List of U.S. Air Force acronyms and expressions

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This is a list of acronyms, expressions, euphemisms, jargon, military slang, and sayings in common or formerly common use in the United States Air Force. Many of the words or phrases have varying levels of acceptance among different units or communities, and some also have varying levels of appropriateness (usually dependent on how senior the user is in rank). Many terms also have equivalents among other service branches that are not acceptable amongst Marines, but are comparable in meaning. Many acronyms and terms have come into common use from voice procedure use over communication channels, translated into the NATO phonetic alphabet, or both.

The scope of this list is to include words and phrases that are unique to or predominantly used by the United States Air Force. For other military slang lists, see the "See also" section.

Contents: Top   0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z    See also   References 

[edit] 0–9

[edit] A

[edit] B

[edit] C

[edit] D

[edit] E

[edit] F

  • FAA - Federal Aviation Administration
  • FAC - Forward Air Controller
  • FAIP - First Assignment Instructor Pilot
  • FGO - Field Grade Officer (majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels)
  • FIGMO - Fuck it I Got My Orders
  • Fini Flight - A pilot's last flight in the aircraft before he/she leaves a squadron
  • FLPP - Foreign Language Profeciency Pay
  • FMC - Fully Mission Capable
  • FMS - Foreign Military Sales
  • FOA - Field Operating Agency
  • FOD - Foreign Object Damage or debris that can cause damage
  • FOUO - For Official Use Only
  • Four Fan Trash Can - Nickname for the C-130 Hercules
  • Four Fans of Freedom - Nickname for the C-130 Hercules
  • FRED - Fucking Ridiculous Economic Disaster (term for the C-5 Galaxy)
  • FS - Fighter Squadron
  • FSB - Force Shaping Board
  • FSS - Force Support Squadron
  • FTAC - First Term Airman's Center
  • FTU - Formal Training Unit
  • FTW - Flying Training Wing
  • FUBAR - Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition
  • FW - Fighter Wing

[edit] G

[edit] H

[edit] I

[edit] J

  • J-STARS - Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
  • JA - Judge Advocate
  • JA/ATT - Joint Airborne/ Air Transportability Training
  • JAOC - Joint Air and Space Operations Center
  • JATO - Jet-Assisted Take-Off
  • JDAM - Joint Direct Attack Munition
  • JFACC - Joint Forces Air Component Commander
  • JOAP - Joint Oil Analysis Program
  • JOPES - Joint Operation Planning and Execution System
  • JPATS - Joint Primary Air Training System
  • JPPT - Joint Primary Pilot Training
  • JSOW - Joint Standoff Weapon
  • JSUPT - Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training

[edit] K

  • KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid

[edit] L

[edit] M

[edit] N

[edit] O

  • OAPT - Officer Awaiting Pilot Training.
  • OAPTer - An officer in OAPT. An OAPTer is the third lowest position of officership, only outranking a reclassifying Lt, and a Doolie. While other 2nd Lt's begin their training and leadership, OAPTers have no purpose, no knowledge, and no function other than to do the bidding of all other officers without reservation. This is an essential role for all soon to be pilots, as it begins their slow, tedious climb through their career. It is also important for all operational bases, as OAPTers are most often supplement to the Enlisted workforce.
  • OCONUS - Outside the Continental United States
  • OCR - Office of Collateral Responsibility
  • OG - Operations Group
  • OL - Operating Location
  • OODA - Observe Orient Decide Act
  • OPCON - Operational Control
  • OPR - Office of Primary Responsibility
  • OPR - Officer Performance Report
  • OPSEC - Operations Security
  • OPTN - Operationalizing and Professionalizing the Network
  • ORI - Operational Readiness Inspection
  • ORM - Operation Risk Management
  • OSI - Office of Special Investigation
  • OSS - Operations Support Squadron
  • OT&E - Operational Test and Evaluation
  • OTS - Officer Training School

[edit] P

[edit] Q

  • QAF - Quality Air Force
  • Qweep - A task or duty that is completely useless and ultimately unrelated to your primary job. It is often assigned by superiors not of your career field as they assume that you have time to constantly work these tasks. Example: "I have a lot of qweep to do before I go home." "I need to finish all of this qweep before I can go fly."

[edit] R

[edit] S

  • SAASS - School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
  • SAC - Strategic Air Command
  • SAF/SECAF - Secretary of the Air Force
  • SAM - Surface to Air Missile
  • SARC - Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
  • SATCOM - Satellite Communications
  • SAV - Staff Assisted Visit
  • SBIRS - Space-Based Infrared System
  • SEAD - Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses
  • SEADS - Southeast Air Defense Sector
  • Secret squirrel stuff - Material classified above secret or compartmentalzed information.
  • SERE - Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape
  • SF - Security Forces
  • SFS - Security Forces Squadron
  • Shirt - A unit first sergeant
  • SIGINT - Signals Intelligence
  • SKT - Specialty Knowledge Test
  • Slick Sleeve - Nickname for an Airman Basic (owing to the absence of rank insignia on an individual's sleeve)
  • SMSgt - Senior Master Sergeant
  • SNCO - Senior Non-commissioned Officer
  • SNCOA - Senior Non-commissioned Officer Academy
  • Snacko - A highly underestimated, mission critical position held most often by Lieutenants in a new flying squadron. Doing well at the Snacko position will prompt one for a laudable career. Failing at such a job will often entail severe ridicule and, if necessary, replacement and retraining by the flying squadron.
  • SOP - Standard Operating Procedure
  • SOPS - Space Operations Squadron
  • SOS - Squadron Officer School or Special Operations Squadron
  • SOW - Special Operations Wing
  • Spirit Mission - A good natured act, commonly in the form of a prank, banner, or...reacquisition...of a person/thing, to show pride for a group of individuals. Usually harmless.
  • Sq - Squadron
  • SrA - Senior Airman
  • SRC - Solid Rock Cafe (new as of 2011, found @ Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls TX - unofficial anogram that is used by officers as well as students)
  • SSgt - Staff Sergeant
  • STEP - Stripe Through Exceptional Performance
  • Stink Bug - Nickname for the F-117 Nighthawk
  • STS - Special Tactics Squadron
  • SVS - Services Squadron
  • SW - Space Wing
  • SWA - Southwest Asia
  • SWAG - Scientific Wild-Ass Guess

[edit] T

  • TAC - Tactical Air Command
  • TAC-P - Tactical Air Control Party
  • TACON - Tactical Control
  • TAFCSD - Total Active Federal Commission Service Date
  • TAFMSD - Total Active Federal Military Service Date
  • Tail-End Charlie - Person bringing up the rear of a formation or a tail gunner
  • TCNO - Time Compliance Network Order
  • TCTO - Time Compliance Technical Order
  • TDY - Temporary Duty
  • TFCSD - Total Federal Commissioned Service to Date
  • TGP - Targeting Pod
  • TLAR - That Looks About Right
  • TLF - Temporary Living Facility
  • TO - Technical Order
  • TRW - Training Wing
  • TSgt - Technical Sergeant
  • TST - Time-Sensitive Target
  • TTP - Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures

[edit] U

[edit] V

  • Viper - Nickname for the F-16 Fighting Falcon
  • VML - Vulnerable to Move List
  • VSP - Voluntary Separation Pay

[edit] W

[edit] X

[edit] Y

[edit] Z

  • Zoo - Nickname for the Air Force Academy
  • Zoomie - Nickname for an Air Force Academy graduate or cadet

[edit] See also

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