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Air Combat Terms
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AAR
Air-to-Air Refueling. The process of transferring fuel between two or more
aircraft in flight.
abort
To cancel a flight mission, either before takeoff or in the air, because of
aircraft or other problems.To terminate a preplanned aircraft maneuver.
ACM
Air Combat Maneuvering. US Navy term for techniques used in air combat. See
also BFM.
AD
Air Division. Consists of several AF wings of aircraft operating out of different
bases.
AFB
Air Force Base. Airfield and military installation under the jurisdiction
of the Air Force.
Air Medal
A U.S. decoration for valor or meritorious achievement during aerial flight.
Air Wing
The composition of squadrons deployed to an aircraft carrier, distinctly separate
from ship's company. Typically 2 VF squads, 2 VFA squads, 1 VAQ squad, 1 VAW
squad, 1 HS squad, & 1 VQ Det.
alpha strike
A large air strike conducted by an air wing where a majority of the air wing's
aircraft types are used.
angels
US Navy term for altitude. Given in thousands of feet, so "angels 6" represents
6,000 feet.
ATC
Air Training Command. Trains all USAF flying and support personnel.
auger
To crash an aircraft.
B & Z
Boom & Zoom. A style of fighter attack utilizing energy as opposed to
manueverability. The method consists of "booming" the target by diving on
it from higher altitude, and then after the firing pass "zooming" back up
to relative safety.
bandit
Any hostile or enemy aircraft.
BARCAP
BARrier Combat Air Patrol. Air patrols designed to protect an asset by flying
some distance from the it between it and the expected threat.
BDA
Bomb Damage Assessment. Intelligence gained by overflight or reconnaissance
assessing the bomb damage of an air strike.
Be-No's
Air Force regulations, which often begin, "There will be no..."
BFM
Basic Fighter Maneuvers. US Air Force term for techniques used in air combat.
See also ACM.
bingo
Minimum fuel level plus reserve for safe return to ship or airfield.
bogey
Any unidentified aircraft.
bolter
A missed trap.
bounce
For one aircraft to be unexpecedly attacked by another.
BRC
Base Recovery Course. The heading of an aircraft carrier when naval aviators
are ready to recover on their mobile airbase.
break
1. The point at which a formation "breaks" for landing, usually over the intended
touchdown point.
2. The 'maximum g' displacement of an aircraft's flight path. (see break turn)
3. The call given in extremis to get someone to execute a break turn. ie "Rider
21 BREAK LEFT NOW!"
brief
aka briefing. To plan and discuss the tactics of a combat mission prior to
takeoff.
BTH
Beyond the Horizon. Over the horizon, hidden from view.
bug, bug out
To run away.
BVR
Beyond Visual Range. Out of sight of the unaided eye, usually refers to radar-guided
missile engagements. The downside to a BVR engagement is that without visual
ID of the target the possibility of "friendly fire" increases.
CAP
Combat Air Patrol. Air mission designed to protect air or surface assets.
CAS
Close Air Support. An air mission that provides support in close proximity
to ground troops, usually directed by an Air Liaison Officer and/or Forward
Air Controller.
CATCC
Carrier Air Traffic Control Center. The air traffic control authority for
an aircraft carrier. Pronounced cat-see
CIC
Combat Information Center. The room onboard ship that contains all the systems
necessary to direct the ships weapons in a combat situation.
click
Kilometer.
combat pay
Hazardous duty pay.
COMINT
COMmunications INTelligence. Intelligence gained through the analysis of enemy
communications.
CSAR
Combat Search And Rescue. SAR conducted under combat conditions.
cycle
When a flight of aircraft refuels in turn from a tanker while in formation.
Det
Detachment. A portion of a squadron or unit detached for temporary duty.
DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross. A US decoration for heroism or extraordinary achievment
during aerial operations.
Dog
Ice cream served aboard aircraft carriers. 3 flavors--red, white, brown
down
To be out of commission; not heard from, e.g., "The MiGs were down during
our strike."
down the slide
To dive to release ordnance.
downtown
Nickname for Hanoi, and to a lesser extent Baghdad, taken from the song of
the same name made popular by Petula Clark in the sixties.
E
Energy. "Speed is life" is not entirely accurate. It is actually Energy which
is life for a combat pilot. Generally thought of in two forms: Kinetic Energy,
represented by speed, and Potential Energy, represented by altitude. To some
extent one can be traded for the other, but hard and frequent maneuvering
will bleed E away until you are a sitting duck.
E & E
Escape and Evasion. The training and tactics to be used by downed flyers in
hostile territory which with luck will prevent their incarceration and get
them back to friendly forces.
E-fighter
A type of fighter aircraft suited to high speed attack, but not dogfighting,
or a pilot who practices B & Z energy tactics. Usually refers to WWII
aircraft.
egress
To depart a target area.
eject
Punch out. To be catapulted from an aircraft in an emergency and then parachuted
to earth.
ELINT
ELectronic INTelligence. Intelligence gained through analysis of electronic
signals.
EMCON
EMissions CONtrol. The shipboard/airborne condition of conducting operations
with no electronic emissions.
FCLP
Field Carrier Landing Practice. Practice carrier landings at a land base outfitted
to represent a carrier deck. Also called bounce practice.
flameout
Unintended loss of combustion in turbine engines resulting in the loss of
engine power.
flight
Two or more aircraft flying in formation under the command of a flight leader
in the number one aircraft.
flight load
The total weight of an aircraft during flight.
fluid four
A formation of four aircraft just prior to arriving at a target area; flying
at the same altitude about 1500 feet apart laterally, they may vary 500 feet
in fore and aft alignment, thus maximizing their electronic jamming capabilities
and permitting them to protect each other's tails from enemy aircraft.
FQ
Forward Quarter. An angle coming from or towards the front portion of the
airframe.
frag
The scheduled target and tactics for a specific combat mission; v. to schedule
a certain target and tactics.
freq
Radio frequency.
furball
A thickly populated dogfight.
G
A unit of force equal to the force of gravity times one. See Load Factor.
GCI
Ground Controlled Intercept. An agency which effects aircraft inflight joinups
by radar and voice directions.
GI
Government Issue. US government issue; also, an American fighting man.
golden BB
A projectile destined by fate since time began to be the one to shoot down
a flyer.
greyout
Greyout occurs when gravitational stresses impair the flow of blood to your
brain. Loss of vision and, eventually, consciousness, can occur when you pull
heavy G's.
hassling
Practicing air-to-air combat.
hazard pay
Hazardous duty pay, or combat pay.
hit the silk
To eject or otherwise bail out of an aircraft.
HM
Medium Helicopter Squadron. US Navy designation for a medium Helo squadron.
home drome
The base where an aircraft is permanently stationed.
hootch
A hut or building; fighter pilots both live in and attack them.
HS
ASW Helicopter Squadron. US Navy designation for Helicopter training squadron.
HT
Helicopter Training Squadron. US Navy designation for Anti-submarine Helicopter
squadron.
H2H
Head-to-Head.
HUD
Heads-Up Display. A plate of glass placed at an angle in front of the pilot,
focused so that it appears to project all critical flight information directly
in the pilot's line of sight.
IR
Infra-red. A range of light not visible to the naked eye. Primarily used for
night vision or weapons targeting.
Iron hand
USN term for SEAD missions; can also refer to naval pilots or aircraft tasked
to such missions.
jamming
Electronic or mechanical interference which may disrupt the display of aircraft
on radar or the transmission/reception of radio communications/navigation.
jettison
Airborne release of external stores, either because of inflight emergency,
to prepare for air combat, or in some cases for safety's sake prior to landing.
LAR
1. Launch Acceptability Range. The acceptable range within which a weapon
should be used.
2. Looks About Right. A very complex method of weapons delivery utilizing
hand/eye coordination, divine inspiration, and luck; akin to "using the Force."
launch
The act taking off on a mission, and especially the catapulting of aircraft
from an aircraft carrier.
Load Factor
The proportion between lift and weight commonly called "g."
Mach
The ratio of true airspeed to the speed of sound. Mach 1 is the speed of sound.
MIGCAP
MiG CAP. Combat air patrol for the interdiction of enemy fighters.
mike-mike
Millimeter; e.g., 20 mike-mike refers to a 20 mm gun.
mil
Incremental settings for the aiming reticle of an airborne weapons delivery
sight. Short for milliradian or 17.5 degrees of arc.
mil power
Military power. Standard engine levels as compared to War Emergency Power
or use of afterburners.
milk run
A relatively safe combat mission.
ML
Missile Launch. Usually used in briefings or debriefings.
NAS
Naval Air Station. Airfield and military installation under the jurisdiction
of the USN.
NFWS
Naval Fighter Weapons School, aka Top Gun. School at NAS Miramar (Fightertown
USA) where top fighter crews are sent to hone their skills even further, and
in turn take the knowledge gained back to their fellows in the fleet.
NORDO
NO RaDiO. Refers to aircraft that do not have or have lost the ability to
communicate by radio.
O'clock
Relative position of another aircraft or object to yours; dead ahead would
be at twelve o'clock, directly behind would be at six, and so on.
O-Club
Officer's Club.
OAP
Offset Aiming Point. Used in radar bombing.
Operations (Ops)
An operational office that directs, schedules and monitors air combat missions.
over-the-top
Above the layer of clouds or other obscuring phenomena forming the ceiling.
P(K); Pk
Probability of Kill. A ratio expressing the effectiveness of a weapon system
under a very specific set of conditions. NOT an indication of actual combat
effectiveness; it is used to quantify a systems performance for varied conditions,
the increase or decrease in performance as changes are made to the system,
or to compare a different system of the same type.
pass
To dive or lunge at a hostile aircraft; a dive run over a target; over a heavily
defended target, the motto was "one pass-haul ass!" which meant to release
all the ordnance in one run.
per cent
Usually refers to throttle or acceleration speed, e.g., 80 percent of maximum
speed available.
perch
The higher altitude position from which one dives on (hopefully) unsuspecting
enemy aircraft and then climbs back to after the firing pass in an attempt
to conserve E.
pickle
The button to release ordnance. To push said button.
PIM
Position of Intended Movement. The projected position of an aircraft carrier
given to briefed flight crews for finding the carrier at mission completion.
pitch out
A sharp bank to the right or left to position a fighter for landing.
POL
Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants. A designation for petroleum and fuel storage sites.
pop up
To climb rapidly.
press
To fly below a pre-planned weapon release altitude.
PriFly
The lair of the Air Boss, it allows a fairly unrestricted view of his entire
domain, the flight deck.
prohibited area
Designated airspace within which flight is prohibited.
pucker string
An apocryphal part of the pilot's anatomy which when figuratively pulled causes
one's bottom end to constrict in fear.
punch, punch out
To eject from an aircraft.
Purple Heart
A US military award to those wounded in combat.
R and R, R & R
Rest and Rehabilitation. Leave; military jargon for a vacation away from one's
normal place of duty.
recce
Air reconnaissance.
recovery
See 'trap'. The landing of aircraft aboard an aircraft carrier.
redout
Redout occurs when negative gravitational stresses force blood to the brain.
The excess blood causes ones vision to go red.
regs
Regulations.
RESCAP
REScue Combat Air Patrol. Air operations providing cover for rescue operations.
ripple
To drop a number of bombs in a series of closely timed releases on a single
bomb run.
ROE
Rules of Engagement. The guidelines governing whether one is allowed to open
fire or return fire. In normal peacetime conditions, the ROE generally boil
down to "Do not fire unless fired upon."
RTU
Replacement Training Unit. AF unit which trains aircrew members stateside
for operational duty.
SA
Situational Awareness. The concept of tracking the local conditions which
most directly affect your decision making process.
SAC
Strategic Air Command. The USAF agency responsible for strategic aircraft
and missiles during the Cold War; now Strategic Command.
safe zone
A relatively safe helicopter pick-up zone for a flyer downed in hostile territory.
SAM break
Evasive action taken to avoid a SAM.
SAR
Search And Rescue. Mission for the search and recovery of downed airmen.
SEAD
Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, aka Wild Weasel, Iron Hand. Neutralization
of enemy radar installations, SAMs and AAA sites.
shack
A direct hit on a target, usually radar directed.
short-timing
Being near the end of one's combat tour.
Sierra Hotel
An exclamation of high praise; also, the mythical place where pilots deserving
of such praise reside.
Six
Six o'clock, or behind an aircraft's tail.
smoke
A white phosphorus marker used by a FAC to indicate a ground target to an
attacking aircraft.
soft load
An aircraft armed with rockets, cannon, or napalm, rather than bombs.
squawked my parrot
To set an airborne emergency signal transmitter on automatic and continuous
transmission.
stallfight
A dogfight occurring near stall speed. A stallfighter is an aircraft that
excels at slow speed turns and maneuvers. See B & Z.
stand down
A period of non-flying because of poor weather, required maintenance, or the
like.
steer
A compass heading to a destination.
TAC departures
Tactical aircraft departing on a combat mission.
TDY
Temporary DutY assignment. A short-term release from your regular duty post
for the purpose of performing duty elsewhere.
TLA
Three Letter Acronym. One of the basic building blocks of the language of
the military.
TOC
Tactical Operations Center. The tactical operations center of an AF fighter
wing.
top rudder
During knife-edge flight, the rudder position angling upwards.
TOT
Time Over Target. The amount of time spent engaged over the mission target.
trail
One behind the other in a straight line, as in "aircraft in trail" or "bombs
in trail."
trap
See recovery. A landing aboard an aircraft carrier where the tailhook engages
a cross-deck pendant, bringing the aircraft to a halt; the act of successfully
making such a landing.
up
Operationally active and a threat to aircraft; e.g., "The SAMs/MiGs/acks were
up."
VA
Attack Acft Squadron. US Navy obsolete designation for dedicated attack squadrons.
VAQ
Electronic Warfare Squadron. US Navy designation for Electronic Warfare squadron.
Primary acft the EA-6B.
VAW
Airborne Early Warning Squadron. US Navy designation for Airborne Early Warning
squadrons. Primary aircraft is the E-2.
vector
A compass heading to fly.
VF
Fighter/Interceptor Squadron. US Navy designation for Fighter/Interceptor
squadrons. Primary aircraft is the F-14.
VFA
Multi-role Fighter Squadron. US Navy designation for Fighter/Attack (multi-role)
squadrons. Primary aircraft is the F/A-18.
VP
Patrol Squadron. US Navy designation for Patrol squadrons. Primary aircraft
is the P-3.
VS
Antisubmarine Squadron. US Navy designation for fixed wing Anti-submarine
warfare squadrons. Primary aircraft is the S-3A.
VT
Training Squadron. US Navy designation for Training squadrons. Primary aircraft
is the S-3A.
VX
Experimental/Op Eval Squadron. US Navy designation for test and evaluation
squadrons.
wave-off
A landing rejected by the Landing Signal Officer.
WEP
War Emergency Power. Refers to WWII aircraft.
Wild Weasel
USAF term for SEAD missions; also, the pilots and aircraft tasked with such
missions.
Wing
In the AF, consists of several squadrons of approximately 25 aircraft each,
plus the men and equipment to support them; the smallest USAF unit capable
of completely independent operations.
WOD
Wind Over Deck. The relative wind caused by an aircraft carrier's motion.
Usually the carrier is turned so the actual wind is aligned down the axial
carrier deck during recovery.
zapped
To get hit by enemy antiaircraft, missile, or ground fire.