Bone: The callsign for the US Air Force B1 Lancer bomber
BRF: Brigade Recce Force – recce troops for 3 Commando Brigade
Brigade: 3 or 4 regiments of troops with all supporting troops
Buster: Fly at the fastest speed possible
C130: Hercules – a 4 propped military fixed wing transport plane used by most countries to move troops and equipment
C17: Boeing C17 Globemaster III – large US Air Force Strategic/Tactical Transport Plane
Calibre: The inside diameter of the barrel of a weapon
Carbine: Short barrelled SA80 with a pistol grip at the front – used by Apache pilots and tank crews – 5.56 mm automatic
Casevac: Casualty Evacuation
Cdo: Commando
CDS: Chief of the Defence Staff
CGS: Chief of the General Staff
CH47: Chinook – a large wide-bodied helicopter with two rotors on the top. Used by many countries for carrying troops – may also carry equipment inside or underslung below
Chicken Fueclass="underline" Just enough fuel to make it back direct line and land with the minimum fuel allowance
Chinook: See CH47
CIA: Central Intelligence Agency – US Government Intelligence
CMSL: CPG (Apache Gunner) has actioned the missile system – CPG’s Missiles
CO: Commanding Officer – Lieutenant Colonel in charge of a regiment, battalion or the JHF
Coalition: National Military Forces working together as one force
Collective Lever: The flying control to the left-hand side of the pilot’s seat; held in the left hand; when raised the Apache climbs and when lowered it descends
Combat Gas: Fuel that can be used at the target – this does not include transit fuel
Co-op: Co-operative rocket shoot – both of the Apaches’ crew working together to fire the rockets at the target
Cow: Taliban slang for the Chinook helicopter
CPG: Co-pilot Gunner – Front seat pilot in the Apache, known as ‘The Gunner’
Crow: Derogatory military slang for a very junior paratrooper
CRKT: CPG (Apache Gunner) has actioned the rocket system – CPG’s Rockets
CRV7: Canadian Rocket Vehicle 7 – the Apache’s rockets
Crypto: Cryptographic – Encoded information
Cyclic Stick: The flying control between the pilot’s legs, held by the right hand and used to speed up, slow down, dive and turn the Apache
Danger Close: The proximity to a weapon’s effect that is considered the last safe point when wearing body armour and combat helmets
Dasht-e-Margo: Desert of Death
DC: District Centre – the commercial/political/military centre of a particular area. Usually a building that once held power
Deep Raid: Striking the enemy deep within their own held territory without taking ground
Delta Hoteclass="underline" Phonetic Alphabet for DH – air speak for Direct Hit – call made when a weapon system hits its intended target accurately
Desert Hawk: Small British UAV
DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross – awarded in recognition of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy in the air
DGSE: Direction Générale de la Sécurité – General Directorate for External Security – French Intelligence Agency
Dishdash: Loose kaftan-style outfit worn by many Afghan men
Doorman: Callsign for the British casevac Chinook
DPM: Disruptive Pattern Material – camouflaged print used on clothing and equipment
DTV: Day Television Camera – black and white TV image generated from the day camera in the TADS
DU: Depleted Uranium – kinetic bullets used by the A10
Dushka: Nickname of the DShK – Soviet built Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun – 12.7 mm (.50 cal)
Engine Power Levers: The throttles used for starting the Apache’s engines
ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival
EWO: Electronic Warfare Officer
F18: US Navy strike warplane called the Hornet – very similar cockpit to the Apache but less busy
Fast Air: Offensive military jet aircraft
FCR: Fire Control Radar – the Apache’s Longbow Radar
Firebase: Friendly Forces firing position used to cover an assault
Flanking: From the side
Flares: Hot flares fired to attract heat-seeking missiles, luring them away from the Apache
Flechette: Eighty-five-inch tungsten darts fired from a rocket travelling above Mach 2
FLIR: Forward Looking Infrared. Sights that generate a thermal picture – an image produced by an object’s heat source
Fly-by-wire: Flying the helicopter using sensors from the controls like a PlayStation control works. A Back Up flight Control System (BUCS) used when control runs are shot through
FM Radio: A Frequency Modulated secure radio in the Apache
Force 84: British Special Forces operating in Afghanistan
Formate: Aviation term for formation flying
Frag: Fragments of hot metal that break away from a shell when it explodes
Fragged: As published in the orders
Frago: Fragmented Orders – extracted part of a full set of orders
Fuselage: Main body of an aircraft
GAFA: Great Afghan Fuck All – Dasht-e-Margo – the Desert of Death
GAU8: Gatling gun fitted to an A10 ground attack aircraft
GBU: Guided Bomb Unit – smart bombs
GCHQ: British Government Communications Headquarters – Intelligence andSecurity Organisation
GPMG: British Forces General Purpose Machine Gun – 7.62 mm bipod machine gun
GPS: Global Positioning System – satellite navigation equipment
GR7: Harrier GR7 – Royal Air Force warplane capable of Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL)
Green Zone: Lush habitation of irrigated fields, hedgerows, trees and small woods on either side of the Helmand River, bordered by arid deserts
Groundcrew: People who work with aircraft when they are on the ground, not technicians
Ground schooclass="underline" Academic lessons on flying and all to do with flying; met, law, engines, etc.
Gunship: An aircraft that has the capability of firing its cannon/s from the side instead of having to strafe head-on
Gun tape: The video tape put into an Apache that records what the selected sight sees
Harrier: See GR7
H Hour: The moment offensive action begins – first bullet, bomb or the moment troops walk towards their intended target to attack
HEDP: High Explosive Dual Purpose – 30 mm cannon rounds
Height: The height above the ground
HEISAP: High Explosive Incendiary Semi-Armour Piercing – kinetic rocket fired by the Apache
Hellfire: AGM-114K SAL (Semi-Active Laser) Hellfire II is a laser-guided Hellfire missile fitted to the Apache and Predator