29s and F-84s for in-flight refuelling.
Laffing Eagle
[USA] RU-21 mission.
LAH
Light Attack Helicopter
LAM
[UK] Long Aerial Mine. An explosive charge, towed behind an aircraft
on a 600m line, in to hope that enemy aircraft would hit it. During
WWII twenty RAF Douglas A-20 Boston/Havoc aircraft were actually using
this weapon for a brief period.
Lamantin
[France] Operations to support the government of Mauretania in actions
against the Polisario movement, 1977.
LAMPS
[USA] Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System. LAMPS I was the SH-2D
Seasprite, LAMPS III is the SH-60B Seahawk. LAMPS II was skipped.
Lam Son 719
[South Vietnam/USA] South-Vietnamese operations in Laos. 8 Februari
to 9 April 1971.
LANA
[USA] 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation. The L is the symbol for
50 in the Roman numeric system. This was a transcontinental speed
record attempt, flown by F4H-1Fs. 869.73mph.
LANA
[USA] Low-Altitude Night Attack system. Podded system carrier by the
A-7.
Land Mattress
[Allied] Land-based version of 'Sea Mattress', using 3in rockets with
5in warheads and 30-tube launchers.
LANDSS
[USA] Lightweight Advanced Night/Day Surveillance System. A
surveillance RPV programme.
LANTIRN
[USA] Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infra-Red for Night.
Equipment carried by aircraft configured for night attacks.
LAPES
[USA] Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System
LARA
[USA] Light Armed Reconaissance Aircraft. Requirement filled in
by the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco.
LASL
[USA] Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
LASS
[USA] USN: Launch Area Suport Ship
LAST
[UK] Low-Altitude Surveillance Task. Review, begun in 1982, of
possible AEW systems for the British fleet. An AEW version of the
Westland Sea King helicopter was chosen.
LatWing
[USA] Light Attack Wing
LAU
Launcher Unit
Laura
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Aichi E11A floatplane
Layang
[Philippines] Conversion of the SF 260MP to SF 260TP turboprop-
engined configuration.
Layforce
[UK] Detachment of commando force to the Med, February 1941. They
became part of the 6th division.
--LB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LB
[UK] Delivery of Spitfires to Malta, 18 May 1942.
LBA
[Germany] LuftfahrtBundesAmt
LBH
Light Battlefield Helicopter
--LC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LCA
[India] Light Combat Aircraft. Indigenous fighter aircraft, under
development in India.
LCAC
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Air Cushioned
LCC
[USA] USN: Command ship for amphibious operations.
LCC
[USA] Land Component Commander
LCD
Liquid Crystal Display
LCD
Load Classification Group
LCEHV
[USA] Low Cost Expendable Harassment Vehicle. RPV development
programme.
LCF
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Flak
LCH
Light Combat Helicopter
LCI
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Infantry
LCLM
[USA] Low-Cost Lightweight Missile, a possible Sidewinder replacement.
LCM
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Mechanized (units)
LCN
Load Classification Number. A number indicating for which aircraft
weights a runway is stressed.
LCO
[USA] Launch Control Officer, in drone controller aircraft.
LCP
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Personnel
LCR
[Spain] Limited Combat Ready
LCT
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Tank
LCU
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Utility
LCV
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Vehicles
LCVP
[USA] USN: Landing Craft, Vehicles and Personnel
--LD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
L/D
Lift / Drag Ratio
LDA
Landing Distance Available
LDGP
Low-Drag, General Purpose (Bomb)
LDO
[USA] Limited Duty Officer
--LE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEAP
[USA] Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile. A small homing
warhead, for use against ballistic missile, which can be
carrier into space by the Standard missile.
LED
Light Emitting Diode
Left Foot
[USA] RU-21 mission.
Left Jab
[USA] RU-21 mission.
LeLv
[Finland] Lentolaivue
LEM
[USA] Lunar Excursion Module, renamed LM.
Lentosotakoulu
[Finland] Air Fighting School.
LERX
Leading Edge Root eXtension
LEX
Leading Edge eXtension
--LF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LFA
Low Frequency Active
--LG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LGB
[USA] Laser Guided Bomb
LGM
[USA] Silo-launched, guided ground-to-ground Missile.
LGM-25 Titan II
LGM-30 Minuteman
LGP
Laser Guided Projectile
--LH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LH
Light Helicopter
LHA
[USA] Helicopter Assault Ship. Carrier for helicopters and VTOL
aircraft, combined with loading dock for amphibious operations.
LHA-1 Tarawa (Tarawa)
LHA-2 Saipan (Tarawa)
LHA-3 Belleau Wood (Tarawa)
LHA-4 Nassau (Tarawa)
LHA-5 Da Nang (Tarawa)
LHA-5 Pelileu (Tarawa)
LHD
[USA] USN: Amphibious Assualt Ship. Improved LHA.
LHD-1 Wasp (Wasp)
LHD-2 Essex (Wasp)
LHD-3 Kearsage (Wasp)
LHD-4 Boxer (Wasp)
LHD-5 (Wasp)
LHX
[USA] Light Helicopter eXperimental. The RAH-66 Comanche.
--LI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lichtenstein
[Germany] Airborne interception radar. FuG 202 Lichtenstein BC
worked at 409MHz, with a maximum range of 4km, and a minimum range
of 200m. FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1 was improved and simpler.
FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 worked at 91MHz with a maximum range
of 5km and a minimum range of 500m.
Lichtmeer
[Germany] 'Sea of Light'. Attack on the bases of the RAF Bomber
Command, during the Battle of Britain.
Licht Vliegwezen / Aviation Legere
[Belgium] army air force
LID
[USA] Lift Improvement Devices. On the AV-8 Harrier: two strakes on
the underside of the fuselage and a retractable ventral dam,
improving lift for vertical take-off.
LIDAR
Laser lIght Detection And Ranging
Lightning Bug
[USA] Ryan 147B recconaissance drone, used to investigate the guidance
systems of SAMs --- see 'United Effort'.
Lilo
[Allied] A simple 3in rocket on an easily detachable mount, with
an armour-piercing warhead, for use against fortified positions
in the Pacific.
Lily
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.48 bomber
LIM
[USA] Silo-launched SAM.
LIM-49 Nike Zeus / Spartan
Lima Mike
[USA] Tactical support mission (?)
Limbo
[UK] Launcher for three 440lb depth charges in a triangular pattern,
2000m ahead of the launching ship.
Linebacker I
[USA] Bombardment offensive in Vietnam, 8 May -- 22 October 1972.
Linebacker II
[USA] Bomber offensive in Vietnam, 18-30 December 1972.
Linnet
[Allied] Planned airborne dropping at Lille, France, after 'Overlord'.
Not done.
LINS
Laser Inertial Navigation System
Lisa Ann
[USA] Boeing RC-135E, with SLAR.
Litter Bug
[USA] Operations of AQM-34H RPVs in South-East Asia. They dropped
leaflets... Unofficially, the program was labeled 'Bullshit Bomber'.
Little Brother
[USA] Intended gunship version of the Cessna 337. Abandoned.
Liz
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajia G5N bomber
--LJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LKA
[USA] USN: Amphibious Cargo Ship
LKdo
[Germany] Luftflotten Kommando
--LL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LLGB
Launch & Leave Guided Bomb
LLGB
Low-Level Guided Bomb
LL/LGB
Low-Level Laser Guided Bomb
LLLTV
Low-Light Level TeleVision
LLRV
[USA] Lunar Landing Research Vehicle.
LLTR
[USA] Low-Level Transit Route
LLTV
[USA] Lunar Landing Training Vehicle.
LLTV
Low-Light TeleVision
LLv
[Finland] Lentolaivue --- squadron.
--LM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LM
[USA] Lunar Module, the actual moon landing craft.
LMTR
Laser Marker & Target Ranger
--LN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LO
Low Observable (technology)
LoADS
[USA] Low Altitude Air Defense System. The 'Sentry' ABM missile.
LOC
[USA] Line Of Communication
Lock On
[USA] Operational evaluation of the F-86D all-weather interceptor,
in Februari 1954. It revealed serious deficiencies.
LOFT
[UK] Line Oriented Flight Training
L&OG
[USA] Logistics & Operations Group
Loge
[Germany] London, as a target during the Battle of Britain.
LOH
[USA] Light Observation Helicopter. Requirement for which the
Bell OH-4, Hiller OH-5 and Hughes OH-6 were built. The OH-6 was
selected.
LoI
Letter of Intent
Loincloth
[UK] First operation of the LRP organized by Gen. Wingate, also
known as 'Chindits' in Burma. Began on 8 February 1943.
Loise
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.2 bomber
Lombard
[UK] Diversionary operation over Norway, June 1944.
LOMEZ
[USA] Low Missile Engagement Zone
Lone Ranger
[UK] Overseas deployment of a single aircraft, to test self-
sufficiency.
Long Lance
[Japan] The "type 93" torpedo used by the Japese forces during WWII, an
uniquely powerful weapon: 9m long, with a 60cm cross-sectioon, a
weight of 2700kg and a warhead of 450kg. Driven by oxygen.
Long Thrust
[USA] Exercise. During Long Thrust II, in 1962, 5273 troops were
flown for the USA to Germany in seven days.
Long Track
[NATO] Surveillance radar associated with the SA-4 and SA-6
Looking Glass
[USA] Boeing KC-135B, EC-135A, EC-135C and EC-135P, ABNCP aircraft
(airborne command posts for the nuclear forces).
Lookout
[USA] ?
Loon
[USA] Navy version of the JB-2, the Americanized version of the
German V-1. Never operational, but fired from two submarines in tests.
LORAD
[USA] Long-Range Active Detection
LORAN
Long Range Aid to Navigation
Lorna
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kyushu Q1W Tokai ASW aircraft
LOROP
Long-Range Oblique Photography
LOTEX
Life-Of-Type Extension
Louise
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi Ki.2 bomber
Low Blow
[NATO] Radar associated with the SA-3
LOX
Liquid Oxygen.
--LP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LP
Low Pressure
LPA
[USA] USN: Amphibious Transport
LPD
[USA] USN: Amphibious Transport Dock
LPH
[USA] Amphibious Assault Ship. Includes a number of former CV's of the
Essex class and CVE's of the Anzio and Commencement Bay class. The
later 'Iwo Jima' class were purpose-designed helicopter carriers. They
are also suitable for AV-8 Harriers.
LPH-2 Iwo Jima (Iwo Jima)
LPH-3 Okinawa (Iwo Jima)
LPH-4 Boxer (Essex)
LPH-5 Princeton (Essex)
LPH-6 Thethis Bay (Anzio / Casablanca)
LPH-7 Guadalcanal (Iwo Jima)
LPH-8 Valley Forge (Essex)
LPH-9 Guam (Iwo Jima)
LPH-10 Tripoli (Iwo Jima)
LPH-11 New Orleans (Iwo Jima)
LPH-12 Inchon (Iwo Jima)
LPI
Low Probability of Intercept
LPO
[USA] Leading Petty Officer (USN)
LPSS
[USA] USN: Amphibious Transport Submarine
--LQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LRAVS
[UK] Long-Range ASV.
LRBM
Long-Range Ballistic Missile
LRCA
[USA] Long Range Combat Aircraft. The B-1B.
LRDMM
[USA] Long-Range Dual-Mission Missile. A ship-launched missile
programme, intended against both ships and aircraft.
LRGB
Long-Range Glide Bomb
LRIP
Low-Rate Initial Production
LRIX
[USA] Long-Range Interceptor Experimental; the F-108 Rapier project.
This Mach 3+ fighter was cancelled.
LRMP
[USA] Long-Range Maritime Patrol
LRMTS
[UK] Laser Range Meter and Target Seeker, targeting equipment
fitted to the Jaguar and Harrier.
LRP
[Allied] Long-Range Penetration, operations of small units behind the
enemy lines.
LRPA
Long-Range Patrol Aircraft
LRU
Line Replaceable Unit
--LS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS
[USA] USN: Landing Ship
LSD
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Dock
LSI
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Infantry
LSM
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Medium
LSM(R)
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Medium, rockets
LSO
[USA] Landing Signal Officer on aircraft carriers.
LST
[USA] Landing Ship, Tank
LSU
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Utility
LSV
[USA] USN: Landing Ship, Vehicles
--LT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LTD
Laser Target Designator
LTD/R
Laser Target Designator / Rangefinder
LTF
[UK] Lightning Training Flight
LTG
[Germany] Lufttransportgeschwader -- air transport wing.
LTWA
[USA] Long Trailing Wire Antenna. For the E-6 Mercury TACAMO aircraft;
this antenna has a length of 8530m.
--LU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lucero
[UK] Modification of the AI Mk.VIII radar which enabled the radar
to be used fior navigatio, displaying the position of ground
beacons.
Lucky Dragon
[USA] Operations of U-2 recconaissance aircraft from Bien Hoa,
Vietnam, 1964.
Luke
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi J4M fighter
Lulu
[USA] Air-dropped nuclear depth charge.
Luftwaffe
[Germany] Air Force.
--LV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LVA
[Netherlands] Luchtvaartafdeling, Air Corps,
name of home-based air force before and during WWII.
LVA
[Czechoslovakia] Letecka Vojenscka Akademie --- Military Air Academy.
LVT
[USA] USN: Landing Vehicle, Tracked
--LW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LWF
[USA] LightWeight Fighter, the program that created the F-16 and F-17.
LWR
Laser Warning Receiver
--LX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--LZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
LZ
Landing Zone
LZC
[USA] Landing Zone Construction -- dropping blast bombs to clear an
area.
LZP
[USA] Landing Zone Preparation -- supressing enemy action to make
landing of aicraft or helicopters possible.
==M==========================================================================
M
[USSR] Modifikatsirovanny or Modifikatsiya; both indicating a
modification.
M
[USA] Code applied to designations for armament
systems and equipment, used by the US Army.
M1 Cluster bomb
M2 Browning .30 or .50 machine gun
M3 Browning .50 machine gun
M5 40mm grenade launcher
M6 The M6 combined four M60s with six 70mm rockets.
M8 MDD Grenade launcher
M12 Incendiary cluster bomb
M13 Incendiary cluster bomb
M16 Combination of the M60 guns and two M158 rocket launchers.
M17 Incendiary cluster bomb
M19 Incendiary cluster bomb
M20 Incendiary cluster bomb
M21 Incendiary cluster bomb
M21 Emerson M21 armament system for helicopters; two M134 and two
M158.
M22 Incendiary cluster bomb
M24 20mm cannon.
M26 Cluster fragmentation bomb
M27 McDonnell Douglas M27, a nose turret for helicopters with a
single M134 gun or M8 grenada launcher, interchangeable.
M28 Emerson gun turret for helicopters with one M134 and one M129.
M28 Cluster fragmentation bomb
M30 Cluster adapter
M30A1 45.4 kg General Purpose bomb
M31 20mm cannon
M31 Incendiary cluster bomb
M32 Gas cluster bomb
M35 Installation of the M195 in helicopters.
M35 Incendiary cluster bomb
M36 Incendiary cluster bomb
M38A2 45.4 kg Practice bomb
M39 Pontiac M39, a 20mm revolver cannon, copy of the WWII German
MG213 gun.
M40A1 10.4 kg Fragmentation bomb
M41A 9.1 kg Fragmentation/ shaped-charge bomb M43 Gas cluster bomb
M44 Gas generator
M47 45.4 kg Incendiary / Smoke bomb
M50 1.81 kg Thermite, incendiary bomb
M52 454 kg Armour-piercing bomb
M56 1814 kg Blast bomb
M57 113 kg General Purpose bomb
M58 227 kg Semi-armour piercing bomb
M59 454 kg Semi-armour piercing bomb
M60 7.62mm aicraft gun.
M61 General Electric 20mm 'Vulcan' aircraft gun.
M64 227 kg General Purpose bomb
M65 454 kg General Purpose bomb
M65 Airborne TOW system.
M66 907 kg General Purpose bomb
M69 2.7 kg Incendiary bomb
M70 52.2 kg Mustard gas / gel bomb
M74 4.5 kg Incendiary bomb
M76 227 kg Incendiary bomb
M78 227 or 454 kg Gas bomb
M81 117.9 kg Fragmentation bomb
M82 40.8 kg Fragmentation bomb
M83 1.81 kg Fragmentation bomb
M86 54.4 kg Fragmentation bomb
M88 99.8 kg Fragmentation bomb
M103 907 kg Semi-armour piercing bomb
M104 45.4 kg Leaflet bomb
M105 227 kg Leaflet bomb
M109 5443 kg General Purpose bomb
M110 9979 kg General Purpose bomb
M112 Flare, used for aerial photography.
M113 56.7 kg Gas bomb
M116 340 kg Napalm bomb
M117 340 kg General Purpose bomb
M118 1361 kg General Purpose, low-drag bomb
M121 4536 kg General Purpose bomb
M124 113 kg Practice bomb
M125 4.54 kg Gas bomb
M126 1.81 kg Incendiary bomb
M129 340 kg Leaflet bomb
M129 MDD 40mm grenade launcher
M134 General Electric 7.62mm 'Minigun'
M138 Gas-filled bomblet
M156 Flexible gun mount.
M157 Rocket pod
M158 Pod with seven 70mm rockets.
M185 Flare, used for aerial photography.
M188 G.E. Development of the M61 Vulcan; a three-barrel 30mm gun.
M195 Derivation of the M61 for use in helicopters.
M197 General Electric 20mm, three-barrel gun.
M200 19 rocket pod, probably 70mm.
M203 40mm rocket launcher, attached to M16.
M214 General Electric 5.56mm gun.
M230 McDonnell Douglas 'Chain Gun', a 30mm single-barrel gun.
M247 Shaped-charge warhead for 70mm rockets
M255 Flechette warhead for 70mm rockets
M261 Subminution warhead for 70mm rockets
M262 Illumination warhead for 70mm rockets
M264 Smoke screen warhead for 70mm rockets
M439 Fuze.
--MA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAAG
[USA] Military Advisory and Assistance Group
Mabel
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi B5M torpedo-bomber.
MAC
[USA] Military Airlift Command
MAC
Mean Aerodynamic Chord
Mach
Speed of Sound, used as speed unit. 340.5 m/sec, or 1225.5 km/h
as sea level under standard conditions, and decreases with altitude.
Above the tropopause (about 11000m) Mach 1 is 295.5 m/sec or
1063.2 km/h.
MACV
[USA] Military Assisstance Command in Vietnam
MAD
Magnetic Anomaly Detector or Magnetic Airborne Detector. Detects
submarines by measuring the changes in the magnetic field of the
earth.
MAD
Mutual Assured Destruction
MADAR
[USA] Malfunction Detection, Analysis and Recording. Installed in
Lockheed C-5s.
Madcap
[NATO] Soviet Antonov An-74 AEW aircraft.
Madge
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-6 reconaissance flying boat.
Madge
Microwave Aircraft Digital Guidance Equipment. A landing-aid.
Madrid
[Germany] WWII IR-guidance system for missiles.
MAEE
[UK] Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment. During WWII at
Helensburg, Scotland; previously at Felixstowe.
Maestro
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-28 trainer.
MAFFS
[USA] Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, installed in
C-130s to assist in firefighting.
MAG
[USA] Military Airlift Group
MAG
[USA] Marine Air Group
MAG
[Canada] Maritime Air Group
Magnet
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-17 trainer.
Magnum
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-30 trainer.
MAGTF
[USA] Marine Air-Ground Task Force
Maiden
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-11 trainer.
Mail
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-12 flying boat.
Mainbrace
[NATO] Exercise, 1952.
Mainstay
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-76 AEW aircraft.
Mallard
[Allied] Reinforcement of the airborne units on the Normandy
bridgehead, by a second wave of airborne droppings. June 6, 1944.
Mallow
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-10 flying boat.
Mammut
[Germany] FuMO 51 long-range ground detection radar. Range up to
300km, frequency between 120 and 138MHz. Range precision 300m,
angle precision 0.5 degrees.
Mandrake
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-25 trainer.
Mandrel
[UK] Monitoring And Neutralizing Defensive Radar Electronics, British
WWII jamming equipment.
Mangrove
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-27 trainer.
Manna
[UK] Food droppings over the Netherlands by Bomber Command, spring
1945. In the part of the Netherlands which had been occupied by
Germany until the end of WWII there were serious food shortages.
Operations began on 29 April, in agreement with the German
occupation forces, and continued until VE day.
MANPADS
[USA] Man-Portable Air-Defense System. Became FIM-92 Stinger.
MANPRINT
[USA] Manpower, Personnel, and training. Ergonomic design effort.
Mantis
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-32 trainer.
MAP
[USA] Military Aid Program, or Military Assistand Program, or
Mutual Assistance Program.
MAP
[UK] Ministery of Aircraft Production
Maple Flag
Exercise held in Canada.
MARAIMED
[NATO] MARitime AIR command MEDiterranean
Marder
[Germany] Contingency plan for an Alied landing near Rome. Used
after the landing at Anzio-Nettuno, January 1944.
Mare
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-14 trainer.
Margarete
[Germany] Occupation of Hungary, 1944.
Marita
[Germany] Intervention of the German army in the Balkan, 1941.
Mark
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-7U trainer.
Market
[Allied] Paratroop component of 'Market Garden'
Market Garden
[Allied] Combined airborne and ground forces attack in September
1944 to break through the German lines, cross the Rhine and invade
the Ruhr. The airborne units captured the bridges in Son, Veghel,
Grave, and Nijmegen but had to surrender in Arnhem.
Market Time
[USA] Patrol sorties flown over the Vietnamese coast and Cambodja,
against light coastal vessels.
MARS
Mid-Air Recovery / Retrieval System
MARV
Manoeuvrable Re-entry Vehicle
MAS
[USA] Mission Avionics System
MASCDC
[USA] Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center. Davis-Monthan,
Arizona.
Mascot
[UK] Carrier air strike against 'Tirpitz', July 1944.
Mascot
[NATO] Soviet Ilysuhin Il-28 trainer.
MAT
[UK] Mono Air Tail. Horizontal tail attached to torpedoes to
stabilize them in flight. Released on impact with water. WWII.
MAT
[USA] Messenger Aerial Torpedo. An unmanned version of the Sperry
Messenger liaison biplane of 1921.
Matador
[UK] Exercise for the UK air defences. 1960s.
MATS
[USA] Mid-Atlantic Tracking System. Equipment carried by test aircraft,
based on GPS. These replace tracxking radars.
MATS
[USA] Military Air Transport Service.
Matterhorn
[USA] Bombing offensive againts Japan. First mission on 15 June 1944.
MATV
[USA] Multi-Axis Thrust Vectoring, an F-16 with a vectoring nozzle.
MatWing
[USA] Medium Attack Wing
MATZ
Military Air Traffic Zone
MAU
[USA] Marine Amphibious Unit
Mau-Mau
[Kenya] Uprising against British control, and generally against
white settlers, in 1952.
Mavis
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi H6K flying boat.
MAW
[USA] Military Airlift Wing
MAW
[USA] Marine Aircraft Wing
MAW
[UK] Missile Approach Warning system.
MAW
Mission Adaptive Wing.
MAWS
[UK] Missile Approach Warning System
MAWS
[USA] Missile Attack Warning System
Max
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-18 trainer.
May
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-38 ASW aircraft.
Maya
[NATO] Czech Aero L-29 Delfin trainer.
Mayday
Distress call, indicating an emergency
Mayflight
[UK] No-notice exercise for the nuclear bomber force.
--MB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MBF
[UK] Medium Bomber Force
MBR
[USSR] Mezhkontenental'naya ballisticheskaya raketa - ICBM
MBRRGChIN
[USSR] MBR s razdelyayuchimi golovnyym chastyami indiviual'nogo
navedeniya - MIRV
MBT
Main Battle Tank
--MC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCAS
Marine Corps Air Station
MCB
[USA] Mobile Construction Battalion
MCLOS
Manual Command Line-Of-Sight (missile guidance)
MCM
[USA] USN: Mine Countermeasures Ship
--MD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MDAP
Mutual Defence Assistance Programme
MDC
Miniature Detonating Cord. Glued to the canopies of aircraft in
a zigf-zag pattern, this is used to fragment the canopy before
ejection.
MDI
[Canada] Miss Distance Indicator
--ME-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEB
[USA] Marine Expeditionary Brigade
MEDA
Military Emergency Diversion Airfield
MEF
[USA] Marine Expeditionary Force
MEISR
[USA] Minimum Essential Improvement in System Reliability, an
upgrade of the F-106 in 1967.
MELIN
[UK] Multi-Engine Lead-IN training
MEP
[USA] Mission Equipment Package
MER
Multiple Ejector Rack
MERCAST
Merchant Shop Broadcast System
Mercury
[USA] Project for the first manned spacefilghts of the USA.
MEREP
Merchant Ship Report
Merkur
[Germany] Mercury. Codename for the conquest of
Crete, the largest as well as the last German deployment of airborne
units.
Merlin
[UK] Terminally-guided anti-tank mortar grenade. 81mm calibre.
Mermaid
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-42 flying boat.
METOC
[USA] Meteorological and Oceanographic
Metox
[Germany] Radar warning receiver for U-boats.
Metro Tango
[USA] Codename for TREDS, see there.
METS
[UK] Multi-Engined Training Squadron
MEU
[USA] Marine Expeditionary Unit
MEWSG
Maritime Electronic Warfare Support Group
MEZ
Maritime Exclusion Zone
MEZ
Missile Engagement Zone
--MF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MF
Medium Frequency
MF
Multi-Function
MFA
[Germany] Marine Feldflieger Abteilung --- Navy field flying unit. WWI.
MFC
Missile Fire Control
MFCS
[UK] Manual Fuel Control System
MFD
Multi-Function Display
MFG
[Germany] Marinefliegergeschwader
MFG 3 'Graf Zeppelin'
MFS
[USA] Manned Flight Simulator
--MG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MG
[Germany] Maschinengewehr -- Machine Gun
MG 15 7.92 mm, drum-fed, hand-aimed 1000rds/min 760m/s
MG 17 7.92 mm, belt-fed, fixed 1100rds/min 760m/s
MG 81 7.92 mm, belt-fed 1500rds/min 2800ft/s
MG 131 13 mm, belt-fed 900rds/min 750m/s
MG c30/L 20 mm, drum-fed 350rds/min 950m/s
MG FF 20 mm, drum-fed 530rds/min 585m/s
MG 151 15 mm, belt-fed 700rds/min 850m/s
MG 151/20 20 mm, belt-fed 780rds/min 790m/s
MG 213 20 mm, 1400rds/min 1050m/s
MG 213 30 mm, 1200rds/min 570m/s
MG 301 20 mm, 1000rds/min 1000m/s
MGB
[UK] Motor Gun Boat
MGGB
[USA] Modular Guided Glide Bomb, GBU-15(V)HOBOS.
MGM
[USA] Mobile, guided ground-to-ground Missile.
MGM-5 Corporal
MGM-13 Mace
MGM-18 Lacrosse
MGM-29 Sergeant
MGM-31 Pershing I
MGM-51 Shillelagh
MGM-52 Lance
MGR
[USA] Mobile, ground-targeted rocket.
MGR-1 Honest John
MGR-3 Little John
MGU
Mid-Course guidance unit, for missiles.
--MH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MHC
[USA] USN: Coastal Minehunter
MHDD
Multi-function Head-Down Display
MHDOIF
[UK] Most Highly Derogatory Order of the Irremovable Finger.
Fake 'decoration' informally given for acts of extraordinary
stupidity. Originated in "Tee Emm".
MHF
[Israel] Maritime Helicopter Flight
MHP
[Canada] Maritime Helicoper Project. A replacement for the Sea
King.
--MI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIA
Missing In Action
Michael
[Germany] Plan for the spring offensive of 1918.
MICo
[USA] Military Intelligence Company
MICTIM
[Italy/Malta] Missione Italiana de Cooperazione Tecnica a Malta.
Italian mission of technical co-operation in Malta.
Midas
[NATO] Soviet Ilyushin Il-76 tanker
Midget
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 trainer.
MIFASS
[USA] Marine Integrated Fire and Air Support System
MiGCAP
MiG Combat Air Patrol
Mighty Mouse
A 70mm FFAR used by the USAF in the '60s. Interceptors fired
it in salvos at bombers. For fighter-vs-fighter combat is was
too inaccurate.
Mike
[USA] Codename for the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter,
incorrectly thought to be in Japanese service.
Mike
[USA] First US H-bombr test, 31 October 1952.
Mileage
[UK] Deployment of Canberra bombers to Malaya, as a part of
Firedog.
Millenium
[UK] 1000-aircraft attack on Cologne, 30 May 1942.
Millie
[USA] Codename for the US-built Vultee VG-11 bomber. It was
not in Japanese service.
MILSTAR
[USA] Military Strategic and Tactical Relay
MILSTRIP
[USA] Military Standard Requisitioning and Issuing Procedures
MIM
[USA] Mobile SAM.
MIM-3 Nike Ajax
MIM-14 Nike Hercules
MIM-23 Hawk
MIM-43 Redeye
MIM-46 Mauler
MIM-72 Chapparal
MIM-104 Patriot
MIMIC
MIcrowave / MIllimetre wave Integrated Circuit.
Mink
[NATO] Soviet UT-2 trainer.
MirSIP
[Belgium] Mirage Safety Improvement Programme.
MIRV
Multiple Indepentdly Targeted Reentry Vehicle, i.e. a payload for
a ballistic missile consisting of multiple, independently guided
warheads or decoys.
MIS
[USA] Missile Squadron
Mi Sakusen
[Japan] The attack against Midway, 1942.
MISS
[USA] Man In Space Soonest. USAF project for a manned
spaceflight as soon as possible, to beat the Russians and the
US Army to it. Started in 1958, project only.
Mistel
[Germany] A 'mistel' was created by combining a unmanned bomber,
loaded with explosives, with a fighter on top. The pilot of the
fighter steered the combination to the target, aimed the bomber,
and then uncoupled. The bombers had large 'shaped charge' warheads,
and the fighter drained fuel from the bomber to extend its range.
Mistel 1 Ju 88A-4 with Bf 109F. Maybe sometimes Ju 88C-6s were
used.
Mistel 2 Ju88G-1 with Fw 190A-6 or Fw 190A-8.
Mistel S 2 Trainer version of Mistel 2; the Ju 88
retained a cabin for a two-man crew. Sometimes a
transparent nose cap was fitted (the Ju 88G was a
nightfighter version).
Mistel 3C Ju 88G-10 with Fw 190A or Fw 190F. The Ju 88G-10 had
additional fuel tanks installed because its normal fuel
wasn't suitable for the fighter.
Mistel S3C Trainer version of the Mistel 3C.
Misty FAC
[USA] Fast-jet FAC. F-100Fs were used.
MIW
Mine Warfare
--MJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--MK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MK
[Germany] Maschinenkanone
MK 101 30 mm, drum-fed 250rds/min
MK 103 30 mm, 420rds/min 960m/s
MK 108 30 mm, belt-fed 600rds/min 505m/s
MK 112 55 mm, 300rds/min 595m/s
MK 114 55 mm, 150rds/min 1050m/s
MK 115 55 mm, belt-fed 600m/s
MK 214 50 mm, belt-fed
MK 303 30 mm 900rds/min 1000m/s
MK 412 55 mm 300rds/min 1000m/s
--ML-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ML
[USA] USN: Minelayer (ship)
MLD
[Netherlands] Marine Luchtvaart dienst -- Naval Air Service
MLF
[Malta] Malta Land Force
MLMS
[USA] Multipurpose Lightweight Missile System, an air-launched
development of Stinger, intended as a self-defense weapon for
helicopters and small aircraft.
MLRS
[UK] Multiple Launch Rocket System. Armoured vehicle with two six-
tube launchers. For unguided or guided missiles, with conventional
warheads, cluster warheads or chemical loads.
MLS
Microwave Landing System
MLU
Mid-Life Upgrade
MLW
Maximum Landing Weight
--MM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MMH/FH
Maintenance Man Hours per Flying Hour
Mmo
Maximum operating Mach number
MMS
Mast-Mounted Sight (for helicopters)
MMSA
[USA] Multi-Mission Surveillance Aircraft
MMWR
Milimetre-Wave Radar
--MN-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MND
[NATO] Multi-National Division
Mne
Mach number Never to be Exceeded
--MO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mobile Zebra
[USA] Deployment of a large number of aicraft to the Philippines.
1957.
MoA
Memorandum of Agreement
Moby Dick
[USA] This program used unmanned balloons with camera's and recording
equipment to overfly the USSR, from 1952 onwards. The project was
stopped in 1956 after the USSR publicized it and complained.
MoD
Ministry of Defence.
mod
model, or modification.
Mode
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-8 flying boat.
Moked
[Israel] The attack of 5 June 1968, start of the Six-Day War.
MOL
[USA] Manned Orbiting Laboratory. Contract awarded in 1965, but
later cancelled.
Mole
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-14 or Beriev Be-8 ?
MOMP
[Allied] Mid-Ocean Meeting Point, for convoys and their escorts.
Mongol
[NATO] Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 trainer
Moon Glow
[USA] Alert in Vietnam, 1961.
Moose
[NATO] Soviet Yakovlev Yak-11 trainer
Morgenstern
[Germany] Alternate antenna arrangment for the Lichtenstein (or
Neptun?) radar; a single mast carried three crosses of antennas,
decreasing in size towards the tip.
Moritz
[Germany] WWII IR-guidance system for missiles.
Morskaya Aviatsiya
[USSR] Naval Air Force
MOS
Military Occupational Skill, i.e. the task one is trained for.
Mosaic
[UK] Nuclear bomb tests at the Monte Bello Islands, May and June
1956.
Mo Sakusen
[Japan] Attack on Port Moresby. 1942.
Moss
[NATO] Soviet Tupolev Tu-126 AEW aircraft
Mote
[NATO] Soviet Beriev Be-2 / MDR-2 flying boat.
MOT&E
[NATO] Multinational Operational Test & Evaluation
MOU
Memorandum of Understanding
Moujik
[NATO] Soviet Sukhoi Su-7 trainer
--MP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MP
Maritime Patrol
MPA
Maritime Patrol Aircraft
MPA
Man Powered Aircraft
MPA
[Mongolia] Mongolian People's Army
MPC
Missile Practive Camp
MPD
Multi-Purpose Display
MPK
[USSR] Maliy protivolodochniy korabl' (small anti-submarine ship)
MPR
Medium Power Radar
--MQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--MR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MR
Maritime Reconaissance
MRAAM
Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile
MRASM
[USA] Medium Range ASM, the tactical, non-nuclear
development of the AGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile: BGM-109.
MRB
[USA] Multi-Role Bomber
MRBF
Mean Rounds Before Failure, number indicating
the reliability of a gun.
MRC
[USA] Movement Report Center
MRCC
[UK] Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre
MRCA
Multi-Role Combat Aircraft -- the Panavia Tornado.
MRF
Multi-Role Fighter
MRF
[UK] Meteorological Research Flight
MRK
[USSR] Maliy raketniy korabl' (small rocket ship)
MRL
Multiple Rocket Launcher
MRO
[USA] Movement Report Office
MRTT
[Europe] Multi Role Tanker Transport. Proposed military version
of the Airbus A310.
MRU
Military Radar Unit
MRW
Maximum Ramp Weight
--MS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MS
[USA] USN: Minesweeper (ship)
MSA
Minimum Safe Altitude
MSAM
[UK] Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile. A replacement for Bloodhound.
MSB
Minesweeping Boat
MSC
[USA] Military Sealift Command
MSF
[Israel] Maritime Surveillance Flight
MSH
[USA] USN: Minesweeper, coastal
MSIP
[NATO] Multinational Staged Improvement Program. Upgrade scheme
for the F-16.
MSIP
[USA] Multi-Stage Improvement Program.
MSL
Mean Sea Level
MSO
[USA] USN: Minesweeper, ocean
MSOGS
Molecular Sieve Oxygen Generation
MSOW
[USA] Modular Stand-Off Weapon. Now cancelled.
MSP
[USA] Mach Sweep Programmer, automatic wing sweep control system
of the F-14 Tomcat.
MSSA
[UK] Multi-Sensor Surveillance Aircraft. AEW development of the
Britten-Norman Defender.
--MT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MT
[USSR] Morskoy tral'shchik (seagoing minesweeper)
MTA
Military Training Area
MTACC
[USA] Marine Tactical Command and Control System
MTAS
Millimetric Target Acquisition System
MTAS
Modular Target Acquisition System
MTAS
Multi-Sensor Target Acquisition System
MTB
Motor Torpedo Boat
MTBF
Mean Time Between Failures
MTCA
[UK] Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.
MTD
Moving Target Detection
MTI
Moving Target Indicator
MTOGW
Maximum Take-Off Gross Weight
MTOW
Maximum Take-Off Weight
MTR
Missile Tracking Radar
MTT
Multiple Target Tracking
--MU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MU
[UK] Maintenance Unit
Mud River
[USA] Operations in Laos against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. 1967.
Mug
[NATO] Soviet Chetverikov Che-2 / MBR-2 flying boat.
Mulberry
[Allied] Artificial harbour, constructed in the invasion area in
Normandy, June 1944. Two were built, one in the British and one in
the US sector.
Mule
[NATO] Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 trainer
Mule Train
[USA] Deployment of 346th TCS to Vietnam. 1961.
MUPSOW
[South Africa] Modular Stand-Off Weapon developed by Kentron.
Murphy's Law
Often rendered as 'Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong'. In
its original form it stated that if there are two ways to do someting,
of which one has catastrophic results, then someone will inevitably
do it the wrong way.
Muscle Shoals
[USA] Operations in Laos against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. 1967.
Musgrave
[UK] Deployment of heavy bombers to Malaya, in 1950, as part of
operation Firedog (see there).
MuSIC
[USA] Multi-System Integrated Control, a study
into thrust-vectoring.
Musketeer
[UK] The Suez operation, November 1956. France, Britain and Israel
fought Egypt after the nationalization of the Suez canal.
Muskletoon
[UK] Commando raid on a hydro-electric plant in Glamford, Norway. It
supplied electricity to the Aluminium industry. 1942.
--MV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MV
[USA] USN: Merchant Vessel
--MW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MW
[USA] Missile Wing
MW
[Germany] Mehrzweckwaffe --- multi-purpose weapon
--MX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MX
[USA] New generation ICBM.
--MY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Myrt
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima C6N Saiun reconaissance
aircraft.
Mystic
[NATO] Soviet Myasischew M-17 / M-55 reconaissance aircraft
--MZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MZFW
Maximum Zero Fuel Weight
==N==========================================================================
--NA-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAADM
[USA/Canada] North American Air Defence Modernisation. Replacement
of the DEW radar line by a series of new NWS radar stations.
NAAFI
[USA] Navy, Army & Air Force Institutes
NAAS
[USA] Naval Auxiliary Air Station
NAC
[NATO] North Atlantic Council
NAC
[UK] Naval Air Command
NACA
[USA] National Advisory Commitee for Aeronautics. Precursor of
NASA, until 1 October 1958.
NACES
[USA] Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seat
NACF
[USA] Naval Air Combat Fighter. The F-18 programme.
NAD
[UK] Naval Air Department
NADC
[USA] USN: Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania.
NADEP
[USA] Naval Aviation Depot
NADGE
[NATO] NATO Air Defence Ground Environment
NAEW
[NATO] NATO Airborne Early Warning
NAEWF
[NATO] NATO Airborne Early Warning Force
NAF
[USA] Naval Air Facility
NAFEC
[USA] National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center. Pomona, NJ.
Nagpaw
[USA] North American General Purpose Attack Weapon. The design
project which later became the A-5 Vigilante shipboard attack
aircraft.
NAHEMA
[NATO] NATO Helicopter Management Agency
NAMC
[USA] Naval Aircraft Modification Center
NAMMA
[NATO] NATO MRCA development & procurement Management Agency
NAMFI
NATO Missile Firing Installation: a firing ground for missiles
at Akrotiri, Crete.
Nancy Rae
[USA] Boeing JKC-135A TELINT aircraft
Nanuchka
[NATO] Soviet missile boat class
NAO
[UK] National Audit Office, of the Public Accounts Committee.
NAOTC
[USA] Naval Air Operational Training Center
NAPMO
[NATO] NATO AEW&C Programme Management Organization
NARF
[USA] Naval Air Reserve Force
Narkomaviaprom
[USSR] State Commissariat for the Aviation Industry.
NAS
[USA] Naval Air Station, Naval Air Squadron
NASA
[USA] National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration. Replaced
NACA on 1 October 1958.
NASARR
[USA] North American Search And Range Radar. Radar of the F-104.
NASC
[USA] USN: Naval Air Systems Command
NASMO
[NATO] NATO Starfighter Management Office
NASP
[USA] National Aero-Space Plane
NATC
[USA] Naval Air Training Command
NATC
[USA] Naval Air Test Center, at Patuxent, Maryland, USA.
Nate
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Ki.27 fighter
NATF
[USA] Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Created in 1949.
Navaho
[USA] Large jet-powered cruise missile, an intercontintal Mach 3+
weapon the size of a big bomber. Abandoned in favour the ICBM.
Flew first in 1958.
Navaid
Navigation Aid
Navair
[USA] Naval Air Systems command
NavAirLant
[USA] Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet
NavAirPac
[USA] Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet
NAVALT
[USA] Naval Alteration
NAVCOM
[USA] Navigation / Communications
NAVEX
Navigation Exercise
NAVSAT
[USA] Navy Sattelite System
NAVSTAR
[USA] Navigation Satellite Timing And Ranging. Now known as GPS.
NAVWASS
Navigation & Weapon Aiming Sub System
NAWC
[USA] Naval Air Warfare Center. The former NATC at Patuxent River,
NADC at Warminster, NAEC at Lakehurst, NAPC at Trenton and NAC at
Indianapolis were combined to create NAWC.
NAWC AD
[USA] Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division.
Naxos
[Germany] Radar warning receiver, operating on the wavelenghts of
H2S. Was used by German nightfighters to track British bombers
and fighters, and by U-boats to detect attacking patrol aircraft.
--NB-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBAA
[USA] National Bussiness Aircraft Association
NBC
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (weapons)
NBC
[UK] Navigation & Bombing Computer.
NBMR
[NATO] NATO Basic Military Requirement.
NBMR-1
[NATO] Requirement for a light strike fighter. Won by the
Fiat G.91.
NBMR-2
[NATO] Requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft. Produced the
Dassault/Breguet Atlantic.
NBMR-3
[NATO] Requirement formulated in 1960-1961 for a supersonic VTOL
strike fighter. Candidates included the Mirage IIIV and Hawker
P.1154.
NBS
[UK] Navigation and Bombing System. A nav-attack system for bombers,
developed during the 1950s and based on H2S mk.9.
--NC-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCA
[USA] National Command Authority
NCAC
[Allied] Northern Area Combat Command. Chinese Army units that had
been trained by US forces and operated from Ramgarh in India.
NCO
Non-Commissioned Officer
NCTI/R
Non-Cooperative Target Identification / Recognition
--ND-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NDAA
[USA] Non-Developmental Airlift Aircraft. An off-the-shelf
transport as a cheaper alternative for the C-17. Might be
a 747, MD-11, a new C-5 or a modified C-17.
NDB
Non-Directional Beacon
NDI
Non-Developmental Item, an 'off-the-shelf' product.
NDRE
[Norway] Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, the FFI.
NDRF
[USA] National Defense Reserve Fleet
NDT
Non-Destructive Testing
--NE-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NECPA
[USA] National Emergency Command Post Afloat. Command ships
CC-1 Northampton and CC-2 Wright, serving between 1961 and
1970.
Nectarines
[UK] The Frisian Islands, when referred to for aerial
minelaying ('Gardening').
NEFMA
[NATO] NATO EFA/Eurofighter Management Agency
Nell
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi G3M bomber
Neptun
[Germany] Fug 218 airborne radar. Frequency could be set between
158 and 187MHz, maximum range was 5km, minimum range 130m. A single
nose mast with a large X-cross, or four masts, and a tandem set of
dipoles on each tip of the cross.
Neptune
[Allied] Crossing of the Channel for Overlord, 6 June 1944.
NESDIS
[USA] National Environmental Sattelite, Data and Information
Service.
New Life
[USA] Transport of Vietname refugees to the USA, 1975.
NEWRADS
[USA] Nuclear Explosion Warning and Radiological Data System
NEX
[USA] Navy Exchange
--NF-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NFGF
[UK] Naval Flying Grading Flight.
NFH
[NATO] NATO Frigate Helicopter. The maritime version of the NH90.
NFO
[USA] Naval Flight Officer
NFST
[USA] National Fleet Surgical Team
NFWS
Naval Fighter Weapons School ('Top Gun') at NAS Miramar, California.
Training center in Air Combat Manoeuvering.
NFZ
No-Fly Zone
--NG-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NGB
[USA] National Guard Bureau
NGT
[USA] Next Generation Trainer, a replacement for the elderly T-37.
The T-46 won the contract, but was later cancelled.
NGTE
[UK] National Gas Turbine Establishment. Established in 1946 near
Farnborough, at Pyestock.
--NH-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NI-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIB
[Allied] Noise Investigation Bureau. Studied German radar emissions.
Nick
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki.45 Toryu fighter
Nickel Grass
[USA] Transfer of USAF equipment to Israel in 1973, to compensate
its losses in the Yom Kippur War.
Nifty Package
[USA] Deployment of special operations team to Panama, 1989.
Night Light
[USA] Loan of two RF-4C Phantom IIs to Israel, 1970-1971, pending
delivery of 6 RF-4Es.
Night Watch
[USA] Boeing EC-135J, ABNCP aircraft
Nihon Koku Jietai
[Japan] Japanese Defence Force
NII V-VS
[USSR] Nauchno-Issledovatelsky Institut V-VS --- Scientific
Research Institute of the V-VS.
Nimbus Star
[USA] Mine sweeping of the Suez canal, in 1974.
Nimbus Stream
[USA] Mine sweeping of the waters round Port Said, in 1975.
Nimrod Dancer
[USA] Reinforcement of US forces in Panama, 1989.
Nirou Havai Shahanshahiye Iran
[Iran] Imperial Iranian Air Force.
NITE-OP
Night Imaging Trough Electro-Optics
Nit Picker
[USA] Modification program for the F-100C and F-100D.
--NJ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NL-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NLOS
Non-Line of Sight
--NM-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NMANG
[USA] New Mexico ANG.
NMCC
[USA] National Military Command Center
NMPC
[USA] Naval Military Personnel Command
--NO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOA
[USSR] Scientific Test Aerodrome. Replaced by the NII V-VS in
1926.
NOAA
[USA] National Ocenanic and Atmospheric Administration
No-Ball
[Allied] Attacks on launching sites of V-weapons. 1944.
NOE
Nap-Of-the-Earth
NOGS
[USA] Night Observation Gunship System. The Rockwell YOV-10D Bronco
version. The 'G' was dropped with the gun from the OV-10D.
NOL
[USA] Naval Ordnance Laboratory
NOMAD
[USA] Navy Oceanographic and Meteorological Automatic Device
NORA
[France] Nacelle Optique de Reconaissance Aerienne --- Optical
airborne reconaissance pod. A real-time videocamera.
NORAD
[USA, Canada] North Atlantic Aerospace Defense Command. Created in
1957.
Norm
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Kawanishi E15K Shiun seaplane.
Norma
[USA] Codename for the Japanese Type 97 light bomber, did not
exist. (Was Ki-15)
Normandy
[USA] Attack by AH-64A Apache helicopters on air defence radars
in Iraq, on 17 January 1991, at the beginning of Desert Storm.
NORTHAG
[NATO] Northern Army Group
Northern Challenge
[NATO] Excercise for the air defence of the North American
Continent.
NOS
[USA] National Ocean Survey
NOS
Night Observation Surveillance
NOS
[USA] Night Observation System. See NOGS.
NOTAM
Notice To Airmen
NOTAR
No Tail Rotor. Helicopter without tail rotor; contra-torque
stabilisation is achieved by the air flow through a slit in the tail
boom.
NOTE
Nap-Of-The-Earth
--NP-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NPE
[USA] Naval Preliminary Examination, testing of equipment by the USN
before procurement.
NPIC
[USA] National Photographic Interpretation Center.
NPO
[USSR] Nauchno-Proizvodstvennoye Obyedineniye -- research
manufacturing association.
NPT
Non-Proliferation Treaty
--NQ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NR-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NRL
[USA] Naval Research Laboratory
NRO
[USA] National Reconaissance Office. Created in 1960. Its existence
was admitted in 1992!
NROTC
[USA] Naval Reserce Officer Training Corps
--NS-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NSA
[USA] National Security Agency
NSFO
[USA] Navy Standard Fuel Oil
NSFS
[USA] Naval Surface Fire Support
NSG
[USA] Naval Security Group
NSGr
[Germany] Nachtslachtgruppe --- night attack group. Light attack
aircraft operating on the Eastern front, as an imitation of Soviet
harrasment attacks using Po.2 biplanes.
NSRDC
[USA] Naval Ship Research and Development Center.
NSSMS
[USA] NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System.
--NT-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NTA
[USA] Nuclear Test Aircraft. A Convair NB-36H, modified bomber,
which carried a nuclear reactor for research purposes.
NTDO
[USA] Naval Technical Data Office
NTDS
[USA] Naval Tactial Data System, data processing system fitted to the
E-2C Hawkeye.
NTP
[USA] Near-Term Penetrator
NTPS
[USA] Naval Test Pilots School (Patuxent River NAWC)
--NU-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUC
[USA] navy Unit Commendation
--NV-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NVA
North-Vietnamese Army
NVG
Night Vision Goggles
NVN
North VietNam.
NVPS
[USA] Night Vision Pilotage System
NVS
Night Vision System
--NW-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NWC
[USA] Naval Weapons Center
NWDS
[USA] Navigation and Weapons Delivery System
NWS
[USA/Canada] North Warning System. Replaced the DEW line.
--NX-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NY-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--NZ-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This FAQ created and maintained by Emmanuel Gustin
Reproduction, reuse, or distribution without permission is prohibited.