uGM-27 see Polaris.
uGM-73A see Poseidon.
uGM-96A see Trident.
uS Roland a short-range, low altitude, all- weather, army air defense artillery surface-to-air missile system.
uuM-44A see Subroc.
xMGM-52 see Lance.
NAVY AND MARINES
(Also see ships and boats in transportation)
acoustic mine a mine that responds to the sound of a passing ship.
acoustic minehunting the use of sonar to detect mines.
Aegis an integrated shipboard weapon system combining computers, radars, and missiles to provide a defense umbrella for surface shipping.
afloat support logistic support providing fuel, ammunition, and supplies outside the confines of a harbor.
air boss on a carrier, one who supervises the flight deck.
airdale slang for a naval aviator.
air wing aboard an aircraft carrier, the officers and crew members assigned to aircraft.
amphibious assault ship a naval ship designed to embark, deploy, and land elements of a landing force in an assault by helicopters, landing craft, and amphibious vehicles.
amphibious reconnaissance a reconnaissance mission to survey a shore area, usually in secret.
angled deck on an aircraft carrier, a landing deck that is slightly offset by 10 degrees to port to make it easier for a bolter to take off again after an aborted landing.
antenna mine a mine fitted with an antenna that, when touched by a ship, explodes the mine.
antirecovery device any device in a mine designed to prevent an enemy from discovering how its exploding mechanism works.
antisubmarine barrier any line of devices or mobile units arranged to detect or deny passage to or destroy hostile submarines.
antisubmarine carrier group a group of ships consisting of one or more antisubmarine carriers and a number of escort vessels whose primary mission is to detect and destroy submarines.
antisubmarine minefield a minefield laid specifically against submarines.
antisubmarine rocket a surface ship-launched, rocket-propelled, nuclear depth charge or homing torpedo.
antisubmarine screen an arrangement of ships that protects or screens another ship or group of ships against submarine attack.
antisubmarine torpedo a submarine-launched, long-range, high-speed, wakeless torpedo capable of carrying a nuclear warhead for use in antisubmarine and antisurface ship operations.
antisweep device any device in the mooring of a mine or in the circuits of a mine to make sweeping of the mine more difficult.
antisweeper mine a mine with a mechanism designed specifically to damage mine countermeasure vehicles.
antiwatching device a device fitted in a moored mine that causes it to sink should it show on the surface, so as to prevent the position of the mine from being disclosed.
armed sweep a sweep fitted with cutters or other devices to increase its ability to cut mine moorings.
arresting gear any device, such as a chain, used to catch a landing aircraft and help bring it to a stop. Also, overrun gear.
attack aircraft carrier a large ship designed to operate aircraft, engage in attacks on targets afloat or on shore, and engage in sustained operations in support of other forces.
attack cargo ship a transport ship carrying combat cargo.
balls to the wall slang term for full speed. bandit a hostile aircraft.
battery all guns, torpedo, tubes, searchlights, or missile launchers of the same size or caliber or used for the same purpose on one ship.
battery left a method of fire in which weapons are discharged from the left, one after the other, at five- second intervals.
battery right a method of fire in which weapons are discharged from the right, one after the other, at five- second intervals.
beachhead hostile shore position captured by amphibious units.
beachmaster unit a naval unit supporting the amphibious landing of one division.
beach minefield a shallow-water minefield blocking the way to a shoreline or beach.
bingo code word for running out of fuel.
blue shirt on an aircraft carrier, an aviation boatswain's mate, who wears a blue shirt and who is responsible for positioning and securing aircraft to the deck.
blue water any deep water.
boatswain a warrant officer or petty officer in charge of the deck crew and riggings.
bogey an unidentified aircraft.
bolter on an aircraft carrier, an aircraft that misses a landing by failing to hook the arresting wire and must go around for another try.
boot slang for a rookie, fresh out of boot camp.
bosun's whistle a metal whistle blown to call attention to a special announcement.
bottom a mine that remains on the seabed.
bottom sweep a wire or chain sweep close to the bottom.
bounce to practice landing on an aircraft carrier.
bouquet mine a mine in which a number of buoyant mine cases are attached to the same sinker so that when the mooring of one mine case is cut, another mine rises from the sinker to its set depth.
brass slang for officers.
bravo zulu code term for well done.
bulldog code word for a cruise missile.
call for fire a call for gunfire support.
cat short for catapult.
catapult on the deck of an aircraft carrier, the device that helps launch aircraft into the air.
cinderella liberty liberty in which one must return to ship by midnight.
clearance diving the use of divers to locate, identify, and dispose of mines.
clock code position the position of a target in relation to a ship with dead-ahead position being 12 o'clock.
Close-In Weapon System an onboard, short range missile defense system consisting of a radar tracker and a Gatling gun, two versions of which are the Vulcan Phalanx and the Goalkeeper.
CO commanding officer.
coffeepot slang for a nuclear reactor.
cold shot on an aircraft carrier, an inadequate catapult shot, due to compromised power, often resulting in a crash of an aircraft.
concentrated fire the fire of the batteries of two or more ships directed against a single target.
conn control of the ship's course. Also, in a submarine, the conning tower or control room.
convoy a number of ships escorted by other ships or aircraft in passage together.
cooky slang for a ship's cook.
creeping mine a buoyant mine held below the surface by a chain, which is free to creep along the seabed under the influence of current.
crossdeck pendant across the deck of an aircraft carrier, the cable that catches the hook of an aircraft to arrest landing.