In this article you will find abbreviations which are used throughout the aviation and aircraft spotters world, and as such commonly used on this Website (including the Message Board) and Scramble magazine. They do not include those confined to a single aircraft manufacturer or air force (like unit designations).
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| AMCM
| Airborne Mine Countermeasures
|
| ATHS
| Automatic Target Handoff System
|
| ASUW
| Anti Surface Warfare
|
| AA
| Air-to-Air
|
| AAA
| Anti-Aircraft Artillery.
|
| AAC
| Army Air Corps
|
| AAF
| Auxiliary Air Force.
|
| AAF
| Army Airfield.
|
| AAH
| Advanced Attack Helicopter
|
| AAM
| Air-to-Air Missile.
|
| AATH
| Automatic approach to hover.
|
| AB
| Aktiebolag (Swedish company constitution).
|
| ACARS
| Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
|
| ACE
| Actuator control electronics.
|
| ACF
| Air Combat Fighter. Eventually evolved into F-16 Fighting Falcon.
|
| ACN
| Aircraft classification number (ICAO system for aircraft pavements).
|
| Act
| Active (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| ADC
| Air data computer.
|
| Add
| Addition (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| ADF
| Medium-frequency automatic direction-finding (equipment).
|
| ADG
| Accessory-drive generator.
|
| ADI
| Attitude/director indicator.
|
| AESA
| Active Electronically Scanned Array (radar).
|
| AFCS
| Automatic flight control system.
|
| AFE
| Alternative Fighter Engine
|
| AFRP
| Aramid fibre-reinforced plastics.
|
| AHRS
| Attitude/heading reference system.
|
| AIDS
| Airborne integrated data system.
|
| AIP
| Aeronautical Information Publication
|
| AIS
| Advanced instrumentation subsystem.
|
| Alt
| Altitude
|
| ANVIS
| Aviator's night vision system.
|
| AO
| Aktsionernoye Obshchestvo (Co Ltd; Russian company constitution).
|
| AOA
| Angle of Attack
|
| AOOT
| Aktsionernoye Obshchestvo Oktrytogo Tipa (Russian company constitution).
|
| AOP
| Aircraft on Pier
|
| APR
| Auxiliary power reserve.
|
| Apt
| Airport
|
| APU
| Auxiliary Power Unit
|
| Arr
| Arrival
|
| ARINC
| Aeronautical Radio Inc, US company whose electronic box sizes (racking sizes) are the international standard.
|
| ASE
| (1) Automatic stabilisation equipment;
(2) Aircraft survivability equipment.
|
| ASEA
| Active Electronically Scanned Array (radar)
|
| ASI
| Airspeed indicator.
|
| ASTOVL
| Advanced STOVL.
|
| ASW
| Anti-Submarine Warfare.
|
| ATA
| Actual Time of Arrival
|
| ATC
| Air Traffic Control
|
| ATD
| Actual Time of Departure
|
| ATDS
| Airborne tactical data system.
|
| ATGM
| Air-To-Ground Missile.
|
| ATHS
| Airborne target handover (US, handoff) system.
|
| ATIS
| Automatic Terminal Information Service (recorded voice message that provides weather and airport services information)
|
| ATPCS
| Automatic take-off power control system.
|
| ATR
| Airline Transport Radio ARINC 404 black box racking standards.
|
| a/c
| Aircraft
|
| a/w
| All white (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| CAA
| Civil Aviation Authority (UK).
|
| COIN
| Counter Insurgency.
|
| COTS
| commercial off-the-shelf
|
| CAAC
| Civil Aviation Authority of China
|
| CAD/CAM
| Computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacture.
|
| CV
| Carrier Variant (e.g. the F-35C or US Navy pennant nomenclature for aircraft carriers (e.g. CV-60).
|
| CRL
| Common Rail Launcher
|
| CAHI
| Central Aero and Hydrodynamics Institute of the Russian Federation; also transliterated as TsAGI.
|
| CAS
| (1) Calibrated airspeed, ASI calibrated to allow for air compressibility according to ISA S/L;
(2) close air support.
|
Can
Canx
| Cancelled
|
| Cat
| Category. Meanings include runway visibility and decision height minima for ILS.
|
| CBU
| Cluster Bomb Unit
|
| CCD
| Charge Coupled Device
|
| CCV
| Control-configured vehicle.
|
| CEP
| Circular Error Probable (a circle, centered about the mean, whose boundary is expected to include 50% of the population within it)
|
| CFRP
| Carbon fibre-reinforced plastics.
|
| CG
| Center of Gravity
|
| CMDS
| Countermeasures Dispenser System
|
| CofA
| Certificate of Airworthiness; awarded to each individual aircraft.
|
| corr
| Correction (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation
|
| CPL
| Commercial Pilot's Licence
|
| CRR
| Crew reasons
|
| C-SAR
| Combat Search and Rescue
|
| CSAS
| Command and stability augmentation system (part of AFCS).
|
| CSD
| Constant-speed drive (output shaft speed held steady, no matter how input may vary). Used to enable an alternator to generate AC at a fixed frequency.
|
| CTOL
| Conventional take-off and landing.
|
| CVR
| Cockpit voice recorder.
|
| cvtd
| Converted (to) (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| c/n
| Construction number
|
| c/s
| Call sign
color scheme
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| DADC
| Digital air data computer.
|
| DADS
| Digital air data system.
|
| DA/FD
| Digital autopilot/flight director.
|
| dam
| Damaged (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| DARPA
| Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (US) (briefly ARPA before February 1996).
|
| dbr
| Damaged beyond (economical) repair
|
| d/d
| Delivery date
|
| DECU
| Digital engine (or electronic) control unit.
|
| del
| Delivery/delivered
|
| dep
| Departure/departed
|
| der
| Derelict (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| DERA
| Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (UK). Divided, 2001, as QinetiQ and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
|
| DF
| Direction-finder, or direction-finding.
|
| DGAC
| Direction Generale a l'Aviation Civile. French certification authority.
|
| DIRCM
| Directional Infrared Countermeasure, e.g. the Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-24 Nemesis
|
| Div
| Diversion/diverted
|
| DLT
| Delayed
|
| DME
| Distance Measuring Equipment (ground navigational aid that can provide display of distance to selected ground navigational radio transmitter)
|
| DoD
| Department of Defence
|
| DSI
| Divertless Supersonic Intakes
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| ETOPS
| Extended Twin Operations
|
| EHF
| Extremely High Frequency
|
| EDECU
| Enhanced Digital Engine Control Unit
|
| ECS
| Environmental Conditioning System
|
| EAA
| Experimental Aircraft Association (divided into local branches called Chapters).
|
| EIS
| Entry Into Service (date)
|
| ETA
| Estimated Time of Arrival (more or less the civil equivalant of Time Over Target)
|
| EAS
| Equivalent airspeed, RAS minus correction for compressibility.
|
| EASA
| European Aviation Safety Agency.
|
| ECM
| Electronic Counter Measures.
|
| ECP
| Engineering Change Proposal
|
| EEZ
| Economic exclusion (or exclusive-economic) zone.
|
| EFIS
| Electronic flight instrument(ation) system, in which large multifunction CRT displays replace traditional instruments.
|
| EGPWS
| Enhanced ground proximity warning system
|
| EGT
| Exhaust gas temperature.
|
| EICAS
| Engine indication (and) crew alerting system.
|
| elint
| electronics intelligence.
|
| ELT
| Emergency locator transmitter, to help rescuers home on to a disabled or crashed aircraft.
|
| EMD
| Engineering and manufacturing development.
|
| EMP
| Electromagnetic pulse of nuclear or electronic origin.
|
| EMS
| Emergency Medical Service
|
| EO
| Electro-optical.
|
| EPNL
| Effective perceived noise level.
|
| EPNdB
| Effective perceived noise decibel, SI unit of EPNL.
|
| EPU
| Emergency power unit (part of aircraft, not used for propulsion).
|
| ESM
| Electronic Support Measures.
|
| ETA
| Estimated Time of Arrival (updated STA)
|
| ETD
| Estimated Time of Departure (updated STD)
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| FAA
| Federal Aviation Administration.
|
| FCR
| Fire Control Radar
|
| FSAT
| Full Scale Aerial Target.
|
| FAAPC
| FAA Production Certificate.
|
| FAATC
| FAA Type Certificate.
|
| FADEC
| Full-authority digital engine (or electronic) control.
|
| FAI
| Federation Aeronautique Internationale.
|
| FAR
| Federal Aviation Regulations
|
| FAR Pt 23
| Defines the airworthiness of private and air taxi aeroplanes of 5,670 kg (12,500 lb) MTOW and below.
|
| FAR Pt 25
| Defines the airworthiness of public transport aeroplanes exceeding 5,670 kg (12,500 lb) MTOW.
|
| FBL
| Fly-by-light.
|
| FBO
| Fixed Based Operator
|
| FBW
| Fly-by-wire.
|
| fcf
| Functional Check Flight.
|
| FCS
| Flight control system.
|
| fcs
| Full colour scheme (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| FDR
| Flight data recorder.
|
| FDS
| Flight director system.
|
| FL
| Flight Level. Notional altitude for air traffic control purposes which assumes ISA
|
| FLIR
| Forward Looking Infra Red.
|
| f/f
| First flight
|
| FMCS
| Flight management computer system.
|
| FMS
| (1) Foreign military sales (US DoD)
(2) Flight management system.
|
| FOD
| Foreign-object damage.
|
| FPA
| Focal Plain Array
|
| FRADU
| Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Unit (UK).
|
| FSD
| Full-scale development.
|
| FSED
| Full-scale engineering development.
|
| FTT
| Flight Test Tapes
|
| FY
| Fiscal year; in US government affairs, runs from 1 October to 30 September (FY02 began 1 October 2001)
in Japan, from 1 April (FY13 or FY01 began 1 April 2001).
|
| f/n
| First noted (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| f/v
| First visit (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| g
| Acceleration due to mean Earth gravity, that is of a body in free-fall; or acceleration due to rapid change of direction of flight path.
|
| GA
| General Aviation
|
| GCC
| Gulf Co-operation Council (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar).
|
| GCAS
| Ground Collision Avoidance System
|
| GFRP
| Glass fibre-reinforced plastics.
|
| GmbH
| Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftpflicht (or Haftung) (German company constitution).
|
| GPS
| Global Positioning System, US military/civil satellite-based precision navaid.
|
| GPU
| Ground power unit (not part of aircraft).
|
| GPWS
| Ground-proximity warning system.
|
| GS
| Glideslope.
|
| GUP
| (1) Gosudarstvennoye Unitarnoye Predpriyatie (Russian State Unitary Enterprise).
(2) ground-adjustable pitch
|
| Gvmt
| Government
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| HDU
| Hose Drum Unit
|
| HALE
| High Altitude Long Endurance
|
| HF
| High Frequency
|
| HMCS
| Helmet Mounted Cueing System
|
| HOCAC
| Hands on cyclic and collective.
|
| HOTAS
| Hands on throttle and stick.
|
| HP
| High pressure (HPC, compressor; HPT, turbine).
|
| hp
| Horsepower, non-SI unit of power.
|
| HSI
| Horizontal situation indicator.
|
| HTS
| AN/ASQ-213A HARM targeting system. Used to target AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles.
|
| HUD
| Head-up display (bright numbers and symbols projected on pilot's aiming sight glass and focused on infinity so that pilot can simultaneously read display and look ahead). The term is increasingly rendered in the USA as heads up, which is incorrect.
|
| head-down display
| On the cockpit instrument panel (as distinct from a HUD).
|
| head-level display
| Immediately below HUD.
|
| h/o
| Handed over
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| IAS
| Indicated airspeed, airspeed indicator reading corrected for instrument error.
|
| IPP
| Integrated Power Package (developed by Honeywell for the F-35)
|
| IATA
| International Air Transport Association.
|
| IR
| Infra Red, part of the electromagnetic spectrum covering the range from roughly 300 GHz (1 mm) to 400 THz (750 nm). See Electromagnetic spectrum
|
| IRST
| Infra Red Search and Track
|
| ICAO
| International Civil Aviation Organisation.
|
| IDG
| Integrated-drive generator.
|
| IFF
| Identification friend or foe.
|
| IFR
| Instrument Flight Rules
|
| IGE
| In ground effect: helicopter performance with theoretical flat horizontal surface just below it (for example mountain).
|
| IHE
| Insensitive High Explosive
|
| ILS
| Instrument Landing System
|
| IMS
| Integrated multiplex system.
|
| INAS
| Integrated nav/attack system.
|
| Inc
| Incorporated (company constitution).
|
| INS
| Inertial navigation system.
|
| IOC
| Initial Operational Capability.
|
| IRS
| Inertial reference system.
|
| ISA
| International Standard Atmosphere (1013.25 mb, 1,225 g/m3 and 15?C at mean sea level; lapse rate 1.98?C per 1,000 ft up to -56.5?C at 36,090 ft).
|
| ISAR
| Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar
|
| ISTAR
| Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance
|
| i/a
| Instructional airframe (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| i/s
| In service
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| JMSDF
| Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
|
| JASDF
| Japan Air Self-Defense Force
|
| J
| Joule, SI unit of energy.
|
| JAA
| Joint Aviation Authorities
|
| JAR
| Joint Aviation Requirements, agreed by all major EC countries (JAR 25 equivalent to FAR Pt 25).
|
| JAR-VLA
| JAR classification for Very Light Aircraft (MTOW limit of 750 kg; 1,653 lb).
|
| JCAB
| Japan Civil Airworthiness Board.
|
| JHMCS
| Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Sight
|
| JMPS
| Joint Mission Planning System.
|
| JTIDS
| Joint Tactical Information Distribution System.
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| LAMPS
| Light airborne multipurpose system.
|
| LORAN
| LOng RAnge Navigation system. Terrestrial radio navigation system using low frequency radio transmitters in multiple deployment (multilateration) to determine the location and speed of the receiver.
|
| LAPES
| Low-altitude parachute extraction system.
|
lb
lbs
| pounds (weight)
|
| LBA
| Luftfahrtbundesamt (German civil aviation authority).
|
| LCD
| Liquid crystal display, used for showing instrument information.
|
| LCN
| Load classification number, measure of `flotation' of aircraft landing gear linking aircraft weight, weight distribution, tyre numbers, pressures and disposition.
|
| LDGP
| Low Drag General Purpose
|
| LGB
| Laser Guided Bomb.
|
| LINS
| Laser inertial navigation system.
|
| LOC
| Localiser. Element giving steering guidance in ILS.
|
| LP
| Low pressure (LPC, compressor; LPT, turbine).
|
| LRIP
| Low-rate initial production.
|
| LRMTS
| Laser Ranger and Marked Target Seeker
|
| LRU
| Line-replaceable unit.
|
| Ltd
| Limited (company constitution).
|
| LV
| Low volume (crop-spraying intensity).
|
| LWF
| Light Weight Fighter. Eventually evolved into F-16 Fighting Falcon.
|
| lsd
| Leased to (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| lsf
| Leased from (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| l/n
| Last noted (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| l/n
| Line number
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| MAW
| Missile Approach Warning
|
| MAWS
| Missile Approach Warning System
|
| MALE
| Medium Altitude Long Endurance
|
| MALD
| Multifunction Advanced Data Link (developed for the F-35)
|
| MDAP
| Mutual Defense Assistance Program
|
| MEDEVAC
| Medical Evacuation
|
| MFD
| Multifunction (electronic) display.
|
| MIDS
| Multifunction information distribution system.
|
| MKR
| Marker beacon receiver.
|
| MLA
| Microlight Aircraft
|
| MLS
| Microwave landing system.
|
| mlt
| Multi(ple colours) (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| MLU
| Mid-Life Update.
|
| MLW
| Maximum landing weight.
|
| MMC
| Modular Mission Computer (used in F-16)
|
| MoD
| Ministry of Defence.
|
| MoU
| Memorandum of Understanding.
|
| mph
| Miles per hour.
|
| MSIP
| Multiple Stage Improvement Program
|
| MSN
| Manufacturers Serial Number
|
| MTBF
| Mean time between failures.
|
| MTBO
| Mean time between overhaul.
|
| MTBR
| Mean time between removals.
|
| MTOGW
| Maximum Take-Off Gross Weight.
|
| MTOW
| Maximum Take-Off Weight (minus taxi/run-up fuel).
|
| MYP
| Multiyear procurement (US).
|
| MZFW
| Maximum zero-fuel weight.
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| N
| Newton, SI unit of force, = 0.22480455 lb force.
|
| NASA
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US).
|
| NATO
| North Atlantic Treaty Organization
|
| NBAA
| National Business Aircraft Association (US).
|
| NCTR
| Non-Cooperative Target Recognition, a high resolution radar mode to identify targets (whereas IFF is an example of Cooperative Target Recognition) .
|
| NDT
| Non-destructive testing.
|
| NV
| Naamloze Vennootschap (Belgian/Netherlands company constitution).
|
| NVG
| Night Vision Goggles.
|
| NVS
| Noise vibration suppression.
|
| nb
| no badge (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| nc
| numero costruzione (Italian equivalent of the c/n).
|
| nil
| nill, no damage (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| nm
| nautical mile, 1.852 km, 1.15078 miles.
|
| nmk
| no markings (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| nn
| not noted (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| ntu
| not taken up (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| NVG
| Night Vision Goggles
|
| n/t
| no titles (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| OAO
| Otkrytolye Aktsionernoye Obshchestvo (JSC; Russian company constitution).
|
| OAT
| Outside air temperature.
|
| OBIGGS
| Onboard inert gas generating system.
|
| OBOGS
| Onboard oxygen generating system.
|
| OCU
| Operational Capability Update
|
| OCU
| Operational Conversion Unit
|
| OEI
| One engine inoperative.
|
| OFP
| Operational Flight Program.
|
| OGE
| Out of ground effect; helicopter hovering, far above nearest surface.
|
| OKB
| Opytnyi Konstruktorskoye Byuro (Russian experimental design bureau)
|
| OOO
| Obshchestvo Ogranichennoye Otvetstvennostyu (Russian company constitution).
|
| OTU
| Operational Training Unit
|
| OWE
| Operating weight empty. MTOW minus payload, usable fuel and oil and other consumables (thus, includes crew).
|
| opb
| operated by (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| opf
| operated for (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| o/h
| Overhaul (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| o/l
| On loan (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| o/o
| on order
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| PAL
| Permissive Action Link, a security device for nuclear weapons
|
| PNVS
| Pilot Night Vision Sensor, fitted to AH-64 Apache
|
| pax
| Passengers
|
| PFA
| Popular Flying Association (UK).
|
| PFCS
| Primary flight computer system.
|
| PGM
| Precision Guided Munition.
|
| plc
| Public limited company (company constitution).
|
| PPL
| Private Pilots License
|
| PPV
| Pre-production verification.
|
| PT
| Pesawat Terbang (Indonesian company constitution).
|
| Pty
| Proprietary (company constitution).
|
| pres
| Preserved (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| RAI
| Registro Aeronautico Italiano (Italian civil aviation authority).
|
| RAS
| Rectified airspeed, IAS corrected for position error.
|
| RAT
| Ram air turbine.
|
| RCS
| Radar cross section
|
| Reg
| Registration (tailnumber, Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| rep
| Repaired (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| ret
| Returned (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| RFI
| Request(s) for Information.
|
| RFP
| Request(s) for Proposals.
|
| rgd
| Registered (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| RMI
| Radio magnetic indicator; combines compass and navaid bearings.
|
| R/Nav
| Calculates position, distance and time from groups of airways beacons.
|
| rpm
| Revolutions per minute.
|
| RSA
| Reseau du Sport de l'Air.
|
| RSS
| Relaxed Static Stability.
|
| RVSM
| Reduced vertical separation minimum. Halved (1,000 ft) air traffic control separation between FL290 and FL410.
|
| rwy
| Runway
|
| r/o
| Roll-out (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| RWR
| Radar Warning Receivers
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| SA
| Societe Anonyme (France, Romania), Sociedad Anonima (Brazil, Spain) or Spólka Akcyjna (Poland) (company constitution).
|
| SOTAS
| Stand-Off-Target-Acquisition-System
|
| STANAG
| NATO abbreviation for Standardization Agreement, which sets up processes, procedures, terms, and conditions for common military or technical procedures or equipment between the member countries of the alliance.
|
| SDD
| System Development and Demonstration
|
| SAR
| Search and Rescue
|
| SAR
| Synthetic Aperture Radar
|
| SAS
| Stability augmentation system.
|
| SATURN
| Second generation Anti-jam Tactical UHF Radio for NATO
|
| SCAS
| Stability and control augmentation system.
|
| scr
| Scrapped (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| SFAR
| Special Federal Aviation Regulation(s).
|
| SGT
| Self Guided Tour (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation).
|
| sfc
| Specific fuel consumption.
|
| shp
| Shaft horsepower, measure of power transmitted via rotating shaft.
|
| SIF
| Selective identification facility.
|
| SIFF
| Successor Identification Friend or Foe.
|
| sigint
| Signals intelligence.
|
| S/L
| Sea level.
|
| SLEP
| Service Life Extension Program.
|
| soc
| Struck off charge (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| s/n
| (1) Serial Number, short for MSN
(2) Serial Number, for registration (tail number), mostly on military aircraft
note: because of the difference between those two meanings, which will not always be apparent without proper clarification, the use of "s/n" or "Serial Number" is discouraged.
|
| SpA
| Societa per Azioni (Italian company constitution).
|
| Sp. z o.o
| Spolka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia (Polish company constitution)
|
sq
sqn
| Squadron
|
| SRL
| Societa Reponsibilita Limitata (Italian company constitution).
|
| SST
| Supersonic transport.
|
| st
| Static thrust.
|
| STA
| Scheduled Time of Arrival (as in a timetable)
|
| std
| Stored (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| STC
| Supplementary Type Certificate.
|
| STD
| Scheduled Time of Departure (as in a timetable)
|
| STOL
| Short take-off and landing. (Several definitions, stipulating allowable horizontal distance to clear screen height of 35 or 50 ft or various SI measures.)
|
| STOVL
| Short take-off, vertical landing.
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| Tacan
| Tactical air navigation, UHF navaid giving bearing and distance to ground beacons; distance element (see DME) can be paired with civil VOR.
|
| TANS
| Tactical air navigation system; Decca Navigator or Doppler-based computer, control and display unit.
|
| TAS
| True airspeed, EAS corrected for density (often very large factor) appropriate to aircraft altitude.
|
| TADS
| Target Acquisition Designation Sight, fitted to the AH-64 Apache
|
| TBD
| To Be Determined
|
| TBO
| Time between overhauls.
|
| TCAS
| Traffic-alert and collision-avoidance system.
|
| tdy
| Temporary duty (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
Tec
Tech
| Technical reasons
|
| Tercom
| Terrain-comparison (or contour-matching), navigation aid which compares relief of terrain with profile stored in memory.
|
| TET
| Turbine Entry Temperature.
|
| TFR
| Terrain Following Radar
|
| T-O
| Take-off.
|
| T-O noise
| EPNdB measure of aircraft taking off, at point directly under flight path 3.5 n miles from brakes-release.
|
| toc
| Taken on charge (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| TOGW
| Take-off gross weight (not necessarily MTOW)
|
| TERPROM
| Terrain Profile Matching. Uses stored digital elevation data combined with navigation system and radar altimeter inputs to compute the location of the aircraft or missile above the surface of the earth.
|
| TRD
| Towed Radar Decoy
|
| TWS
| Track While Scan
|
| TUAV
| Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
|
| TV
| Television
|
| Abbreviation | Full
|
| UAI
| Universal Armament Interface
|
| UAE
| United Arab Emirates
|
| UV
| Ultra Violet, part of the electromagnetic spectrum around 1016 Hz, see Electromagnetic spectrum
|
| UHCA
| Ultra-high capacity airliner
|
| UAV
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. See UAV classes for definitions.
|
| UCAV
| Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle
|
| ULV
| (1) Ultra Light Vehicle
(2) Ultra-low volume (crop-spraying intensity).
|
| UOR
| Urgent Operational Requirement (British MoD)
|
| upd
| Update (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
| URP
| Mi-2 variant, pl: Uzbrojenie: Rakiety Przeciwpancerne - Arment: Antitank Rockets
|
| URN
| Mi-2 variant, pl: Uzbrojenie: Rakiety Niekierowane - Arment: Unguided Rockets
|
| u/s
| Unserviceable (Scramble and/or spotters specific abbreviation)
|
