Scanner and Military Aviation Glossary


This glossary includes phrases and terminology used in radio transmissions around Area 51 and the NTTR as well as common aviation terms. It will help understand some of the terminology used in this web site, and in our discussion forum. And it will be useful if you monitor the airwaves around the NTTR. Especially during Red Flag exercises it will help you figure out when and from where to expect the teams and what's going on.


A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  R  S  T  U  V  W  X



A

AAA - Anti-Aircraft Artillery, e.g. Russian ZSU-23
AACS - Airborne Air Control Squadron
AAM - Air-to-Air Missile
AAR - Air-to-Air Refuelling
ACC - Air Combat Command
ACG - Air Control Group
ACM - Air Combat Manoeuvring
ACMI - Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation - Aircraft telemetry information system to locate aircraft in aerial combat, has been replaced by the newer NACTS system
Active - As opposed to passive - a radar radiating or in 'active' mode as opposed to standby or passive mode
go Active - Crew switching to HAVE QUICK Communications
ACW - Air Control Wing
ADIZ - Air Defence Initialisation Zone
AEW - Airborne Early Warning
AEW&C - Airborne Early Warning & Control (see AWACS)
AFB - Air Force Base
AFMC - Air Force Material Command
AFOTEC - Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center
AFRC - Air Force Reserve Command
AIM - Air Intercept Missile, e.g. AIM-7, AIM-9 etc.
Airboss - Supervisor of the war games, usually on 277.8 MHz
AIS pod - The pods carried by aircraft at Red and Green Flag so that ground controllers and instructors can keep track of ACMs in real time
ALCM - Air Launched Cruise Missile
Alligator - LINK-11 or TADIL-A net, on HF or UHF. This is the link between land, air, sea and subsurface communications for the overall air picture and is transmitted to the C2 or 'Command and Control'
AMRAAM - Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, i.e. AIM-120
ANG - Air National Guard
Apex - Fix for arriving flights at Nellis AFB, Runway 21. Nellis 025 degree radial at 09 miles
APU - Auxiliary Power Unit - a small jet engine in larger aircraft that provides power whilst the aircraft is on the ground, plus power to restart an engine in flight
Arco - Fix for arriving flights at Nellis AFB, Runway 21. Nellis 355 degree radial at 30 miles
ARM - Anti-Radiation Missile
ASM - Air-to-Surface Missile
ASRAAM - Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile
ATC - Air Traffic Control
AWACS - Airborne Warning And Control System. Aircraft (usually Boeing E-3) equipped with a powerful radar and on-board command and control center to direct the friendly forces More information click here

B

Backend - Battlestaff Controller in an AWACS
Bandit - Hostile aircraft
BDA - Bomb Damage Assessment / Battle Damage Assessment
Beano - Cedar Gate Road
Bear Paw - Dry lake bed in Railroad Valley, north of Hwy. 375
Belted Peak - Between Chalk Mountain and Reville Peak, about 15 miles west of Rachel
BFM - Basic Fighter Maneuvering
Bingo - Aircraft calling 'Bingo Fuel' are now unable to play due to fuel status being too low. The aircraft only has enough fuel to Return to Base (RTB) safely
Bird - Jargon term used to describe an aircraft or a satellite
Black - A term used to refer to a secret program that has not been acknowledged, e.g. 'Aurora', 'Astra', TR-3 etc. Also used as state of a runway. if the runway is Black, then its not useable due to a crash or mishap etc.
Black-out - In a high Gravity turn, an aviators blood is sucked out of the brain, into the lower body. Can cause unconsciousness. Also "G-lock". Usually prevented by the G-suits worn by pilots. The opposite to the more dangerous "Red-out" (see below)
Blackjack - Ground control for exercises
blind - Aircraft engaging blind (not visual) or striking blind (cloud cover perhaps covering target) or communicating blind which is transmitting without response heard
BLM - Bureau of Land Management
Block - Denotes a build run or modification run of a particular aircraft that may have slight differences in avionics or weapons, e.g. F-16C Block 50. Also used to describe an altitude range, e.g. "established in the Block FL230 to 250", meaning the airspace between altitude 23,000 and 25,000ft.
Bogie - An aircraft not yet identified as friendly or hostile: "Bogie bullseye 0-7-6, 23" (unidentified aircraft, possibly hostile, direction 76 degrees, 23 miles from target)
the Box - Restricted Airspace over Groom Lake
BRA - Short for Bearing, Range, Altitude; determined either by Bullseye or individual CAP or aircraft: "Hostiles BRA 265 for 45 2000ft FAST" (enemy at heading 265 degrees, 45 miles, 2000 ft altitude, fast moving)
break - Hard turn to left or right for example to take emegency action: "Snake one break right. Break right SAM launch!" (player 'Snake one' to turn a HARD right to take evasive action against an incoming SAM launched at his aircraft)
Buddy Spike - Friendly player indicated on the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR): "Snake one buddy Spike 240 45 35000" (Friendly on RWR with BRA indication)
Bullseye - Reference point for all players of a team during a mission, usually changes between missions. Bullseye is not the target, but only a reference point, that is used for orientation by all players of the same team. Its coordinates are given once at the beginning of an exercise on a secure channel, and are unknown to the other team: "Snake one, bullseye 0-7-6, 23, 10,000 (or 2-1-5)" (player 'Snake one' is 23 miles from the reference point, direction 76 degrees, altitude 10,000 ft. (or 21,500 ft.))
BVR - Beyond Visual Range

C

C2 - Command & Control
C3 - Command, Control & Communications
C3I - Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence
CAF - Combat Air Forces
CAOC - Combined Air Operations Center
CAP - Combat Air Patrol. Arranging fighters in a defensive or offensive role at various altitudes and configurations to counter an enemy attack
CAPPING - Aircraft involved in Combat Air Patrols (CAPs) are CAPPERS or are actually involved in CAPPING: "HITMAN flight now CAPPING between Alpha 1 and 6" (HITMAN formation has now commenced CAP at Waypoint 1 through to 6)
CAS - Close Air Support
Century Series - Collective term applied to the series of fighters built in the 1950's and 60's, i.e. F-100, F-101, F-102, F-103*, F-104, F-105, F-106, F-107*, F-108*, and F-111. Not generally applied to the F-110 (MiG-21), F-113G (MiG-23), or F-117 (* = Prototype only)
Chaff - Strips of tin or aluminium foil dumped by aircraft in an attempt to avoid a radar homing missile. The foil reflects radar waves and is designed to confuse the radar seeker on the missile
Chick - Friendly aircraft about to refuel or trailing behind a tanker, commonly referred to as 'Receiver': "MAGIC 88 this is ESSO 74, I have 6 chicks trailing" (Tanker ESSO 74 has 6 fighters trailing behind in formation waiting for fuel)
CIWS - Close In Weapons System, e.g. Phalanx, Goalkeeper, Metal Storm - usually ship based, but has future applications on larger aircraft
COIN - Counter Insurgency
cold - Flying slow or subsonic: "Snake one, bullseye 0-7-6, 23, cold"
Commit - Crew can now engage or commit the interception/strike
the Container - Restricted Airspace over Groom Lake, see 'the Box'
Craig Ranch - Fix for arriving flights at Nellis AFB, Runway 03
CSAR - Combat Search and Rescue
CV - Attack aircraft carrier - Conventionally powered
CVN - Attack aircraft carrier - Nuclear powered

D

DARPA - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
DCA - Defensive Counter Air
dead - Was hit by another player, ground control to plane: "Snake one is dead"
DMPI - Designated Mean Point of Impact / Desired Mean Point of Impact
DoD - Department of Defense
DoE - Department of Energy
drag - A maneuver to slow down the enemy: the lead takes the fast track usualy straight ahead while the wingmen either DRAG left or right and distract the enemy by slowing down
DT&E - Developmental Test and Evaluation
DZ - Drop Zone - Used during Red Flag exercises

E

ECCM - Electronic Counter-Countermeasures - powerful electronics that can 'burn through' conventional ECM systems
ECM - Electronic Countermeasures - electronics designed to decoy or deceive enemy radar or missile threats
ECR - Electronic Combat Range
ELINT - Electronic INTelligence - the interception and collection of enemy electronic and radar emissions
Elvis' house or where Elvis lives - Groom Lake Base, Area 51: "The dry lake bed south of Bald Mtn. is where Elvis lives" during Red Flag orientation flight
ESM - Electronic Support Measures - similar to ECM
EW - Electronic Warfare

F

FAA - Federal Aviation Administration
FAC - Forward Air Control
FAE - Fuel Air Explosives - a powerful conventional bomb that explodes a canister or bag of potent fuel vapor just above the ground. One of the most powerful and destructive weapons, second only to the Nuclear Bomb, with similar effects. It can devastate everything within a mile radius, and kill everything up to a five mile radius by sucking up all oxygen. FAE were used in the Gulf War to clear large bunker and trench areas
the Farms - Alfalfa farms west of Rachel, also used for the Rachel area
FBW - Fly By Wire - the electronic flight control system of a modern aircraft as opposed to conventional cable operated controls - usually used on aircraft that are inherently unstable, and combined with a digital automatic flight control system, e.g. F-16, F-22
Fight's on, Fight's on - Start attack run during air exercises, air controller to players
Flares - Pyrotechnic magnesium or phosphorous devices ejected from tactical aircraft to decoy heat-seeking missiles
Flight Level - Altitude: "Snake one, flight level 2-1-0" (player 'snake one' is flying at an altitude of 21,000 ft.)
FLIR - Forward Looking InfraRed - used to spot ground targets through cloud or smoke, or at night, mainly by attack helos and special ops aircraft
FOV - field of view
Fox One - Call made by an attacking fighter to friendly forces to warn of a radar-guided missile launch
Fox Two - Warning call for heat-seeking missile launch
fragged - As flight plan; such as 'on time' or no problem; going as flight plan requires
friendly - Refers to a player of the same team, AWACS to planes: "Contact, bullseye 0-7-6, 23, friendly" (player of the same team direction 76 degrees, 23 miles from target)
FRTC - Fallon Range Training Complex
Fur Ball - Group of planes from different teams fighting, AWACS to planes: "Fur ball over the farms"
FY - Fiscal Year

G

g - The force of gravity, e.g. 9g = 9 x the force of gravity, about the limit of human endurance
GAM - GPS Aided Munition, a GPS guidance tail kit that can be fitted to standard Mk-82 bombs, developed for the B-2
GCI - Ground Control Intercept. The pilot has little autonomy, but is guided by Ground Control. Mostly used by Russian and Chinese forces, but also still used by western forces
GIG - Global Information Grid
Gorilla - Jargon terminology for a large strike package of many aircraft
GPS - Global Positioning System - a worldwide system whereby the user can determine their position to with 1 meter by using signals from navigation satellites orbiting the earth
Grey - Term used for a program that may have been revealed, but its true capabilities are not commonly known, e.g. SR-71, B-2, F-22
GSU - Geographically Separated Unit
Gumby - (sometimes "Gumby Control"), used in comms with Groom Tower for DOE(?) Ops on site; "Control, this is Apple 3, would you pass along a message to Gumby that we have 'Hotel Alpha 8935' on board" (likely a VIP)
GWOT - Global War on Terror

H

Have Quick - Type of secure net for chatting within NATO aircraft. Done so by Have Quick system channel hopping (switching frequencies every few seconds within the whole UHF spectrum)
Helo - Alternate word for helicopter
High Key - Point over the first third of the runway used for a landing in case of an engine failure
hostile - Refers to a player of the enemy team, AWACS to planes: "Contact, bullseye 0-7-6, 23, hostile" (enemy player direction 76 degrees, 23 miles from target)
hot - Flying fast or supersonic: "Snake one, bullseye 0-7-6, 23, hot"
Hot Mike - Clear UHF radio communications (same as Hotel Mike)
HOTAS - Hands On Throttle And Stick - where the throttle is located on the control column, usually a side stick control column as on F-16
Hotel Mike - Clear UHF radio communications (same as Hot Mike)
HUD - Heads Up Display - where flight control and navigation information is projected onto a glass panel or onto the windscreen directly in the pilots' line of forward vision
HVAA - High-Value Airborne Asset

I

IADS - Integrated Air Defence System - an air defence system where many different systems are integrated so that commanders may get a 'big picture' and information verification. Would include early warning sites, AEW&C and major ship borne systems (e.g. Aegis cruisers-USN), SAM sites and fighter aircraft
IAS - Indicated Air Speed
IFF - Identification Friend or Foe. A radio system on an aircraft that broadcasts specific bits of data on demand by compatible (friendly) systems that interrogate it. The data are usually identification, altitude and airspeed.
IFR - Instrument Flight Rules
Illuminate - Radar or laser lock on target
ILS - Instrument Landing System
IMC - Instrument Meteorological Condidtions; linmited visibility due to clouds
INS - Inertial Navigation System - a navigation system that guides an aircraft based upon its position relative to a pre-determined point, usually its home base. The INS is aligned just before launch at a point on the taxiway (called the 'hammerhead') of which the coordinates are known.
IOC - Initial Operational Capability - when an aircraft or unit is declared operational, but not necessarily ready to go to war if required
IP - Initial Point - the last navigation way point for a strike aircraft before beginning a bomb run. Usually the weapons officer has control of the aircraft from the I.P. to the target
IR - InfraRed
IRST - InfraRed Search and Track, e.g. as fitted to Su-27, MiG-29 and Typhoon - a passive system that allows the pilot to track an aircraft by its heat signature from up to 50nm away

J

JDAM - Joint Direct Air Munition - a GPS guided 500 lb bomb
JEFX - Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment
Joint-STARS - Also called J-STARS ("Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System"), Boeing E-8C used to monitor a ground battle with SLAR real time displays - can be linked with JTIDS
JSF - Joint Strike Fighter - Boeing X-32 and Lockheed Martin X-35
JSOW - Joint Stand Off Weapon - a stealthy tactical cruise missile with GPS/INS guidance. Can be fitted with a radar homing warhead and loiter waiting for enemy radars to switch on. First used in Kosovo by USN F/A-18s
JTIDS - Joint Tactical Information Distribution System - a datalink between tactical fighter and bomber aircraft, AEW&C, Joint-STARS, and ground controllers that gives an overall tactical display of an air battle. Commonly known as Link-16 in Europe
JTRS - Joint Tactical Radio System

K

Keyhole - Used for Janet routing; a condition when Janets are diverted from their normal route across the NNSS to Groom to a more southern route, likely to avoid overflying the main part of the NNSS; routing JAYSN-STYME-DRRLA instead of JAYSN-WSKEE-BGZEE: "Keyhole is in effect, proceed JAYSN-STYME-DRRLA"
Klick - Slang for kilometer
Knife fight - Common term for a close in dogfight between two aircraft
knock it off - Abort attack, same as 'terminate': "Snake one, knock it off"

L

Lantirn - "Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night". A system of two pods carried by US F-14s, F-15s and F-16s that combines TFR and a laser designator for accurate low level flying and bombing at night and in bad weather
Leaker - Airborne hostile identified as a serious threat that has penetrated the defensive boundary or box either to the intended target area or aircraft: "This is MAGIC 88, MAGIC 88, we have a Leaker inbound MAGIC...priority intercept" (MAGIC 88 broadcasting to the nearest friendlies that a Leaker has penetrated the defensive net and is intercepting the AWACS "Magic")
Legs - Jargon term meaning the range or duration of an aircraft
LGB - Laser Guided Bomb
LO - Low Observable, i.e. Stealth
LOWAT - Low Altitude Awareness Training
LZ - Landing Zone - mainly used for helos and tactical transport aircraft

M

Mach 1 - The speed of sound - about 660 knots (760mph) at sea level, and about 580 knots (670mph) at 36,000 feet - varies as square root of air temperature
Mach number - The ratio of true airspeed in relation to the speed of sound, e.g. Mach 0.8 = 80% the speed of sound, or 530 knots at sea level, and 465 knots at 36,000 feet
MAF - Mobility Air Forces
MARSA - Military Assumes Responsibility for Deconfliction of Aircraft
Medevac - MEDical EVACuation, as in "medevac helos"
MHRTC - Mountain Home Range Training Complex
MIDS - Multifunction Information Distribution System
Miller Time - End of exercise (for a particular team)
MOA - Military Operating Area
MRTFB - Major Range and Test Facility Base
MTOW - Maximum Take Off Weight
Music on/off - Used in Dreamland missions; believed to refer to turning an on-board radio transmitter that is part of the mission objective on or off

N

NACTS - Nellis Air Combat Training System - Aircraft telemetry information system used in exerciese within the NTTR to precisely locate aircraft in air combat, replaced the older ACMI system
naked - Aircraft has NO RWR signal indications; opposite to SPIKE: "Snake one threat BRA 240 for 48, 7000" "Snake two naked" (Snake one tells his wingman of threat and BRA but wingman (two) has no indication of the threat on the RWR)
NNSS - Nevada National Security Site, former Nevada Test Site
no joy - Anything to do with no target or miss, usually said when target is covered or unable to target: "Snake one, no joy on target" (either cloud has covered target or target unable to be targetted by some other restriction)
No Name - Halligan Mesa, about 15 miles north-east of Basecamp
notching - Flying through a gap (notch) in a mountain range
NTS - Nevada Test Site, today "Nevada National Security Site"
NTTR - Nevada Test and Training Range
NVG - Night vision goggles. Used by ground troops and pilots to enhance vision at night

O

OCA - Offensive Counter Air
OCU - Operational Conversion Unit - where prospective combat pilots get to fly front line aircraft before being declared fully operational on that aircraft type
OT&E - Operation Test and Evaluation
OTHR - Over The Horizon Radar

P

Package - Common term for a group of combat aircraft
Paddle - Jargon for the action of turning off a TFR radar - mainly F-111 and Tornado related. On the F-111, the TFR is disengaged by pulling on a small trigger-like paddle on the control column
painted - Detect or track a target: "HITMAN 1 Target is painted" (Hitman 1 has now locked on or detected threat with radar)
Parrot - IFF Transponder. A transmitter that can be interrogated to identify a BOGIE as part of the friendly or hostile forces
Passive - Non-emitting sensor or detection device, either something like an active radar in standby mode, or a passive device such as IRST
Payload - Weapon and/or cargo capacity of an aircraft
PGM - Precision Guided Munition - collective term for GPS or laser guided weapons
Pickle - When a pilot or bombardier presses the trigger button to release bombs or missiles
Picture - Situation of the area controlled by AWACS. Pictures are given out to players being controlled and tells them the overall area situation
press - Begin attack, ground to plane: "Snake one, press south"
push - Change frequency: "Cobra push three-six-three point nine" (Cobra change to frequency 363.9 MHz) or "Cobra push [channel] eight" (Cobra change to preprogrammed channel eight)

R

RADAR - Radio Detection and Ranging
Radar Altimeter - a small radar mounted on the underside of an aircraft that constantly measures the altitude above ground
RAM - Radar Absorbing Material - a special paint, carbon fibre, plastic, or iron ferrite coating that is applied to parts of an aircraft to reduce its radar cross-section
the Ranch - Restricted airspace over Groom Lake, older term, see 'the Box'
RCS - Radar Cross-Section - a term used to describe the size of a radar return
Recce - Reconnaissance
Red-out - In a negative gravity maneuver, a pilots blood is pulled into his upper body. This may result in his/her vision being distorted due to blood vessels in the eye expanding
RF-N - Red Flag Nellis
RFI - Radio Frequency Interferometer - A small sensor on most modern military aircraft that can determine an air defense threat by measuring another plane's radar frequency
ROE - Rules Of Engagement
RPV - Remotely Piloted Vehicle, e.g. Predator UAV
RTB - "Return To Base", orders planes to return to Nellis AFB after the exercise, ground to plane: "Snake one, RTB"
RVSM - Reduced Vertical Separation Restrictions
RWR - Radar Warning Receiver - a device that warns a pilot he is being tracked by radar

S

SAM - Surface-to-Air Missile
Sanitise - Searching for threat using sensors only in the local area.
SAR - Search And Rescue
SAT - Surface Attack Tactics
SEAD - Suppression of Enemy Air Defences - the tactics of targeting and attacking enemy radar and SAM position. Aircraft used include F-16CJ, EA-6B, Tornado ICR, F/A-18 EC
SFO - Simulated FlameOut practice approach
Sidewinder - AIM-9 IR guided short range AAM
Sigint - SIGnals INTelligence - the interception and collection of enemy communications transmissions
SLAR - Side Looking Airborne Radar - used by aircraft such as the E-8 Joint-STARS to map ground targets and land layout
Smart - Common term used to describe weapons that are guided, e.g. LGBs, JDAMs and GAMs
Snake - Callsign for Nellis based aircraft: "Snake one ..."
SOI - Special Operations Integration
Sparrow - AIM-7 radar guided medium range AAM
spike - Aircraft has a RWR signal indication; opposite to NAKED: "Snake one threat BRA 240 for 48, 7000" "Snake two spike" (Snake one tells his wingman of threat and BRA and wingman (two) acknowledges indication of the threat on the RWR)
splash - Target destroyed (air-air) or impact for ground strike
Stealth - Common term applied to low observable (LO) technology and doctrine, that makes an aircraft near invisible to radar, infrared or visual detection
Stranger - Aircraft in the area or on radar that is NOT participating in the exercise
Strangle Parrot - Turn IFF Transponder off
Strike Package - Bombers and their fighter escort
Strikers - Bombers
Student Gap - Pahroc Summit Pass, on Hwy. 93 between Crystal Springs and Caliente

T

TACAMO - TAke Charge And Move Out - Boeing E-6 airborne command post - US Navy only
TACAN - TACtical Aid to Navigation - a ground based military UHF navigation aid
Take - Common term for the results of photo recon, Elint or Sigint missions
Tally [Ho] - Visual on the target with the eye only: "Snake one Tally on target" or "Snake one Tally Ho on target"
Tango Mike - Digital communications (air-ground and air-air; via telemetry data?)
TCT - Time critical targeting
TD&E - Tactics Development and Evaluation
terminate - Abort attack, same as 'knock it off': "Snake one, terminate"
TES - Test and Evaluation Squadron
Texaco - More general term for tanker planes, used by NATO
Texas Lake - Dry lake bed about 13 miles east Alamo; the aggressor team usually sets up formation here before flying an attack
TFR - Terrain Following Radar - a radar fitted to an aircraft that interfaces with the flight controls to keep it at a pre-determined height above the ground for low-level high-speed flight, i.e. Tornado, F-111, F-15E
TI - Tactical Intercepts
TIALD - Thermal Imaging And Laser Designator - as used by UK forces on Harrier, Jaguar and Tornado aircraft
Tiger Fast - Aircraft has enough fuel to do a supersonic engagement and still have fuel to RTB: "Snake one, tiger fast"
Tiger Slow - Aircraft only has enough fuel to do a subsonic engagement and still have fuel to RTB: "Snake one, tiger slow"
no Timber - Unable to establish "Link 16" data link
Timber sweet/sour - "Link 16" data link established/not established
Toss - A modern method of delivering a PGM bomb or missile on target without having to overfly the target. The aircraft approaches the target at low level, then pulls up at high speed and releases the weapon in the pull-up, which then flies a ballistic trajectory to the target while the aircraft turns away
TOT - Time Over Target
TOW - Tube launched Optically tracked Wire guided anti-armor missile carried by Apache and other attack helos
Track - A common term for an AAR refuelling orbit, usually racetrack shaped and about 25 long by 10 miles wide, but can be as large as 200 by 30 miles, and different shape. Also used by AWACS for the path of an aircraft in ACM
trail - In formation dragging behind: "ESSO 74 has 6 chicks in trail" (Tanker "ESSO 74" has 6 fighters trailing behind him about to take fuel)
TTNT - Tactical Targeting Networking Technology

U

UAS - Unmanned Aerial System
UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, remote controlled, e.g. Predator
UCAV - Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle - Armed UAV, e.g. Predator equipped with two hellfire missiles
USAFWC - United States Air Force Warfare Center
USAFWS - United States Air Force Weapons School
UTTR - Utah Test and Training Range

V

VFR - Visual Flight Rules
VLO - Very Low Observable, i.e. advanced stealth
VMC - Visual Meteorological Conditions; good visibility, no clouds
VSI - Vertical speed indicator
VSTOL - Vertical or Short Take-Off and Landing, e.g. Harrier, V-22 Osprey
VUL - Short for "Vulnerability Period"; an individual (Red Flag) mission

W

Watchdog - In Area 51 comms, uncleared persons in a position to watch (e.g. during NNSS tours)
Watchdog Tango - In Area 51 comms, people on Tikaboo Peak watching
Weasel - Common term applied to some SEAD aircraft and tactics
White - A term used to refer to a program that has been acknowledged and its capabilities are known, e.g. F-15, F-16
WSMR - White Sands Missile Range
WSO - Weapon Systems Officer - back seater on F-15E and Tornado, or right seater on F-111 - also called 'Wizzo'

X

X-Ray on/off - Used in Dreamland missions; believed to refer to turning an on-board receiver or sensor that is part of the mission objective on or off
XCAS - On-Call Close Air Support (CAS)


USAF AWACS callsigns:

UnitFrontend
Callsign
Backend
Callsign
Home Base
963rd AACS of the 552nd ACWSHUCK ##CHALICETinker AFB, Oklahoma
964th AACS of the 552nd ACWSHUCK ##BANDSAWTinker AFB, Oklahoma
965th AACS of the 552nd ACWSHUCK ##DARKSTARTinker AFB, Oklahoma
966th AACS of the 552nd ACWSHUCK ##DRAGNETTinker AFB, Oklahoma
970th AACS of the 513th ACGSCOUT ##THUMPERTinker AFB, Oklahoma
NATO AWACSNATO ##MAGIC ##Geilenkirchen AB, Germany
RAF AWACSNATO ##MAGIC ##RAF Waddington, Great Britain

AACS - Airborne Air Control Squadron
ACG - Air Control Group
ACW - Air Control Wing
AWACS - Airborne Warning And Control System
Backend - Battlestaff Controller


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