Military Glossary

Afloat Prepositioning Operations
DOD) Prepositioning of ships, preloaded with equipment and supplies (including ammunition and petroleum) that provides for an alternative to land based programs. This concept provides for ships and onboard force support equipment and supplies positioned near potential crisis areas that can be delivered rapidly to joint airlifted forces in the operational area. Afloat prepositioning in forward areas enhances a force's capability to respond to a crisis resulting in faster reaction time.

AFRTS
See Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.

AFSOB
See Air Force special operations base.

AFSOC
See Air Force special operations component.

AFSOD
See Air Force special operations detachment.

AFSOE
See Air Force special operations element.

AFSOF
See Air Force special operations forces.

AGM-28A
See Hound Dog.

AIM-54A
See Phoenix.

Airborne Battlefield Command And Control Center
(DOD) A United States Air Force aircraft equipped with communications, data link, and display equipment; it may be employed as an airborne command post or a communications and intelligence relay facility.

Air Carrier Initiative Program
(DOD) Mutual assistance program with signatory commercial air carriers to assist in illegal drug detection and detection of internal conspiracies.

Aircraft Vectoring
(DOD, NATO) The directional control of in-flight aircraft through transmission of azimuth headings.

Air Defense Suppression
(DOD) In air operations, actions taken to degrade fixed and mobile surface-based components of enemy air defense systems so that offensive air forces may effectively attack a target.

Air Employment/Allocation Plan
(DOD) The means by which subordinate commanders advise the joint force commander of planned employment/allocation of organic or assigned assets, of any expected excess sorties, or of any additional air support requirements.

Air Facility
(DOD) An installation from which air operations may be or are being conducted.

Air-Launched Ballistic Missile
(DOD) A ballistic missile launched from an airborne vehicle.

Air Movement Column
(DOD) In airborne operations, the lead formation and the serials following, proceeding over the same flight path at the same altitude.

Air Photographic Reconnaissance
(DOD, NATO) The obtaining of information by air photography, divided into three types:
a. Strategic photographic reconnaissance;
b. Tactical photographic reconnaissance; and
c. Survey/cartographic photography-air photography taken for survey/cartographical purposes and to survey/cartographic standards of accuracy. It may be strategic or tactical.

Air Reconnaissance Liaison Officer
(DOD) An Army officer especially trained in air reconnaissance and imagery interpretation matters who is attached to a tactical air reconnaissance unit. This officer assists and advises the air commander and staff on matters concerning ground operations and informs the supported ground commander on the status of air reconnaissance requests.

Air space warning area
See danger area.

AIRSUPREQ
See air support request.

Air Target Materials Program
(DOD) A DOD program under the management control of the Defense Mapping Agency established for and limited to the production of medium- and large-scale map, chart, and geodetic products which support worldwide targeting requirements of the unified and specified commands, the Military Departments, and allied participants.

It encompasses the determination of production and coverage requirements, standardization of products, establishment of production priorities and schedules, and the production, distribution, storage, and release/exchange of products included under it.

Air Tasking Order/Confirmation
(DOD) A message used to task joint force components; to inform the requesting command and the tasking authority of the action being taken; and/or to provide additional information about the mission.

The message is used only for preplanned missions and is transmitted on a daily basis, normally 12 hours prior to the start of the air tasking day or in accordance with established operation plans for the theater of operations.

Air Transport Allocations Board
(DOD, NATO) The joint agency responsible within the theater for the establishment of airlift priorities and for space allocation of available aircraft capabilities allotted to the theater.

Air Transport Liaison Officer
DOD, NATO) An officer attached for air transport liaison duties to a headquarters or unit.

Air Weapons Controller
(DOD) An individual especially trained for and assigned to the duty of employing and controlling air weapon systems against airborne and surface objects.

Allocation (nuclear)
(DOD) The apportionment of specific numbers and types of nuclear weapons to a commander for a stated time period as a planning factor for use in the development of war plans.

Additional authority is required for the actual deployment of allocated weapons to locations desired by the commander to support the war plans. Expenditures of these weapons are not authorized until released by proper authority.

All-Purpose Hand-Held Weapon
(DOD) A lightweight, hand-held, small arms weapon capable of projecting munitions required to engage both area- and point-type targets.

All-Weather Air Defense Fighter
(DOD, NATO) A fighter aircraft with equipment and weapons which enable it to engage airborne targets in all weather conditions, day and night.

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