Bloglossary

Over the past several weeks, I've used a multitude of acronyms and boat terms that are probably foreign to most readers, except perhaps Rich & Joe. I took some time today to collect as many as I could find and put them together into this bloglossary of shipspeak, from my perspective. I've also included a few terms I haven't used yet, but probably will in time. There will also be a link to this entry over on the right side for ease of future reference. Hope this helps. I'll attempt to keep it up to date as I use new strange terms in the future. Let me know if you have any questions (I can always make up answers). For now, here's what I've come up with...

Updated 04 Mar 07. New entries: Captstan, foc'sle, hawse pipe, hoover, hummer, LSO, nugget, paddles, SWO, shoe

Navy Slang	Click here for a broad resource of navy slang terms that I may not yet have included here.
1LT	First Lieutenant. On the ship, he’s in charge of the Deck Department, who handle all the equipment on the deck of the ship (rigging, mooring lines, anchors, rescue boats, cranes, and once upon a time, sails)
1MC	A loud speaker system used for making announcements throughout the entire ship. When you’re trying to sleep, it’s way too loud and never stops. When it provides useful information, the speaker never works.
5MC	Used for making announcements on the flight deck.
AD	Aviation machinists mate. They work on aircraft engines. AD2 would be an aviation machinists mate second class (2nd class petty officer). Also known as “mechs”
AE	Aviation electrician. They work on aircraft wiring and electrical systems.
AFB	Air Force Base. Yes, we visit them once in a while. Known for their high standard of living and well groomed golf courses.
AG	Depending on the context, could be Arresting Gear (the wires and machines that allow for a controlled crash with every carrier landing) or Aerographers Mate (the petty officers who are trained to look out a port hole and tell us that it’s cloudy with a chance of meatballs—our weather guessers)
Air Plan	The schedule produced as a joint effort by the ship and the airwing staff which dictates all the flights for the entire airwing on a given day.
Alert 15	A heightened alert state, where aircrew are required to be in the ready room, with all their flight gear donned, waiting for a call to lauch.
Alert 30	A somewhat relaxed alert state, where the aircraft is preflighted and the crew are briefed, but do not need to stay in the ready room. The helo squadron maintains an Alert 30 crew and aircraft 24/7 for SAR.
Alert 7	The highest alert status, where aircrew are strapped into the jet, ready to light the engines and go flying within a moment’s notice. On hot days, this is a miserable state to be in.
AM	Aviation structural mechanic. They work on airframes, hydraulics, tires, flight controls, etc. Affectionately known as ‘framers.
AO	Aviation Ordnancemen. Red shirts—they are responsible for preparing, maintaining, loading and downloading anything on the aircraft that goes boom (everything from Hellfire missiles and torpedoes to “Cartridge Actuated Devices” which are small charges used in emergencies to release items connected to the helicopter, such as external fuel tanks, external loads, etc).
ARC-210	Our new radio system in the H-60H’s which gives us HAVEQUICK, SINCGARS, and SATCOM capabilities.
ASDO	Assistant Squadron Duty Officer – a junior enlisted aircrewman who stands a 12 hour watch in the ready room, answering the phones, making wake-up calls for early morning briefs, providing security for our classified publications (not everyone on board has a security clearance).
AT	Avionics Technician. They work on all the replaceable electronic components in the helicopter (all the black boxes) such as radios, TACAN, sonar, data processing, cockpit gauges, etc. They also work with all the cryptological equipment on the helicopter, which allows us to communicate securely over the radio and allows us to be identified as friendly by US radar systems.
AW	Aviation Warfare Systems Operator. These are the enlisted guys who fly with us (usually 2 or 3 in the back), serving as rescue swimmers, sonar operators, door gunners, and crew chiefs. They are multi-skilled, very talented, and often the most likely to get in trouble in port.
AZ	Aviation Administrationman. The book keepers of aviation maintenance. They maintain our aircraft logs and records and handle the details of many maintenance programs like training and personnel management.
Ball	Aka “Meatball” the Optical Landing System that pilots use to fly a constant glideslope when landing on the carrier. At about 3 / 4 mile behind the ship, they will call out on the radio that they can see the ball, like “610, Seahawk Ball” or “203, Hornet Ball”. (610 and 203 are aircraft side numbers)
BM	Boatswains Mate. Ship’s crew who work in the deck department. There are also Aviation BM’s who work on arresting gear, catapults, and fueling (“grapes”)
Bomb Farm	The narrow portion of the flight deck just outboard of the island, where bombs and missiles are staged prior to being loaded onto jets. It’s a pretty mean looking array of firepower sometimes.
Bubble	A small room with a limited view of the flight deck at boot level from where the Shooter can control the catapults.
Bulkhead	A wall on a ship.
CAG	The Captain who leads the air wing. Technically, he is called Commander, Carrier Air Wing, which is abbreviated CVW. In the old days (many years ago) the air wing was called the Carrier Air Group, which was abbreviated and pronounced CAG. Even after changing the name of the unit, the nickname for the commander stuck. How would you pronounce CVW?
Capstan	A large powered spool used for lowering, raising, or tightening lines or anchor chains on a ship. See link for a better description.
Cat	Short for Catapult. Steam powered pistons that accelerate fixed wing aircraft from a standstill to flying speed, throwing them off the front end of the ship. The Cat is controlled by an officer called the “Shooter”.
Catwalk	Narrow walkways that border most of the flight deck. They are stepped down several feet, such that when one is standing in the catwalk, their head just sticks up above the flight deck. Many pieces of flight deck equipment, such as fuel hoses, electrical power cords, fire fighting hoses, and communication equipment are kept in the catwalks. Short stairways from the flight deck into the catwalks are scattered along the edge of the deck. The catwalks are also the way most people get up to the flight deck. Many doors from the O-3 level open up onto the catwalks. The floor of the catwalk is metal grating, so looking down you can see the ocean passing by below you. Just a few metal rails on the outboard side keep you from a long drop and an even longer swim.
CDO or CDO(U)	Command Duty Officer (Underway). They guy who represents the Captain of the Ship on the bridge when the Captain isn’t there. Usually a senior member of the ship’s wardroom.
CHT	Collection, Holding, and Transfer. Tanks used for holding... um, well, let’s just say whatever it is, we don’t want to hold on to it for very long. CHT can also refer to the stuff in the tanks. A CHT back-up on the ship can be a major emergency, especially with 5000 sailors out here!
CO	Commanding Officer. The CO of a ship or squadron is personally responsible for the combat readiness and effectiveness of his unit.
COD	Carrier Onboard Delivery. Really, it’s a mission describing the act of delivering goods and people to a carrier via fixed wing transport (vice VOD—vertical onboard delivery, via helicopter). But in practice, this is name given to the C-2 Greyhound aircraft, which performs this mission. Everyone loves the COD, which delivers mail, and can deliver you to the beach long before the ship pulls in.
CS	Culinary Specialist. The “new” name given to what used to be known as “Mess Specialists” in the navy. These are our cooks.
DTA	Daily / Turn-Around inspection. Required to be performed on aircraft between every flight if the aircraft is shut down. Checks the fluid levels in the engines and gear boxes, lubrication, panel security, etc.
E-2	The Hawkeye airborne command and control aircraft. This is the prop-powered plane with a large round radome above the fuselage. They help control fighters and other aircraft when they are over the horizon. Also known as a “Hummer”.
EA-6B	The Prowler electronic attack aircraft. They have all kinds of fancy electronic pods, receivers, and emitters to combat enemy radar and communication systems.
EL	Short for Elevator. The ship has 4 elevators, three on the starboard side, one on the port side, aft, directly opposite of El 3. The elevators move aircraft and equipment from the hangar bay to the flight deck.
F-18	The Hornet fighter / attack aircraft. We have 4 hornet squadrons. One squadron flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet, which replaced the F-14 Tomcat. This is a two-seat version which can also serve as a delivery platform for inflight refueling for other jets. The other 3 Hornet squadrons fly the F/A-18C.
FCF	Functional Check Flight. A maintenance check flight that is required after certain major maintenance tasks. Checks engine performance, stability and control, vibrations, and general systems operability.
Foc’sle	Short for Forecastle. The forward-most part of a ship’s deck. The anchor is tended from the foc’sle.
FOD	Foreign Object Debris. This is the term given to anything that sneaks into a place where it shouldn’t be, potentially causing damage to aircraft. FOD often consists of loose washers, nuts, cotter keys, or even a lost pen or coin. FOD can be sucked up into engine intakes, destroying a million dollar jet engine or can become jammed into flight control linkages, causing an aircraft to become uncontrollable. FOD is a BAD thing. The ship conducts “FOD walkdowns” a couple times every day. This is where all available personnel gather up on the bow of the flight deck or in the forward part of the hangar bay, forming a line shoulder to shoulder. The line is often several rows deep. They then walk the length of the flight deck or hangar bay, picking up all objects they find on the deck—a giant human vacuum machine. Think about it, perhaps 150 people, spending 20 minutes 4 times a day—we expend over 200 man hours a day just on walkdowns trying to prevent FOD damage.
FOD Bag	Also called a FOD pouch. Everyone who works on the flight deck is required to have their pants pockets either sewn shut or removed. This prevents loose change, pens, or perhaps a few loose fasteners from accidentally falling out, becoming FOD. Flight deck workers are allowed to have a Velcro-closed pouch attached to their belt, which can be used for holding small items such as pens, notepad, or small tools (and in which to keep FOD that might be found while working around the flight deck).
FP	“Foxtrot Papa”, which in the context of this blog refers to a watch that I stand as a duty officer for the airwing, helping to coordinate and execute the Air Plan. The acronym FP also has a much larger meaning in the context of the command structure of the strike group, but that level of detail is beyond the scope of the course.
Galley	A kitchen on a ship. Where the CS’s make good things to eat.
Gouge	The essential piece of information; the heart of the matter; or outstanding test-preparation material (such as an old test copy). A person who is tired of hearing all the extraneous information surrounding a problem might exclaim "Just give me the gouge!" Also used generally as a mark of excellence: "Did you see his sweet new car? It's totally gouge." Originated at the U.S. Naval Academy and introduced from there into the wider navy, where it sees less frequent usage. “Live by the gouge, Die by the gouge,” as they say. Air Force uses the term “Dirty Purple”. Huh??
GPS	Global Positioning System. How we find our way at night.
GQ	General Quarters. The highest state of combat readiness for the ship. When we’re not under attack, the ship often does GQ drills, pretending to defend the ship against a notional enemy. During GQ drills, I either hang out in the ready room or in my stateroom. We don’t move around unnecessarily during GQ. It’s a pain, but good training for the damage control teams.
H2P	Helicopter 2nd Pilot. A combat-qualified copilot. This is the first qualification that a pilot earns after they arrive at the squadron as a JO. Most people obtain the qual after about a year in the squadron
H-60F/H	The Seahawk Helicopter. My squadron flies the SH-60F and the HH-60H variant of this very versatile, robust, and agile helicopter. It’s a joy to fly but we’re looking forward to trading in these legacy airframes for the new MH-60S shortly after we return from deployment.
HAC	Helicopter Aircraft Commander. The next qualification a pilot earns after H2P, usually about 18 months after showing up. The HAC signs for the aircraft and is responsible for mission accomplishment and the safety of his crew.
Hawse pipe	The hole through which an anchor line passes.
Head	A lavatory on a ship.
Helo Hole	The place just inboard of the island where folded helicopters are kept when they are not flying.
Hoover	A nickname for the S-3 due to the funny sound it makes when the throttles are pushed forward for more power, sort of a whooooooop sound that is reminiscent of a vacuum cleaner.
HPCS	Hot Pump / Crew Swap. The helicopter lands and keeps spinning while we swap crews and refuel before launching for a new mission (or an extension of the current mission).
Hummer	A nickname for the E-2. The props on an E-2 make a humming noise (relative to the scream of the turbo fans on most airwing jets).
Island	The superstructure of the ship that rises above the flight deck (levels 0-5 and above). The bridge (from whence they drive the ship) and the control tower are at the top of the island.
IT	Information Systems Technician. The rating of our computer guys.
JBD	Jet Blast Deflector. Large deck panels that lift up behind jets before they go to full power for the catapult shot. Keeps people behind the jet from being blown away.
JO	Junior Officer. An O-1 (Ensign), O-2 (Lieutenant Junior Grade), or O-3 (Lieutenant) in the navy.
Knee Knocker	Oval cut-outs in the thick steel structural bulkheads which traverse from port to starboard throughout the ship. As one walks down a major fore-aft passageway, every six paces or so require a high step through these cut-outs is required, occasionally resulting in a banged shin or toe (thus the name). Directions to spaces on the ship are often given in terms of “go aft five knee knockers, then turn left and go down two decks” or something like that.
LA	Landing Area. The runway-looking area starting at the fantail (back end of the flight deck) and proceeding at an angle up the flight deck, where aircraft make arrested landings. The LA is angled out to the left from the centerline of the ship. This allows for simultaneous launches from the bow catapults and recovery of aircraft in the LA. Simultaneous operations are amazing to watch.
LCDR	Lieutenant Commander. An O-4 in the navy. Also known as “hinges”. I am told that all LCDR’s are only worried about promotion to CDR, and thus their sole purpose in life is to ensure the happiness of the XO and CO (who write their Fitness Report), resulting in much nodding of the head in agreement with the great ideas flowing from the front office—thus the hinge surgically installed at the front of the neck (this surgery is completed concurrently with the lobotomy which is required prior to assignment as a department head).
Lido Deck	The sponson (a weather deck below the flight deck) on the starboard side of my ship where there is a collection of ellipticals, spin bikes, and rowing machines. We call it the “Lido Deck” because it is so much nicer than any of the other gyms crammed into dark noisy corners around the ship. We actually have a clear view of the horizon and can feel the wind blow through the space.
LSO	Landing Signal Officer. Also known as “Paddles”. These guys stand next to the LA and provide visual and radio signals to help aircraft fly a constant glide slope and land on the ship. They also grade every landing attempt made by every pilot. Those grades become the basis for not only pilot reputation, but awards given at Foc’sle Follies. LSO’s do not grade helo landings. We are proud to have a 100% boarding rate.
Mast	Depending on the context, mast can refer to a central post on a ship which supports yardarms. Once upon a time, sails were hung from these yardarms. Now, they support an array of radars and antennas. Back when ships had sails, if a sailor got in trouble he would be brought before the mast, which meant that he would present himself to the Captain to plead his case and then receive his punishment (30 lashes, perhaps). Today, our delinquent sailors may still “go to Mast”, but now it’s in the ready room, and the worst they may get is to be kicked out of the Navy (perhaps after being docked pay and placed in the brig on bread and water for 3 days). Technically, it’s called “Non-Judicial Punishment” or NJP.
Mess Decks	The area where the enlisted crew eat their meals. The ship has two main mess decks, forward and aft down on the 2nd deck (below the hangar bay). Lines for meals can be up to half an hour long or more at rush times. Meals for the crew are served four times a day and usually are available for about 2 or 3 hours per meal, served cafeteria style.
MO	Maintenance Officer. My job in the squadron right now. I am one of 4 department heads. The other DH’s are Operations, Safety, and Administration. As MO, I have about 140 folks who work for me to keep the aircraft ready for flight to support the flight schedule written by the Ops O.
MOB	Man Over Board. When a MOB is suspected, all hands are immediately mustered and the Alert 30 helicopter or a rescue boat may be launched to affect a search and/or rescue.
NATOPS	Naval Aviation Training and Operating Procedures and Standardization. The NATOPS is the book that provides a detailed description of our aircraft and all of the normal, combat, and emergency procedures necessary to operate the aircraft.
Nugget	A naval aviator on his first deployment. The young guys.
NVG	Night Vision Goggles. They clip onto our helmet and provide improved visual acuity at night. They don’t turn day into night, but can provide up to 20/40 detail under moon light conditions. They intensify whatever light is already available, so if it’s REALLY scary dark, the goggles don’t help much. Nevertheless, we wear them all the time at night. Unfortunately, they do limit us to about a 40 degree field of view (like looking through two toilet paper rolls all the time). You have to keep your head moving. To scan the gauges in the cockpit, you have to peek under the googles, which is pretty fatiguing on the eyes after a long flight.
O-3 / 03	Depends on the context. Might refer to a Lieutenant (O-3) (equivalent to a Captain in the Army/Air Force) or it might refer to the deck on the carrier just below the flight deck (technically written 03, but I sometimes write it as O-3).
Paddles	Another name for the LSO.
PC	Plane Captain. Responsible for performing DTA inspections and, if qualified as a Landing Signalman Enlisted (LSE), for visually controlling aircraft during launch and recovery—he’s the one who stands out in front and signals to us when to take off and when to land.
PLAT	I have no idea what it stand for—in fact I think the acronym has been replaced by ILARTS (again, no idea), but it’s what we call the camera that monitors the flight deck at all times, showing and recording all launches and recoveries of aircraft. This is used for debriefing purposes for aircrew and as a record in case of accidents. It’s also a good situational awareness tool in the ready room so that you know when an aircraft is about to land,---WHAM!!
Port	On a ship, the left side. (port and left both have 4 letters)
PQS	Personnel Qualification Standard. A list of tasks that must be performed or discussed, leading to qualification for a job. PQS’s are used for just about everything in the navy—mostly they are formalized on the job training. I am currently working on a PQS for CDO(U). PC’s go through several PQS’s. AW’s go through several PQS’s. Everyone in the navy has completed several PQS’s to be qualified in the job they perform.
PR	Aircrew Survival Equipmentman. They are responsible for maintaining all the gear carried and worn by pilots and aircrew when we fly. In aircraft that carry parachutes, they also rig and pack the parachutes. Once upon a time, they were called “Parachute Riggers” thus the PR abbreviation. Now their rating title is more generic, but the old abbreviation remains. PR’s are also skilled at repairing flight equipment with a sewing machine, therefore they are the unofficial squadron tailors, creating all kinds of bags, pouches, curtains, covers, and assorted random projects out of naugahide and Velcro.
PT	Physical Training. Military-speak for working out.
QA	Quality Assurance. One of the divisions of the Maintenance Department, responsible for inspecting all work performed and monitoring all the programs (like fuel surveillance, training, vibration analysis, etc) for adherence to the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program requirements.
QAO	A senior LT who is in charge of QA. I had this job once upon a time when I was a JO.
RAS	Refueling At Sea. The carrier pulls alongside a supply ship while steaming forward, they connect huge fuel lines between the ships and they pump jet fuel over to us at amazing rates.
Rating	A generic term referring to an enlisted person’s job in the navy. A rating can be AD, AM, PR, etc. This is the primary job they are trained for and this determines which part of the ship or squadron they work in (usually). Their rank (aka pay grade) is based on time in the navy and qualification for promotion. An AMAN is an Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman (an E-3) while an AM1 is an Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class (an E-6).
River City	A condition during which all outgoing mail is held on the ship for security reasons. Web access is restricted. Incoming mail is allowed through.
S-3	The Viking. A twin engine jet aircraft that is used for surface surveillance, anti-surface warfare, and (primarily) in-flight refueling for other jets. The S-3 will soon be retired from the Navy inventory. This is our S-3 squadron’s last deployment. The refueling role will be replaced by the F/A-18F and the other mission roles will eventually be replaced by the MH-60R.
SAR	Search and Rescue. One of the primary mission areas for our squadron.
SDO	Squadron Duty Officer. This is a watch stood by our JO’s. The SDO is responsible for briefing crews prior to going flying and for coordinating with the ship to ensure we can execute our flight schedule. The SDO also works with the FP watch to coordinate our squadron schedule with the Air Plan.
Shoe	A semi-derogatory term for a SWO. The standard shoes worn with the khaki uniform in the navy are black oxfords. Aviators wear brown shoes. Surface guys are often referred to as “black shoes” or just “shoes” for short. The SWO community is often called the “black shoe community”.
Shooter	An officer who is trained and designated to control the catapults during fixed wing launches. He wears a yellow jersey.
SK	Store Keeper. They are our supply and materiel pro’s. They manage our budget and ensure we have parts available for repairs.
Starboard	On a ship this is the right side.
Stuff	Another term for the Helo Hole. You might hear a pilot say, “after we landed, we folded it and stuffed it” meaning that the blades and tail were folded, and the aircraft was moved to the helo hole, just inboard of the island.
SWO	Surface Warfare Officer. Your “standard” naval officer whose career is dedicated to the art and science of driving big grey ships. Similar to pilots in that they are Line Officers.
Tac number	A three segment number describing the location of a space on the ship. 03-185-2 is on the 03 level (1, 2, 3, etc describe decks at or below the “main deck”, 01, 02, 03, describe decks above the main deck. 1 is the hangar bay, 04 is the flight deck, 010 is the top deck where the control tower is), at the 185th frame (how far aft), and is the 1st space on the port side from centerline (even to port, odd to starboard).
UNREP	Underway Replenishment. Related to RAS, this is when two ships are connected at sea and groceries or supplies or mail are passed between the ships over tensioned lines via pallets suspended by pulleys. This is the Deck Department’s purview.
VERTREP	Vertical Replenishment. Moving supplies between two ships by helicopter as palletized loads slung under the helicopter on a cargo hook.
Wardroom	The place where officers eat on the ship. Carriers have two wardrooms. Wardroom I/II (really just one wardroom) is on the O-3 level, way up forward around frame 40 (pretty close to my stateroom). The other wardroom (Wardroom III) is on the 2nd deck (below the hangar bay). WR III is traditionally more formal and this is where the majority of the ship’s company officers eat. The food is almost always better down there. On some ships officers must be in their khaki uniform to eat there (fortunately we’re not that formal here). WR I/II is where you’ll typically find pilots. We have always been welcome there in flight suits, thus the traditional nickname for WR I/II as the “Dirty shirt”. It’s actually a longer walk through many knee knockers up to the Dirty Shirt, but that’s were we almost always eat. WR III is only a quick drop down four ladders and about 10 frames for better food. It’s a matter of principles.
XO	The Executive Officer. He’s second in command of the squadron. He’s my immediate boss and he is primarily responsible for administrative management of the squadron (heads and beds, as some say).
XOI	Executive Officer Inquiry. This is a step in the disciplinary process which might lead to Captains Mast. The XO has the accused stand before him, plead his case, and then listens to recommendations from the rest of the chain of command.