AARair-to-air refuelling, or after action report
aboab initio (from the beginning) trainee pilot
ACEallied command Europe
ACIair combat instructor
ACLair combat leader
ACMair combat manoeuvres
ACMI air combat manoeuvring installation
AHartificial horizon
AIattitude indicator
AoAangle of attack AOC air officer commanding
AOCCair operations co-ordination centre
AORarea of responsibility
AMRAAMadvanced medium-range air-to-air missile
APCarmament practice camp (or armoured personnel carrier)
AR5aircrew respirator no 5
asapas soon as possible
ASRair staff requirement
ASRAAMadvanced short-range air-to-air missile
ASTair staff target
AUWall-up weight
AVTURfuel for jet engines (aviation turbine)
BAeBritish Aerospace, which subsumed Hawker Siddeley Aviation
BAE Systems the conglomerate that subsumed BAe
Balbolarge formation of aircraft, named after Italian General Italo Balbo
BFMbasic fighter manoeuvring – air combat
BFPOBritish forces post office
Bingoa pre-briefed fuel quantity, usually called by radio as formation progress check
BoIBoard of Inquiry
BVRbeyond visual range – radar-guided air-to-air missiles
CAOCcombined air operations centre
CAPcombat air patrol – a fighter screen to stop offensive aircraft
CASChief of the Air Staff
CASclose air support
CBFCommander British Forces
CBFFICBF Falkland Islands
CBRCalifornia bearing ratio, a measure of surface hardness
CFCcarbon fibre composite
Chickenminimum fuel state for return to base
Chinagrapha wax pencil with plastic case and screw-out lead
CRcombat ready
CRBNchemical, radiological, biological, nuclear
CRV 7 Canadian rocket vehicle 7, an unguided rocket weapon
CTTOcentral trials and tactics organisation
CWPcentral warning panel
DJRPdigital joint reconnaissance pod
ECMelectronic countermeasures
EOelectro optical. In the Harrier context, using FLIR and NVG
F540the official diary of each RAF unit, compiled monthly
FACforward air control
FINRAEFerranti inertial navigation rapid alignment equipment
FLMflight-line mechanic
FODforeign object damage
Fragged tasked, listed on fragmentary order
FRIfighter reconnaissance instructor
FWOCforward wing operations centre
GCAground-controlled approach – a radar talk-down
GLOground liaison officer
GPMGgeneral-purpose machine gun
GSEgovernment supplied equipment – official kit
Guardthe standard radio emergency frequency – 243.0MHz for military aircraft
HARMhigh-speed anti-radiation missile
HEhigh explosive
HEFOEa system of hand signals to indicate an aircraft emergency without using radio. The number of fingers extended indicates, in order: Hydraulics, Electrics, Fuel, Oxygen, Engine
HOTAShands on throttle and stick
HQheadquarters
HSAHawker Siddeley Aviation
HUDhead-up display
IFFidentification friend or foe – a transponder to identify aircraft
IMCinstrument meteorological conditions
INASinertial navigation attack system
IP initial point
JPjunior pilot
JTIDSjoint tactical information distribution system
LERXleading-edge root extension
LFAlow flying area
LOROPlong-range oblique photography – a pod with a single long-lens camera
LRMTSlaser ranger and marked target seeker
LSLlanding ship logistics
1MCl main circuit – a ship’s public address system
M-16assault rifle
MDCminiature (or mild) detonating cord, used to shatter aircraft canopies
MEXEmilitary engineering experimental establishment, whence came the design for Harrier strips and pads
MOmedical officer
MoD (PE) Ministry of Defence Procurement Executive, the interface between the forces and industry for new equipment
MoDMinistry of Defence
MTmotor transport (vehicles)
NASnaval air squadron
NBCnuclear, biological, chemical
no dufftrue, operational, not exercise
OBOGSon-board oxygen generation system
ODMoperating data manual
OLFoperational low flying
OPobservation post
ORoperational requirements
orbatorder of battle – military line-up
PARprecision approach radar
Pavewaya laser-guided bomb system
Picklepress the button for weapon release
PMCpresident of the mess committee, the officer in charge of the mess
PNBpower nozzle braking: use of engine thrust to slow down on the ground
PSA1prefabricated surfacing aluminium no 1 (possibly PSA interlocking), the planks used to build operating surfaces
PSPpersonal survival pack
QFIqualified flying instructor
QWIqualified weapons instructor
RAFATRAF Aerobatic Team – The Red Arrows
RAFGRAF Germany
R & Rrest and recuperation
RBL755the BL755 cluster bomb with a radar altimeter for delayed opening
RERoyal Engineers
RICreconnaissance intelligence centre
ROErules of engagement
RTBreturn to base
RVrendezvous
RVLrolling vertical landing
RVTOrolling vertical take-off
RWRradar warning receiver
SACEURsupreme allied commander Europe
SAOEUstrike attack operational evaluation unit
SAPsimulated attack profile
SappersRoyal Engineers
SARBEsearch and rescue beacon, a small emergency radio
SASOsenior air staff officer
SDSRstrategic defence and security review
SEADsuppression of enemy air defences
SLslow landing
SMSstores management system
SNCOsenior non-commissioned officer
SNEBfrom Société Nouvelle des Établissements Edgar Brandt, a podded unguided rocket weapon
Sniperan advanced targeting pod, with sensors and laser designator
SOFsupervisor of flying
SOPstandard operating procedure
STCAAMEStrike Command air-to-air missile establishment
STOshort take-off
STOVLshort take-off, vertical landing
Tacevaltactical evaluation
TACPtactical air control party: FAC and support
TACSOPtactical standard operating procedures
Tallyor tally ho, radio call meaning I can see the target and need no further assistance
Termaan infra-red countermeasures (flare) system
TOTtime over target
TRU transformer/rectifier unit
TWUtactical weapons unit
V/STOLvertical/short take-off and landing
VIFF(thrust) vectoring in forward flight
VLvertical landing
VMCvisual meteorological conditions
VSIvertical speed indicator
VTOvertical take-off
WACweapon aiming computer
XOexecutive officer – the second in command of a squadron
ZuluOption Zulu – pre-planned attack plans for countering Soviet aggression