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USAF and Joint Operational Brevity Words

ABORT

—Directive call to cease action, attack, event, or mission.

ACTION
—Directive call to initiate a briefed attack sequence or maneuver.
ACTIVE 

(system) ACTIVE (location/direction)

—Referenced emitter is radiating at the stated location or along the stated bearing.

ADD

(system/category)

—Directive call to add a specific system or electronic order of battle (EOB) category to search responsibilities.

AJAX
—Landing zone/pick up zone is clear of threats.
ALARM
—Directive or informative call indicating the termination of EMCON procedures.
ALLIGATOR
—LINK-11/ TADIL-A.
ALPHA CHECK
—Request for confirmation of bearing and range from ownship to described point.
ANCHORED 

ANCHORED (w/location)

—Informative call to indicate a turning engagement at the
specified location.

ANCHOR
—Orbit about a specific point; refueling track flown by tanker.
ANGELS
—Height of friendly aircraft in thousands of feet mean sea level (MSL).
ARIZONA
—No ARM ordnance remaining.
ARM
—Element resulting from target maneuvers exceeding GROUP criteria.
ARM/ARMED (SAFE/HOT)
—Select armament (safe/hot) or armament is safe/hot.
AS FRAGGED
—Unit or element will be performing exactly as stated by the air tasking order (ATO).
ATTACKING
—Indicates air-to-surface (A/S) attack on a specific ground target.
AUTHENTICATE
—To request or provide a response to a coded challenge.
AUTOCAT
—Any communications relay using automatic retransmissions.
 AWAY

(weapon) AWAY

—Release/launch of specified weapon.

AZIMUTH
AZIMUTH—A picture label describing two groups separated laterally. 
BANDIT
—An aircraft identified as an enemy IAW theater identification criteria. The term does not necessarily imply direction or authority to engage.
BANZAI
—Informative or directive call to execute launch-and-decide tactics.
BASE
—Reference number used to indicate such information as headings, altitudes, and fuels.
BEAD WINDOW
—Last transmission potentially disclosed unauthorized information.
BEAM 

BEAM (w/cardinal direction)

—Target stabilized within 70 to 110 degrees of aspect; generally given in cardinal directions: east, west, north, and south.

BEARING 

BEARING (w/cardinal direction)

—Inner group formation with the trailer displaced approximately 45 degrees behind the leader.

BENT

(system) BENT

—System indicated is inoperative

BINGO
—Fuel state needed for recovery.
BIRD
—Friendly surface-to-air missile (SAM).
BIRD(S) AFFIRM
—Surface-to-air informative call indicating unit is able and prepared to engage a specified target with SAMs (presumes target is within or will enter the SAM engagement envelope).
BIRD(S) AWAY
—Surface-to-air informative call indicating friendly SAM has been fired at designated target.