CH-53: A twin-engined cargo helicopter, the CH-53 was also used in Vietnam as a combat rescue helicopter, with machine guns, armor, and a hoist for recovering downed pilots from inside enemy territory. This was so successful that the idea was expanded to the present MH-53E Pave Low, an ultrasophisticated machine loaded with sensors and weapons.
CIA — Central Intelligence Agency: One of many U.S. intelligence agencies and the one most widely known. Headquartered in Langley, Virginia, across the Potomac from Washington, D.C.
CIC — Combat Information Center: The compartment of a Navy warship where displays showing information from the ship’s radars, sonars, lookouts, and any other sensors are located. The ship’s captain will normally “fight his ship” from here, where he can see what is going on around his vessel. It was first developed during World War II, when sea battles moved out beyond visual range.
CINCPAC–Commander in Chief Pacific: A U.S. officer in command of all American forces in the Pacific area. The post is usually occupied by an admiral, but he also controls Army, Air Force, and Marine units in his jurisdiction. Also referred to as a “unified commander.”
CINCPACFLT — Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet: The admiral in charge of all U.S. naval forces in the Pacific Ocean. He reports to CINCPAC.
Claymore mine: Most land mines are buried in the ground and are tripped when a vehicle or soldier passes over them. The Claymore is different. Spikes hold it upright on the surface of the ground. It is tripped electrically, on command, and sends out a fan-shaped pattern of steel balls that shred anything in their path. It is called a “directional” mine.
COMSUBPAC–Commander Submarines Pacific: The admiral in charge of all submarines in the Pacific Ocean. There are corresponding commanders for surface and air forces, COMSURFPAC and COMAIRPAC. All report to CINCPACFLT.
CP — Command Post: The term used to designate the location of an army unit’s headquarters.
DEFCON — Defense Condition: A series of formalized levels describing the status of U.S. armed forces. DEFCON V is peacetime, IV is heightened readiness, III is crisis, DEFCON II indicates a conventional war is in progress, DEFCON I indicates a nuclear war is under way.
DICASS — Directional Command-Activated Sonobuoy: Dropped from aircraft, this device is used to help search for submarines. Once in the water, on command, it will send out sonar pings into the water.
DMZ — Demilitarized Zone: A four-kilometer-wide area between the two Koreas where no military forces are allowed. While the Zone itself is not militarized, the areas just north and south of it are very militarized. Troops stationed along it commonly refer to the Zone as the “Z.”
Dragon: A medium-range, wire-guided antitank missile that is fired by an infantryman. It has a thermal sight, a range of about 1,000 meters, and will penetrate all but the heaviest armor.
DSC — Defense Security Command: Part of the South Korean Army specifically tasked with watching the officer corps for signs of disloyalty or an impending coup. Their authority is absolute.
E-2C Hawkeye: A twin-engine turboprop, this plane is instantly recognizable by the massive radar saucer that sits on top of the fuselage. Carrying a crew of radar operators and fighter controllers, the E-2C can see air and surface contacts hundreds of miles out and control the defense of a task force. It carries no weapons and is relatively slow.
E-3 Sentry: An ultrasophisticated AWACS — airborne early warning and control system — built into a Boeing 707 fuselage. Like the E-2C Hawkeye, the E-3 is characterized by a massive radar saucer and by its ability to monitor and control air battles within a several-hundred-mile radius.
EA-6B Prowler: A heavily modified A-6 Intruder, this twin-jet aircraft carries powerful jamming equipment in the fuselage and in pods under the wings. The A-6’s normal crew of two is doubled to four, three of whom operate the Prowler’s electronics. It can interfere with enemy weapons, radars, and radio communications at long ranges.
ELINT — Electronic Intelligence: Aircraft equipped with sensitive receivers patrol off enemy coasts or near enemy ships, recording the radar and communications signals they detect. The information is then taken back to base and analyzed.
EMCON — Emission Controclass="underline" Radars and radio send out active signals, emissions that can be detected (see ESM). Emission Control is used to restrict such transmissions and reduce a task force’s chance of being detected.
ESM — Electronic Support Measures: This meaningless term is the name for a type of sensor carried on warships and some aircraft. It is used to detect the radar transmissions of other ships and aircraft, and to determine their nature and direction.
ETR: Estimated Time of Repair.
F-14A Tomcat: A huge, carrier-launched fighter, it is designed exclusively to engage enemy aircraft at long range with Phoenix and Sparrow radar-guided missiles. It is also fairly maneuverable and carries Sidewinders and a 20mm cannon for close-in work. It has two engines and a crew of two.
F-16 Falcon: A single-engine, single-seat fighter used by the U.S. Air Force. An excellent “dogfighter,” at present it lacks the capability to fire long-range, radar-guided missiles.
F-15 Eagle: A twin-engine, single-seat fighter used by the U.S. Air Force. Almost as maneuverable as the F-16 Falcon, it is much larger and can fire long-range, radar-guided missiles.
F-18A Hornet: A twin-engine, single-seat jet designed to replace the A-7 Corsair II. The F-18A is a multirole aircraft intended to be equally adept as either an attack aircraft or an air-superiority fighter. It is very maneuverable and is designed to be launched from carriers.
F-4 Phantom II: A twin-engine, two-seat fighter, it was designed by the U.S. and exported widely. In terms of the number produced and different roles it has performed, the F-4 is probably one of the most successful aircraft of all time. It can carry radar-guided missiles, but is used by the South Korean Air Force for ground attack, at which it is most effective.
FAC — Forward Air Controller: Fast-moving jet aircraft have trouble picking out small, camouflaged ground targets. Forward Air Controllers fly in slow-flying aircraft at low altitude and act as “spotters” for the attack jet. They find enemy targets, sometimes mark them with smoke rockets or a laser designator, and steer the incoming air strike right in on top of the enemy.
FEBA — Forward Edge of the Battle Area: An Army term meaning the point where U.S. and enemy troops are in contact.
Feniks sonar: A Russian sonar carried by Romeo-class submarines. It is a forty-year-old design and has extremely short range.
GAO — Government Accounting Office: The fiscal watchdog of the federal government.
GAU-8/A gun: A 30mm Gatling gun mounted in the nose of the A-10 Warthog. Designed specifically for tank killing, the gun has a rate of fire of 4,200 rounds per minute. It fires a special round made of fantastically heavy depleted uranium.
GRU — Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoye Upravleniye: Chief Intelligence Directorate, Soviet General Staff. Soviet military intelligence, responsible for collecting information on the military forces of opposing countries.