Newsgroups: sci.military From: military@law7.daytonoh.ncr.com (Sci.military login) Subject: Sci.military FAQ (LONG) Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1993 14:40:24 GMT Sci.Military Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 1. Guidelines for sci.military moderation The purpose of the newsgroup is to provide a forum for discussion of military-related technology. In order to be a proper "sci" group, the discussion must remain technical; occasional sorties into non-technical areas are OK, but they shouldn't become predominant. I find that some topics, such as military history and theory, while non-technical, are fine, so long as they're presented in a logical, intelligent manner. If someone espouses that "The usefulness of battleships in modern naval combat is questionable; these ships serve no useful role", it's a much better presentation than saying, "I think battleships are stupid, and they should court-martial the idiot who OK'd their refits !" The way a statement is worded has a great influence on whether it gets flamed; and therefore, whether it gets posted. Volume also is important; when volume is high, I find myself less tolerant of history and theory topics, and I stick closer to pure tech stuff. The biggest point is to avoid flames, in general. If an author says something stupid, it's OK to post a response point out the errors; but don't be afraid to reject a response which is insulting. If a posting makes a wild, unsupported claim, such as "nuclear weapons are immoral and useless" or "NATO can easily defeat a Soviet attack", don't hesistate to send the article back to the author, asking him to rephrase that remark; it will certainly draw flames if you don't. Bear in mind that impartiality requires you to air all views; if you let a statement such as this go through, and then refuse to post equally-imflammatory responses, you could be accused of being biased. From experience, I know that it's very easy to overlook such a statement; often, they might not seem imflammatory when read in context, yet another person might be angered by them, and fire off a flame. You just have to draw a line somewhere; if you think a replier is overreacting, tell him so; make it clear that you're willing to post a counterposition, but that it must be flame-free. In general, you should avoid arms-control altogether. The lone exception might be an arms-control posting that deals with technology; i.e., "Salt III says we have to disband our Pershing III's and the Soviets can't build any SS-29's; How do the spec's for those missiles compare ?" SDI is a touchy subject. It's got a lot of good technical content, but it's so politically charged that you have to watch it very carefully. 2. BRIEF GUIDE TO POSTING If the focus of an article is ... then I might more oriented to ..... suggest you post it over in ... ------------------------------ ------------------- guns you can tote yourself rec.guns misc other weapons rec.martial-arts explosives/bombs rec.pyrotechnics paintball alt.sport.paintball picture files alt.binaries.pictures.misc cadet questions/ basic training alt.military.cadet Veteran questions soc.veterans. 3. ADDRESSES Most news software should be set up to submit postings via email to sci-military@backbone.usenix.org. If for some reason that this does not work, the following addresses may be used: sci.military@daytonoh.ncr.com military@daytonoh.ncr.com 4. Is there an e-mail digest? There use to be one, but due to the volume of people who were subscribed to receive the digest, I was forced to discontinue it on 1 December 1992. Please do not send e-mail requesting to be added to the digest list. 5. For what reasons are articles rejected? In addition to the guidelines listed in (1), I reject articles for the following reasons -- A. Too much quoted text from a previous poster B. Line length is greater than 80 characters C. Same information has already been provided by another poster I try to e-mail back to each poster whose article has been rejected, but sometimes this is not possible, as some news software (mainly NNTP) separates the real name of the poster from the mail headers it adds, and it takes a lot of time to save the file in a separate file, edit the headers, and generate the reply. 6. ACRONYMS. The military is famous for acronyms, and to help out new readers, a list of common acronyms is below. In addition there is some other info in there that may enhance your understanding of the topics AAA: Anti Aircraft Artilliary Aardvark: F-111 fighter-bomber ALCM: Air Launched Cruise Missle Atrite: to loose troops by attrition Apache: AH64 helicopter AWACS: Airborne Warning and Control System Beaches: fighting terrain, arabian deserts Buff: nickname for the B-52 bomber (Big Ugly Fat Fu@*er) Collateral damage: Civ deaths, injuries and unexpected damage Decapitating attack: behind the lines attack on enemy commanders Eagle: F-15 Fighter Electronic jammers: Computer controlled pulses that disarm or disorient radar EPW's: Enemy prisoners of war Fighting Falcon: F-16 Fighter Fur Balls: fliers slang for the hectic tange of Air to Air dogfights Hornet F-18 Fighter Intruder: A-6 attack aircraft Jink: move quickly to evade enemy fire Killsack: Minefeilds or oil filled trenches MIA: Mising In Action NBC: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical weapons Patriot: a type of Anti-ballistic missile missile Pave Tack: Infrared laser system for pinpointing targets POW: Prisoner Of War Prowler: EA-6B Electronic warfare fighter (NAVY) Raven: EF-111A Electronic warfare fighter (USAF) SLAM: Standoff Land Attack Missle Smart Bombs: self piloted microchip controlled weapon Sortie: a single mission flown by a single military aircraft Thunderbolt II: A-10A Attack Aircraft (Tank Killer)(SCUD Hunter) Tomcat: F-14 Fighter Tomahawk: Navy's cruise missle Warthog: Nickname for the USAF A-10A Wild Weasel: F-4G Fighter (SAM site Killer) Zulu: Greenwhich Mean time (0000 Zulu = 7 P.M EST = 3 A.M. Bagdad) Soviet Acronyms: Surface combatants BPK Bol'shoy protivolodochniy korabl' (large anti-submarine ship) BRK Bol'shoy raketniy korabl' (large rocket ship) EM Eskadrenniy minonosets (destroyer) KR Kreyser (cruiser) KRU Korabl' upravleniye (command ship) PKR Protivolodochniy kreyser (anti-submarine cruiser) RAKR Atomnaya raketniy kreyser (nuclear rocket cruiser) RKR Raketniy kreyser (rocket cruiser) TAKR Takticheskoye avianosniy kreyser (tactical aircraft-carrying cruiser) Submarines PL Podvodnaya lodka (patrol submarine) PLA Atomnaya podvodnaya lodka (nuclear attack submarine) PLAP Atomnaya protivolodochnaya podlodka (nuclear hunter-killer submarine) PLARB Atomnaya podlodka raketnaya ballisticheskaya (nuclear ballistic missile submarine) PLARK Atomnaya podlodka raketnaya krilataya (nuclear cruise missile submarine) PLK Podlodka raketnaya krilataya (cruise missile submarine) Patrol/attack vessels MPK Maliy protivolodochniy korabl' (small anti-submarine ship) MRK Maliy raketniy korabl' (small rocket ship) PSKR Pogranichniy storozhevoy korabl' (border patrol ship) RKA Raketniy kater (rocket cutter) SKR Storozhevoy korabl' (patrol ship) TKA Torpedniy kater (torpedo cutter) Mine warfare vessels BT Bazoviy tral'shchik (base minesweeper) MT Morskoy tral'shchik (seagoing minesweeper) RT Reydovoy tral'shchik (roadstead minesweeper) ZM Zagraditel' minniy (minelayer) Amphibious warfare vessels BDK Bol'shoy desantniy korabl' (large landing ship) DK Desantniy korabl' (landing ship) SDK Sredniy desantniy korabl' (medium landing ship) Auxiliary vessels PB Plovuchaya baza (floating base) PM Plovuchaya masterskaya (floating workshop) VT Voyenniy transport (military transport) U.S. Navy ship acronyms Abbr. Type --- -------------------- AE Ammunition Ship AFS Fleet Stores Ship AK General Cargo Ship AO Oiler AP Troop Ship (non-landing) APD Fast Destroyer Transport AR Repair Ship AVT Aircraft Carrier (Training) BB Battleship BC Battlecruiser BCGN Nuclear-powered Guided Missile Battlecruiser CA Heavy (armored) Cruiser CAH Through-Deck Cruiser (e.g. HMS _Invincible_) CB Big Cruiser (e.g. US WW2 era _Alaska_ class) CG Guided Missile Cruiser CGN Nuclear-powered Guided Missile Cruiser CL Light Cruiser CS Seaplane Tender (WW2 usage) CS Strike Cruiser (post-WW2 usage) CV Aircraft Carrier (conventional power) CVA Attack Carrier (post-WW2) CVE Escort Carrier CVH Helicopter Carrier CVL Light Carrier CVN Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier CVS Anti-submarine Aircraft Carrier DD Destroyer DDG Guided Missile Destroyer DE Escort Destroyer DMS Destroyer/Minesweeper FF Frigate FFG Guided Missile Frigate FFL Corvette LCC Command Ship. (Used for amphibious operations) LCI Landing Craft - Infantry LCM Landing Craft - Mechanized LCT Landing Craft - Tank LHA Helicopter Assault Ship LST Landing Ship - Tank ML Minelayer MS Minesweeper PC Patrol Corvette/Patrol Craft PG Patrol Gunboat PHM Missile-armed Patrol Hydrofoil PT Torpedo Boat PTM Missile-armed Patrol Boat (Often carries torpedoes as well.) SS Submarine (Conventional Deisel/Electric) SSB Balistic Missile Sub (Convenitonal power) SSBN Nuclear-powered Balistic Missile Submarine SSG Guided Missile Sub (Conventional power) SSGN Nuclear-powered Guided Missile Submarine SSN Nuclear-powered (attack) Submarine RANK STRUCTURES -- Note: Those from other countries are most welcome. I'm especially looking for Great Britain, Germany, Former USSR (or CIS if they kept the same structures), and any other countries! U.S. Rank Structure Pay Grade USAF ARMY USMC USN -------- --------------- --------------- --------------- ----------- E-1 Airman Basic Private (E1) Private Seaman Recruit E-2 Airman Private (E2) Private First Seaman Class [PFC] Apprentice E-3 Airman PFC Lance Corporal Seaman 1st Class E-4 Senior Airman/ Specialist or Corporal Petty Officer Sergeant Corporal 3rd Class E-5 Staff Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant PO 2nd Class E-6 Tech. Sergeant Staff Sgt. Staff Sgt. PO 1st Class E-7 Master Sergeant Sgt 1st Class Gunnery Sgt. Chief PO E-8 Senior Master Master Sgt or Master Sgt or Senior Chief Sergeant 1st Sgt 1st Sgt PO E-9 Chief Master Sgt Major or Master Gunnery Master Chief Sergeant Command SgtMaj Sgt or SgtMaj PO O-1 2nd Lieut. 2nd Lieut. 2nd Lieut Ensign O-2 1st Lieut. 1st Lieut. 1st Lieut Lieut. (JG) O-3 Captain Captain Captain Lieut. O-4 Major Major Major Lieut. Comdr. O-5 Lt. Col. Lt. Col. Lt. Col Commander O-6 Colonel Colonel Colonel Captain O-7 Brig. Gen. Brig. Gen. Brig. Gen. Rear Adm.(Lower) O-8 Maj. Gen Maj. Gen Maj Gen. RAdm (Upper) O-9 Lieut. Gen. Lieut. Gen. Lieut. Gen Vice Adm O-10 General General General Admiral US Coast Guard ranks are the same as for USN. Canadian Rank Structure: CANADA (rank structure in use today) Navy Army Air Force Noncommissioned: Ordinary Seaman Private Private Able Seaman Private Private Leading Seaman Corporal Corporal Master Seaman Master Corporal Master Corporal Petty Officer2 Sergeant Sergeant Petty Officer 1 Warrant-Officer Warrant-Officer Chief P.O. 2 Master W.O. Master W.O. or Sergeant-Maj Chief P.O. 1 Chief W.O. Chief W.O. or Regt Sgt Maj Commissioned: Acting Sub- Second- Second- Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Captain Captain Lieutenant- Major Major Commander Commander Lieutenant- Lieutenant- Colonel Colonel Captain Colonel Colonel Commodore Brigadier- Brigadier- General General Rear Admiral Maj Gen Maj Gen Vice Admiral Lt Gen Lt Gen Admiral General General AAW - Antiaircraft Warfare ACB - Amphibious Construction Battalion ADAC - Acoustic Data Analysis Center ADCOM - Administrative Command ADIZ - Air Defense Identification Zone ADS - Advanced Deployable System ADSW - Antidiesel Submarine Warfare AEW - Airborne Early Warning AIMD - Avionics Integrated Maintenance Department ALNAV - [All Navy] Message for distrubution to all naval personnel ALUSNA - U.S. Naval Attache (followed by location, e.g., ALUSNA, London) AMDP - Aircraft Maintenance Delayed For Parts ANFE - Aircraft Not Fully Equipped ANGLICO - Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company AOC - Aviation Officer Cadet AOCP - Aircraft Out-of-Commission for Parts ARG - Amphibious Ready Group ASOC - Air Support Operations Center ASROC - Antisubmarine Rocket ASTOVL - Advanced Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing ASUW - Antisurface Warfare ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (was GCT) ASW - Antisubmarine Warfare ATO - Air Tasking Order AUTEC - Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center AWOL - Absent Without Leave BADRA - Blackhawk and Assigned Destroyers Reunion Association (Asiatic) BAI - Battlefield Air Interdiction BARCAP - Barrier Combat Air Patrol BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge BDA - Bomb Damage Assessment BDS - Battle Dressing Station BLT - Battalion Landing Team BNEP - Basic Naval Establishment Plan BT - Bathythermograph BUSANDA - Bureau of Supplies And Accounts C(4)I - Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence CAG - Carrier Air Group CAP - Combat Air Patrol CARQUAL - Carrier Qualification CAS - Close Air Support CASREP - Casualty Report CB - Construction Batallion (Seabee) CBI - Computer Based Instruction CBMU - Maintenance Unit Construction Battalion CBR - Chemical, Biological, and Radiological CC - Tactical Command Ship CCA - Carrier Controlled Approach CCIR - Commander's Critical Information Requirement CEP - Circular Error Probable CIC - Combat Information Center CNO - Chief of Naval Operations (The Most Senior Navy Officer) CO - Commanding Officer COD - Carrier Onboard Delivery COLREGS - International Nautical Rules of the Road COM - Prefix referencing the "Commander" of a Command (not the Command) COMRATS - Commuted Rations CONUS - Continental United States COOP - Craft-Of-Opportunity Program CRUD - Corrosive, Radioactive, Undetermined Deposit (nuclear Navy) CS - Commissaryman (now MS) CSAR - Combat Search And Rescue CSMP - Current Ship's Maintenance Project CTE - Commander, Task Element CTF - Commander, Task Force CTG - Commander, Task Group CTU - Commander, Task Unit CVBG - Carrier Battle Group CW - Carrier Wave D-DAY - Day on which an operation is to commence DAB - Defense Acquisition Board DADCAP - Dawn and Dusk Combat Air Patrol DASH - Drone Antisubmarine Helicopter DDS - Digital Data System DECM - Defensive Electronic Countermeasures DMA - Defense Mapping Agency DOD - Department of Defense DR - Dead Reckoning DRT - Dead Reckoning Tracer DSRV - Deep-Submergence Rescue Vehicle DTG - Date-Time-Group EAB - Emergency Air Breathing (Mask) ECM - Electronic Countermeasures EDO - Engineering Duty Officer EFPH - Equivalent Full-Power Hours EHF - Extremely High Frequency ELF - Extremely Low Frequency EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal EOOW - Engineering Officer Of the Watch EP - Estimated Position EPANS - Enlisted Personnel Allocation and Nomination System ESM - Electronic Support Measure ESR - Equivalent Service Round ETC - Electrothermal Chemical (Guns) FAST - Fast Automatic Shuttle Transfer System FBM - Fleet Ballistic Missile FIFO - First-In-First-Out FLIR - Forward Looking Infrared FLY(#) - Flight Deck Subdivisions (Fly 1, Fly 2, and Fly 3) FMF - Fleet Marine Force FOD - Foreign Object Damage FOUR-0 - Perfect FPV - Force Projection Vehicle FRAM - Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernization (Program) FSCL - Fire Support Coordination Line FXR - Foxer Gear GCA - Ground-Controlled Approach GCI - Ground-Controlled Interception GCT - General Classification Test (now ASVAB) GEM - Ground Effects Machine GEOREF - Geographical Reference (System) GHA - Greenwich Hour Angle GLORIA - Geographical Long Range Inclined Asdic GQ - General Quarters (Battle Stations) H-HOUR - Time at which an operation is to commence (usually on D-DAY) HCS - Helicopter Combat Support HHW - Higher High Water HLW - Higher Low Water HUK - Hunter-Killer Force HZ - Hertz IADS - Integrated Air Defense System IFF - Identification, Friend or Foe ILW - International Low Water IMC - Image/Motion Compensation JAG - Judge Advocate General JAN - Joint Army-Navy JATO - Jet-Assisted Take-Off JFACC - Joint Force Air Component Commander JFC - Joint Task Force Commander JLRSS - Joint Long Range Strategic Study JOOD - Junior Officer Of the Deck JOOW - Junior Officer Of the Watch JPATS - Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (USN & USAF) JSCP - Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan JSOP - Joint Strategic Objectives Plan JTF - Joint Task Force LAMPS - Light Airborne MultiPurpose System LAN - Local Apparent Noon LDO - Limited Duty Officer LFA - Low Frequency Active LHW - Lower High Water LIDAR - Laser-Light-Detection-And-Ranging LLW - Lower Low Water LORAD - Long-Range Active Detection (System) LPO - Leading Petty Officer LTA - Lighter-Than-Air LW - Low Water MAA - Master-At-Arms MAD - Magnetic Airborne Detector MAD - Magnetic Anomaly Detection MAD - Mutual Assured Destruction MAG - Maritime Action Group MAGTF - Marine Air-Ground Task Force MCB - Mobile Construction Battalion MCM - Mine Countermeasures MEB - Marine Expeditionary Brigade MEF - Marine Expeditionary Force MERCAST - Merchant Ship Broadcast System MEREP - Merchant Ship Report MEU - Marine Expeditionary Unit MIFASS - Marine Integrated Fire and Air Support System MILSTRIP - Military Standard Requisitioning and Issuing Procedures MK - Mark (specific equipment designation - followed by MOD) MLRS - Multiple Launch Rocket System MOD - Model or Modification (variety of MK) MOS - Military Occupational Specialty MPA - Maritime Patrol Aircraft MRC - Movement Report Center MRO - Movement report Office MS - Mess Management Specialist (was CS) MSB - Minesweeping Boat MSC - Military Sealift Command MTACCS - Marine Tactical Command and Control System MTI - Moving Target Indicator NAAS - Naval Auxiliary Air Station NAF - Naval Air Facility NAS - Naval Air Station NATF - Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter NAVALT - Naval Alteration NAVSAT - Navy (Navigation) Satellite (System) NDRF - National Defense Reserve Fleet NEC - Navy Enlisted Classification (Code) NEWRADS - Nuclear Explosion Warning and Radiological Data System NEX - Navy Exchange NFO - Naval Flight Officer NFST - National Fleet Surgical Team NMPC - Naval Military Personnel Command NOL - Naval Ordnance Laboratory NOMAD - Navy Oceanographic and Meteorological Automatic Device NOS - National Ocean Survey NOTAL - Not To (nor needed by) All NOTAMS - Notice to Airmen NROTC - Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps NSFO - Navy Standard Fuel Oil (i.e., Black Oil) NSFS - Naval Surface Fire Support NTDO - Navy Technical Data Office NUC - Navy Unit Commendation NVG - Night Vision Goggles OBA - Oxygen Breathing Apparatus OBOGS - On-Board Oxygen Generating System OCONUS - Outside Continental United States ODR - Omnidirection Range 1MC - [One-M-C] Ship's Primary Broadcast System OOD - Officer Of the Deck OOW - Officer Of the Watch OPCON - Operational Control OPNAV - Entire Pentagon staff under control of the CNO OPORD - Operation Order OPPLAN - Operation Plan ORE - Operational Readiness Evaluation ORI - Operational Readiness Inspection PAE - Program Analysis & Evaluation PAL - Prisoner At Large PDL - Pass Down the Line (Book) PDR - Periscope Detection Radar PECM - Passive Electronic Countermeasures POD - Plan Of the Day PPI - Plan Position Indicator PUC - Presidential Unit Citation QM - Quartermaster RADAR - Radio Detection And Ranging RADIAC - Radioactivity Detection, Indication, And Computation RATAN - Radio And Television Aid to Navigation RATT - Radioteletype RAWIN - Radar Wind Sounding RAWINSONDE - Radar Wind Sounding and Radiosonde RCM - Radio Countermeasures RDF - Radio Direction Finder RECSHIP - Receiving Ship RECSTA - Receiving Station RESCAP - Rescue Combat Air Patrol RO/RO - Roll-On/Roll-Off ROC - Reserve Officer Candidate ROTC - Reserve Officer Training Corps SAR - Search And Rescue SAU - Search and Attack Unit SCN - Shipbuilding and Conversion Navy SDI - Strategic Defense Initiative SEAL - Sea, Air, Land SEBS - Submarine Emergency Buoyancy System SECNAV - The Secretary of the Navy SELF - Submarine Extremely Low Frequency SERB - Selective Early Retirement Board SERVFOR - Service Force SES - Surface Effect Ship SEW - Space and Electronic Warfare SHF - Super High Frequency SHIPALT - Ship Alteration SIV - Special Interest Vehicle SK - Storekeeper SLAM - Standoff Land Attack Missle SLCM - Submarine Launched Cruise Missle SLEP - Service Life Extension Program SLOC - Sea Lines Of Communication SLR - Side Looking Radar SNAP - Shipboard Nontactical Automated Data Processing SNAPII - Shipboard Nontactical Automated Data Processing - 2nd Generation SOBT - Submarine On-Board Training SOFA - Status Of Forces Agreement SOFAR - Sounding, Fixing, And Ranging SONAR - Sound Navigation And Ranging SOP - Senior Officer Present SOP - Standard Operating Procedure SOPA - Senior Officer Present Afloat SORD - Submerged Ordnance Recovery Device SP - Shore Patrol SPC - Specific Fuel Consumption SSBN - Fleet Ballistic Missle Submarine SSC - Supply Systems Command STOL - Short Take-Off/Landing SUBCAP - Submarine Combat Air Patrol SUBROC - Submarine Rocket TACAN - Tactical Air Navigation TACGRU - Tactical Air Control Group TACRON - Tactical Air Control Squadron TAD - Temporary Additional Duty TAO - Tactical Action Officer TAR - Reservist on Active duty for Training TASM - Tomahawk Conventional Antishipping Missle TERF - Terrain Flight TLAM - Tomahawk Conventional Land Attack Missle TO - Table of Organization UA - Unauthorized Absence UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UCMJ - Uniform Code of Military Justice UDT - Underwater Demolition Team UHF - Ultra High Frequency UNREP - Underway Replenishment USNI - United States Naval Institute USNR - United States Navy Reserve USNR(R) - United States Navy Reserve (Ready) USNS - United States Naval Ship USS - United States Ship UUV - Unmanned Undersea Vehicle VERTREP - Vertical Replenishment VHF - Very High Frequency VLF - Very Low Frequency VOR - Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range VORTAC - Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range & Tactical Air Navigation VPR - Virtual PPI Reflectoscope VSTOL - Vertical Short Take-Off/Landing VT - Variable Time (Proximity) Fuze WIG - Wing-In-Ground (Effect) XO - Executive Officer (slang)