List of U.S. Navy acronyms and expressions

Look up Appendix:U.S. Navy slang in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The U.S. Navy, like any bureaucratic organization, produces its own acronyms, which often come to have meaning beyond their bare expansions. Servicemembers sometimes refer to this as NAVSpeak. Like other organizational slang, its use often creates or reinforces a sense of esprit and closeness within the organization.

Contents 1 Official acronyms 1.1 A 1.2 B 1.3 C 1.4 D 1.5 E 1.6 F 1.7 J 1.8 L 1.9 M 1.10 N 1.11 O 1.12 P 1.13 R 1.14 S 1.15 T 1.16 U 1.17 V 1.18 W 1.19 X 2 See also 3 Notes and references

Official acronyms

For a comprehensive list of unit organizations in the US Navy, see List of units of the United States Navy.

• 3M - Maintenance and Material Management (3M System)
• 3MC - Maintenance Material Management Coordinator

A

• AAW - Anti-Air Warfare
• AFFF - Aqueous Film-Forming Foam
• AIMD - Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (or Detachment)
• AUTEC - Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center
• ASAU - Air Search and Attack Unit
• ASUW - Anti-Surface Warfare
• ASW - Anti-Submarine Warfare
• ASWO - Anti-Submarine Warfare Officers
• AUXO - Auxiliaries Officer
• AWOL - Absent Without Official Leave ^[1]

B

• BB - Battleship
• BMOW - Boatswain's Mate Of the Watch
• BUMED - Bureau of MEDicine and Surgery
• BUPERS - Bureau of Naval Personnel

C

• CA - Heavy Cruiser (outdated)
• CAG - Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser (outdated)
• CAG - Carrier Air Group (outdated, see CVW) (CAG is still used as a nickname for the Air Wing Commander, and DCAG for his/her Deputy Commander.)
• CAGMO - Carrier Air Wing Maintenance Officer
• CAP - Combat Air Patrol
• CICO - Combat Information Center Officer
• CARBATGRU - CARrier BATtle GRoUp (see CVBG)
• CB - Construction Battalion (pronounced Seabees)
• C4I - Command Control Communications Computers & Intelligence
• CG - Guided Missile Cruiser
• CGN - Nuclear Powered Guided Missile Cruiser
• CHENG - CHief ENGineer (pronounced "Chang")
• CIC - Combat Information Center
• CICO - Combat Information Center Officer (pronounced "Sikko")
• CINCLANTFLT - Commander-In-Chief, us atLANTic FLeeT (see COMLANTFLT)
• CINCPACFLT - Commander-In-Chief, us PACific FLeeT (see COMPACFLT)
• CINCUSNAVEUR - Commander-In-Chief, US NAVal forces EURope
• CIWS - Close-In Weapons System (pronounced sea-whiz)
• CL Light Cruiser
• CLG Guided Missile Light Cruiser
• CLGN Nuclear powered Guided Missile Light Cruiser
• CMC - Command Master Chief
• CMDMC - Command Master Chief
• CNATT(U) - Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (Unit)
• CNET - Chief of Naval Education and Training
• CNO - Chief of Naval Operations
• CO - Commanding Officer^[1]
• COB - Chief Of the Boat (traditionally found only on submarines)
• COMLANTFLT - COMmander, u.s. atLANTic FLeeT (see CINCLANTFLT)
• COMEX - Commence Exercise
• COMMO - COMMunications Officer
• COMNAVAIRFOR - COMmander, NAVal AIR FORces
• COMNAVAIRLANT - COMmander, NAVal AIR forces, atLANTic
• COMNAVAIRPAC - COMmander, NAVal AIR forces, PACific
• COMNAVSEASYSCOM - COMmander, NAValy SEA SYStems COMmand
• COMNAVSECGRU - COMmander, NAVal SECurity GRoUp
• COMPACFLT - COMmander, PACific FLeeT (formerly CINCPACFLT)
• COMPTUEX - COMPosite Training Unit EXercise
• COMSEC - COMmunications SECurity
• COMSUBLANT - COMmander, SUBmarine force AtLANTtic
• COMSUBPAC - COMmander, SUBmarine force PAcific
• CPO - Chief Petty Officer
• CQ - Carrier Qualification
• CV - Aircraft Carrier (outdated)
• CVN - Aircraft Carrier, Nuclear Powered
• CZ - Aircraft Carrier (Lighter-than-air) (No longer in use)

D

• DD - Destroyer
• DDG - Guided Missile Destroyer
• DDR - Radar Picket Destroyer
• DE - Destroyer Escort
• DL - Destroyer Leader
• DLGN - Nuclear powered Guided Missile Destroyer Leader
• DESDIV - DESstroyer DIVision
• CRUDESRON - CRUiser DEStroyer squadRON
• CVBG - Carrier Battle Group (V comes from ship designation CV/CVN)
• CVW - Carrier air Wing (V from carrier's CV designation)
• DAPA - Drug and Alcohol Programs Advisor
• DCA - Damage Control Assistant
• DCAG - Deputy Air Wing Commander (see CAG)
• DCC - Damage Control Central
• DESRON - DEStroyer squadRON
• DIRNSA - DIRector of the National Security Agency
• DM - Destroyer Minelayer
• DOD - Department Of Defense
• DON - Department Of the Navy

E

• EAOS - End of Active Obligated Service
• ECMO - Electronic CounterMeasures Operators

F

• FAC - Forward Air Controller
• FAC/A - Forward Air Controller/Airborne
• FDO - Flight Deck Officer
• F/MC - Fleet (or Force) Master Chief
• FOD - Foreign Object Damage (Debris and Detection also used in some cases)
• FRS - Fleet Replacement Squadron (Formerly RAG)

J

• JAG - Judge Advocate General
• JBD - Jet Blast Deflector (carriers)
• JTF - Joint Task Force
• JTFEX - Joint Task Force EXercise

L

• LCPO - Leading Chief Petty Officer
• LDO - Limited Duty Officer
• LES - Leave and Earnings Statement
• LPO - Leading Petty Officer
• LSO - Landing Signal Officer

M

• MCPO - Master Chief Petty Officer
• MCPON (pronounced "Mick Pon") - Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
• MPA - Main Propulsion Assistant
• MO - Maintenance Officer (pronounced "Moe")

N

• NFO - Naval Flight Officer
• NAVAIR - NAVal AIR systems command
• NAWCAD - Naval Air Warfare Center - Aircraft Division
• NAVCOMP - COMPtroller of the NAVy
• NAVEDTRA - chief of NAVy EDucation and TRAining
• NAVFLIGHTDEMRON - NAVy FLIGHT DEMonstration squadRON (Blue Angels)
• NAVMAT - NAVal MATerial command
• NAVMILPERSCOM - NAVy MILitary PERSonnel COMmand
• NAVSECGRUACT - NAVal SECurity GRoUp ACTivity
• NAVSUP - NAVal SUPply systems command
• NAVTRA - chief of NAVal TRAining
• NAWCWD - Naval Air Warfare Center - Weapons Division
• NCDU - Navy Combat Demolition Unit
• NCTAMS - Naval Computer & Telecommunications Area Master Station
• NCTS - Naval Computer Telecommunications Station
• NeL - Navy eLearning
• NEX - Navy EXchange
• NKO - Navy Knowledge Online
• NMCI - Navy & Marine Corps Intranet
• NROTC - Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps
• NJROTC - Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps
• NSAWC - Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
• SSES - Ships Signal Exploitation Space
• NSGA - Naval Security Group Activity
• NSWG - Naval Special Warfare Group

O

• OCS - Officer Candidate School
• OOD - Officer Of the Deck
• OPSO - OPerationS Officer
• OPNAV - office of the chief of NAVal OPerations

P

• POD - Plan Of the Day

R

• RAG - Replacement Air Group (now known as FRS)
• RIO - Radar Intercept Officer
• RL - Restricted Line (Officer)
• RT - RadioTelephone (voice radio)
• RTC - Recruit Training Command

S

• SAG - Surface Action Group
• SAM - Surface-to-Air Missile ^[1]
• SAU - Search and Attack Unit
• SEAL - SEa Air Land
• SECDEF - SECretary of DEFense
• SECNAV - SECretary of the NAVy
• SCBA - Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
• SCPO - Senior Chief Petty Officer
• SICLOS - Shift Inspect Clean Lube Oil Strainers
• SOPA -Senior Officer Present Afloat
• SOP(A) - Senior Officer Present (Ashore)
• SPAWAR - Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
• STREAM - Standard Tension REplenishment Alongside Method
• SSTG - Ships Service Turbine Generator
• SUBRON - SUBmarine squadRON
• SWO - Surface Warfare Officer

T

• TE - Task Element
• TF - Task Force
• TG - Task Group
• TU - Task Unit

U

• UA - Unauthorized Absence/unauthorized
• UAS - Unmanned Aerial System (replaced UAV)
• UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
• UCMJ - Uniform Code of Military Justice
• UDT - Underwater Demolition Team
• UNREP - Underway replenishment
• USMC - United States Marine Corps (organized under the DON)
• USN - United States Navy
• UDT - Underwater Demolition Team (see SEAL)
• URL - UnRestricted line (Officer)
• USNA - United States Naval Academy
• UWT - UnderWater Telephone

V

• VERTREP - Vertical Replenishment
• VCNO - Vice Chief of Naval Operations
• VAQ - Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron
• VAW - Airborne Early Warning Squadron
• VFA - Strike Fighter Squadron
• VP - Maritime Patrol Squadron

W

• WSO - (Wizzo) Weapon system Operator

X

• XO - eXecutive Officer

See also

• List of acronyms
• List of government and military acronyms
• List of U.S. Marine Corps acronyms and expressions
• List of U.S. Army acronyms and expressions
• Glossary of nautical terms

Notes and references

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