airborne
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abn
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Describes personnel, troops, or ground units whose
special training or primary mission is to make assault landings
from the air, either by parachuting or touchdown.
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airborne force
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A force composed primarily of ground and air units organized,
equipped, and trained for airborne operations.
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airborne operation
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The organized movement, by air, of combat forces and
their logistic support into an objective area for the purpose
of executing a particular mission.
Example: The mission then became an airborne operation and
was quickly concluded.
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airborne warning & control system
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AWACS
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A military surveillance system, carried by aircraft, that is
capable of tracking a large number of other aircraft
from a great distance.
Example: The AWACS aircraft was quickly deployed to
monitor the situation and report on progress.
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aircraft carrier
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CV
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A warship designed to support and act as a base for aircraft.
An aircraft carrier can also engage in attacks on targets
afloat or ashore, and in sustained operations in support of other forces.
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aircraft commander
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AC
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The aircrew member officially designated as being in
command of an aircraft and responsible for its safe
operation and accomplishment of the assigned mission.
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airdrop
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A parachute jump or a supply delivery by parachute from
an aircraft in flight. In logistics, the term vertical
replenishment is sometimes used instead.
Example: An airdrop was arranged and the supplies
were eventually received by that means.
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airfield traffic
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All traffic on the manoeuvring area of an airfield and
all aircraft flying in the vicinity of an airfield.
Example: Fortunately, airfield traffic was light at the time
and theclearance process rapid..
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airlift
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An operation to carry troops and equipment over long distances by air
in order to bring them into crisis areas rapidly.
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airlifters
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Personnel and planes involved in carrying out airlifts
Example: Fighters were deployed to protect the airlifters
and the mission was a success.
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airmobile troops
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Airborne troops which can be delivered into a battle zone by helicopter.
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air-sea rescue
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ASR
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The use of aircraft, including helicopters, and boats to try
to save people in danger at sea.
Example: The ASR helicopter was deployed immediately and
the survivors rescued without delay.
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airspace control system
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ACS
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The organizations and personnel, together with their policies, procedures, and facilities, involved in ensuring the safe, efficient, and flexible use of airspace.
Example: ACS staff were called upon to investigate the matter to determine the cause of the incident.
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airspace restrictions
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Special restrictive measures applied to segments of airspace of
defined dimensions.
Example: Because of local airspace restrictions, the aircraft
had to climband maintain height for the remainder of their passage.
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air-to-air guided missile
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A guided missile launched from an aircraft, for use
against airborne targets.
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air-to-surface guided missile
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A guided missile launched from an aircraft, for use against
targets on land or sea.
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Allied Command Europe
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ACE
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One of the two major military commands of NATO, covering
an area from the northern tip of Norway to the eastern
border of Turkey. Its primary role is to guarantee the
security and territorial integrity of NATO member states.
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allocation
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The distribution of limited resources among competing requirements.
Example: The unit's allocation of ammunition was insufficient for the task.
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Allowance & Payment Officer
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APO
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One of the civilian administrators in a PKO's finance section.
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ALPHA
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The letter A in the phonetic alphabet.
Example: Alpha Two Zero was deployed in support of
his colleague and proved extremely effective.
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alternate airfield
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An airfield specified in the flight plan to which a flight may
proceed when it becomes inadvisable to land where
originally intended. The airfield of departure may be an alternate airfield.
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alternate command post
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Any location designated by a commander to assume
command post functions in the event that a command post becomes inoperative. This may be the command post of a subordinate unit. It may be lacking in the normal levels of equipment and manning.
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ambulance
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A special vehicle used for taking ill or injured people to hospital.
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ambulance post
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AP
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An ambulance with a driver and a medic.
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ambush
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If someone is lying or waiting in ambush, they are hiding
and waiting for someone in order to attack them.
Example: Sadly, the party was then ambushed in the open and all
were lost.
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ambush patrol
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A military patrol that is hiding and waiting in ambush.
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ammunition
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ammo
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Infantry bullets/projectiles for use with small arms, cannons,
and mortars, plus combat grenades and pyrotechnics.
Example: The troops were low on ammo and, as a result, had
to limittheir response.
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ammunition dump
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A place where ammunition is stored.
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amphibious
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Used for describing military operations or forces that are
launched or landed from the sea in order to carry out actions
on land.
Example: Amphibious forces were deployed and their
capability proved decisive.
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amphibious assault
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The principal type of amphibious operation that involves
establishing a force on a hostile or potentially hostile shore.
Example: The amphibious assault was a success and the
mission quickly concluded.
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amphibious force
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AF
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An amphibious task force and a landing force together with
other forces that are trained, organized, and equipped
for amphibious operations.
Example: The AF came under attack subsequently and
many craft were lost.
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amphibious operation
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A military operation launched from the sea by an amphibious force.
The force is embarked in ships or other craft with the primary
purpose of introducing a landing force ashore to accomplish the assigned mission.
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anti-aircraft
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AA
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Intended to destroy or defend against enemy aircraft.
Example: The force then came under AA fire and had to re-route.
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anti-aircraft artillery
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AAA
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Artillery intended to destroy or defend against enemy aircraft.
Example: Bravo Four Four then turned its attention on the
AAA facilityand destroyed it.
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anti-aircraft machine gun
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AAMG
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A machine gun mounted on a special carriage and used for air defence.
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anti-ambush drill
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Military actions to be taken when caught in an ambush.
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anti-armour helicopter
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Another term for an anti-tank helicopter.
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anti-lift device
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A device designed to detonate the mine to which it is attached,
if the mine is disturbed. An anti-lift device can also be designed
to detonate another mine or charge nearby.
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anti-personnel mine
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AP; Apers
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A mine designed to injure or kill soldiers who are on foot.
Anti-personnel mines can present an enormous danger
to the civilian population (eg in Cambodia, Afghanistan).
Anti-personnel mines are also known as 'bouncing betties'.
Example: The soldier spotted the ARs and immediately
warned his comrades.
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anti-tank barrier
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Any object which is used for stopping the movement of tanks,
eg a wrecked car, specially designed steel bars.
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anti-tank ditch
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A ditch for defence against armoured vehicles.
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anti-tank guided missile
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AGM; ATGM
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A guided missile designed to destroy or damage enemy tanks
and large military fighting vehicles.
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anti-tank guided weapon
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ATGW
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Any kind of anti-tank weapon controlled by a guidance system.
Example: The unit deployed ATGWs, which proved extremely
effective against the advancing forces.
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anti-tank helicopter
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A helicopter which is mainly equipped with anti-tank weapons, for use
in the destruction of armoured targets. Anti-tank helicopters support
ground forces in anti-tank measures. Anti-tank helicopters are also
called 'tank killers'.
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anti-tank mine
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AT; Atk
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A mine used for anti-tank measures. Often laid in addition
to other mines.
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anti-terrorism
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AT
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Defensive measures to reduce the vulnerability of individuals
and property to terrorist acts, including limited response
and containment of the threat by local military forces.
Compare 'counterterrorism'.
Example: The government introduced anti-terrorism measures
without delay and deployed units specializing in counter-terrorism.
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anti-terrorism awareness
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Fundamental knowledge of the terrorist threat and of
measures to reduce personal vulnerability to terrorism.
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area assessment
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The collection of specific information about an area that a
commander is required to undertake upon assignment to that
area and continuously after that. It can confirm, correct, refute,
or add to previous intelligence acquired from area studies
and other sources.
Example: Once he had completed an area assessment, the
commander deployedhis forces appropriately.
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area bombing
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The bombing of a target which is a general area rather
than a small or pinpoint target.
Example: The tactic deployed was that of area bombing.
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area command
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A command which is composed of those organized elements from
one or more of the Armed Services that have been designated
to operate in a specific geographical area, under the authority
of a single commander.
Example: The general was given an area command on
completion of his staff duty at the MOD.
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Area Control Centre
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ACC
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A unit established to provide air traffic control services to
flights in control areas under its jurisdiction.
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area coordination group
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A composite organization, including representatives of local
military, paramilitary, and other governmental agencies and
their counterparts, which is responsible for planning and
coordinating internal defence and development
operations in a given area.
Example: Having been given command of the area
coordination group, the colonel did not waste time
in developing an overall strategy.
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area damage control
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Measures taken before, during, or after hostile action, to
reduce the probability of damage and to minimize its effects.
Area damage control can also be applied in relation to
naturalor man-made disasters.
Example: Effective area damage control measures were taken,
which quickly restored order.
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area of influence
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A geographical area in which a commander is directly
capable of influencing military operations, by means of
manoeuvres or fire support.
Example: Unfortunately, the incident was outside his area
of influence and he was unable to take evasive action to
protect his remote forces.
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area of influence line
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(In peacekeeping) a line between areas of influence drawn
by various parties (including the UN) in order to clarify the situation on the ground for themselves. Such lines do not involve
any formal agreement and are in fact seldom
widely accepted.
Example: The area of influence line passed directly
between the 2 locations and therefore posed a potential
problem to the peacekeeping forces.
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area of intelligence responsibility
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An area allocated to a commander in which the
commander is responsible for the provision of intelligence
within the means at the commander's disposal.
Example: The designated control zone was within the
commander's area of intelligence responsibility, as a result
he was able to collect the necessary information
and report accordingly.
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area of interest
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AOI
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The area of concern to a commander, including the
area of influence and areas adjacent to it, and extending
into territory held by parties to the conflict.
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area of limitation in/of armaments
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AOL
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An area established immediately adjacent to a buffer zone.
The usual arrangement is for the two sides to agree on an
equal presence of small, lightly-armed forces each in its own AOL.
Example: The 2 AOLs were somewhat remote from each
other and therefore liaison was difficult.
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area of operation
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AOO
AO
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That portion of an area of conflict that is required for the
conduct of a peacekeeping operation. Each AOO is assigned a commander who is responsible for it.
Example: The unit's AOO was extensive and control
of entry proved problematic.
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area of responsibility
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AOR
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The geographical area associated with a combatant command,
within which a combatant commander has authority to
plan and conduct operations.
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