List of U.S. Navy acronyms

The U.S. Navy, like any bureaucratic organization, produces its own acronyms, which often come to have meaning beyond their bare expansions. Servicemembers sometimes refer to this as NAVSpeak. Like other organizational slang, its use often creates or reinforces a sense of esprit and closeness within the organization.

Official acronyms

For a comprehensive list of unit organizations in the US Navy, see List of units of the United States Navy.

• 3M - Maintenance and Material Management (3M System)
• 3MC - Maintenance Material Management Coordinator

A

• AAW - Anti-Air warfare
• AFFF - Aqueous film forming foam
• AIMD - Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (or Detachment)
• AMMRL - Aviation Maintenance Material Readiness List
• AMO - Assistant Maintenance Officer
• AOW - Auxilliaryman of the Watch
• AUTEC - Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center
• ASAU - Air Search and Attack Unit
• ASUW - Anti-surface warfare
• ASW - Anti-submarine warfare
• ASWO - Anti-Submarine Warfare Officers
• ASW - Auxiliary SeaWater system
• AUXO - Auxiliaries Officer
• AWOL - Absent without official leave^[1]

B

• BB - Battleship
• BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge (also colloquially known as "Big Chicken Dinner")
• BMOW - Boatswain's Mate of the Watch
• BUMED - Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
• BUPERS - Bureau of Naval Personnel
• BCG's - Birth Control Glasses
• BOHICA - Bend Over Here It Comes Again
• BZ - Bravo Zulu (meaning Well Done)

C

• CA - Heavy Cruiser (outdated)
• CAG - Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser (outdated) or Commander Air Group
• CDB - Career Development Boards
• CF - Charlie Foxtrot Polite form of "Cluster Fuck"
• CG: Guided Missile Cruiser
• CGN: Guided Missile Cruiser, Nuclear Powered.
• CMS-ID - Career Management System-Interactive Detailing
• CNO - Chief of Naval Operations
• CO - Commanding Officer^[1]
• COB - Chief Of the Boat (traditionally found only on submarines). Can also be used for "close of business."
• COD - Carrier Onboard Delivery
• COMDESGRU - COMmander, DEStroyer GRoUp
• COMLANTFLT - COMmander, u.s. atLANTic FLeeT (see CINCLANTFLT)
• COMEX - Commence Exercise
• COMMO - COMMunications Officer
• COMNAVAIRFOR - COMmander, NAVal AIR FORces
• COMNAVAIRLANT - COMmander, NAVal AIR forces, atLANTic
• COMNAVAIRPAC - COMmander, NAVal AIR forces, PACific
• COMNAVSEASYSCOM - COMmander, NAValy SEA SYStems COMmand
• COMNAVSECGRU - COMmander, NAVal SECurity GRoUp
• COMPACFLT - COMmander, PACific FLeeT (formerly CINCPACFLT)
• COMPTUEX - COMPosite Training Unit EXercise
• COMSEC - COMmunications SECurity
• COMSUBFOR - COMander, SUBmarine FORce
• COMSUBLANT - COMmander, SUBmarine force AtLANTtic
• Carrier (Lighter-than-air) (No longer in use)
• CMC - Command Master Chief
• CMDCM - Command Master Chief
• CSC - Command Senior Chief
• CSC - Combat Systems Coordinator
• CSC - Culinary Specialist Chief (E-7)
• CMDCS - Command Senior Chief
• CPO - Chief Petty Officer
• CSEC - Computerized Self Evaluation Checklist
• CVN - Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier (Carrier Vessel, Nuclear),^[2] i.e. CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln
• CVW - Carrier Air Wing
• CWO - Chief Warrant Officer

D

• DD - Destroyer
• DDG - Guided Missile Destroyer
• DDR - Radar Picket Destroyer
• DE - Destroyer Escort
• DL - Destroyer Leader
• DLGN - Nuclear powered Guided Missile Destroyer Leader
• DESDIV - DESstroyer DIVision
• DEVGRU - Naval Special Warfare DEVelopment GRoUp, formerly (and informally still) SEAL Team SIX
• DAPA - Drug and Alcohol Programs Advisor
• DCA - Damage Control Assistant
• DCO - Direct Commission Officer
• DCAG - Deputy Air Wing Commander (see CAG)
• DCC - Damage Control Central
• DESRON - DEStroyer squadRON
• DFM - Diesel Fuel Marine (F-76), standard Navy bunker fuel
• DIRNSA - DIRector of the National Security Agency
• DM - Destroyer Minelayer
• DOD - Department Of Defense
• DON - Department Of the Navy

E

• EAOS - End of Active Obligated Service
• ECRC - Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center
• EDMC - Engineering Department Master Chief (Submarines)
• EEBD - Emergency Escape Breathing Device
• EIDWS - Enlisted Information Dominance Warfare Specialist
• EMI - Extra Military Instruction
• EOOW - Engineering Officer Of the Watch
• ERS - Engineroom Supervisor
• ESWS - Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist
• EWS - Engineering Watch Supervisor

F

• FAC - Forward Air Controller
• FAC/A - Forward Air Controller/Airborne
• FCF - Functional CheckFlight
• FDO - Flight Deck Officer
• F/MC - Fleet (or Force) Master Chief
• FMF - Fleet Marine Force
• FMSS - Field Medical Service School
• FOD - Foreign Object Damage (Debris and Detection also used in some cases)
• FRC - Fleet Readiness Center
• FRS - Fleet Replacement Squadron (Formerly RAG)
• FSO - Food Service Officer
• FTN - Forget the Navy (Polite Form)
• FTN - Full-time Navy (Humorous Form)

G

• GQ - General Quarters (Call to battle stations)
• GCCS-M - Global Command Communications System-Maritime
• GSA - Global War on Terrorism Support Assignments

H

• HELO - Helicopter
• HS - Helicopter Squadron (HS-4 Black Knights)
• HM - Hospital Corpsman
• HMFIC - Head M F In Charge (See SOPA Below)

I

• IAMM - Individual Augmentation Manpower Management
• IAW - "in accordance with"
• ICO - "in case of" "in care of"
• IMF - Intermediate Maintenance Facility
• IMRL - Individual Material Readiness List
• IRT - "in reference to..."

J

• JAG - Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy
• JBD - Jet Blast Deflector (carriers)
• JTF - Joint Task Force
• JTFEX - Joint Task Force Exercise

L

• LANTCOM - Atlantic Command
• LCPO - Leading Chief Petty Officer
• LDO - Limited Duty Officer
• LES - Leave and Earnings Statement
• LPO - Leading Petty Officer
• LPOD - Last Plane On Deck
• LSO - Landing Signal Officer

M

• MCPO - Master Chief Petty Officer
• MMCPO - Maintenance Master Chief Petty Officer
• MCO - Material Control Officer
• MMCO - Maintenance/Material Control Officer
• MCPON (pronounced "Mick Pon") - Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
• MIDRATS - MIDnight RATions
• MPA - Main Propulsion Assistant
• MPA - Military Patrol Craft (P-3 Orion, etc.)
• MO - (pronounced "Moe") Maintenance Officer
• MM - Machinist's Mate
• MSW - Main Seawater System
• MSG - message

N

• NALCOMIS - Naval Aviation Logistics Command Operating Maintenance Information System
• NAS - Naval Air Station
• NAVAIR - Naval Air Systems Command
• NAWCAD - Naval Air Warfare Center - Aircraft Division
• NAVCOMP - Comptroller of the Navy
• NAVEDTRA - Chief of Navy Education and Training
• NAVFAC - Naval Facilities Engineering Command
• NAVFLIGHTDEMRON - Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels)
• NAVMAT - Naval Material Command
• NAVMILPERSCOM - Navy Military Personnel Command
• NAVSEA - Naval Sea Systems Command
• NAVSECGRUACT - Naval Security Group Activity
• NAVSUP - Naval Supply Systems Command
• NAVTRA - Chief of Naval Training
• NAWCWD - Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (now Pacific Missile Test Center)
• NBSD - Naval Base San Diego
• NCDU - Navy Combat Demolition Unit
• NCIS - Naval Criminal Investigative Service
• NCTAMS - Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station
• NCTS - Naval Computer Telecommunications Station
• NECC - Navy Expeditionary Combat Command
• NeL - Navy eLearning
• NEX - Navy Exchange
• NFO - Naval Flight Officer / Normal Fuel Oil
• NKO - Navy Knowledge Online
• NMCI - Navy/Marine Corps Intranet
• NMPS - Navy Mobilization and Processing Site
• NNSY - Norfolk Naval Shipyard
• NOSC - Navy Operational Support Center
• NROTC - Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps
• NJROTC - Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
• NSAWC - Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
• SSES - Ships Signal Exploitation Space
• NSGA - Naval Security Group Activity
• NSWG - Naval Special Warfare Group
• NSWC - Naval Surface Warfare Center
• NUWC - Naval Undersea Warfare Center
• NWTD - Non Watertight Door

O

• OBA - Oxygen Breathing Apparatus
• OCS - Officer Candidate School, located at Naval Station Newport
• OFS - Out Fucking Standing
• OOD - Officer of the Deck
• OOMA - Optimized Organizational Maintenance Activity
• OPSO - Operations officer
• OPNAV - Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
• OSA - Overseas Contingency Operation Support Assignments

P

• PACOM - Pacific Command
• PCS - Permanent Change of Station
• PFA - Physical Fitness Assessment
• POD - Plan of the Day
• POTUS - President of the United States
• POW - Plan of the Week
• PRD - Projected Rotation Date
• PRIFLY - PRImary FLight Control (Aircraft carriers)
• PSNS and IMF - Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility
• PT - Physical Training
• PTS - Perform to Serve
• PWD - Public Works Department

R

• RADCON - RADiation CONtrol
• RAG - Replacement Air Group, now known as Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS)
• RIO - Radar Intercept Officer
• RL - Restricted Line Officer
• RMD - Restricted Maneuvering Doctrine
• RT - Radiotelephone (voice radio)
• RTC - Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois
• RPOC - Recruit Petty Officer in Charge

S

• SA - Seaman Apprentice
• SAG - Surface Action Group
• SAM - Surface-to-air missile^[1]
• SAU - Search and Attack Unit
• SCAT - Small Craft Attack Team
• SE - Support Equipment
• SEALs - United States Navy SEALs (stands for SEa, Air, Land), officially termed Special Warfare Operators.
• SECDEF - United States Secretary of Defense
• SECNAV - United States Secretary of the Navy
• SCBA - Self-contained breathing apparatus
• SCPO - Senior Chief Petty Officer
• SCW - Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist insignia
• SICLOS - Shift Inspect Clean Lube Oil Strainers
• SLBM - Submarine-launched ballistic missile
• SN - Seaman
• SNA - Student Naval Aviator
• SO - Special Warfare Operator, aka US Navy SEAL.
• SOFA - Status of Forces Agreement
• SOPA - Senior Officer Present Afloat
• SOP(A) - Senior Officer Present (Ashore)
• SPAWAR - Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
• SR - Seaman Recruit
• SRB - Selective Reenlistment Bonus
• SRW - Shutdown Roving Watch
• SS - Submarine or submersible ship
• SSBN (aka Boomers) - Hull classification symbol for ballistic missile submarine. The SS denotes submarine, the B denotes ballistic missiles, and the N denotes nuclear-powered.
• SSGN - Hull classification symbol for cruise missile submarine. The SS denotes submarine, the G denotes guided missile, and the N denotes nuclear-powered.
• SSN - Hull classification symbol for general-purpose fast attack submarines. The SS denotes submarine, while N denotes nuclear-powered.
• SSTG - Ships Service Turbine Generator
• STREAM - Standard Tension REplenishment Alongside Method
• SUBRON - SUBmarine squadRON
• SUPPO - SUPPly Officer
• SWCC (swick) - Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen, the Special Operations Forces who operate and maintain an inventory of boats used to support special operations missions, particularly those of the U.S. Navy SEALs.
• SWO - Surface Warfare Officer

T

• TADCEN - Training and Distribution Center
• TE - Task Element
• TF - Task Force
• TG - Task Group
• TOPGUN - United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
• TU - Task Unit

U

• UA - Unauthorized absence, equivalent to Army absent without leave
• UAS - Unmanned Aerial System
• UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
• UCMJ - Uniform Code of Military Justice
• UDT - Underwater Demolition Team
• UNODIR - UNless Otherwise DIRected
• UNREP - Underway replenishment
• USMC - United States Marine Corps, organized under the United States Department of the Navy)
• USN - United States Navy
• URL - Unrestricted line officer
• USNA - United States Naval Academy (Annapolis)
• UWT - Underwater telephone

V

• VERTREP - Vertical replenishment
• VCNO - Vice Chief of Naval Operations
• VAQ - Fixed Wing Electronic-Attack Squadron
• VAW - Fixed Wing Airborne Early Warning Squadron
• VF - Fixed Wing Fighter (no longer used)
• VFA - Fixed Wing Strike Fighter Squadron
• VP - Fixed Wing Patrol Squadron
• VRC - Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC-30 Providers)
• VTU - Volunteer Training Unit

W

• WCS Work Center Supervisor
• WO Warrant Officer
• WSO (Wizzo) - Weapon Systems Operator/Naval Flight Officer
• WTD Watertight Door

X

• XO - Executive officer

See also

United States Navy portal

• List of acronyms
• List of government and military acronyms
• List of U.S. Marine Corps acronyms and expressions
• List of U.S. Army acronyms and expressions
• List of U.S. Air Force acronyms and expressions
• Glossary of nautical terms

Notes and references

1. ^ ^{a b c} not confined to USN use
2. ^ http://www.abbreviations.com/b1.aspx?KEY=69376

Navy Acronyms and Navy Abbreviations