Office of the Historian

Abbreviations and Terms

  • AAH, Advanced Attack Helicopter
  • AAW, anti-air warfare
  • ABM, anti-ballistic missile
  • ABNCP, Airborne Command Post
  • ACDA, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
  • ADM, Admiral
  • ADP, automatic data processing
  • AF, Air Force
  • AIMS, Alternative Integrated Military Strategies
  • AFSAB, Air Force Scientific Advisory Board
  • ALCM, air-launched cruise missile
  • AMRAAM, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile
  • ANMCC, Alternate National Military Command Center
  • APU, Auxiliary Power Unit
  • ASAT, anti-satellite weapon
  • ASD, Assistant Secretary of Defense
  • ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations
  • ASW, anti-submarine warfare
  • AT&T, American Telephone and Telegraph, Inc.
  • AWACS, Airborne Warning and Control System
  • B, billion
  • BBV, Brown-Brzezinski-Vance lunch meeting (see also VBB)
  • BMD, Ballistic Missile Defense
  • BMEW, ballistic missile early warning
  • BRICKBAT–DX, denoting highest level of priority for production and acquisition for a weapons system (DOD)
  • C3, Command, Control, and Communications
  • C3I, Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence
  • CAT, Convention Against Torture
  • CD, civil defense
  • CEP, Circular Error Probability
  • CFV, Cavalry Fighting Vehicle
  • CG, Consolidated Guidance
  • CGN, guided missile carrier, nuclear propulsion
  • CI, Counterintelligence
  • CIA, Central Intelligence Agency
  • CIEP, Council on International Economic Policy
  • CJCS, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • CNA, Comprehensive Net Assessment
  • CINC, Commander in Chief
  • CINCEUR, Commander in Chief, European Command
  • CINCPAC, Commander in Chief, Pacific Command
  • CINCPACFLT, Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet
  • CINCSAC, Commander in Chief, Strategic Air Command
  • CM, cruise missiles
  • CMC, cruise missile carrier
  • COB, close of business
  • COG, continuity of government
  • COMINT, communications intelligence
  • COMSEC, communications security
  • CONUS, continental United States
  • CPX, Command Post Exercise
  • CRAF, Civil Reserve Air Fleet
  • CSGN, strike cruiser, nuclear propulsion (USN)
  • CTB, Comprehensive Test Ban
  • CTBT, Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
  • CV, aircraft carrier (USN)
  • CVN, aircraft carrier, nuclear propulsion (USN)
  • D, Democrat
  • DARPA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
  • DC, District of Columbia
  • DCI, Director of Central Intelligence
  • DCPA, Defense Civil Preparedness Agency
  • DEPSECDEF, Deputy Secretary of Defense
  • DDCI, Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
  • DDG, guided missile destroyer (USN)
  • DDI, Deputy Director of Intelligence
  • DDO, Deputy Director of Operations, Central Intelligence Agency
  • DEFCON, Defense Readiness Condition
  • DIA, Defense Intelligence Agency
  • DNA, Defense Nuclear Agency
  • DOC, Department of Commerce
  • DOD, Department of Defense
  • DOE, Department of Energy
  • DOJ, Department of Justice
  • DOS, Department of State
  • DP&E, Defense Planning & Evaluation (DOD)
  • DR&E, Defense Research & Engineering (DOD)
  • DSARC, Defense Systems Acquisition Review Council
  • DSB, Defense Science Board
  • DSP, Defense Support Program
  • EA, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State
  • EAM, Emergency Action Message
  • ECM, electronic countermeasures
  • ELINT, electronic intelligence
  • ELF, extremely low frequency
  • EMP, electro-magnetic pulse
  • EMT, equivalent megatonnage
  • ERW, Enhanced Radiation Weapon; “neutron bomb”
  • ESVN, Executive Secure Voice Network
  • EUCOM, United States European Command
  • EUR, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
  • EW/GCI, Early Warning/Ground-Controlled Intercept
  • FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • FCC, Federal Communications Commission
  • FE, Far East
  • FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • FFG, guided missile frigate (USN)
  • FOC, full operational capability
  • FPA, Federal Preparedness Agency
  • FRG, Federal Republic of Germany
  • FY, fiscal year
  • GCI, Ground Control Intercept
  • GLCM, ground launched cruise missile
  • GNP, gross national product
  • GPS, global positioning system
  • GSA, General Services Administration
  • HEW, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
  • HQ, headquarters
  • HTC, hard target capability
  • HTK, hard target kill
  • IBM, International Business Machines, Inc.
  • IC, intelligence community
  • ICA, International Communications Agency
  • ICBM, intercontinental ballistic missile
  • IFV, infantry fighting vehicle
  • IIM, Interagency Intelligence Memorandum
  • IOC, initial operational capacity
  • IMET, International Military Education and Training
  • INR, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State
  • IR, infrared
  • IRBM, intermediate range ballistic missile
  • ISA, Bureau of International Security Affairs, Department of Defense
  • ITAR, International Traffic in Arms Regulation
  • JCS, Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • JCSM, Joint Chiefs of Staff Memorandum
  • JSBS, Joint Strategic Bomber Study
  • JSTPS, Joint Strategic Planning Staff
  • JTF, Joint Task Force
  • KGB, Komityet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosty (Soviet Committee for State Security)
  • Kt, kiloton
  • LNO, limited nuclear [employment] option(s)
  • LOC, lines of communication
  • LTDP, Long Term Defense Plan
  • LUA, launch under attack
  • LVT, landing vehicle, tracked
  • M, million; mile
  • MAO, major attack option
  • MAP, Military Assistance Program; multiple aim point (MX missile)
  • MAPS, Multiple Aim Point System
  • MBB, Muskie-Brown-Brzezinski lunch meeting
  • MBFR, Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction
  • MCI, Microwave Communications, Inc.
  • MD, Maryland
  • ME/PG, Middle East/Persian Gulf
  • MEECN, Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network
  • MILCON, military construction
  • MIRV, multiple independently targeted reentry vehicle
  • MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • MM, Minuteman (missile)
  • MOLINK, Moscow Link (Moscow-Washington Direct Communication Link or Hot Line)
  • MPS, multiple protective shelters
  • MRA&L, Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics
  • MRV, multiple reentry vehicle
  • MSC, Military Sealift Command
  • Mt, megaton
  • MTMC, Military Traffic Management Command
  • MVD, Ministry of Internal Affairs (USSR)
  • M–X, an experimental MIRVed ICBM under development by the United States
  • n, nautical (miles)
  • NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  • NBS, National Bureau of Standards
  • NCA, National Command Authority
  • NCS, National Communications System, Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • NEA, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Department of State
  • NEACP, National Emergency Airborne Command Post
  • NFIB, National Foreign Intelligence Board
  • NIE, National Intelligence Estimate
  • NM, nautical mile(s)
  • NMCC, National Military Command Center
  • NMCS, National Military Command System
  • Nocontract, No distribution to contractors
  • Noforn, No foreign distribution
  • NORAD, North American Air Defense Command
  • NORTHAG, Northern Army Group (NATO)
  • NSA, National Security Agency
  • NSC, National Security Council
  • NSDM, National Security Decision Memorandum
  • NSSM, National Security Study Memorandum
  • NSTAP, National Strategic Targeting and Attack Policy
  • NTM, national technical means
  • NUWEP, policy guidance for the employment of nuclear weapons
  • OAPEC, Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
  • OASD, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense
  • OBE, overtaken by events
  • ODDR&E, Office of the Director, Defense Research & Engineering, Department of Defense
  • OECD, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
  • OMB, Office of Management and Budget
  • OPEC, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
  • OPIC, Overseas Private Investment Corporation
  • OSD, Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • OSD/NA, Office of Net Assessment, Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • OSTP, Office of Science and Technology Policy
  • OTP, Office of Telecommunications Policy
  • PA&E, Program Analysis & Evaluation Department of Defense
  • PD, Presidential Directive
  • PFIAB, President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
  • PG, Persian Gulf
  • PG/IO, Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean
  • PGMs, precision-guided munitions
  • PIA, political-ideological action
  • PM, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State
  • POL, petroleum oil lubricant
  • POM, prepositioned materiel
  • POMCUS, prepositioned materiel configured to unit sets
  • PRC, Policy Review Committee; People’s Republic of China
  • PRM, Presidential Review Memorandum
  • psi, pounds per square inch
  • PVO, Protivo Vozdushnaya Oborona (Soviet Air Defense Forces)
  • QRHTC, quick reaction hard target capability
  • R, Republican
  • R&D, research and development
  • RADM, Rear Admiral
  • RDF, Rapid Deployment Force
  • RDT&E, research, development, test, and evaluation
  • RISOP, Red Integrated Strategic Offensive Plan
  • RNO, regional nuclear [employment] option(s)
  • ROK, Republic of Korea
  • RV, reentry vehicle
  • S, Secret
  • SAC, Strategic Air Command
  • SACEUR, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe
  • SAL, Strategic Arms Limitation
  • SALT, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
  • SAM, surface-to-air missile
  • SAO, select attack option
  • SCC, Special Coordination Committee
  • SECDEF, Secretary of Defense
  • SFRC, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  • SIOP, Single Integrated Operational Plan
  • SLAC, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
  • SLBM, submarine-launched ballistic missile
  • SLCM, submarine-launched cruise missile
  • SLEP, Service Life Extensive Program
  • SLOC, Sea Lines of Communication
  • SNDV, strategic nuclear delivery vehicle
  • SNI, Soviet Naval Infantry
  • SNM, special nuclear materials
  • SOSUS, Sound Surveillance System
  • S/P, Policy Planning Staff, Department of State
  • SRAM, short range attack missile
  • SRF, Strategic Reserve Force; Secure Reserve Force; Strategic Rocket Forces (USSR)
  • SRG, Senior Review Group
  • SSBN, ballistic missile submarine, nuclear propulsion (USN)
  • SSN, attack submarine, nuclear propulsion (USN)
  • STOL, short takeoff and landing aircraft
  • SU, Soviet Union
  • SUAWACS, Soviet Union Airborne Warning and Control System
  • SURTASS, Surface Towed Array Surveillance System
  • T–AGOS/TAGOS, ocean surveillance ship (USN)
  • TACAIR, Tactical Air
  • TACAMO, Take Charge and Move Out (survivable communication links)
  • TALCM, Tomahawk air-launched cruise missile
  • T–ARC, submarine cable repair vessel (USN)
  • TEL, transporter-erector-launcher
  • TNF, theater nuclear forces
  • TOA, total obligational authority
  • TS, Top Secret
  • U, Unclassified
  • US, United States
  • USAF, United States Air Force
  • USCSB, United States Communications Security Board
  • USG, United States Government
  • USN, United States Navy
  • USNATO, United States Mission to NATO
  • USSR, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
  • VBB, Vance-Brown-Brzezinski lunch meeting (see also BBV)
  • VIP, very important person
  • VSTOL (V/STOL), Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing
  • WHEP, White House Emergency Procedures
  • WP, Warsaw Pact
  • WWMCCS, Worldwide Military Command and Control System
  • Z, Zulu (Greenwich Mean Time)