OPERATIONS SPECIALIST Formerly radar operators, back in the old days. Enlisted technicians who operate combat detection, tracking, and engagement systems, except for sonar. Abbreviated OS.
OTH Over the horizon, usually used to refer to shooting something you can’t see.
P-3s Shore-based antisubmarine warfare and surface surveillance long-range aircraft. The closest you can get to being in the Air Force while still being in the Navy.
PHOENIX Long-range antiair missile carried by U.S. fighters.
PIPELINE Navy term used to describe a series of training commands, schools, or necessary education for a particular specialty. The fighter pipeline, for example, includes Basic Flight then fighter training at the RAG (Replacement Air Group), a training squadron.
PUNCHING OUT Ejecting from an aircraft
PURPLE SHIRTS See Shirts
PXO Prospective Executive Officer — the officer ordered into a command as the relief for the current XO. In most squadrons, the XO eventually “fleets up” to become the commanding officer of the squadron, an excellent system that maintains continuity within an operational command — and a system the surface Navy does not use.
RACK A bed. A rack-monster is a sailor who sports pillow burns and spends entirely too much time asleep while his or her shipmates are working.
RED SHIRTS See Shirts
RHIP Rank Hath Its Privileges. See Collar count.
RIO Radar Intercept Officer. See NFO.
RTB Return to base.
S-3 Command and control aircraft sold to the Navy as an antisubmarine aircraft. Good at that, too. Within the last several years, redesignated as “sea control” aircraft, with individual squadrons referred to as torpedo bombers. Ah, the search for a mission goes on. But, still a damned fine aircraft.
SAM Surface to Air Missile (e.g., the standard missile fired by most cruisers). Also indicates a land-based site.
SAR Sea-Air Rescue.
SCIF Specially Compartmented Information. On board a carrier, used to designate the highly classified compartment immediately next to TFCC.
SEAWOLF Newest version of Navy fast attack submarine.
SERE Survival, Evasion, Rescue, Escape; required school in pipeline for aviators.
SHIRTS Color-coded Nomex pullovers used by flight deck and aviation personnel for rapid identification of a sailor’s job. Green: maintenance technicians. Brown: plane captains. White: safety and medical. Red: ordnance. Purple: fuel. Yellow: flight deck supervisors and handlers.
SHOE A black shoe, slang for a surface sailor or officer. Modernly, surface sailors are also authorized to wear brown shoes. No one knows why. Wing envy is the best guess.
SIDEWINDER Antiair missile carried by U.S. fighters.
SIERRA A subsurface contact.
SONOBUOYS Acoustic listening devices dropped in the water by ASW or USW aircraft.
SPARROW Antiair missile carried by U.S. fighters.
SPETZNAZ The Russian version of SEALs, although the term encompasses a number of different specialties.
SPOOKS Slang for intelligence officers and enlisted sailors working in highly classified areas.
SUBLANT Administrative command of all Atlantic submarine forces. On the west coast, SUBPAC.
SWEET When used in reference to a sonobuoy, indicates that the buoy is functioning properly, although not necessarily holding any contacts.
TACCO Tactical Control Officer: the NFO in an S-3.
TACTICAL CIRCUIT A term used in these books that encompasses a wide range of actual circuits used on board a carrier. There are a variety of C&R circuits (coordination and reporting) and occasionally, for simplicity’s sake and to avoid classified material, I just use the world tactical.
TANKED, TANKER Navy aircraft have the ability to refuel from a tanker, either Air Force or Navy, while airborne. One of the most terrifying routine evolutions a pilot performs.
TFCC Tactical Flag Command Center. A compartment in flag spaces from which the CVBG admiral controls the battle. Located immediately forward of the carrier’s CDC.
TOMBSTONE Nickname given to Magruder.
TOP GUN Advanced fighter training command.
UNDERSEA WARFARE COMMANDER In a CVBG, normally the DESRON embarked on the carrier. Formerly called the ASW commander.
VDL Video Downlink. Transmission of targeting data from an aircraft to a submarine with OTH capabilities.
VF-95 Fighter squadron assigned to Airwing 14, normally embarked on the USS Jefferson. The first two letters of a squadron designation reflect the type of aircraft flown. VF: fighters. VFA: hornets. VS: S-3, etc.
VICTOR Aging Russian fast attack submarines, still a potent threat.
VS-29 S-3 squadron assigned to Airwing 14, embarked on the USS Jefferson.
VX-1 Test pilot squadron that develops envelopes after Pax River evaluates aerodynamic characteristics of new aircraft. See Envelopes.
WHITE SHIRT See Shirts.
WILCO Short for Will Comply. Used only by the aviator in command of the mission.
WINCHESTER In aviation, it means out of weapons. A Winchester aircraft must normally RTB.
XO Executive officer, the second in command.
YELLOW SHIRT See shirts.