| S |
|
| |
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|
SAAHS |
stability augmentation & attitude hold system |
|
SABCA |
Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aeronautiques(Belgium) |
|
SAC |
(1) Shaanxi Aircraft Co (China) or (2) Shenyang Aircraft Corp (China) or
(3) Strategic Air Command (USAF, now incorporated in ACC) |
|
SACEUR |
Supreme Allied Commander EURope (NATO) |
|
SACLOS |
semi-automatic command to line-of-sight (ATGW guidance) |
|
SADARM |
Search And Destroy ARmor Munition (US) |
|
SAe |
Singapore Aerospace |
|
safe life |
time, determined by testing, after which a component should be
replaced, even if not apparently defective |
|
SAHRS |
standard attitude & heading reference system |
|
SALT |
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty |
|
SAM |
surface-to-air missile |
|
SAMSON |
Special Avionics Mission Strap-On Now (pod) |
|
SAR |
(1) search and rescue or (2) semi-active radar or (3) synthetic aperture
radar or (4) synthetic array radar |
|
SARBE |
Search And Rescue Beacon Equipment (UK) |
|
SAS |
(1) Scandinavian Airlines System or (2) Special Air Service (UK) or (3)
stability augmentation system |
|
SATCOM |
SATellite COMmunications |
|
SATNAV |
SATellite NAVigation |
|
SATS |
small airfield for tactical support |
|
saw-tooth |
see dog-tooth |
|
SBAC |
Society of British Aerospace Companies (previously Society of British Aircraft
Constructors) |
|
SCAS |
stability & control augmentation system |
|
SCIMITAR |
System for Countering Interdiction Missiles & Target Acquisition Radars
|
|
SDD |
System Development and Demonstration (US) |
|
SDI |
Strategic Defence Initiative (US, aka 'Star Wars') |
|
SEAD |
suppression of enemy air defences |
|
seat pitch |
is the distance between the back of one seat and the same point on the back
of the seat in front |
|
semi-active |
form of missile guidance in which the weapon homes on to radiation reflected
by the target but emitted from a third position, generally the launch aircraft
|
|
semi-monocoque |
method of construction in which most of the structural strength is in the
outer skin and immediately underlying frames and stringers, with little
interior structure or bracing |
|
SENSO |
sensor operator (normally in ASW operations) |
|
SEP |
specific excess power (the power available per unit aircraft mass in excess
of that required to overcome drag, and is thus available for climb or acceleration)
|
|
service ceiling |
height at which air density is such that maximum attainable rate of climb
has dropped to 100ft/min |
|
servo |
device acting as a relay, normally augmenting pilot input to move
a control surface or similar |
|
sfc |
specific fuel consumption (the rate of fuel burn per unit of thrust) |
|
SFW |
sensor fused weapon |
|
SHAPE |
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe (NATO) |
|
SHF |
super-high frequency |
|
SHORAD |
SHOrt-Range Air Defence |
|
shp |
shaft horsepower, measure of power at the engine output shaft |
|
SI |
specific impulse (rocket performance parameter, obtained by dividing the
thrust by the propellant weight consumed per unit time, giving an SI conventionally
measured in seconds) |
|
SID |
standard instrument departure |
|
side-arm controller or sidestick |
modern method of primary aircraft control replacing traditional control
column with a short handgrip beside the pilot |
|
SIGINT |
SIGnals INTelligence |
|
signature |
characteristic 'fingerprint' of target displayed by detection and
identification equipment |
|
single-shaft |
gas-turbine powerplant in which all compressor and turbine stages rotate
together on a single shaft |
|
SIP |
System Improvement Programme |
|
SITA |
Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aronautiques (Airlines' worldwide
telecommunications and information services) |
|
SITREP |
SITuation REPort |
|
S/L |
sea level |
|
SLAM |
(1) Stand-off Land Attack Missile (MDC AGM-86E) or (2) Supersonic Low-Altitude
Missile |
|
SLAM-ER |
Stand-off Land Attack Missile -- Extended Range |
|
SLAMMR |
side-looking airborne modulated multi-mission radar |
|
SLAR |
side-looking airborne radar |
|
slat |
auxiliary aerofoil device to prevent flow breakaway from wing or tail, normally
fixed on tail leading edge but almost always retractable on wing leading
edge |
|
SLEP |
service life extension/enhancement programme (US) |
|
slew-wing |
see oblique wing |
|
SLR |
side-looking radar |
|
SLRR |
side-looking reconnaissance radar |
|
SMTD |
STOL Manoeuvring Technology Demonstrator (US, F-15 mod) |
|
SMTI |
selective moving target indicator |
|
SMTS |
Space and Missile Training Squadron (USAF) |
|
snap-down |
ability to intercept very low-flying target from a fighter at higher altitude
|
|
SOC |
struck off charge (UK) |
|
SOF |
Special Operations Forces (US) |
|
soft target |
one which is not armoured or hardened |
|
SOG |
Special Operations Group (US) |
|
SOM |
stand-off missile |
|
SONAR |
SOund Navigation And Ranging |
|
SOP |
standard operating procedure |
|
SOR |
(1) Specific Operational Requirement or (2) Struck Off Records |
|
SOS |
(1) Save Our Souls (distress signal) or (2) Special Operations Squadron
(USAF) or (3) stabilised optical sight |
|
SOW |
(1) Special Operations Wing (USAF) or (2) stand-off weapon |
|
SPILS |
(1) Spin Prevention & Incidence Limiting System or (2) Stall Protection
& Incidence Limiting System |
|
splitter |
fixed or laterally moveable plate dividing fluid flow in duct, for example
to feed two engines |
|
spoiler |
moveable surface on upper rear portion of wing designed to reduce lift and
increase drag when open |
|
spool |
one complete axial compressor rotor in a powerplant |
|
SPTW |
Support Wing (USAF) |
|
SR |
Strategic Reconnaissance (US) |
|
SR(A) |
Staff Requirement (Air) (UK-MoD) |
|
SRA |
surveillance radar approach |
|
SRAAM |
Short Range Air-to-Air Missile |
|
SRW |
Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (USAF) |
|
SRZ |
Special Rules Zone |
|
SSB |
single side-band |
|
SSR |
secondary surveillance radar |
|
SST |
supersonic transport |
|
SSTOL |
super-short/supersonic & short take-off & landing |
|
st |
static thrust, ie thrust of a jet engine when stationary and restrained
against forward motion |
|
stabiliser |
any fixed tail surface, usually prefixed by vertical (fin) or horizontal
(tailplane) |
|
Stabo |
Startbahnbombe(MBB anti-runway bomblet) |
|
stalling speed |
airspeed at which wing lift suddenly collapses |
|
stall strips |
sharp-edged strips on wing leading-edge to induce stall at that point |
|
STARS |
Surveillance Target Attack Radar System |
|
START |
STrategic Arms Reduction Talks/Treaty |
|
STC |
Supplemental Type Certificate (US) |
|
std |
standard |
|
stick-pusher |
stall-prevention safety device which automatically forces stick forward
when stalling AoA is neared, putting aircraft into shallow dive |
|
stick-shaker |
safety device, triggered when stalling AoA is neared, which 'shakes' the
stick rapidly fore and aft through a small angle as a means of warning the
pilot |
|
STOL |
short take-off & landing |
|
store |
general term for any weapons or equipment not permanently attached to an
airframe |
|
strobe |
high-intensity flashing anti-collision beacon |
|
STOVL |
short take-off/vertical landing |
|
strake |
long narrow surface perpendicular to fuselage skin and aligned with airflow
|
|
supercritical |
descriptive of a wing that has an unusually high critical Mach No for its
t/c and sweep angle, due to the use of an advanced aerofoil section |
|
SUU |
suspension unit underwing (US) |
|
SW |
Strategic Wing (USAF) |
|
SWAARM |
smart weapon anti-armour (UK weapon dispenser system) |
| sweepback
|
backwards inclination of wing relative to fuselage, usually measured
either at leading edge or quarter chord |
|
SWIP |
systems weapon integration programme |
| |
|
| T |
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| |
|
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TA |
(1) target acquisition or (2) terrain-avoidance |
|
TAC |
(1) Tactical Air Command (USAF, now incorporated in ACC) or (2) Taiwan Aerospace
Corporation |
|
TACAMO |
TAke Charge And Move Out (USN/USMC acronym for E-6B Mercury aircraft used
for C3 in conjunction with ballistic missile submarines) |
|
TACAN |
TACtical Aid to Navigation (military UHF navaid) |
|
TACEVAL |
TACtical EVALuation (NATO) |
|
TADS |
Target Acquisition and Designation System (Martin Marietta) |
|
TAF |
Tactical Air Force |
|
TAI |
Tusas Aerospace Industries Inc (Turkey) |
|
TALCM |
Tactical Air-Launched Cruise Missile |
|
TALD |
Tactical Airborne Laser Designator |
|
taileron |
tailplane in which both sides are used as primary control surfaces in both
pitch and roll |
|
TALON |
Theater Application: Launch On Notice (DoD) |
|
TANS |
tactical air navigation system |
|
TARCAP |
TARget Combat Air Patrol |
|
TARG |
Telescoped Ammunition Revolver Gun (ARES Corp) |
|
TARPS |
Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (USN) |
|
TAS |
(1) target acquisition system or (2) true airspeed (actual velocity relative
to the surrounding air mass) |
|
TASM |
Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile |
|
T&TW |
Test & Training Wing |
|
TBA |
Thomson-Brandt Armaments (France) |
|
TBD |
to be decided |
|
TBM |
tactical ballistic missile |
|
TBO |
time between overhauls |
|
t/c |
thickness/chord ratio |
|
TCAS |
traffic alert and collision-avoidance system |
|
TDY |
temporary duty (US) |
|
TEG/TES |
Test & Evaluation Group/Squadron (USAF) |
|
TER |
triple ejector rack |
|
TERCOM |
TERrain COntour-Matching (navigation system) |
|
TET |
turbine-entry temperature |
|
TF |
Task Force |
|
TFG |
Tactical Fighter Group (USAF) |
|
TF(R) |
terrain following (radar) |
|
TFS/TFW |
Tactical Fighter Squadron/Wing (USAF) |
|
TFTS |
Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (USAF) |
|
THAAD |
Theater High-Altitude Air Defense (US Army) |
|
THK |
Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force) |
|
TI |
(1) Texas Instruments or (2) trials installation or (3) thermal imager |
|
TIALD |
Thermal imaging airborne laser designator (pod) |
|
tilt-rotor |
aircraft with fixed-wing but variable incidence rotors to enable both vertical
and fast horizontal flight (eg V-22 Osprey) |
|
TINS |
thermal imaging navigation set |
|
TIR |
(1) target illuminating radar or (2) thermal imaging radar or (3) tracking
& illuminating radar |
|
TISEO |
target identification system, electro-optical |
|
TMA |
terminal control area |
|
TMN |
true Mach No |
|
T/O |
take-off |
|
TOGW |
take-off gross weight |
|
top cover |
provision of fighter aircraft at higher level to protect bomber or attack
formations below, usually while over enemy territory |
|
TODA |
take-off distance available |
|
TODR |
take-off distance required |
|
TORA |
take-off run available |
|
TORR |
take-off run required |
|
TOT |
time on target |
|
TOW |
(1) take-off weight, or (2) Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided
(HMSC missile) |
|
TPS |
test pilots' school |
|
TR |
Tactical Reconnaissance (USAF) |
|
trac |
distance between centre of contact area of main landing wheels (or centre
of contact area of each bogie in case of this type of undercarriage) |
|
transceiver |
radio transmitter & receiver |
|
transponder |
transmitter/responder
-- radio which when triggered by correct received signal automatically sends
out precoded reply |
|
TRIGAT |
Third Generation Anti-Tank Missile (EMDG) |
|
tri |
to
adjust balance of the aircraft such that the sum of all moments about its
cg is zero, thus enabling hands-off flight |
|
trim tab |
small hinged portion of trailing edge of flight control surface adjusted
by pilot to hold the aircraft in trim |
|
TRN |
terrain-referenced navigation |
|
TRS |
Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (USAF) |
|
TS/TW |
Test Squadron/Wing (USAF) |
|
TsAGI |
Central Aero and Hydrodynamics Institute of the Russian Federation, Moscow
|
|
TSFC |
thrust specific fuel consumption |
|
TSIAM |
Central Aero-Engine Institute, Moscow |
|
TSO |
Technical Standing Order (FAA) |
|
TSOR |
Tentative Specific Operational Requirement |
|
TTAE |
total time, airframe & engine |
|
TTF |
Tanker Task Force |
|
TTW |
Technical Training Wing (USAF) |
|
turbofan |
gas-turbine core jet engine with extra turbine stages driving a large diameter
fan which ducts most of the propulsive airflow round a core engine and generates
most of the thrust |
|
turbojet |
simplest form of gas turbine comprising compressor, combustion chamber and
turbine with most energy remaining as gas which is expended at high velocity
through a small propulsive nozzle |
|
turboprop |
gas turbine similar to turbofan but in which power is geared-down to drive
a propeller |
|
turboshaft |
gas turbine in which power is used to drive a high-speed shaft, usually
in a helicopter |
|
TVC |
thrust vector control |
|
T/W |
thrust/weight ratio |
|
TW/AA |
threat-warning and attack assessment |
|
TWI |
threat warning indicator |
|
twis |
progressive change of angle of incidence of wing or rotor blade from root
to tip |
|
TWR |
(1) threat warning receiver or (2) tower -- aerodrome control tower |
|
TWT |
travelling-wave tube |
|
TWU |
Tactical Weapons Unit (RAF, designation no longer used) |
|
type certificate |
legal document confirming completion of testing and allowing manufacturer
to offer aircraft/engine for sale |
| |
|
| U |
|
| |
|
|
UAS |
University Air Squadron (UK) |
|
UAV |
unmanned aerial vehicle |
|
UCAV |
unmanned combat air vehicle |
|
UDF |
Un-Ducted Fan (GE) |
|
UHB |
ultra-high bypass |
|
UHCA |
ultra-high capacity airliner |
|
UHF |
ultra-high frequency |
|
UKADGE |
United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment |
|
UKADR |
United Kingdom NATO Air Defence Region |
|
ULM |
Ultra Light Motorised (aka Microlight) |
|
UN |
United Nations |
|
UNPROFOR |
United Nations PROtection FORce |
|
unstick |
point at which aircraft leaves ground/water |
|
upper surface blowing |
exhaust from turbofan vented over wing to increase lift |
|
UPT |
Undergraduate Pilot Training (US) |
|
u/s |
unserviceable |
|
usable fuel |
total amount of fuel which can be used in flight, total system capacity
less residual fuel trapped in tank sumps, supply system etc |
|
useful load |
sum of payload and usable fuel, difference between empty weight and MTOW
|
|
USAF |
United States Air Force |
|
USAFE |
United States Air Forces in Europe |
|
USCG |
United States Coast Guard |
|
USMC |
United States Marine Corps |
|
USN |
United States Navy |
|
UV |
ultra-violet |
