Abbreviations

ABBREVIATIONS

Here is a list of abbreviations that are frequently used in the Royal Navy. The NATO standard phonetic alphabet is not included, but can be found by clicking here.

To see the list of abbreviations either scroll down the list now, or click on one of the letters below.

If you come across a naval abbreviation which is not listed here (either with or without its definition) then please Email me and I will add it as soon as I have solved it.

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N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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1SL	First Sea Lord. Always a full Admiral. He is the professional head of the navy.
2SL	Second Sea Lord. Also has the parallel appointment of C-in-C, Home Command. 2SL used to be a four-star appointment but has recently been filled by a Vice-Admiral. The 2SL is responsible for the manning and training of RN personnel.
3SL	Third Sea Lord. Now a three-star appointment. Responsible for the design of all aircraft and airships.
4SL	Fourth Sea Lord. A three-star appointment. Responsible for naval transport and stores.

A	Pennant recognition letter for an Auxiliary vessel. (e.g. A103) Normally Auxiliary vessels are members of the RFA but some are RN.
AAM	Air to Air Missile
ACDS	Assistant Chief of Defence Staff. Usually a Rear-Admiral who is the deputy of VCDS.
ACNS	Assistant Chief of Naval Staff. Usually a Rear-Admiral who would work closely with C-in-C Fleet and 1SL.
Adm	Admiral
ADS	Active Dipping Sonar. This is the "wand" that is lowered by a Royal Navy helicopter and used to "ping" hostile submarines.
AEW	Airborne Early Warning. This is an aircraft that patrols above the taskgroup or ship and provides warning of any hostile aircraft approaching.
AoF	Admiral-of-the-Fleet. The highest rank in the Royal Navy. Usually only created in times of conflict although a person promoted to that rank holds it for life (albeit possibly on the retired list)
ASM	Air-to-Sea Missile
ASV	Anti-Surface Vessel. One of the operational capabilities of an aircraft, most notably the Lynx and Merlin helicopters.
ASW	Anti-Submarine Warfare

CA	Heavy Cruiser
CAP	Combat Air Patrol. This is the term given to the aircraft that fly above the battle-group protecting them from hostile aircraft.
Capt.	Captain
Capt.(D)	Captain (Destroyers). A post-captain who is in command of a flotilla of destroyers.
Capt.(F)	Captain (Frigates). A post-captain who is in command of a flotilla of frigates.
Capt.(SM)	Captain (Submarines). A post-captain who is in command of a flotilla of submarines.
Cdo	Commando. Usually used to refer to one of the Commando brigades of the Royal Marines.
Cdr	Commander
Cdre	Commodore.
CEO	Chief Engineering Officer.
CGRM	Commandant General of the Royal Marines. The senior officer of the Royal Marines. Currently a Major General. (Equivalent to a Rear-Admiral)
C-in-C Fleet	Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet. An admiral (usually a full-admiral) who has overall command of all the vessels in the Royal Navy.
C-in-C	Commander-in-Chief. This is a flag officer who is in command of an area.
CIWS	Close In Weapons System
CL	Light Cruiser
CO	Commanding Officer. When an officer is in command of a ship he or she is always addressed as "Captain" regardless of what substantive rank he or she is.
CODLAG	Combined diesel, electric and gas. The propulsion used by the Type 23 frigates. This propulsion permits high speed and yet near-silent running when required.
COGOG	Combined Gas or Gas. This is the standard power-plant used for destroyers and type 22 frigates. It allows greater speed and efficiency, whilst remaining quiet.
Com.(MCM)	Commander, Mines-counter measures. Usually an officer of the rank of Commander who is in command of a flotilla of MCMVs.
COMATG	Commodore, Amphibious Task Group. A one-star appointment who is in charge of the amphibious landing. Once the troops have been landed, command on land is normally exercised by an Army or RM General. The Task Group (i.e. the ships) remain in the command of the Commodore.
COMAW	Commodore, Amphibious Warfare. Where the Amphibious ships form part of a larger Task-Force or Battle-Group, then the Commodore in charge of the Amphibious landings is known as COMAW rather than COMATG (since the Task Group is the larger fleet). Although in charge of the Amphibious ships and their escorts, and the actual landing, he will normally be acting under the orders of the principal Task-Force or Battle-Group commander who would usually be a Rear-Admiral, but possibly a Vice-Admiral.
COMUKTG	Commander, United Kingdom Task Group. Currently a Rear-Admiral.
CPO	Chief Petty Officer
CSST	Captain, Sea and Shore Training. A captain who is responsible for the training of submarines. Directly responsible to FOSM.
CVA	Conventional Aircraft carrier
CVBG	Carrier Battle Group. A battle-group centred around an aircraft carrier.
CVF	Future Aircraft carrier
CVN	Nuclear Aircraft Carrier
CVS	Aircraft Carrier (ASW). An aircraft carrier designated for anti-submarine warfare. The Invincible class aircraft carriers were originally designated for this purpose, although they have now undertaken a wider role.

D	Pennant recognition letter for Destroyers. (e.g. D23)
DD	Destroyer
DDG	Guided Missile Destroyer
DEPCOMF	Deputy Commander Fleet. This is normally the only sea-going Vice-Admiral. He is the deputy of C-in-C Fleet and would assume command of a Battle-Group when it is decided that a Rear-Admiral would be too junior for the operation.
DERA	Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. An agency of the MOD which is concerned with developing the technology of the future.
DEPSACLANT	Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic. A Royal Navy Vice-Admiral.

(E)	Usually follows a rank to denote the Engineering branch. (e.g. Commander (E) is a Commander (Engineering). Captain (E) would be a post-captain (Engineering) and is one of the few occasions when two post-captains can serve on the same ship under the title captain)
EDF	European Defence Force
EMF	Embarked Military Force. The troops embarked in an Amphibious Task Group.
EWS	Electronic Warfare System

F	Pennant recognition letter for Frigates. (e.g. F123)
FAA	Fleet Air Arm
FF	Frigate
FFG	Guided Missile Frigate
Flag officer	A flag officer is an Admiral (of any rank) or a Commodore. Its name comes from the fact that an Admiral is given a flag to symbolise his rank. At sea the flagship will normally fly the flag but whenever an Admiral transfers to another ship, his flag should also be shifted. A Commodore has a broad pennant rather than a flag. (To see Flags click here)
FONA	Flag-Officer, Naval Aviation. Usually a Rear-Admiral
FOSF	Flag-Officer, Surface Flotillas. Currently a Rear-Admiral
FOSM	Flag-Officer, Submarine. Can be either a Rear-Admiral or a Vice-Admiral although it is usually filled at 2-star level.
FOST	Flag-Officer, Sea-Training. Usually a Rear-Admiral.
FOTR	Flag Officer, Training and Recruitment. Always a Rear-Admiral.
FSC	Future Surface Combatant. The project designation for the replacement of the Type 22 and Type 23 frigates.

GR7	The RAF version of the Harrier. GR7s first embarked on Royal Navy aircraft carriers during the Falklands war, and have regularly complemented Sea Harriers since. Under the new Joint Force 2000 initative, this "pooling" of Harriers will continue.
GRP	Glass Reinforced Plastic. This is used to build MCMVs which cannot be made out of metal because of their role in anti-mine warfare.

HM/S	Her Majesty's Submarine
HMS	Her Majesty's Ship (His Majesty when the Sovereign is a King)

Km	Kilometres
Kts	Knots. This is used to refer to the speed of a ship. It is the number of nautical miles (nm) a vessel can travel in one hour.

L	Pennant recognition letter for an amphibious warfare vessel. (e.g. L03). Also used to denote the rank of a Leading rate.
LCU	Landing Craft - Utility. Used for taking a variety of vehicles, weapons, armour and stores to the shore from an LPD or LPH.
LCVP	Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel. Used to take land vehicles and personnel from an LPD or LPH.
LPD	Logistic (or Landing) Platform - Dock. A ship used to off-load an amphibious task group. It normally comprises a reasonably large flight-deck for helicopters, and contains numerous assault vessels.
LPD(R)	Logistic (or Landing) Platform - Dock (Replacement). The designation for the Albion class whilst under construction.
LPH	Logistic (or Landing) Platform - Helicopter. A ship designed to transport and operate, helicopters in support of an amphibious operation.
LSL	Landing Ship - Logistic. These ships are operated by the RFA. They currently bear the names of the Knights of the Round Table (Sir Tristam, Sir Lancelot etc.) and form part of an amphibious taskgroup. They have the ability to beach themselves if required, although it is more usual for the troops to disembark on landing vessels or via a dock.
LST	Landing Ship Tank. A vessel that lands tanks onto land.
Lt	Lieutenant
Lt-Cdr	Lieutenant Commander

M	Pennant recognition letter for a mines-counter measures vessel. (e.g. M32)
MCM	Mine Countermeasures. This can be through dedicated vessels (MCMVs) or through ad hoc arrangements which could realistically be any vessel equipped with a specialist diver.
MCMV	Mine Countermeasures Vessel. A "minesweeper" or "minehunter." These vessels still remain an essential part of the fleet as the use of mines remains an important part of naval warfare.
MEDEVAC	Medical Evacuation. The process of evacuating a casualty to a medical receiving ship. Most ships of the Royal Navy are capable of receiving casualties. RFA ARGUS has a secondary-warfare role a casualty-receiving ship although since it is a military vessel it is not protected by the Geneva Convention. The SDR highlighted the need to build and operate two dedicated hospital ships, which, in accordance with the Geneva Convention, will be painted white with large, red crosses painted on the side.
MIRV	Multiple Independently-targetable Re-entry Vehicle. This term is used in conjunction with ICBM and SLBM missiles. A MIRV missile can hit numerous targets from one missile. The trident D5 missile has 12 warheads and so each missile can attack 12 targets.
MOD	Ministry of Defence

NAAFI	Navy, Army and Air Force Institute. The NAAFI is a civilian stores company that sells a considerable amount of stores to service personnel, usually for a substantial discount.
NAS	Naval Air Station. Where the FAA aircraft and crew are based. The equivalent of a shore establishment for the Fleet Air Arm.
NATO	North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
NM	Nautical Miles. A nautical mile is slightly longer than a land-mile, in that it comprises 1,852m instead of 1,609m.

S	Pennant recognition letter for a submarine. (e.g. S103)
S/Lt	Sub-Lieutenant
SACLANT	Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic. Usually an American admiral.
SACEUR	Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. A 4-star American officer.
SAM	Sea (or Surface) to Air Missile
SAS	Special Air Service. The most famous special forces of the United Kingdom.
SBA	Sick Birth Attendant. A rating who help out the ship's surgeon.
SBS	Special Boat Squadron. The special forces of the Royal Marines. They are the aquatic cousins of the SAS and are as well-trained, if nor more so than the SAS. The SBS perform many roles although primarily anti-terrorism. One of their prime roles is to protect the North Sea Oil Platforms.
SDR	Strategic Defence Review. This was a review set up by the new Labour government in 1997. It reported in 1999 and is a blue-print for the armed services of the United Kingdom for the future. A large proportion of it deals with the Royal Navy and includes substantial new ships, although, regrettably, an overall reduction in strength.
SGM	Self-Guiding Missiles. In effect a fire-and-forget missile. The vessel firing the missile locks it onto the target, and then on-board instruments within the missile keep tracking the target until it hits.
SLBM	Sub-Launched Ballistic Missile. This is the "proper" name for the nuclear ICBM used by the U.K. This is the Trident-II missile.
SSBN	Nuclear Ballistic Submarines. These are the submarines which are capable of launching inter-continental ballistic missiles armed with nuclear weapons. The Royal Navy is now solely responsible for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent through its Trident submarines.
SSK	Conventional Submarine. These are hunter-killer submarines.
SSM	Sea-to-Sea Missile
SSN	Nuclear Submarine. This is a hunter-killer submarine, not a submarine capable of launching strategic nuclear missiles which is an SSBN.
STANAVFORCHAN	Standing Naval Force, Channel. A NATO mine-countermeasures force. Commanded by an officer of the rank of Commander
STOVL	Short Take Off and Vertical Landing: the Sea Harrier is an example of this.
STRKFORSOUTH	Naval striking and support forces of Southern Europe.
STUFT	Ships Taken Up From Trade. These are ships, usually of the Merchant Navy, which the UK Government assume control of in the event of the outbreak of hostilities. Prime Examples of this would be the QE2 which was taken up from Cunard at the outbreak of the Falkland's war.
STAR	A method of referring to the rank of flag-officers. The lowest is a one-star officer (a Commodore) and the highest - in times of peace - is a four star officer (a full Admiral). In times of conflict an Admiral of the Fleet may be created who is a five-star officer.

TEZ	Total Exclusion Zone. This is an area where ships within that zone are considered to be hostile and liable to be sunk without prior warning. One was used in the Falkland's War. To some degree they are slightly misleading and superfluous since when two countries are in conflict, any vessel of the other's would undoubtedly be the subject of action.
TLAM	Tomahawk Land Attack Missile. The Royal Navy is the first foreign Navy to be given access to this American missile. The devastating power and accuracy of the Tomahawk missile was shown in the Gulf war and also in the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. HM/S SPLENDID was the first vessel to fire a TLAM, and in 1999 it was the first Royal Naval vessel to fire a TLAM in anger.

WEO	Weapons Engineer Officer. The officer whose responsibility it is to actually fire the ship's offensive weapons when commanded to do so by the officer commanding.
WEU	Western European Union.
WREN	See WRNS. Now used solely as a way of identifying female members of the Royal Navy.
WRNS	Women's Royal Naval Service. This was abolished on 1st November 1993 when females were permitted to become full members of the Royal Navy. (Although not of the Royal Marines) However, the title Wren is still used as a suffix for female ratings.

P	Pennant recognition letter for Patrol Vessels. (e.g. P102)
PAAMS	Principal Anti-Air Missile System.
PO	Petty Officer
PWO	Principal Warfare Officer. The officer that is charged with the defence of the ship. The PWO is the only other officer other than the officer commanding (usually the Captain but if he or she falls, the XO) who can authorise the firing of the ships defensive armament. Quite often the PWO will be the third-in-command.
PWR	Pressurised Water Reactor. This is the nuclear power plan fitted to Vanguard, Swiftsure and Trafalgar class submarines.

R	Pennant recognition letter for an aircraft carrier. (e.g. R07)
R/Adm	Rear Admiral
RAF	Royal Air Force
RAN	Royal Australian Navy. Ships are prefixed HMAS.
RCMDS	Remote Control Mine Disposal System
RCN	Royal Canadian Navy. Ships are prefixed HMCS.
RFA	Royal Fleet Auxiliary. A ship owned by the MOD not the Royal Navy. They are crewed by members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. RFA ships accompany RN ships (and other allies on occasion) and perform many tasks including replenishments and servicing. The ships are prefixed RFA not HMS since they are not commissioned into the Royal Navy. They fly the Blue Ensign rather than the White of the Royal Navy.
RIB	Rigid Inflatable Boats. Very high speed boats. The sub-surface parts of the boats are rigid and usually made from fibreglass. The "hull" of the boat is inflated. They are powered by at least two engines and can reach 40 knots. They are normally steered by a senior rate or Royal Marine who sits near the bow of the boat and steers via a wheel. They are carried by most ships to perform boarding operations either by members of the ships' company or members of the Royal Marines.
RM	Royal Marines
RMR	Royal Marines Reserve
RN	Royal Navy
RNR	Royal Naval Reserve
RNZN	Royal New Zealand Navy. Ships are prefixed HMNZS.
RPM	Rounds per Minute. The firing rate of a gun. Also Revolutions per Minute which is the speed of a propeller.

URNU	University Royal Navy Units. These are units that are set up around certain University's. The units recruit undergraduate students to the rank of Officer Cadet and Midshipman. They train with Archer class patrol vessels under the command of a Royal Naval Lieutenant.
USN	United States Navy. Ships are prefixed USS

V/Adm	Vice Admiral
VCDS	Vice Chief of Defence Staff. Usually a full Admiral but may also be a Vice-Admiral. Works closely with 1SL and liases with the staff of the other services.
VLS	Vertical Launch System. Used to describe the method of launching a missile, for example the Sea Wolf on a Type 23 frigate.