Aviation Terms
There are currently 116 terms in this directory
AAA/Triple A
Anti-Aircraft Artillery, cannons and machine guns designed for anti- aircraft use from the ground.
ACM
Air Combat Maneuvering, a term encompassing maneuvers primarily within visual range combat, intending to bring an aircraft into a good shooting position in air-to-air combat.
AIM-120
Later generation air-to-air radar-guided missile, considered one of the best missiles in the world. Guided by Active Radar Homing.
AIM-7
An early generation air-to-air radar-guided missile, poorly received when it was introduced. Improved and upgraded over the years until it became adequate in the 1980s. Guided by Semi-Active Radar Homing.
AIM-9
An infrared heat-seeking short-range air-to-air missile. Earlier versions can only track a tail-on aspect due to seeker limits, while later versions have an all-aspect capability, with the X version being the most advanced to date, with thrust vectoring.
AIR
Air Inflatable Retarder, a fin kit similar to the Snakeye, but instead using a ballute to slow down. Cheaper and can be used at greater speeds than the older Snakeye fin kit.
AK47/AK-47
A reference toward the Avtomat Kalashnikova (lit. Kalashnikov's Automatic Device) assault rifle, generally inaccurate. AK, AKS, AKM, AKMS, AK-74 generally refer to this weapon and its derivatives, despite stark differences between them.
ARH
Active Radar Homing, a radar guidance method where the missile contains its own radar to guide itself to its target. Generally requires the launching unit to illuminate the target until it can activate its own radar.
AV-8B
A single seat variation of the Harrier T.4 and Harrier GR.3 aircraft, redesigned for more specific CAS purposes for the US military.
Call sign
A name given to a pilot or crew for radio usage. Based on something infamous or notable, more often embarrassing, that the person in question has done. May also be set by operational circumstances.
CAS
Close Air Support, a method of aerial attack where friendly ground forces in close proximity to hostile forces are directly supported by aircraft. Does not invoke aircraft to act as aerial cheerleaders.
CBU
Cluster Bomb Unit, a designation for a cluster bomb or droppable canister containing sub-munitions such as bomblets or mines.
CCIP
Continuously Calculated Impact Point, a method of projecting aiming information for a weapon in real-time onto an aiming device like a HUD.
CCRP
Continuously Calculated Release Point, a method where a point is designated for weapons release and aiming symbology is projected toward the release point.
Chaff
Metallic strips of metal used to saturate radar systems and obscure detection by reflecting back signals. Combat aircraft generally carry launchers that deploy “bundles” of chaff.
Claymore
Generally refers to the M18 anti-personnel mine, a curved mine that has ball bearings backed by explosives.
Countermeasures
Generally referring to chaff or flare, but may also refer to decoys or electronic jamming.
ECM
Electronic countermeasures, generally meaning “jamming” or creation of electronic noise to break a hostile sensor lock.
F-15
Late Cold War fighter jet, primarily used for air combat. Also comes in an attack variation, used for deep strike missions.
F-18/F/A-18
Late Cold War naval fighter jet, multirole and highly maneuverable. Derived from the same program that led to the F-16.
Fagot
Brevity code for the MiG-15 fighter. Common Russian/Soviet fighter aircraft. No, it does not mean what you think it means: in the 1950s, it would refer to a bundle of wood.
Fishbed
Brevity code for the MiG-21 fighter. One of the most common fighter aircraft across the world.
Flanker
Brevity code for the Su-27 fighter aircraft. Generally used as a medium-range patrol fighter.
Flare
A pyrotechnic device that can be used in a signal capacity or a countermeasure capacity. As a signal, it gives off a bright color or smoke for position and/or status indication. As a countermeasure, it gives off extreme heat in an attempt to deceive IR guided missiles.
Fly-by-wire
A method of flight control where the aircraft is controlled by computer inputs instead of directly by the pilot's controls. The pilot “tells” the computer where the aircraft should go and the computer moves the control surfaces as required.
Fulcrum
Brevity code for the MiG-29 fighter aircraft. Generally used as a short-range point-defense fighter.
G-LOC
G-force-induced Loss of Consciousness, a critical condition where the pilot or crew pass out from excessive G-forces. Highly dangerous.
Guard
Referring to either the 121.5MHz or 243MHz frequency bands for emergency radio communications. Sometimes used to refer to Guard military units, an auxiliary or reserve component of the USA's militaries.
HMD
Helmet Mounted Display; similar to a HUD, except the display is attached to the pilot's helmet and displays the information in front of their eyes.
HUD
Heads Up Display, an instrument normally at the top center of an aircraft's dash, used for displaying various flight and targeting symbology.
IFF
Identify Friend-or-Foe, a system that allows identification of whether or not an aircraft is friendly. Despite the name, the system cannot positively identify foes, only aircraft using the accepted “friend” codes.
Lead
Refers to a flight leader, those in charge of a 2 ship or 4 ship flight. May also refer to pulling lead, a term for leading a target for a ballistic weapon.
MANPADS
Man Portable Air Defense System, indicating all forms of lightweight missiles and launchers intended to be used by one man to defend airspace. SA-7 “Grail,” SA-18 “Igla,” FIM-43 “Redeye,” and FIM-92 “Stinger” are all encompassed by this term.
MFD
Multi-Function Display, a small display used for depicting various information in the aircraft, from flight, engine, to targeting and weapons data.
MI6
Military Intelligence, section 6, an old term that refers to the current United Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Service. Used for foreign intelligence by the UK government.
Mk80/81/82/83/84
Mark 80 series bombs, a common warhead with interchangeable fuse and fin kits. Mk81 is the lightest, with a 250lb all-up weight; Mk82 at 500lb; Mk83 at 1000lb; and Mk84 at 2000lb. Various kits exist to turn these bombs into precision weapons, high-drag weapons, air-burst weapons, etc.
PGM
Precision Guided Munition, a term encompassing a number of weapons that are highly accurate, usually having some form of advanced guidance system. This includes unpowered and powered weapons.
Pickle
Typically the button on the back of a flight stick used for ordnance release. Refers to the older era designation of “pickle barrel,” a term used for bombing accuracy. To pickle means release ordnance, most commonly bombs.
R-13/K-13/R-3/AA-2
A Soviet Union reverse engineered version of the early AIM- 9 missiles, almost completely interchangeable.
RCS
Reaction Control System, a mechanic used to direct thrust in certain directions for control. May also refer to Radar Cross Section, a metric used for determining the potential for a radar to detect the specified object.
Ripple
An indication of how many weapons will be released at certain distances or intervals in a single attack run.
RWR
Radar Warning Receiver, a device that receives radar signals and classifies them according to a known frequency database.
RWS
Range While Search, a radar mechanism that provides ranging of targets while searching for others.
SA-10
Code for the S-300 missile system, also known as “ Grumble.” Long-range theatre defense SAM system.
SA-11
Code for the 9K37 “Buk” missile system, also known as “ Gadfly.” Medium-range SAM system, a successor to the SA-6.
SARH
Semi-Active Radar Homing, a radar guidance method where the launching unit illuminates the target with radar signals and the missile homes in on the reflected energy.
SHORAD
Short-range air defense, generally referring to air defenses that can hit no higher than 10,000ft.
Slot Back
Brevity code for the N019 and N001 radars used on the MiG-29 “Fulcrum” and Su-27 “Flanker” aircraft.
Snakes/Snakeye
A particular fin kit for Mk80 series bombs, used for high-drag capability. The rear of the bomb is triggered to open into a four petal arrangement after being dropped to significantly slow it down, allowing for low altitude drops and thus allow the dropping aircraft to escape the blast radius.
T.4
Harrier T.4, a two seat Cold War era V/ STOL capable aircraft, intended for training pilots on the Harrier GR.3 aircraft.
TGP
Targeting pod, an accessory normally taking up an external hardpoint on an aircraft to provide imagery or data for target acquisition and designation.
Tone
Slang for the sound given by most IR guided missile systems. Early missile systems were not linked to any visual cue indications, so a sound was substituted to indicate a lock and strength of lock.
TWS
Track While Search, a radar tracking mechanism that builds “tracks” of contacts for missile guidance. Developed in the 1960s for the Apollo space program, the mechanism is one of the early ways of allowing radar systems to track multiple targets and guide missiles to those targets.
V/STOL/VTOL
Vertical/Short Take Off and Landing, a capability applied to certain kinds of aircraft, generally fixed wing. The designation indicates the aircraft is capable of short take off or vertical take off in some conditions, while also being able to land vertically or short.
Weapons hot
A term to indicate that the user's weapons have been armed and are ready for use. Also used to order to prepare weapons for use.
ZSU
In Soviet/Russian terms, encompasses a number of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns; in western terms, generally refers to the ZSU-23-4 “Shilka” self-propelled anti-aircraft system.