| A/A | Anti-Aircraft |
| A&AEE | Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (Boscombe Down) |
| AAC | Army Air Corps |
| AAG | Advanced Arrester Gear |
| AAM | Air-to-Air Missile |
| ACA | Aircraft Carrier Alliance |
| ACNB | Australian Commonwealth Navy Board |
| ACNS | Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff |
| ACR | Aircraft Control Room (in a carrier) |
| ACS | Aircraft Carrier Squadron |
| ADA | Action Data Automation |
| ADAWS | Action Data Automated Weapons System |
| ADR | Aircraft Direction Room |
| AED | Air Engineering Department (in a carrier) |
| AESA | Airborne Electronically-Scanned Array |
| AEW | Airborne Early Warning |
| AF | Admiral of the Fleet |
| AFC | Air Force Cross |
| AFO | Admiralty Fleet Order |
| AFWR | Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range (USN) |
| AHU | Aircraft Holding Unit |
| AI | Air Intercept (radar) |
| AIM | Air Intercept Missile |
| ALIS | Autonomous Logistic Information System |
| AMRAAM | Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile |
| AN/APS | Army-Navy/Airborne Pulse Search (radar) (USN designation) |
| A/S | Anti-Submarine |
| ASaC | Airborne Surveillance and Control |
| ASM | Air-to-Surface Missile |
| ASOC | Air Support Operations centre |
| ASR | Air-Sea Rescue |
| ASV | Air-to-Surface Vessel (radar) |
| ASW | Anti-Submarine Warfare |
| avcat | Aviation Catoline Spirit |
| avgas | Aviation Gasoline |
| avtur | Aviation Turbine Spirit |
|
| BBC | British Broadcasting Corporation |
| BOAC | British Overseas Airways Corporation |
| BPF | British Pacific Fleet |
| BR | Book of Reference |
| BuAir | Bureau of Aircraft USN |
|
| CAF | Canadian Armed Forces |
| CAFO | Confidential Admiralty Fleet Order |
| CAG | Carrier Air Group |
| CAH | NATO designation for a helicopter-carrying light cruiser |
| CALE | Catapult/Aircraft Line-Up Equipment |
| CAP | Combat Air Patrol |
| CB | Confidential Book |
| CCA | Carrier Controlled Approach |
| CCH | Helicopter-operating Cruiser (USN/NATO designation) |
| CDS | Comprehensive Display System/Chief of the Defence Staff |
| CEC | Co-operative Engagement Capability |
| CENTO | Central Treaty Organisation |
| CGRM | Commandant General Royal Marines |
| C-in-C | Commander-in-Chief |
| CIWS | Close-In Weapons System |
| CNO | Chief of Naval Operations USN |
| COD | Carrier On-board Delivery (aircraft) |
| COMFEF | Commander Far East Fleet |
| COMNAVFE | Commander Naval Forces Far East (USN) |
| COMUKTG | Commander UK Task Group |
| CRBFD | Close-Range Blind Fire Director |
| CS | Cruiser Squadron |
| CV | Aircraft Carrier (USN/NATO designation) |
| CVA | Attack Aircraft Carrier (USN/NATO designation) |
| CVE | Escort Aircraft Carrier (USN/NATO designation) |
| CVL | Light Aircraft Carrier (USN designation) |
| CVN | Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier (USN/NATO designation) |
| CVS | Support Aircraft Carrier (USN/NATO designation) |
| CW | Continuous Wave |
|
| DAPS | Deck Landing Approach Sight |
| DC | Direct Current |
| DCNS | Deputy Chief of Naval Staff |
| DGA(N) | Director General Aircraft (Naval) |
| DG Ships | Director General Ships |
| DLCO | Deck Landing Control Officer |
| DLMS | Deck Landing Mirror Sight |
| DLPS | Deck Landing Projector Sight |
| DLT | Deck Landing Training |
| DNAW | Directorate of Naval Air Warfare |
| DNC | Director of Naval Construction |
| DNO | Director of Naval Ordnance |
| DRPC | Defence Research Policy Committee |
| DSC | Distinguished Service Cross |
| DSO | Distinguished Service Order |
|
| ECCM | Electronic Counter-Countermeasures |
| ECM | Electronic Countermeasures |
| EMALS | Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System |
| ESM | Electronic Support Measures |
|
| F/A | Fighter/Attack (aircraft) |
| FADEC | Full Authority Digital Engine Control |
| FAMG | Fleet Aircraft Maintenance Group |
| FAW | All-Weather Fighter (aircraft) |
| FB | Fighter Bomber (aircraft) |
| FCBA | Future Carrier-Borne Aircraft |
| FCS | Flight Control System |
| FEBA | Forward Edge of the Battle Area (on land) |
| FEF | Far East Fleet |
| FES | Far East Station |
| FFO | Furnace Fuel Oil |
| FFWP | Future-Fleet Working Party |
| FGA | Fighter Ground Attack (aircraft) |
| FLASH | Folding Lightweight Acoustic System for Helicopters |
| Flyco | Flying Control Position |
| FM | Frequency Modulated |
| FO | Flag Officer |
| FOAC | Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers |
| FOB | Forward Operating Base |
| FOCAS | Flag Officer Carriers and Amphibious Ships |
| FOF | Flag Officer Flotillas |
| FOGT | Flag Officer Ground Training |
| FO2 | Flag Officer Second-in-Command |
| FO2FEF | Flag Officer Second-in-Command Far East Fleet |
| FOME | Flag Officer Middle East |
| FONFT | Flag Officer Naval Flying Training |
| FOTEX | Fleet Operational Training Exercise |
| FPDA | Five Power Defence Agreement (UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia) |
| FRC | Fleet Requirements Committee |
| FRS | Fighter, Reconnaissance & Strike (aircraft) |
|
| GPMG | General-Purpose Machine Gun |
| GWS | Guided Weapons System |
|
| HAAU | Helicopter Acoustic Analysis Unit |
| HAR | Helicopter Air Rescue |
| HAS | Helicopter Anti-Submarine |
| HDS | Helicopter Delivery Service |
| HF | Home Fleet/High Frequency |
| HM | Her/His Majesty |
| HMS | Her/His Majesty’s Ship |
| HMAS | Her/His Majesty’s Australian Ship |
| HMCS | Her/His Majesty’s Canadian Ship |
| HMNZS | Her/His Majesty’s New Zealand Ship |
| hp | horsepower |
| HRH | Her/His Royal Highness |
| HTP | High-Test Hydrogen Peroxide |
|
| IFF | Identification Friend or Foe |
| IFTU | Intensive Flying Trials Unit |
| INS | Indian Naval Ship |
| IR | Infrared |
| IRBM | Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile |
|
| JASS | Joint Anti-Submarine School |
| JCA | Joint Combat Aircraft |
| JFH | Joint Force Harrier |
| JFSC | Joint Fire Support Committee |
| JHDU | Joint Helicopter Development Unit |
| JHF | Joint Helicopter Force |
| JMC | Joint Maritime Course |
| JSF | Joint Strike Fighter |
|
| KCB | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
| knot | measurement of speed, 1 knot equals 1 nautical mile per hour |
|
| LABS | Low Altitude Bombing System |
| LAPADS | Lightweight Acoustic Processing and Display System |
| LAST | Low Altitude Surveillance Task |
| lb | pound (weight) |
| LCA | Landing Craft Assault |
| LCT | Landing Craft Tank |
| LCVP | Landing Craft Vehicles and Personnel |
| LHA | Landing Ship Helicopter Assault |
| LHD | Landing Ship Helicopter/Dock |
| LPD | Landing Platform Dock |
| LPH | Landing Platform Helicopter |
| LSO | Landing Signal Officer |
| LTC | Long Term Costing |
|
| MAD | Magnetic Anomaly Detector |
| MAP | Ministry of Aircraft Production |
| MATCH | Medium Anti-submarine Torpedo Carrying Helicopter |
| MASC | Maritime Airborne Surveillance and Control (Project) |
| MC | Military Cross |
| MDAP | Mutual Defence Assistance Programme |
| MF | Mediterranean Fleet |
| MFAS | Multi-Function Active Sensor |
| MG | machine gun |
| mm | millimetre |
| MOD | Ministry of Defence |
| MONAB | Mobile Operational Naval Air Base |
| MOS | Ministry of Supply |
| MRBM | Medium-Range Ballistic Missile |
| MRH | Multi-Role Helicopter |
| MRR | Maritime Radar Reconnaissance |
| MVO | Member of the Royal Victorian Order |
| MW | megawatt |
|
| NAS | Naval Air Squadron/Naval Air Station (USN) |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organisation |
| NATSU | Naval Aircraft Transport and Salvage Unit |
| NBMR | NATO Basic Military Requirement |
| NCRE | Naval Construction Research Establishment |
| NKPA | North Korean People’s Army |
|
| ORI | Operational Readiness Inspection |
|
| pdr | pounder (as in 12pdr gun) |
| PGM | Precision-Guided Munition |
| PLA | People’s Liberation Army (China) |
| PLA/N/AF | People’s Liberation Army/Navy/Air Force |
| psi | pounds per square inch |
|
| RA | Rear Admiral |
| RAAF | Royal Australian Air Force |
| RAE | Royal Aircraft Establishment |
| RAF | Royal Air Force |
| RAN | Royal Australian Navy |
| RANAS | Royal Australian Naval Air Station |
| RANR | Royal Australian Naval Reserve |
| RANVR | Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| RARA | Rear Admiral Reserve Aircraft |
| RAS | Replenishment At Sea |
| RATOG | Rocket-Assisted Take-Off Gear |
| RCAF | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| RCN | Royal Canadian Navy |
| RCNAS | Royal Canadian Naval Air Station |
| RCNR | Royal Canadian Naval Reserve |
| RCNVR | Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| RCNC | Royal Corps of Naval Constructors |
| RDU | Receipt and Dispatch Unit |
| RFA | Royal Fleet Auxiliary |
| RIMPAC | ‘Rim of the Pacific’ Allied naval exercise |
| RIO | Radar Intercept Officer (USN) |
| RM | Royal Marines |
| RN | Royal Navy |
| RNAS | Royal Naval Air Station |
| RNAY | Royal Naval Air Yard |
| RNR | Royal Naval Reserve |
| RNVR | Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| RNZAF | Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| RNZN | Royal New Zealand Navy |
| RNZNVR | Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| ROP | Report of Proceedings |
| RP | Rocket Projectile |
| RRE | Royal Radar Establishment |
|
| SAC | Strategic Air Command (USAF) |
| SAGW | Surface-to-Air Guided Weapon |
| SAM | Surface-to-Air Missile |
| SAR | Search And Rescue |
| SDR | Strategic Defence Review |
| SDSR | Strategic Defence and Security Review |
| SEATO | South East Asia Treaty Organisation |
| SHP | Shaft Horsepower |
| SSBN | Nuclear-powered Ballistic missile Submarine |
| SSM | Surface-to-Surface Missile |
| SSN | Nuclear-powered Attack Submarine |
| STOBAR | Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery |
| STOVL | Short Take-Off Vertical Landing |
|
| TACAN | Tactical Air Navigation System |
| TAG | Telegraphist Air Gunner/Tailored Air Group |
| TASMO | Tactical Air Support of Maritime Operations |
| TE | Task Element |
| TEZ | Total Exclusion Zone |
| TF | Task Force |
| TG | Task Group |
| TU | Task Unit |
|
| UAV | Unmanned (uninhabited) Air vehicle |
| UCAS-D | Unmanned (uninhabited) Combat Air System – Demonstrator |
| UCAV | Unmanned (uninhabited) Combat Air Vehicle |
| UCLASS | Unmanned (uninhabited) Carrier-Launched Airborne Strike, Surveillance System (USN) |
| UDI | Unilateral Declaration of Independence (Rhodesia/Zimbabwe) |
| UHF | Ultra High Frequency |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| UN | United Nations |
| US | United States |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| USMC | United States Marine Corps |
| USN | United States Navy |
| USS | United States Ship |
| UN | United Nations |
|
| VA | Vice Admiral |
| VC | Victoria Cross |
| VHF | Very High Frequency |
| V/STOL | Vertical/Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing |
| VTO | Vertical Take-Off |
| VTOL | Vertical Take-Off and Landing |
|
| WF | Western Fleet |
| WOD | Wind Over the Deck |
| WRE | Weapons Research Establishment |
| WRNS | Women’s Royal Naval Service |
| W/T | Wireless Telegraphy |
