Operational Brevity words, BFM terminology, and Military Aviation Acronyms

Glossary terms starting with "A"



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A-Pole
The distance from the launching aircraft to the target when the missile begins active terminal guidance.
A/A
Air to Air
A/C GW
Aircraft Gross Weight
AAA
Antiaircraft Artillery.
AACMI
Autonomous Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation. Also known as Flight Profile Recorder or FPR system.
AAI/Apx
Air-to-Air Interrogator.
AAM
Air-to-Air Missile
AANCH
All Afterburner, No Compass Heading. Moving a lot with nothing being accomplished. “The new Lt is All Afterburner with No Compass Heading”.
AAR
Air-to-Air Refueling.
AAW
Anti-air Warfare.
AB
Afterburner
ABCC
Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center.
Abort
Directive to cease action/attack/event/mission.
ac, AC
Alternating Current
ACA
Airspace Coordination Area: A three-dimensional box in the sky defined by grid and/or land references and an altitude block (AGL). The intent of an ACA is to allow simultaneous attack of targets near each other by multiple fire support means, one of which is air. (See Army Field Manual 6-20).
ACBT
Air Combat Training; a general term which includes (D)BFM, (D)ACM, and (D)ACT.
ACC
Air Component Commander.
Acceleration Maneuver
An offensive or defensive maneuver, flown in the vertical plane, if possible, designed to increase or reduce distance from an object. A low Yo-Yo is an acceleration maneuver.
ACE
Airborne Command Element (AWACS/ABCCC).
ACFT
Aircraft
ACM
Air Combat Maneuvering; training designed to achieve proficiency in element formation maneuvering and the coordinated application of BFM to achieve a simulated kill or effectively defend against one or more aircraft from a planned starting position.
ACMI
Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation
ACO
Airspace Control Order. Document that details all approved airspace requests. The ACO will complement the ATO cycle and serve as the single planning document for airspace considerations.
ACT
Air Combat Tactics; training in the application of BFM and ACM skills to achieve a tactical air-to-air objective.
Action
Directive to initiate a briefed attack sequence or maneuver.
ADA
Air Defense Artillery.
ADC
Air Data Converter
ADG
Accessory Drive Gearbox
ADI
Attitude Director Indicator
ADIZ
Air Defense Identification Zone.
Adverse Yaw
The tendency of an aircraft to yaw away from the applied aileron while at high angles of attack.
Advisory Control
A mode of control in which the controlling agency has communications but no radar capability.
Aerodynamic Center
A point on the wing chord through which aircraft lift is directed. The aerodynamic center is usually defined as the point on the longitudinal axis of the airplane where the lift vector is centered. The distance between the aerodynamic center and the center of gravity is static margin, and is the major factor affecting the longitudinal static stability of the aircraft.
AESA
Active Electronical Scanned Array (AESA) radar that allows pilots to find targets in the air and on the ground more easily.
AF Form 1
Toilet Paper
AFAC
Airborne Forward Air Controller.
AGCAS
Auto Ground Collision Avoidance System
AGL
Above Ground Level.
AGM
Air-to-Ground Missile.
AHC
Advanced or Aircraft Handling Characteristics; training designed to gain proficiency in and to exploit the flight envelope of the aircraft, consistent with operational and safety constraints.
AI
Air Interdiction/Air Intercept.
AIFF
Advanced Identification, Friend or Foe
AIM
Air Intercept Missile
Air Refueling Time
Planned lapsed time from ARCT to drop off.
Air Refueling Track
A flight path designated for air refueling.
Airborne Order
A command authorization for tactical flight (departure time will be specified).
Aircraft Axis
There are three axis which are mutually perpendicular and have a common point of intersection. The aircraft longitudinal axis is parallel to the fuselage reference line. Aircraft rotation around this axis is roll or bank. The aircraft vertical axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis through the center of the aircraft. Rotation around this axis is yaw. The aircraft lateral axis is perpendicular to both the longitudinal and vertical axes at the point of intersection. Rotation around this axis is pitch.
AIS
Aircraft Instrumentation System
AJ
Antijamming
AL
Aft/Left
ALIC
Aircraft launcher interface computer.
ALO
Air liaison officer.
ALOW
Automatic Low Altitude Warning
Alpha Check
Request for bearing and range to described point.
ALT
Altitude or Altimeter or Alternate
AM
Amplitude Modulation
AMMO
Ammunition
AMRAAM
Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile
AMUX
Aircraft Analog, Discrete and Avionics Multiplex
Anchor
Orbit about a specific point; ground track flown by tanker. Information call indicates a turning engagement about a specific location.
Angels
Height of aircraft in thousands of feet.
Angle Of Attack (Aoa)
The angle between the cord line of the wing (mean chord line) and the relative wind.
Angle-off
The angle formed by the extension of the longitudinal axes of two aircraft. Angle is measured from defender's 6 o'clock. Also called track crossing angle.
ANT
Antenna
AoA
Angle of Attack
AOB
Air Order of Battle.
AP
Autopilot
APCC
Aircraft Pod Control Computer
Apex/Alamo
Training term used to denote simulated launch of enemy, all-aspect radar missile.
Aphid/Archer
Training term used to denote simulated launch of enemy, rear hemisphere heat seeking missiles.
AR, A/R
Aerial Refueling
Arcing
Flying a circular flight path which allows another aircraft the use of cutoff to gain closure.
ARCP
Air Refueling Control Point; the planned geographic point over which the receiver(s) arrive in the observation/precontact position with respect to the assigned tanker.
ARCT
Air Refueling Control Time; the planned time that the receiver and tanker will arrive over the ARCP-
ARI
Aileron-Rudder Interconnect
ARIP
Air Refueling Initial Point; the planned point to enter the refueling track.
ARM
Antiradiation Missile.
Arm/Armed (Safe/Hot)
Select armament (safe/hot), or armament is safe/hot.
Armament Safety Check
Action taken by an aircrew to review armament selection switches to preclude the inadvertent -launch/release of armament (Switches Safe).
ARMT
Armament
ARS
Air Rescue Service.
As Fragged
Fighter, FAC, mission package, or agency will be performing exactly as stated by the air tasking order.
ASE
Aircraft Survivability Equipment. An aircraft's defensive systems (RWR, jammers, chaff, and flares).
ASIP
Aircraft Structural Integrity Program
ASM
Air-to-Surface Missile.
ASOC
Air Support Operations Center.
Aspect
Request/comment regarding target aspect information.
Aspect Angle
The angle between the longitudinal axis of the target (projected rearward) and the line-of-sight to the fighter, measured from the tail of the target. The attackers heading is not a consideration. (Whenever the attacker is pointed at the bogey, angle-off and aspect are the same.)
ASPIS
Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suite. The electronic warfare equipment for the Hellenic Air Force.
ASPJ
Airborne Self Protection Jammer (AN/ALQ-165)
ASUW
Antisurface Warfare.
ASW
Antisubmarine Warfare.
ATO
Air Tasking Order (Frag)-Assigns air-to-air and air-to-surface targets, TOTS, and mission support information.
ATOC
Allied Tactical Operations Center (NATO).
Atoll
Rear hemisphere heat-seeking missile.
ATT
Attitude
Attack Axis
An orientation direction usually thought of as an imaginary line passing through the target on some particular headingexample, the range run-in heading.
Attack Restriction
Ingress, ordnance delivery, or egress restrictions depending on situation, i.e., threats, weather, terrain, ROE, etc.
Attack/Attacking()
Indicates air-to-surface attack on a specific ground target.
Authenticate()
To request or provide a response for a coded challenge.
Autonomous
Aircrew is operating without benefit of GCI/AWACS control.
Autonomous Intercept
Intercepts initiated by aircrew when no target information is being received from command and control sources.
AUX
Auxiliary
AVTR
Airborne Videotape Recorder
AWACS
Airborne Warning and Control System.