Office of the Historian

Abbreviations and Terms

    • A–3, U.S. carrier-capable strategic bomber (Skywarrior)
    • A–4, U.S. carrier-capable attack aircraft (Skyhawk)
    • AAF, Argentine Air Force
    • AAW, anti-aircraft warfare
    • ABC, American Broadcasting Company
    • ACDA, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
    • Adm, Admiral
    • AEW, airborne early warning
    • AF, airfield
    • AF #1, Air Force One
    • AFB, Air Force Base
    • AFCP, Air Force Command Post
    • AFLC, Air Force Logistics Command
    • AGI, auxiliary general intelligence (reconnaissance ship)
    • AIM 9–L, AIM 9–M, U.S. air-to-air missile variants (Sidewinder)
    • ALCON, all concerned
    • AmCit(s), American citizen(s)
    • AMH, Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
    • ARA, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/BR, Office of Brazilian Affairs, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/CAR, Office of Caribbean Affairs, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/CEN, Office of Central American Affairs, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/ECP, Office of Regional Economic Policy, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/PPC, Office of Policy Planning Coordination, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/RPP, Office of Regional Political Programs, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/SC, Office of Southern Cone Affairs, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • ARA/USOAS, U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States
    • ARGNAV, Argentine Navy
    • ARMA, Army Attaché
    • Arg., Argentine; Argentina
    • ASAP, as soon as possible
    • ASD, Assistant Secretary of Defense
    • ASSTSECSTATE, Assistant Secretary of State
    • ASW, anti-submarine warfare
    • avail, available
    • AWACS, Airborne Warning and Control System
    • AWG–10, U.S. radar system
    • B–52, U.S. long-range strategic bomber
    • BA, Buenos Aires
    • Backfire, Soviet long-range strategic bomber
    • BAF, Brazilian Air Force
    • BAOR, British Army of the Rhine
    • Bear, Soviet long-range strategic bomber
    • BGEN, Brigadier General
    • bldg, building
    • C3, command, control, communications
    • C–130, U.S. military transport aircraft
    • CBI, Caribbean Basin Initiative
    • CGT, Confederación Generale del Trabajo (General Confederation of Labor, Argentine trade union federation)
    • CIA, Central Intelligence Agency
    • CINC, Commander in Chief
    • CINCARGNAV, Commander in Chief, Argentine Navy
    • CINCLANT, Commander in Chief, Atlantic Command
    • CINCMAC, Commander in Chief, Military Airlift Command
    • CINCPAC, Commander in Chief, Pacific Command
    • CINCSAC, Commander in Chief, Strategic Air Command
    • CINCUSAFE, Commander in Chief, United States Air Force, Europe
    • CINCUSNAVEUR, Commander in Chief, United States Navy, Europe
    • CM, (Nicanor) Costa Méndez
    • CMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps
    • cmts, comments
    • CNO, Chief of Naval Operations
    • CNS, Chief of Naval Staff (UK)
    • COB, close of business
    • COCOM, Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls
    • COIC, Combat Operations Intelligence Center (USAFE)
    • COIN, counterinsurgency
    • COMDR, COM, Commander
    • comm, communications
    • COMNAVINTCOM, Commander, Naval Intelligence Command
    • COMNAVSUPSYSCOM, Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command
    • COMSAT, communications satellite
    • COMSC, Commander, Military Sealift Command
    • CONUS, continental United States
    • CPPG, Crisis Pre-Planning Group
    • ctry, country
    • CV, carrier variant (able to operate from aircraft carriers) (USN)
    • CVBG, carrier battle group (USN)
    • CVS, anti-submarine aircraft carrier (USN)
    • CW, CWW, Caspar W. Weinberger
    • DAO, Defense Attaché’s Office
    • DAP, Defense Attaché Program
    • DASD, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
    • DASD/IA, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Inter-American Affairs
    • DCA, Defense Communications Agency
    • DD/FF, destroyer/fast frigate (USN)
    • DDO (NMCC), Deputy Director of Operations (National Military Command Center)
    • DefMin, Defense Minister
    • DepSec, Deputy Secretary
    • Dept, Department
    • DIA, Defense Intelligence Agency
    • DIRLAUTH, Direct Liaison Authorized
    • dist, distribution
    • DMA, Defense Mapping Agency
    • DOD, Department of Defense
    • DOD/DSAA, Defense Security Assistance Agency, Department of Defense
    • DOD/ISA/IA, Inter-American Affairs, International Security Affairs, Department of Defense
    • DOI, date of information
    • DOS, Department of State
    • DRB, Defense Resources Board
    • DSAA, Defense Security Assistance Agency
    • DSCS, Defense Satellite Communication System
    • DTG, date-time-group
    • E–2B, U.S. carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft
    • E&E, emergency and evacuation
    • EB, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
    • EB/IFD/ODF, Office of Development Finance, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
    • EB/OMA, Office of Monetary Affairs, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Department of State
    • EC, European Community
    • ECM, electronic countermeasures
    • EDT, Eastern Daylight Time
    • ELINT, electronic intelligence
    • EmbOff, Embassy Officer
    • ES, Executive Secretariat
    • EST, Eastern Standard Time
    • EUR, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
    • EUR/NE, Office of Northern European Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
    • EUR/NE/UKB, United Kingdom Affairs, Office of Northern European Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs, Department of State
    • EW, early warning; electronic warfate
    • Exdis, exclusive distribution
    • Eximbank, Exim, Export-Import Bank of the United States
    • Exocet, French anti-ship missile
    • F–4, U.S. interceptor aircraft/fighter bomber
    • F–15, U.S. tactical fighter aircraft
    • FA, Falklands Islands
    • FAA, Federal Aviation Administration
    • FAB, Fuerza Aerea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force)
    • FBIS, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
    • FCO, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK)
    • v, Field Intelligence Center—Europe and Atlantic (USN)
    • FLTCINC, Fleet Commander in Chief
    • FM, Foreign Ministry; Foreign Minister
    • FMS, foreign military sales
    • fo., folio
    • FonMin, FoMin), Foreign Minister; Foreign Ministry
    • ForSec, Foreign Secretary
    • FRG, Federal Republic of Germany
    • FWG, Falklands Working Group, Department of State
    • FY, fiscal year
    • FYDP, Future Years Defense Program
    • G–77, Group of 77, a coalition of developing countries established at the conclusion of the first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in 1964
    • GA, (United Nations) General Assembly
    • Gannet, U.K. fighter aircraft
    • GDS, (Argentine Ambassador Lucio) Garcia del Solar
    • GMT, Greenwich Mean Time
    • GOA, Government of Argentina
    • GOB, Government of Brazil
    • GOC, Government of Chile
    • GOP, Government of Portugal
    • GPS, GS, George P. Shultz
    • GSP, Generalized System of Preferences
    • H, Alexander M. Haig, Jr.; also, Office of the Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations
    • HA, Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Department of State
    • HARM, High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile
    • Harpoon, U.S. anti-ship missile
    • Harrier, British fighter aircraft
    • Hawk, U.S. medium-range surface-to-air missile; U.K. jet trainer aircraft
    • hdqtrs, headquarters
    • helos, helicopters
    • HF, high frequency
    • H-K, Humphrey-Kennedy Amendment
    • HM, Her Majesty(’s)
    • HMG, Her Majesty’s Government (UK)
    • HMS, Her Majesty’s Ship (UK)
    • ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross
    • IDB, Inter-American Development Bank
    • IEEPA, International Emergency Economic Powers Act
    • I-Hawk, Improved Hawk missile
    • IMET, International Military Education and Training
    • INF, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force
    • INR, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State
    • INR/IAA, Office of Analysis of Inter-American Republics, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Department of State
    • INR/IC/CD, Coordination Division, Office of Intelligence Coordination, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State
    • I.O., Indian Ocean
    • IO, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State
    • IOC, initial operational capability
    • IO/UNP, Office of United Nations Political and Multilateral Affairs, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Department of State
    • ISP, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy
    • JB, James Buckley
    • JSOC, Joint Special Operations Command
    • KC–10, U.S. aerial refueling tanker
    • KHz, kilohertz
    • klm, kilometer
    • KSG, K. Scott Gudgeon
    • kts, knots
    • L, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State; also, Lima time (military time zone equivalent to GMT + 11 hours); local time
    • LADE, Lineas Aéreas del Estado, state-owned airline operated by the Argentine Air Force
    • LANDSAT, Land Remote-Sensing Satellite
    • L/ARA, Inter-American Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
    • LDC, less-developed country
    • LDP, p. 81
    • LDX, long-distance xerography
    • Limdis, limited distribution
    • L/OES, Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
    • LOU, Limited Official Use
    • LPD, Land Platform Dock
    • L/PM, Politico-Military Affairs, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State
    • LSE, Lawrence S. Eagleburger
    • LSL, Landing Ship Logistic
    • LST, Landing Ship Tank
    • LTG, Lieutenant General
    • M, Nicanor Costa Méndez
    • MAC, Military Airlift Command
    • MANPADS, Man-Portable Air-Defense System
    • Martel, U.K.-French anti-radiation missile
    • MC, Office of Munitions Control Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State
    • MCM, mine countermeasures
    • MDE, major defense equipment
    • MEGO, my eyes glaze over
    • Memcon, memorandum of conversation
    • MEZ, Maritime Exclusion Zone
    • MFA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    • MFM, Meeting of Foreign Ministers
    • MFO, Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai
    • MGen, Major General
    • MILGP, Military Group
    • MLSF, mobile logistics support force
    • MOA, memorandum of agreement
    • MOD, MODUK, Ministry of Defense; Minister of Defense (UK)
    • MOU, memorandum of understanding
    • MP, Member of Parliament
    • MPA, maritime patrol aircraft
    • MRA&L, manpower, reserve affairs, and logistics
    • MSC, Military Sealift Command
    • msg, message
    • NAM, Non-Aligned Movement
    • NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    • NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization
    • NAVATT, Naval Attaché
    • NAVMTO, Naval Matériel Transportation Office
    • NAVWPNSTA, Naval Weapons Station
    • NBC, National Broadcasting Company
    • NCA, National Command Authority
    • NDP, National Disclosure Policy
    • Nestor, voice encryption device
    • NF, Noforn
    • NFI, not further identified
    • NFOIO, Naval Field Operational Intelligence Office
    • Niact, night action
    • NID, National Intelligence Daily
    • Nimrod, U.K. maritime patrol aircraft
    • NLT, no later than
    • NM, nautical mile
    • NMCC, National Military Command Center, Joint Staff, Department of Defense
    • NOAA, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
    • Nocontract, No contractor dissemination
    • Nodis, no distribution
    • Noforn, no foreign dissemination
    • NOREUR, Northern Europe(an)
    • Notal, not received by all addressees
    • NPIC, National Photographic Interpretation Center
    • NSC, National Security Council
    • NSPG, National Security Planning Group
    • OAS, Organization of American States
    • OASD/ISP, office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy
    • OASGA, Organization of American States General Assembly
    • OBE, overtaken by events
    • OES/OPA, Office of Oceans and Polar Affairs, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State
    • OJCS, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
    • OMB, Office of Management and Budget
    • OPCON, operational control
    • ops, operations
    • Orcon, originator controlled
    • orig., originator
    • OSD, Office of the Secretary of Defense
    • OSD(C), Comptroller, Office of the Secretary of Defense
    • OT and E, operational training and evaluation
    • OVP, Office of the Vice President
    • P, Office of the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
    • P–3, U.S. anti-submarine and aerial reconnaissance aircraft
    • PA/OAP, Office of Plans and Opinion Analysis, Bureau of Public Affairs, Department of State
    • para, paratroops
    • PARPRO, Peacetime Aerial Reconnaissance Program
    • PDC, Pérez de Cuéllar
    • PEN, Poder Ejecutivo Nacional (National Executive Power)
    • PermRep, Permanent Representative
    • PGM, precision guided munitions
    • Phalanx, U.S. anti-aircraft/anti-missile gun
    • PM, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State; Prime Minister
    • PM/MC, Office of Munitions Control, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State
    • PM/P, Office of Policy Analysis, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State
    • PM/RSA, Office of Regional Security Affairs, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State
    • PM/SAS, Office of Security Assistance and Sales, Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State
    • POL, petroleum, oil, lubricants; Political Section of an Embassy
    • POLAD, Political Advisor
    • Pres., President
    • RADM, Rear Admiral
    • RAF, Royal Air Force (UK)
    • RB, Richard Burt
    • ref, reference
    • reftel, reference telegram
    • RM, Royal Marines (UK)
    • RN, Royal Navy (UK)
    • RNAS, Royal Navy Air Station (UK)
    • RNLMC, Royal Netherlands Marine Corps
    • RO, reporting officer
    • Roland, French-German surface-to-air missile
    • RR, Ronald Reagan
    • S, Office of the Secretary of State
    • S, secret
    • SACEUR, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe
    • SACLANT, Supreme Allied Command, Atlantic
    • SAM, surface-to-air missile
    • SATCOM, satellite communications
    • SC, (United Nations) Security Council
    • SCR, (United Nations) Security Council Resolution
    • Sea King, U.K. naval helicopter
    • SecDef, Secretary of Defense
    • Secto, series indicator for telegrams from the Secretary of State
    • septel, separate telegram
    • SHAPE, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe
    • SHF, super high frequency
    • Shrike, U.S. anti-radiation missile
    • Sidewinder, U.S. short-range air-to-air missile (AIM–9)
    • SIG, Senior Interagency Group
    • Sitrep, situation report
    • Skyhawk, U.S. carrier-capable attack aircraft (A–4)
    • SLOC, sea line of communication
    • SOA, speed of advance
    • SOSUS, sound surveillance system
    • SOUTHCOM, United States Southern Command
    • Specat, special category
    • SR–71, U.S. long-range reconnaissance aircraft
    • S/S, Executive Secretariat, Department of State
    • SSG, Special Situation Group
    • SSIXS, Secure Submarine Information Exchange System
    • SSN, nuclear-powered submarine
    • S/S-O, Operations Center, Executive Secretariat, Department of State
    • SSOD, (United Nations) Special Session on Disarmament
    • SSP, SACEUR Scheduled Program
    • Stadis, (Department of) State Distribution
    • Stinger, U.S. surface-to-air missile
    • STR, Special Trade Representative
    • STRIKFLTLANT, Striking Fleet Atlantic
    • SYG, Secretary-General
    • T, Office of the Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science, and Technology
    • tacair, tactical aircraft
    • TASS, Soviet official news agency
    • telecon, telcon, telephone conversation
    • TEZ, Total Exclusion Zone
    • TIAR, Tratado Interamericano de Asistencia Recíproca (Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance; also known as the Rio Treaty)
    • Todep, series indicator for telegrams to the Deputy Secretary of State
    • Tosec, series indicator for telegrams to the Secretary of State
    • Trident, U.S. submarine-launched ballistic missile
    • TU–95, Soviet long-range strategic bomber (Bear)
    • U, Unclassified
    • UHF, ultra high frequency
    • UK, United Kingdom
    • UKUN, United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations
    • UN, United Nations
    • UNGA, United Nations General Assembly
    • UNITAS, United International Antisubmarine Warfare (naval exercise)
    • UNSC, United Nations Security Council
    • UNSSOD, United Nations Special Session on Disarmament
    • UNSYG, United Nations Secretary General
    • UPI, United Press International
    • US, United States
    • USA, United States Army
    • USAF, United States Air Force
    • USAFE, United States Air Forces in Europe
    • USCINCEUR, United States Commander in Chief, European Command
    • USCINCLANT, United States Commander in Chief, Atlantic Command
    • USCINCSO, Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command
    • USDAO, United States Defense Attaché’s Office
    • USDEL, United States Delegation
    • USDOCOSOUTH, Documents Officer, Allied Forces, Southeastern Europe
    • USEC, United States Mission to the European Community
    • USG, United States Government
    • USICA, United States International Communication Agency
    • USINT, United States Interests Section
    • USMC, United States Marine Corps
    • USN, United States Navy
    • USNATO, United States Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
    • USNMR SHAPE, United States National Military Representative, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe
    • USOAS, United States Mission to the Organization of American States
    • USSOUTHCOM, United States Southern Command
    • USSR, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
    • USTR, United States Trade Representative
    • USUN, United States Mission to the United Nations
    • VADM, Vice Admiral
    • VP, Vice President
    • VSTOL, V/STOL, vertical and/or short take-off and landing (aircraft)
    • VTOL, vertical take-off and landing
    • VTXTS, U.S. Navy training system
    • Vulcan, U.K. strategic bomber
    • WH, White House
    • w/in, within
    • w/o, without
    • WPAFB, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
    • WPC, William P. Clark
    • YPF, Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (Argentine petroleum company)
    • Z, Zulu Time (Greenwich Mean Time)