Military abbreviations shrink complex ideas into quick, punchy codes that professionals and enthusiasts use every day. At Defense News Today, we highlight key abbreviations like C4ISR, AWACS, THAAD, and HUMINT in plain language.
A friendly A–Z guide turns jargon-filled abbreviations into clear explanations for students, journalists, planners, and curious readers. With Defense News Today, those abbreviations link kits, missions, and decisions to the stories shaping today’s battlefields.
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| AAA | Anti-Aircraft Artillery |
| AAF | Army Air Field (historic) |
| AAFES | Army & Air Force Exchange Service |
| AAM | Air-to-Air Missile |
| AAR | After-Action Review |
| AAR-Air | Air-to-Air Refuelling |
| AAV | Amphibious Assault Vehicle |
| AB | Air Burst |
| ABC | Atomic, Biological, Chemical (older term) |
| ABM | Anti-Ballistic Missile |
| ABN | Airborne |
| AC-130 | Armed C-130 gunship |
| ACC | Air Combat Command (USAF) |
| ACE | Air Component Element / Allied Command Europe (context) |
| ACE-INT | All-Source Intelligence fusion cell |
| ACM | Air Combat Manoeuvring |
| ACOG | Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight |
| ACP | Airspace Control Plan |
| ACU | Army Combat Uniform |
| AD | Air Defence |
| ADA | Air Defence Artillery |
| ADATS | Air Defense Anti-Tank System |
| ADCON | Administrative Control |
| ADF | Australian Defence Force |
| ADIZ | Air Defence Identification Zone |
| ADM | Area Denial Munition |
| AEGIS | US Navy combat system |
| AESA | Active Electronically Scanned Array |
| AEW | Airborne Early Warning |
| AEW&C | Airborne Early Warning and Control |
| AFB | Air Force Base |
| AFSOC | Air Force Special Operations Command |
| AFV | Armoured Fighting Vehicle |
| AGL | Above Ground Level |
| AGM | Air-to-Ground Missile (US designation prefix) |
| AGM-114 | Hellfire air-to-ground missile |
| AGM-158 | JASSM cruise missile |
| AI | Artificial Intelligence (military context) |
| AIM | Air Intercept Missile |
| AIM-120 | AMRAAM air-to-air missile |
| AIM-9 | Sidewinder air-to-air missile |
| AIP | Air-Independent Propulsion (submarines) |
| AIS | Automatic Identification System (maritime) |
| ALCM | Air-Launched Cruise Missile |
| ALIS | Autonomic Logistics Information System (F-35) |
| ALO | Air Liaison Officer |
| ALQ | Airborne Countermeasures designation (US DoD) |
| AMRAAM | Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile |
| AMTI | Air Moving Target Indicator |
| AN/ALR | Airborne Radar Warning Receiver designation |
| AN/APS | Airborne Radar set designation |
| AN/ARC | Airborne Radio Communications designation |
| ANGLICO | Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company |
| AO | Area of Operations |
| AOR | Area of Responsibility |
| AP | Armour-Piercing / Anti-Personnel (context) |
| APC | Armoured Personnel Carrier |
| APDS | Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot |
| APFSDS | Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot |
| API | Armour-Piercing Incendiary |
| APS | Active Protection System |
| APS-Active | Active Protection System (hard/soft kill) |
| APT | Advanced Persistent Threat |
| AR | Assault Rifle / ArmaLite Rifle (context) |
| ARCENT | US Army Central |
| ARG | Amphibious Ready Group |
| ARH | Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter |
| ARHAAW | Air‑Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) context |
| ARSOF | Army Special Operations Forces |
| ASAP | As Soon As Possible |
| ASAT | Anti-Satellite (weapon/system) |
| ASCM | Anti-Ship Cruise Missile |
| ASDIC | Early British sonar |
| ASL | Above Sea Level |
| ASM | Air-to-Surface Missile / Anti-Ship Missile |
| ASM-3 | Japanese supersonic anti-ship missile |
| ASOC | Air Support Operations Center |
| ASROC | Anti-Submarine Rocket |
| ASTER-30 | European SAM |
| ASTOR | Airborne Stand-Off Radar (UK) |
| ASV | Armoured Support Vehicle |
| ASW | Anti-Submarine Warfare |
| AT-4 | Swedish 84mm launcher (M136 in US service) |
| AT4 | 84mm anti-armour launcher |
| ATACMS | Army Tactical Missile System |
| ATC | Air Traffic Control |
| ATFLIR | Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared |
| ATGM | Anti-Tank Guided Missile |
| ATN | Azimuth to North (gunnery) |
| ATO | Air Tasking Order |
| ATO-Air | Authority to Operate (cyber) / Air Tasking Order |
| AWACS | Airborne Warning and Control System |
| AWL | Approach Warning Lamp (carrier ops) |
| AWS | Advanced Warfighting Skills / All-Weather Suit (context) |
| BAMS | Broad Area Maritime Surveillance |
| BAR | Browning Automatic Rifle |
| BARAK-8 | Indian‑Israeli SAM |
| BAT | Brilliant Anti-Tank submunition |
| BCT | Brigade Combat Team |
| BCTP | Battle Command Training Program |
| BDA | Battle Damage Assessment |
| BDE | Brigade |
| BDU | Battle Dress Uniform |
| BFA | Blank-Firing Adapter |
| BLOS | Beyond Line of Sight |
| BMD | Ballistic Missile Defence |
| BMS | Battle Management System |
| BN | Battalion |
| BOLO | Be On the Lookout |
| BP | Battle Position |
| BRDM | Soviet scout car series |
| BRU | Bomb Rack Unit |
| BUIS | Back-Up Iron Sights |
| BVR | Beyond Visual Range |
| BW | Biological Warfare |
| BZO | Battle-Sight Zero |
| C-IED | Counter‑IED |
| C-RAM | Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar |
| C2 | Command and Control |
| C2ISR | Command, Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance |
| C3I | Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence |
| C4ISR | Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance |
| CAC | Combined Arms Center / Close Air Coordinator (context) |
| CALL | Center for Army Lessons Learned |
| CAMM | Common Anti‑Air Modular Missile |
| CAP | Combat Air Patrol |
| CAS | Close Air Support |
| CASEVAC | Casualty Evacuation |
| CAV | Cavalry |
| CBRN | Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear |
| CBT | Combat |
| CCIR | Commander's Critical Information Requirements |
| CDR | Commander |
| CENTCOM | US Central Command |
| CEP | Circular Error Probable |
| CET | Combat Engineer Team |
| CFV | Cavalry Fighting Vehicle |
| CI | Counterintelligence |
| CIA | Central Intelligence Agency |
| CIC | Combat Information Center (naval) |
| CLS | Contractor Logistics Support |
| CNA | Computer Network Attack |
| CND | Computer Network Defence |
| CND-Deterrence | Credible Nuclear Deterrence |
| CNE | Computer Network Exploitation |
| CNF | Counterforce (nuclear targeting) |
| CNO | Chief of Naval Operations (US) |
| CNO-Cyber | Computer Network Operations |
| CO | Commanding Officer |
| COA | Course of Action |
| COCOM | Combatant Command |
| COG | Center of Gravity (operational) |
| COIN | Counterinsurgency |
| COMINT | Communications Intelligence |
| COMMS | Communications |
| COMSEC | Communications Security |
| CONOPS | Concept of Operations |
| CONUS | Continental United States |
| COP | Combat Outpost / Common Operating Picture (context) |
| CP | Command Post / Checkpoint (context) |
| CPOF | Command Post of the Future |
| CQB | Close Quarters Battle |
| CREW | Counter-RCIED Electronic Warfare |
| CROWS | Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station |
| CSAR | Combat Search and Rescue |
| CSS | Combat Service Support |
| CT | Counter-Terrorism |
| CV | Aircraft Carrier (US hull code prefix) |
| CVN | Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier |
| CW | Chemical Warfare / Continuous Wave (context) |
| CYBINT | Cyber Intelligence |
| DA | Department of the Army |
| DACM | Dissimilar Air Combat Manoeuvring |
| DAGR | Defense Advanced GPS Receiver |
| DARPA | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency |
| DAT | Direct Action Taskforce |
| DD | Destroyer (US hull code) |
| DDG | Guided Missile Destroyer (USN) |
| DDG(X) | Next-gen US guided-missile destroyer |
| DEW | Directed-Energy Weapon |
| DF | Direction Finding |
| DIA | Defense Intelligence Agency (US) |
| DLA | Defense Logistics Agency |
| DMZ | Demilitarized Zone |
| DNWS | Defense Nuclear Weapons School |
| DOE/NNSA | US National Nuclear Security Administration |
| DPICM | Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition |
| DRFM | Digital Radio Frequency Memory (EW) |
| DSCA | Defense Support of Civil Authorities |
| DSCS | Defense Satellite Communications System |
| DTED | Digital Terrain Elevation Data |
| DZ | Drop Zone |
| DoD | Department of Defense (US) |
| EA | Electronic Attack |
| EAM | Emergency Action Message |
| ECM | Electronic Countermeasures |
| ECP | Entry Control Point |
| EFP | Explosively Formed Penetrator |
| EGI | Embedded GPS/INS |
| EHF | Extremely High Frequency |
| ELINT | Electronic Intelligence |
| EMCON | Emissions Control |
| EMP | Electromagnetic Pulse |
| EO/IR | Electro-Optical/Infrared |
| EOD | Explosive Ordnance Disposal |
| EPW | Enemy Prisoner of War |
| EW | Electronic Warfare |
| FAC | Forward Air Controller |
| FAE | Fuel-Air Explosive (thermobaric) |
| FARP | Forward Arming and Refuelling Point |
| FASCAM | Family of Scatterable Mines |
| FBCB2 | Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below |
| FCS | Future Combat Systems / Fire Control System |
| FFA | Free Fire Area |
| FFE | Fire For Effect |
| FFG | Guided Missile Frigate (USN) |
| FLIR | Forward-Looking Infrared |
| FLOT | Forward Line of Own Troops |
| FMS | Foreign Military Sales |
| FOB | Forward Operating Base |
| FOBS | Fractional Orbital Bombardment System |
| FOC | Full Operational Capability |
| FOD | Foreign Object Debris/Damage |
| FOV | Field of View |
| FRAGO | Fragmentary Order |
| FSB | Federal Security Service (Russia) |
| FSCL | Fire Support Coordination Line |
| FSO | Fire Support Officer |
| FTX | Field Training Exercise |
| FVEY | Five Eyes intelligence alliance |
| GAU | US gun designation |
| GBAD | Ground-Based Air Defence |
| GCE | Ground Combat Element |
| GCHQ | UK Government Communications Headquarters |
| GCS | Ground Control Station |
| GEOINT | Geospatial Intelligence |
| GFE | Government-Furnished Equipment |
| GFEBS | General Fund Enterprise Business System (US Army) |
| GMLRS | Guided MLRS rocket |
| GPMG | General-Purpose Machine Gun |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| GRU | Main Intelligence Directorate (Russia) |
| GS | General Staff |
| GWOT | Global War on Terror |
| HAHO | High Altitude High Opening |
| HALO | High Altitude Low Opening |
| HAS | Hardened Aircraft Shelter |
| HBCT | Heavy Brigade Combat Team |
| HE | High Explosive |
| HEAT | High-Explosive Anti-Tank |
| HEDP | High-Explosive Dual-Purpose |
| HESH | High-Explosive Squash Head |
| HEU | Highly Enriched Uranium |
| HIMARS | High Mobility Artillery Rocket System |
| HMG | Heavy Machine Gun |
| HMMWV | High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle |
| HNS | Host Nation Support |
| HOB | Height of Burst |
| HQ | Headquarters |
| HUMINT | Human Intelligence |
| HVT | High-Value Target |
| IADS | Integrated Air Defence System |
| IAEA | International Atomic Energy Agency |
| IAF | Indian Air Force |
| IAV | Interim Armored Vehicle |
| IAW | In Accordance With |
| ICBM | Intercontinental Ballistic Missile |
| ICV | Infantry Combat Vehicle |
| IDF | Israel Defense Forces / Indirect Fire |
| IED | Improvised Explosive Device |
| IFF | Identification Friend or Foe |
| IFV | Infantry Fighting Vehicle |
| IG | Inspector General |
| IMINT | Imagery Intelligence |
| INF | Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (Treaty, defunct) |
| INS | Inertial Navigation System |
| IO | Information Operations |
| IOC | Initial Operational Capability |
| IPB | Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield |
| IRBM | Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile |
| IRGC | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps |
| IRIS-T SLM | German medium-range SAM |
| ISR | Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance |
| JAAT | Joint Air Attack Team |
| JADC2 | Joint All-Domain Command and Control |
| JASSM | Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile |
| JATC | Joint All-Domain Training Capability |
| JDAM | Joint Direct Attack Munition |
| JFC | Joint Force Commander |
| JGSDF | Japan Ground Self-Defense Force |
| JIOC | Joint Intelligence Operations Center |
| JIPOE | Joint Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment |
| JMRC | Joint Multinational Readiness Center |
| JP | Joint Publication |
| JPADS | Joint Precision Airdrop System |
| JSDF | Japan Self-Defense Force |
| JSOC | Joint Special Operations Command |
| JSTARS | Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System |
| Javelin | FGM-148 anti-tank missile |
| KAZ | Russian term for APS (Kompleks aktivnoy zashchity) |
| KIA | Killed in Action |
| KPP | Key Performance Parameter |
| KSA | Key Systems Attribute |
| KZ | Kill Zone |
| LAAW | Light Anti-Armour Weapon |
| LADAR | Laser Detection and Ranging |
| LAIRCM | Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures |
| LANTIRN | Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night |
| LAV | Light Armoured Vehicle |
| LAV-AT | LAV Anti-Tank variant |
| LBA | Landing Beach Area |
| LCS | Littoral Combat Ship |
| LEU | Low-Enriched Uranium |
| LGB | Laser-Guided Bomb |
| LHA | Landing Helicopter Assault |
| LHD | Landing Helicopter Dock |
| LIDAR | Light Detection and Ranging |
| LKP | Last Known Position |
| LMG | Light Machine Gun |
| LO | Low Observables (stealth) |
| LOAL | Lock-On After Launch |
| LOBL | Lock-On Before Launch |
| LOGPAC | Logistics Package |
| LP/OP | Listening Post/Observation Post |
| LPD | Landing Platform Dock |
| LRAD | Long Range Acoustic Device |
| LRF | Laser Rangefinder |
| LRIP | Low-Rate Initial Production |
| LZ | Landing Zone |
| MADR | Mutually Assured Destruction (archaic acronym MAD) |
| MAJCOM | Major Command (USAF) |
| MANET | Mobile Ad hoc Network |
| MANPADS | Man-Portable Air Defence System |
| MASINT | Measurement and Signature Intelligence |
| MBRLS | Multiple Barrel Rocket Launching System |
| MBT | Main Battle Tank |
| MCM | Mine Countermeasures |
| MEDEVAC | Medical Evacuation |
| METOC | Meteorology and Oceanography |
| MGS | Mobile Gun System |
| MHE | Material Handling Equipment |
| MI5 | UK Security Service |
| MI6 | UK Secret Intelligence Service |
| MILSTD | Military Standard |
| MIRV | Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicle |
| MLRS | Multiple Launch Rocket System |
| MOAB | Massive Ordnance Air Blast |
| MOE | Measure of Effectiveness |
| MOUT | Military Operations in Urban Terrain |
| MPAT | Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank (round) |
| MRAP | Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected |
| MRE | Meal, Ready-to-Eat |
| MRO | Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul |
| MSL | Missile (US DoD abbreviation) |
| MTOE | Modified Table of Organization and Equipment |
| MUM-T | Manned-Unmanned Teaming |
| NASAMS | Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System |
| NASIC | National Air and Space Intelligence Center |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| NBCR | Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Radiological (variant) |
| NCA | National Command Authority (US) |
| NCO | Non-Commissioned Officer |
| NCSC | National Cyber Security Centre (UK) |
| NEMO | Patria 120mm mortar turret |
| NFA | No-Fire Area |
| NGA | National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency |
| NLOS | Non-Line of Sight |
| NLOS-LS | Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System |
| NMC | Not Mission Capable |
| NODs | Night-Observation Devices |
| NORAD | North American Aerospace Defense Command |
| NOTAM | Notice to Air Missions |
| NPR | Nuclear Posture Review (US) |
| NPT | Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons |
| NRF | NATO Response Force |
| NSA | National Security Agency (US) |
| NSTR | Nothing Significant To Report |
| NTDS | Naval Tactical Data System |
| NUDET | Nuclear Detonation |
| NVD | Night Vision Device |
| NVG | Night Vision Goggles |
| OAS | Offensive Air Support |
| OCOKA | Observation/Cover/Obstacles/Key terrain/Avenues of approach |
| OCONUS | Outside Continental United States |
| OIC | Officer in Charge |
| OICW | Objective Individual Combat Weapon |
| OODA | Observe–Orient–Decide–Act |
| OOTW | Operations Other Than War |
| OP | Observation Post |
| OPCON | Operational Control |
| OPFOR | Opposing Forces |
| OPLAN | Operations Plan |
| OPORD | Operations Order |
| OPSEC | Operations Security |
| ORBAT | Order of Battle |
| OSINT | Open-Source Intelligence |
| OSO | Operational Support Officer (intel tradecraft) |
| PAC-3 | Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor |
| PAL | Permissive Action Link |
| PATRIOT | US long‑range SAM system |
| PAVE | USAF laser/electro-optics program prefix |
| PAX | Passengers / Personnel (context) |
| PB | Patrol Base |
| PD | Proximity/Point Detonation (fuzing context) |
| PEO | Program Executive Office |
| PGM | Precision-Guided Munition |
| PKM | 7.62×54mmR GPMG |
| PLA | People's Liberation Army |
| PLA-SSF | PLA Strategic Support Force |
| PLAAF | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| PLAN | People's Liberation Army Navy |
| PLF | Parachute Landing Fall |
| PMT | Pre-Mission Training |
| POB | Persons on Board |
| POO | Point of Origin |
| POW | Prisoner of War |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment |
| PSYOP | Psychological Operations |
| PTT | Push-To-Talk |
| PZ | Pickup Zone |
| QRA | Quick Reaction Alert |
| QRF | Quick Reaction Force |
| QSTAG | Quadripartite Standardization Agreement (NATO) |
| R&R | Rest and Recuperation |
| RCF | Radiation‑Contaminated Fallout |
| RCIED | Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device |
| RECCE | Reconnaissance |
| RED | Research, Engineering and Development |
| RISTA | Reconnaissance, Intelligence, Surveillance and Target Acquisition |
| RNEP | Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (concept) |
| ROE | Rules of Engagement |
| ROKAF | Republic of Korea Air Force |
| RPA | Remotely Piloted Aircraft |
| RPG | Rocket-Propelled Grenade |
| RPG-7 | Reusable rocket-propelled grenade launcher |
| RPO | Rocket-Propelled Ordnance |
| RSAF | Royal Saudi Air Force / Republic of Singapore Air Force (context) |
| RSO&I | Reception, Staging, Onward movement and Integration |
| RTB | Return to Base |
| RV | Reentry Vehicle |
| RWR | Radar Warning Receiver |
| RWS | Remote Weapon Station |
| S-300 | Russian/Soviet long-range SAM family |
| S-400 | Russian long-range SAM system |
| S2 | Intelligence Staff Officer (Bn/Bde) |
| SA | Situational Awareness |
| SABOT | Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing projectile core |
| SADM | Special Atomic Demolition Munition |
| SAM | Surface-to-Air Missile |
| SAMP/T | Eurosam land-based air defence |
| SAR | Search and Rescue / Synthetic Aperture Radar (context) |
| SAS | Special Air Service |
| SATCOM | Satellite Communications |
| SBIRS | Space-Based Infrared System |
| SEAD | Suppression of Enemy Air Defences |
| SEAL | US Navy Sea, Air, Land teams |
| SIGINT | Signals Intelligence |
| SIGSEC | Signals Security |
| SINCGARS | Single Channel Ground/Air Radio System |
| SIOP | Single Integrated Operational Plan (historic US) |
| SITREP | Situation Report |
| SLBM | Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile |
| SLOC | Sea Lines of Communication |
| SLR | Self-Loading Rifle |
| SM-6 | USN Standard Missile-6 |
| SOF | Special Operations Forces |
| SOP | Standard Operating Procedure |
| SPAAG | Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun |
| SPG | Self-Propelled Gun |
| SPH | Self-Propelled Howitzer |
| SPO | System Program Office |
| SPYDER | Israeli SAM system |
| SRBM | Short-Range Ballistic Missile |
| SS | Submarine (conventional) |
| SSB | Single Side Band (radio) |
| SSBN | Ballistic Missile Submarine (nuclear-powered) |
| SSGN | Guided Missile Submarine (nuclear-powered) |
| SSK | Diesel-Electric Attack Submarine |
| SSM | Surface-to-Surface Missile |
| SSN | Attack Submarine (nuclear-powered) |
| SSO | Special Source Operations (NSA) |
| SSP | Submarine Security Program |
| STANAG | Standardization Agreement (NATO) |
| STAR | Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance |
| START | Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty |
| STOL | Short Take-Off and Landing |
| STOVL | Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing |
| STRATCOM | US Strategic Command |
| SUAV | Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
| SVBIED | Suicide Vehicle-Borne IED |
| SWAT | Special Weapons and Tactics |
| TAA | Total Army Analysis |
| TACAIR | Tactical Air |
| TACAN | Tactical Air Navigation |
| TACP | Tactical Air Control Party |
| TACS | Theater Air Control System |
| TADIL | Tactical Digital Information Link |
| TAI | Turkish Aerospace Industries |
| TBM | Theater Ballistic Missile |
| TDA | Table of Distribution and Allowances |
| TDoA | Time Difference of Arrival (geolocation) |
| TEL | Transporter-Erector-Launcher |
| TELAR | Transporter‑Erector‑Launcher and Radar |
| TGT | Target |
| THAAD | Terminal High Altitude Area Defense |
| TIC | Troops in Contact |
| TLE | Target Location Error |
| TOC | Tactical Operations Center |
| TOE | Table of Organization and Equipment |
| TOT | Time on Target |
| TOW | Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided missile |
| TOW-2 | Improved TOW missile |
| TRP | Target Reference Point |
| TSC | Theater Sustainment Command |
| TTP | Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures |
| TUAV | Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
| UAS | Unmanned Aircraft System |
| UAV | Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
| UCAV | Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle |
| UCP | Universal Camouflage Pattern |
| UGV | Unmanned Ground Vehicle |
| UHF | Ultra High Frequency |
| UKAWE | UK Atomic Weapons Establishment |
| UKSF | United Kingdom Special Forces |
| UOR | Urgent Operational Requirement |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| USMC | United States Marine Corps |
| USN | United States Navy |
| USS | United States Ship (prefix) |
| UUV | Unmanned Underwater Vehicle |
| VBL | Véhicule Blindé Léger |
| VDV | Russian Airborne Troops |
| VHF | Very High Frequency |
| VKS | Russian Aerospace Forces |
| VL MICA | Vertical‑Launch MICA (SAM) |
| VLO | Very Low Observable (stealth) |
| VLOS | Visual Line of Sight |
| VLS | Vertical Launch System |
| VSHORAD | Very Short Range Air Defence |
| VSTOL | Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing |
| VT | Variable Time (proximity fuze) |
| VTOL | Vertical Take-Off and Landing |
| WIA | Wounded in Action |
| WMD | Weapons of Mass Destruction |
| WO | Warrant Officer |
| WRA | Weapons Release Authority |
| WSA | Weapons Storage Area |
| WVR | Within Visual Range |
| WWMCCS | World Wide Military Command and Control System |
| XBAND | 8–12 GHz radio frequency band (X-band) |
| XO | Executive Officer |
| YPG | Yuma Proving Ground |
| YTB | Large Harbor Tug (US Navy) |
| ZPU | Soviet towed anti-aircraft gun series |
| ZSU | Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (Soviet/Russian) |
