Bright Star

GLOSSARY OF MILITARY TERMS

A-16 — A ground-attack version of the F-16 fighter. This conversion of the F-16 has been discussed but not executed as of the writing of this book.

AK — The Avtomat-Kalashnikov assault rifle, the standard rifle of the Red Army, its allies, and client states. The original AK, the famous AK-47, was an air-cooled, 7.62mm rifle capable of either semiautomatic or full automatic firing with a cyclic rate of 600 rounds per minute. Maximum effective range of the AK-47 is 400 meters, while actual rate of fire is close to 90 rounds per minute due to the limit of its 30-or 40-round magazine. The successor to the AK-47, the AK-74, fires a 5.45mm round with a maximum effective range of 500 meters.

Apache (AH-64) — A medium-speed, high-performance, single-rotor, twin-turbine attack helicopter, the agile Apache is equipped with an exceptional suite of sights and night-vision devices, which, coupled with a sophisticated fire-control system and the Hellfire missile, makes it capable and very lethal. Armament includes a 30mm chain gun (maximum combat load of 1,200 rounds), the Hellfire laser guided missile (maximum of 16), and 2.75-inch rockets (maximum of 76). Cruising speed is 175 knots (approx. 190 mph), and has an endurance of 105 minutes without external fuel tanks.

A Team — A 12-man Special Forces team that consists entirely of officers and NCOs, each a highly trained specialist in either light/ heavy weapons, communications, demolitions/engineering, or medicine.

AWACS — Short for airborne warning and control system. The U.S. has two primary versions. The E-3A Sentry system, carried by a modified Boeing 707, is manned by a crew of seventeen and has an endurance of six hours on station. The E-2 Hawkeye, built by Grumman, is a smaller, carrier-based, prop-driven AWACS used by the U.S. Navy and by several other nations. Manned by a crew of five, the E-2 has an endurance of six hours. The Soviet version, NATO codename Candid, is mounted in an Ilyushin 76 jet.

Battalion — A military organization consisting of three to five companies with personnel strength of 350 to 800 men.

Battle-Dress Uniform (BDUs) — Camouflage fatigues worn by U.S. ground forces.

Blackhawk (UH-60) — A high-performance, single-rotor, twin-engine tactical assault helicopter. This helicopter is replacing the venerable UH-1 "Huey" helicopter of Vietnam fame. The Blackhawk, manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft, has a cruising speed of 145 knots, an endurance of two hours without external fuel tanks, a range of 290 nautical miles, and a service ceiling of 5,000 feet. Though it is rated to carry a crew of three and eleven fully armed and loaded combat troops, reliable sources claim that the Blackhawk can carry twenty-two passengers in a crunch.

BMP — The primary infantry fighting vehicle of the Red Army, its allies, and its client states, the BMP-1 is equipped with a 73mm smooth-bore cannon, a 7.62 machine gun coaxially mounted with the cannon, and the SAGER AT-3 antitank guided missile. The BMP-2 has replaced the 73mm cannon with a 30mm cannon and the AT-3 with an AT-4 SPIGOT antitank guided missile. Both versions have a crew of three and carry eight infantrymen. The 11.3-ton BMP is amphibious, has a range of 310 miles, has an active chemical protection system for crew and infantry and a top speed of 34 mph. There are several variations of the BMP, including recon and command and control versions.

Bradley (M-2 or M-3) — Fighting Vehicle A fully tracked, lightly armored infantry fighting vehicle that is replacing the M-113 armored personnel carrier in mechanized infantry and armored cavalry units. The Bradley, BFV for short, is armed with a two-tube TOW antitank guided missile launcher, a 25mm cannon, and a 7.62mm machine gun coaxially mounted with the 25mm cannon. The BFV has a crew of three (commander, gunner, driver), and can carry six infantrymen for dismounted operations.

BRDM — The standard Soviet reconnaissance vehicle. Equipped with a 14.5mm gun and a 7.62mm machine gun, the BRDM-2 weighs 6.9 tons, is fully amphibious, and has a top speed of 62 mph and a range of 400 miles.

Brigade — A flexible organization that consists of two to five combat maneuver battalions and various combat support and combat service support units, such as engineers, air defense artillery, military intelligence, supply, medical, and maintenance.

BTR-60/BTR-80 — A Soviet eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier capable of carrying up to fourteen personnel. It weighs approximately ten tons, is amphibious, and is fielded in several versions, some of which include a small turret armed with a 14.5mm gun and a 7.62mm machine gun.

CENTCOM — Short for Central Command. A unified command (i. E., all services, Army, Navy, Air Force, and USMC, are under a single commander, normally a four-star general or admiral), CENTCOM is responsible for American forces and military operations in Southwest Asia and Africa.

CO — Short for commanding officer.

Combined Arms Army — The Soviet equivalent to a U.S. Army corps in size and purpose, the combined arms has three or four motorized rifle divisions and one or two tank divisions. In addition, combat support units, such as artillery, rocket troops, air defense, attack helicopter, and engineers, as well as supply and transportation units, are attached to the combined arms army to support the combat divisions. The combined arms army is the main weapon of the Red Army at the operational level.

Combined Arms Maneuver Task Force — A battalion that has been permanently tasked, organized with a mix of tank and infantry companies.

Company — A military organization that numbers from 50 to 180 personnel and is normally divided into platoons and/or sections.

Corps — An organization that is comprised of several combat divisions, independent combat brigades, armored cavalry regiments, combat support units, such as artillery, rocket troops, air defense, attack helicopter, and engineers, as well as supply and transportation units. In the West, the corps is a flexible organization that can be added to or subtracted from depending on the corps' missions. The corps is commanded by a lieutenant general, three stars, and can number from 50,000 to over 100,000 men.

CP (Command Post) — The center where commanders and their operations and intelligence staff, along with special staff officers, plan, monitor, and control the battle.

CQ — Short for charge of quarters. This is a noncommissioned officer who is put on duty at company level during nonduty hours. He is responsible for the maintenance of unit rules and regulations and is the point of contact for receiving and passing important information at the company.

Division — A major military organization that consists of brigades and/or regiments and can have a personnel strength as low as 6,500 men or as high as 20,000, depending on the type.

Hummer (also Hummvee and HMMWV) — Popular name applied to the high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (hence HMMWV). The hummer has replaced the old jeep as the Army's four-wheel-drive all-purpose utility truck.

M-1/M-1A1 Abrams Tank — The Army's primary ground weapon system for closing with and destroying enemy forces using fire power, mobility, and shock effect. The tank weighs 61 tons for the basic M-1 and 63 for the M-1A1 fully combat-loaded. The M-1 is equipped with a 105mm rifled cannon of British origin, while the M-1A1 has a 120mm smooth bore of German origin. The tank also has a secondary armament of one caliber- .50 M-2 heavy-barreled machine gun (the commander's weapon), a 7.62mm machine gun coaxially mounted with the main gun controlled by the gunner, and a 7.62 machine gun mounted at the loader's position. The crew consists of a commander, a gunner, a loader, and a driver. Equipped with a 1,500-horsepower turbine engine, the M-1 is capable of 45 mph when the engine is governed. Earlier models that did not have governors on their engines reportedly reached speeds of 70 mph and were duly ticketed by the authorities. Not only does the M-1/M-1 A1 have special armor that increases survivability, but fuel and ammunition are stored in special armored compartments away from the crew, further increasing the chances of survival in the event an enemy round penetrates into the tank's interior.

M-16 — The standard rifle of U.S. ground combat forces, the M-16 fires a 5.56mm round either semiautomatically or fully automatically and is gas operated, magazine fed, and air cooled. The M-16A2, now being fielded, eliminates the automatic mode and fires a three-round burst instead and has several other improvements, including a heavier barrel that allows greater accuracy at longer ranges.

M-60A3 — Last of the M-60 series Patton tanks which were initially introduced into active service in 1960, the M-60 A3 is a highly modified version that includes a sophisticated fire-control system, onboard stabilization for the main gun, and either thermal or passive night sights. The tank weighs 53 tons fully combat-loaded. The M-60A3 is equipped with the same 105mm rifled cannon as the basic M-1, a secondary armament of one caliber- .50 M-85 machine gun (the commander's weapon), and a 7.62mm machine gun coaxially mounted with the main gun. The crew consists of a commander, a gunner, a loader, and a driver. Equipped with a 750 horsepower diesel engine, the M-60A3 is capable of a breathtaking 20 mph. Armor consists of rolled homogeneous armor up to four inches thick, but no special armor. Most active Army units have had the M-60 A3 tanks replaced by the M-1 or the M-1A1, with National Guard and Army Reserve units receiving the M-60A3 to replace both the M-48A5 and the M-60/M-60A1. A number of foreign nations, including Egypt, have purchased the M-60A3.

M-113 — A fully tracked armored personnel carrier that resembles a metal shoebox. Introduced in the late 1950s, the M-113 was the primary personnel carrier for American infantry unit until the introduction of the M-2 Bradley. Weighing 12.1 tons, the M-113 has a top speed of 40 mph, a cruising range of 300 miles, a crew of one (the driver), and can carry eleven passengers. Still the workhorse, the M-113 is used for a variety of tasks and has been modified to carry mortars and antitank guided missiles, as a battlefield ambulance, for command and control (the M-577 is nothing more than a built-up M-113), and for general cargo hauling to and from the battlefield.

M-577 — A fully armored and tracked command post carrier. Used in tactical units, battalion/task-force level and above, by the unit staff for planning and command and control. One or more of these used in a command post configuration by the unit's operations staff compose the tactical operations center, TOC for short.

Mechanized — Term used in the U.S. Army to refer to infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles. In the Red Army, these units are referred to as motorized rifle units.

MiG — Short for Mikoyan, the company that has been producing first-rate fighters for the Red Air Force since before World War II.

Motorized Rifle — Term used in the Red Army to refer to infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles. In the U.S. Army, these units are referred to as mechanized units.

NATO — Acronym for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which includes Norway, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Canada, and the United States.

NCO — Short for noncommissioned officer or sergeant.

OPFOR — Short for opposing force, a term used to describe the enemy used during maneuver training exercises.

Orders Group — Selected commanders and staff officers who receive the mission/operations order from their higher headquarters. These people, in turn, with assistance from the rest of the unit's staff, will produce the necessary orders at their level to accomplish the mission assigned to them.

Overwatch — A term applied to a tactical method of movement in which part of a unit remains stationary, watching for enemy activity, while another part of the unit moves forward. It is the task of the overwatch element to engage any enemy forces that threaten the element in motion.

PERSCOM — Short for Personnel Support Command, the agency at the Department of the Army responsible for the management of all Army personnel, including assignments and career management.

Platoon — A military organization that consists of as few as nine men and three tanks, in the case of a Soviet tank platoon, or as many as fifty men, in some U.S. platoons.

Regiment — A military organization similar to a brigade but more rigid in its organization. It usually consists of one type of unit, such as an infantry regiment or an armor regiment. All battalions within a regiment carry the same regimental number.

SAM — See Surface-to-Air Missile.

S-3 — The "S" stands for "staff" in battalion-and brigade-sized units in the U.S. Army. The S-l is responsible for personnel matters; the S-2 is the intelligence officer; the S-3 is operations, plans, and training; and the S-4 is supply and maintenance. At division and Corps level, the "S" is replaced by a "G," which stands for "general staff." When more than one service is involved, as in a joint Army and Navy operation, staffs use "J" for joint staff.

Special Forces (SF) — Popularly known as the Green Berets, these special operations forces have missions that include assisting foreign nations with internal defense through training, unconventional warfare, strategic reconnaissance, and strike operations (or raids).

Squad — The smallest military organization, normally commanded by a sergeant and consisting of nine to twelve men.

Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) — An antiaircraft guided missile that is launched from a ground platform against aircraft. SAMs come in a wide variety, running from the man-portable Stinger missile, with a range of 4 kilometers and fired by a single man, to the Hawk, whose range exceeds 40 kilometers.

T-62 — An outdated tank of Soviet design and manufacture, the tank weighs 36.93 tons fully combat-loaded. The T-62 is equipped with a 115mm main gun and has a secondary armament of one 12.7mm machine gun (the commander's weapon) and one 7.62mm machine gun coaxially mounted with the main gun. The crew consists of a commander, a gunner, a loader, and a driver. Equipped with either a 700 horsepower or a vee-12 water-cooled diesel engine, either is capable of 34 mph. The T-62 tank is protected with steel armor up to 100mm thick on the front slope of the hull and 170mm on the gun mantlet.

T-54/55 — An outdated tank of Soviet design and manufacture, the tank weighs 35.9 tons fully combat-loaded. Both the T-54 and the T-55 are equipped with a 100mm main gun and a secondary armament of one 12.7mm machine gun (the commander's weapon) and one 7.62mm machine gun coaxially mounted with the main gun. The crew consists of a commander, a gunner, a loader, and a driver. Equipped with either a 520 (T-54) or a 580 (T-55) horsepower or a vee-12 water-cooled diesel engine, either is capable of 30 mph.

T-80 — The Soviet army's primary tank, the T-80 weighs 39.3 tons fully combat-loaded. It is equipped with a 125mm main gun and has a secondary armament of one 12.7mm machine gun (the commander's weapon) and one 7.62mm machine gun coaxially mounted with the main gun. The crew consists of a commander, a gunner, and a driver. Since the T-80 has an automatic loader, there is no need (or room) for a human loader. Equipped with a 700 horsepower water-cooled diesel engine, the tank is capable of 50 mph. Like the M-1/M-1A1, the T-80 has special armor that increases survivability. Unlike the M-1, the T-80 has been equipped with reactive armor.

Tank-Heavy — A maneuver unit, company, battalion/task force, or brigade that has a preponderance of tank units assigned to it. For example, a battalion/task force that has three tank companies and one mechanized infantry company would be tank heavy. A battalion that has two tank and two mechanized infantry companies would be a balanced task force. A battalion with three mechanized infantry and one tank company would be mech heavy.

Task Force — A grouping of units, under one commander, formed for the purpose of carrying out a specific operation or mission. In the past, this term was applied only to Army battalions that had additional units assigned to it, in particular units of a different type. For example, a tank battalion that normally has four tank companies might give up one tank company to a mechanized infantry battalion and receive a mechanized infantry company as well as one or more engineer platoons and an air defense platoon. That tank battalion would then become a tank-heavy task force.

XO — Short for executive officer, the officer second in command of a unit. Sometimes the XO is referred to as a deputy commander, as in the Red Army.