| AFBMD | Air Force Ballistic Missile Division |
| AFHRA | Air Force Historical Research Agency |
| AFSC | Air Force Systems Command |
| AIAA | American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
| ALBM | air-launched ballistic missile |
| ARDC | Air Research and Development Command |
| AWST | Aviation Week and Space Technology |
| BMD | Ballistic Missile Division |
| BMO | Ballistic Missile Office |
| BSD | Ballistic Systems Division |
| CEP | circular error probable |
| C3 | command, control, communications |
| DoD | Department of Defense |
| FRUS | Foreign Relations of the United States |
| FY | fiscal year |
| ICBM | intercontinental ballistic missile |
| JCS | Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| MIRV | multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle |
| MPS | Multiple Protective Shelter |
| MX | Missile-X, also known as the Peacekeeper, ICBM |
| NSDD | National Security Decision Directive |
| NSDM | National Security Decision Memorandum |
| OSD | Office of the Secretary of Defense |
| OTA | Office of Technology Assessment |
| SLBM | sea-launched ballistic missile |
| SAC | Strategic Air Command |
| SALT | Strategic Arms Limitation Talks |
| SAMSO | Space and Missile Systems Organization |
| SIOP | Single Integrated Operational Plan |
| TNT | trinitrotoluene |
| TRW | Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge, Incorporated |
