AFTAC Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, FL
AFTADS Army Field Artillery Target Data System.
AFWAN Air Force WWMCCS ADP Modernization
AFWL Air Force Weapons Laboratory (Phillips Lab).
AGARD Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development.
AGC Automatic Gain Control.
AGCCS (1) Air Force Global Command and Control System (USAF term).
(2) Army Global Command and Control System (US Army term).
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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AGM-65 Maverick Air-to-Surface Missile.
AGMC Air Force Aerospace Guidance and Metrology Center, Newark AFB, OH.
AGRE Active Geophysical Rocket Experiment
AGT Above Ground Test.
AHIS Agile Homing Interceptor Simulator.
AHSG Ad Hoc Study Group.
AHWG Ad Hoc Working Group
AI (1) Artificial Intelligence. (2) Action Item. (3) Air Interdiction.
AIA Air Intelligence Agency
AIAA American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
AIC (1) Atlantic Intelligence Command. (2) Account Identifier Code.
AID Agile Interceptor Development.
AIDA Artificial Intelligence Discrimination Architecture (UKMOD).
AIDPN Architecture Investment and Deployment Planning Notebook.
AIM Air Intercept Missile
Aimpoint The specific point at which a weapon is aimed. The point may be on the earth's
surface, in the atmosphere, or in space. In some cases, the specific lethal point
on a target to which a weapon is aimed.
AIP Advanced Interceptor Program (formerly Brilliant Pebbles).
Airborne
Optional Adjunct
(AOA)
A test program to place an infrared (IR) sensor in an aircraft. (Superseded by
Airborne Surveillance Testbed (AST).)
Airborne
Surveillance
Testbed (AST)
A Boeing 767 aircraft with a large infrared sensor designed to address optical
sensor issues.
Air-breathing A flying vehicle that uses the oxygen in the atmosphere as the oxidizer in its
propulsion system. Examples are jet aircraft and cruise missiles. This category
does not include ballistic missiles.
Air Defense All measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action.
Air Defense
Action Area
An area and the airspace above it within which friendly aircraft or surface-to-air
weapons is normally given precedence in operations except under specific
conditions. See also air defense operations area.
Air Defense
Artillery
Weapons and equipment for actively combating air targets from the ground.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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Air Defense
Identification
Zone
Airspace of defined dimensions within which the ready identification, location,
and control of airborne vehicles are required. Commonly referred to as ADIZ.
See also air defense operations area.
Air Defense
Operations Area
A geographic area defining the boundaries within which procedures are
established to minimize interference between air defense and other operations.
May include designation of one or more of the following: Air defense action
area; Air defense area; Air defense identification; Firepower umbrella.
Air Force
Component
Command Center
(AFCCC)
A segment of the Command and Control Element, which replicates capabilities of
the CCC (BMD) segment and provides administrative and logistics support to Air
Force Component Forces with the Strategic Defense System. The AFCCC was
eliminated from the CCE (now C2 E) architecture during the last SAS system
architecture definition update.
Air Force
Ground/Global
Weather Center
(AFGWC)
AFGWC provides Air Force and Army with global information and products
relating to past, present, and future states of the aerospace environment.
Weather data is provided to the Weather Support Unit (WSU) for use by the
SDS. Also provides space environmental data such as sunspots,
electromagnetic storms, etc. Located at Offutt AFB, NE.
Air Force
Operational
Test and
Evaluation
Center (AFOTEC)
Responsible for the operational test and evaluation of systems being developed
for use by the Air Force (Located at Kirtland AFB, NM).
Air Force
Satellite
Communications
System
(AFSATCOM)
A collection of transponders on host satellites used by U.S. Strategic Command
to pass emergency action messages (EAM) and damage assessment reports.
AFSATCOM is also used to pass sensor data between sites and CMAFB.
Air Force
Satellite Control
Network
(AFSCN)
A global, multi-command configuration of space vehicle command, control, and
communications resources operating in concert to support DoD and other
assigned space missions.
Air Force Space
Command
(AFSPC)
A major Air Force command and the Air Force component of United States
Space Command responsible for the training, equipping, manning, administering,
and funding of assigned systems. Located in Colorado Springs, CO.
Air Force Space
Operations
Center (AFSPOC)
An AFSPACECOM center responsible for the daily tracking of events at remote
operational sites. It may be updated and assigned responsibility for logistics
and administrative control of assigned SDS elements. Located in Colorado
Springs, CO.
Air Force CRC Air Force Control and Reporting Center.
Air Force
Operational Test
and Evaluation
Center (AFOTEC)
Responsible for the operational test and evaluation of systems being developed
for use by the Air Force (Located at Kirtland AFB, NM).
Air Force Space
Command
(AFSPC)
A major Air Force command and the Air Force component of United States
Space Command responsible for the training, equipping, manning, administering,
and funding of assigned systems. Located in Colorado Springs, CO.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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Air Force Space
Operations
Center (AFSPOC)
An AFSPACECOM center located in Colorado Springs, CO.
Air Surveillance The systematic observation of airspace by electronic, visual, or other means,
primarily for the purpose of identifying and determining the movements of aircraft
and missiles, friendly and enemy, in the air space under observation.
Air-breathing A flying vehicle that uses the oxygen in the atmosphere as the oxidizer in its
propulsion system. Examples are jet aircraft and cruise missiles. This category
does not include ballistic missiles.
Airborne
Surveillance
Testbed (AST)
A Boeing 767 aircraft with a large infrared sensor designed to address optical
sensor issues. It's expected that this program will be retired in 2003 with its
missions to be taken over by HALO II and WASP.
AIRMS Airborne Infrared Measurement System
AIRREQSUP Air Request Support (JFACC term).
AIRS Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
Airspace Control
in the Combat
Zone
A process used to increase combat effectiveness by promoting safe, efficient
and flexible use of airspace. Airspace control is provided in order to prevent
fratricide, enhance air defense operations, and permit greater flexibility of
operations. Airspace control does not infringe on the authority vested in
commanders to approve, disapprove, or deny combat operations.
Airspace Control
Plan
The document approved by the joint force commander that provides specific
planning guidance and procedures for the airspace control system for the joint
force area of responsibility.
AIRSUPREQ Air Support Request (JFACC term).
AIS (1) Automated Information System. (2) Architecture Integration Study. (3)
Airborne Intercept System.
AIST Advanced Interceptor and Systems Technology.
AIT Advanced Interceptor Technologies.
AJ Antijam.
AJPO Ada Joint Program Office.
AJTBP Augmented Joint Theater Battle Picture.
AL Acquisition Logistician.
ALARM Alert, Locate, and Report Missiles.
ALAS Advanced Liquid Axial Stage.
ALBCS Airborne Laser Beam Control System.
ALC Air Logistics Center (AF).
ALCC Airlift Coordination Center (JFACC term).
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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ALCE Airlift Coordination Element (JFACC term).
ALCM Air Launched Cruise Missile.
ALCOR ARPA/Lincoln C-band observable radar. (USAKA KREMS)
ALDT Average Logistics Delay Time.
ALE Airborne Laser Experiment.
ALERT Attack and Launch Early Reporting to Theater.
ALG Algorithm
ALI (1) Alpha/LAMP Integration. (2) AEGIS Leap Intercept
ALIRT Advanced Large-area Infrared Transducer
ALL Airborne Laser Laboratory.
Allocated
Availability
Requirement
The requirement probability that an element is available to perform its function as
allocated by the SDS.
Allocation (1) An authorization by a designated official of a DoD component making funds
available within a prescribed amount to an operating agency for the purpose of
making allotments (i.e., the first subdivision of an apportionment). (2) The
translation of the apportionment into total numbers of sorties by aircraft type
available for each operation/task.
Allotment The temporary change of assignment of tactical air forces between subordinate
commands. The authority to allot is vested in the commander having operational
command.
ALO Alpha Laser Optimization.
ALOD Adaptive Locally Optimum Detector (Navy term).
Alpha Particle A particle emitted spontaneously from the nuclei of some radioactive elements.
It is identical to a helium nucleus, having a mass of four units and a charge of
positive two.
ALPS Accidental Launch Protection System.
ALS Advanced Launch System.
ALSP Aggregate Level Simulation Protocol.
ALT Airborne Laser Technology.
ALTAIR UHF test radar at USAKA.
AltAir Project name for the feasibility demonstration of a short range, air drop, ballistic
missile target, dropped from a C-130 cargo aircraft.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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Alternate
National Military
Command Center
(ANMCC)
An element of the National Military Command System (NMCS), which serves as
an alternate to the NMCC. Located at Ft. Ritchie, MD.
Alternate
Processing and
Correlation
Center (APCC)
NORAD capability in USSTRATCOM Command Post that receives, processes,
and analyzes TW/AA information.
Alternate Space
Defense
Operations
Center
(ASPADOC)
The backup to the SPADOC, maintained by the Naval Space Command, at
Dahlgren, VA, collocated with the NAVSPOC and NAVSPASUR.
ALU Arithmetic Logic Unit.
AM Amplitude Modulation.
AMC (1) Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL. (2) Army Materiel Command. (3)
Midpoint Compromise Search Area. (4) Acquisition Method Code. (5)
Advisory Management Committee.
AMCOM Army Aviation and Missile Command (Oct. 1996).
AMD Air and Missile Defense
AMDF Army Master Data File
AMDS Active Missile Defense System.
AMDTF Air and Missile Defense Task Force (US Army term)
AMEMB American Embassy.
AMFB Acquisition Management Functional Board.
AMG Antenna mast group.
AMOR Army Missile Optical Range.
AMOS Air Force Maui Optical Station.
amp ampere
AMP Ansular Measurement Precision.
AMRAAM Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile.
AMS Aerodynamic Maneuvering System
AMSAA Army Materiel Systems Analysis Agency.
AMSDL Acquisition Management System Data Requirements Control List.
AMT ATCS Mobile Terminal.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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AMTB Attack Management Test Bed
AMTL Army Materials Technology Laboratory.
A/N Army/Navy
AN/TPS-59 USMC Firefinder radar.
ANALYZE Static Code Analyzer.
ANIK E1 Canadian telecommunications satellite’s name.
ANL Argonne National Laboratory
ANMCC Alternate National Military Command Center.
ANMD Army National Missile Defense.
ANN Artificial Neural Networks.
ANSI American National Standards Institute.
Antenna Area The ratio of the power available at the terminals of an antenna to the incident
power density of a plane wave from the direction polarized.
Antiair Warfare Action required to destroy or reduce to an acceptable level the enemy air and
missile threat. It includes such measures as the use of interceptors, bombers,
antiaircraft guns, surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, electronic
countermeasures, and destruction of the air or missile threat both before and
after it is launched. Other measures taken to minimize the effects of hostile air
action are cover, concealment, dispersion, deception, and mobility (Navy/USMC).
Anti-Ballistic
Missile (ABM)
The term used for Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) weapons developed to negate
the ballistic missile threat in the late 60s and early 70s.
Anti-Ballistic
Missile System
A system designed to counter strategic ballistic missiles or their elements in flight.
Anti-Radiation
Missile (ARM)
A missile that homes passively on a radiation source.
Antisatellite
Weapon (ASAT)
A weapon designed to destroy satellites in space. The weapon may be
launched from the ground, from an aircraft, or be based in space. Either a
nuclear or conventional explosion may destroy the target, by collision at high
speed, or by a directed energy beam.
Anti-Simulation The process of introducing random variations to the signature characteristics of
an object in order to cause misidentification of the object by the sensors. The
disguising of an RV to resemble a non-threatening object such as a piece of
debris, a balloon, or a decoy.
Ao Operational Availability
AO (1) Associated Object. (2) Action Officer. (3) Area of Operations (4) Acousto-
Optical. (5) Attack Operations.
AOA OBSOLETE. Airborne Optical Adjunct (now called AST).
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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AOC Air Operations Center.
AOCC Air Operations Control Center.
AOEC Aero-Optic Evaluation Center, Buffalo, NY.
AOI Active Optical Imager.
AOP Airborne Optics Platform.
AOR Area of Responsibility.
AOS OBSOLETE. Airborne Optical Sensor.
AOSP Advanced On-Board Signal Processor.
AOTF Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter.
AP Acquisition Plan.
APB Acquisition Program Baseline.
APBI Advanced Planning Briefing to Industry (MDA).
APCC Alternate Processing and Correlation Center.
APDP Acquisition Professional Development Program.
APEX Active Plasma Experiment
API Ascent-Phase Intercept.
APIPT Acquisition Planning IPT (PAC-3 term).
APL Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
APLE Average Power Laser Experiment.
APM Advanced Penetration Model.
APMA Acquisition Program Management Agreement.
APO (1) Apache Point Observatory. (2) Arrow Project Office.
APOD Aerial Point of Debarkation.
Application (1) (Software) It refers to a process; usually implemented as a software
routine, at the highest level (Level 7) of the ISO open system
architecture. (2) (SDS) It refers to such processes as the Battle
Management, Navigation, Network Control, and other high level functions
which may originate or receive messages over the SDS Communication
network, via underlying lower-level protocols. (3) Software designed to
fulfill specific needs of a user. (4) (Acquisition) The process of selecting
requirements that are pertinent and cost effective for the particular
materiel acquisition and contractually invoking them at the most
advantageous times in the acquisition cycle.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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Apportionment (1) A determination made by the Office of Management and Budget which
limits the amount of obligations or expenditures that may be incurred
during a specified time period. An apportionment may limit all obligations
to be incurred during the specified period or it may limit obligation to be
incurred for a specific activity, function, project, object, or a combination
thereof. The third of four phases of the DoD resource allocation process.
(2) The determination and assignment of the total expected effort by
percentage and/or by priority that should be devoted to the various air
operations and/or geographic areas for a given period of time. (3) In the
general sense, distribution for planning of limited resources among
competing requirements. Specific apportionments (e.g. air sorties and
forces for planning) are described as apportionment of air sorties and
forces for planning, etc.
Appropriation An authorization by an act of Congress that permits Federal agencies to incur
obligations and make payments from the Treasury. An appropriation usually
follows an enactment of authorizing legislation. An appropriation act is the most
common means of providing budget authority. Appropriations do not represent
cash actually set aside in the Treasury; they represent limitations of amounts,
which agencies may obligate during a specified time period. See Authorization.
Approved
Program
The technical and operational, schedule, and quantity requirements reflected in
the latest approved USD (A) ADM, or other document reflecting a more current
decision of the USD (A) or other approval authority, such as the President’s
Budget, the FYDP, and supporting documentation.
APPS Automated POM Preparation Instruction.
APS (1) Axial Propulsion System. (2) Automatic Phasing System.
APT Acquisition, Pointing, and Tracking.
APU Auxiliary Power Unit.
AR Army
ARB Accreditation Review Board.
ARC (1) Advanced Research Center, US Army, Huntsville, AL.
(2) Atlantic Research Corporation.
ARC/SC Advanced Research Center/Simulation Center.
ARCCC Army Component Command Center.
ARCT Advanced Radar Component Technology.
ARFOR Army Forces.
ARGUS Advanced Real-time Gaming Universal Simulation.
Architectural
Design
The process of defining a collection of hardware and software components and
their interfaces to establish the framework for the development of a computer
system.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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Architecture
Integration
Study (AIS)
A study to determine the performance of alternative architectures and element
designs that satisfy BMD System mission requirements, and to evaluate the
effect of changing threats and advances in technology on the systems,
subsystems, and components making up existing and proposed architectures.
ARDSOC Army Defense System Operations Center.
ARE Aerothermal Reentry Experiment.
Area Air Defense
Commander
(AADC)
The person given overall responsibility for air defense within an overseas unified
command, subordinate unified command, or a joint task force. Normally, this will
be the Air Force component commander.
Area Defense Defense of a broad geographical area that contains both military and civilian
assets (i.e., depots, towns/cities). (USSPACECOM)
Area of Influence A geographical area wherein a commander is directly capable of influencing
operations by maneuver or fire support systems normally under his command or
control.
Area of Interest
(AOI)
The area of influence and surrounding areas that is of concern to the
commander for the objective of current and planned operations. This may
include areas occupied by enemy forces.
Area of
Operations
That portion of an area of war necessary for military operations and for the
administration of such operations.
Argus An airborne optical platform operated by the Air Force’s Phillips Laboratory.
Argus is sometimes used by MDA to collect flight test signatures,
phenomenology, and intercept data.
ARGUS Advanced Real-time Gaming Universal Simulation.
ARH Anti-Radiation Homing.
ARI Army Research Institute
ARIES Active Radio Interferometer for Explosion Surveillance.
ARL Airborne Reconnaissance-Low (USA term) [circa 1996 = Reconnaissance
equipment in Dash-7 airplane].
ARM Anti-Radiation Missile.
Arms Export
Control Board
(AECB)
An interagency board, chaired by the Under Secretary of State for Security
Assistance, Science, and Technology, that serves to advise the Secretary of
State on matters relating to security assistance program levels and arms transfer
policies.
Army Brigade
Center (ARBC)
The Army center between the ARSPOC and the ARROC with C2 responsibilities
for BMD.
Army Component
Command Center
(ARCCC)
A segment of the Command and Control Element, which replicates capabilities of
the CCC (BMD) segment and provides administrative and logistics support to
Army Component Forces with the Strategic Defense System. The ARCCC was
eliminated from the CCE (now C2 E) architecture during the last SAS system
architecture definition update.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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Army Materiel
Command (AMC)
Performs the assigned materiel functions of the Department of the Army,
including research and development; product improvement; human factors
engineering; test and evaluation; procurement and production; new equipment
training; scientific and technical intelligence production; international logistics
programs; and storage, distribution, maintenance, demilitarization, and disposal
for the continental United States wholesale supply and maintenance systems as
well as for overseas systems. Located in Alexandria, VA and moving to Fort
Belvoir, VA in 2003.
Army Space
Operations
Center (ARSPOC)
The Army Space Command Center responsible for logistically/ administratively
controlling assigned SDS elements and which shall also include the capability to
assure the BMD mission is carried out should the USCINCSPACE CCC be lost.
ARNG Army National Guard.
AROS Airborne Radar Optical System.
ARP Address Resolution Protocol
ARPA Advanced Research Projects Agency. (Formerly known as Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
ARPANET ARPA Network.
ARRC Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps.
ARROC Army Regional Operations Center.
Arrow A technology demonstration program started in 1988 and designed to meet
Israeli architecture requirements for area defense of population centers against
TBMs.
ARS (1) Airborne Remote Sensing. (2) Action Request System.
ARSCS Automated Rear Services Control System.
ARSPACE U.S. Army Space Command.
ARSPOC Army Space Operations Center.
ARU Alignment Reference Unit (PAC-3).
ASA Assistant Secretary of the Army.
ASAF Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.
ASAF (A) Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition).
ASARC Army Systems Acquisition Review Council.
ASARS Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System.
ASAS (1) All Source Analysis System. (2) Advanced Solid Axial Stage.
ASAT Antisatellite Weapon.
ASB Army Science Board.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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ASBM Air-to-Surface Ballistic Missile.
ASC (1) Army Space Command (See also USARSPACECOM, ARSPACECOM).
(2) Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright Patterson AFB, OH.
ASCC Air Standardization Coordination Committee.
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
ASCM Advance Spaceborne Computer Module
ASCO Advanced Systems Concept Office
ASCON Associate Contractor
ASD (1) OBSOLETE Aeronautical Systems Division (AF). See Aeronautical
Systems Center (ASC). (2) Assistant Secretary of Defense.
ASDC Alternated Space Defense Center
ASDP Advanced Sensor Demonstration Program.
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASEDP Army Space Exploitation Demonstration Program.
ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit.
ASIOE Associated Support Items of Equipment (USA term).
ASL Authorized Stockage List (USA term).
ASM (1) Anti-Simulation. (2) Anti-ship Missile. (3) Air-to-Surface Missile.
ASMD Anti-ship Missile Defense.
ASMDC Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, AL (1998).
ASMP French Air Surface Missile
ASN Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
ASN (RD&A) Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development & Acquisition).
ASN (SB&L) Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Shipbuilding and Logistics).
ASOC Air Support Operations Center.
ASP (1) Airborne Surveillance Platform. (2) Advanced Sensor Program. (3)
Advanced Sensor Platform. (4) Annual Service Practice.
ASPADOC The backup to the SPADOC, maintained by the Naval Space Command, at
Dahlgren, VA, collocated with the NAVSPOC and NAVSPASUR.
ASPIRIS Advanced Signal Processing for IR Sensors.
ASPJ Airborne Self Protection Jammer
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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ASPO Army Space Program Office.
ASR Acquisition Strategy Report.
ASROC Antisubmarine Rocket.
ASSERT Augmentation Awards for Science and Engineering Research Training (DoD
term).
Assessment (1) Appraisal of the worth of an intelligence activity, source information, or
product in terms of its contribution to a specific goal, or the credibility,
reliability, pertinence, accuracy, or usefulness of information in terms of
an intelligence need. When used in context with evaluation,
assessment implies a weighing against resource allocation, expenditure
or risk. (2) An independent evaluation of a model or simulation by an
MDA-sponsored Confidence Assessment Team for a specified purpose.
ASSIST Automated Systems Security Incident Support Term (DISA term).
Associated
Object
Object that remains near a deployed reentry vehicle, decoy or chaff puff.
Assume Course
Orientation
Make course attitude adjustments to the weapon platform orientation prior to
engagement.
Assured Defense Strategies and tactics that result in (specified) a high probability of kill against
designated targets, regardless of the interceptors required. (USSPACECOM)
Assured Kill This option requires defense segments to employ tactics, which produce the
highest probability of kill consistent with the available number of defensive
resources (interceptors).
AST (1) See Airborne Surveillance Testbed. (2) Advanced Sensor Technology.
ASTMP Army Science and Technology Master Plan
ASTP Advanced Sensor Technology Program
ASWG Architecture Systems Working Group.
AT Advanced Technology
ATA (1) Advanced Test Accelerator. (2) Avionics Test Article.
ATACC (1) Advanced Tactical Command Central (USMC term). (2) Advanced Theater Air
Command Center
ATACM Army Tactical Missile
ATACMS Army Tactical Missile System.
ATAF Allied Tactical Air Force (NATO).
ATB (1) Allied Test Bed. (2) Analytical Tool Box.
ATBM (1) Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missile. (2) Anti- Theater Ballistic Missile
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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ATC Automated Technical Catalog
ATCCS Army Tactical Command and Control System
ATCOM Army Aviation and Troop Command (pre-Oct 96) (See AMCOM)
ATD Advanced Technology Demonstration.
ATDL Army Tactical Data Link.
ATDM Adaptive Time Division Multiplexer.
ATDS Airborne Tactical Data System.
ATE Automatic Test Equipment.
ATH Above the Horizon
ATHS Airborne Target Handover System.
ATI Advanced Technology Interceptor
ATIM Advanced Technology Insertion Module
ATIS Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions
ATM Anti-Tactical Missile.
ATMD Army Theater Missile Defense.
ATMDF Air and Theater Missile Defense Force (US Army term).
ATMDPO Army Theater Missile Defense Program Office.
ATO Air Tasking Order.
ATOC Air Tactical Operations Center.
ATODB Air Tasking Order Database.
ATP (1) Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing. (2) Authority To Proceed. (3) Allied
Tactical Publication. (4) Acceptance Test Procedures. (5) Acceptance
Test Program. (6) Advanced Technology Program (Department of
Commerce term). (7) Authority to Process.
ATP&FC Acquisition, Tracking, Pointing, and Fire Control.
ATR Autonomous/Automated Target Recognition.
ATRJ Advanced Threat Radar Jammer.
ATSIM Acquisition and Track Simulation.
Attack and
Launch Early
Reporting to
Theater (ALERT)
An upgrade to ground station mission processing which exploits inherent satellite
capability to provide theater missile warning and cueing.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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Attack
Assessment (AA)
An evaluation of information to determine the potential or actual nature and
objectives of an attack for the purpose of providing information for timely
decisions.
Attack
Characterization
The process by which the parameters of an attack in progress are developed,
updated and defined.
Attack
Operations
(Counterforce)
Attack operations prevent launch of theater missiles by attacking all elements of
the overall enemy system, including such actions as destroying launch platforms,
support facilities, reconnaissance, intelligence, surveillance and target acquisition
platforms, command and control nodes, and missile stocks. Attack operations
can be executed by space, air, ground, maritime, and special operations forces.
Attack operations are considered one of the four pillars of TMD capability. (JCS
J-38 CONOPS)
Attack Price A concept used to evaluate the performance of a BMD system that defines
“price” as the number of Re-entry Vehicles required to ensure target destruction.
Target destruction is defined as a probability of target survivability using the draw
down curve.
Attack Warning/
Attack
Assessment
(AW/AA)
Integrated air, missile, and space defense data used to determine whether an
attack is underway and, if so, what is the type and strength of the attack.
ATTD Advanced Technology Transition Demonstration.
Attenuation Decrease in intensity of a signal, beam, or wave as a result of absorption and
scattering out of the path of a detector by the propagating medium, but not
including a decrease in intensity due to geometric spreading (e.g., the inverse
square of distance).
ATV Advanced Technology Validation.
AULS Accidental or Unauthorized Limited Strike.
AUPC Average Unit Procurement Cost.
AURORA Canadian aircraft.
Autonomous
Acquisition
Range (Max.)
The maximum range at which a target can be acquired by a sensor operating in
a non-cued mode.
AV (1) Air Vehicle. (2) Audio-Visual.
AVATAR (SAIC) Flight dynamics simulator.
AVC Advanced Vehicle Concept.
AVCATT Aviation CATT (US Army term)
Average Unit
Procurement
Cost (AUPC)
Design to average unit procurement cost objectives, expressed in constant
dollars, are established for Milestone I, Concept Demonstration Approval. AUPC
includes recurring flyaway, rollaway, sail-away costs (including nonrecurring
production costs) adjusted for data, training, support equipment, and initial
spares costs.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 A
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AVHRR Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer.
AVSCOM Aviation Systems Command (US Army).
AW/AA Attack Warning/Attack Assessment.
AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System.
AWC Air Warfare Centre (UK RAF term).
AWE Advanced Warfighting Experiment
AWG (1) Acquisition Working Group (GSA term). (2) Algorithm Working Group.
AWS (1) AEGIS Weapons System (2) Advanced Warning System. (3) Arrow Weapons
System (Joint US/Israeli BMD weapons system).
Azimuth Orientation of a vector projected onto a reference horizontal plane, relative to a
reference direction in the plane.
Azimuth Angle A positive angle measured clockwise in a reference horizontal plane from a
reference direction to a given direction. For a topocentric-horizon coordinate
reference frame, the reference direction is due north (true north or magnetic
north, depending on the application).
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
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B Billion.
B Spec Development specification.
B2C2 Brigade and Below Command and Control System (Army term).
BA Budget activity. The budget activity codes are:
01 – Basic Research
02 – Exploratory Development
03 – Advance Technology Development
04 – Dem/Val
05 – EMD
06 – Management Support
07 – Operational Systems Development
BAA Broad Agency Announcement.
BAC Budget At Completion.
Backbone
Network
Consists of the space communications network, the ground communications
network, and the interconnection between the two.
Background
Rejection
(Surveillance)
The suppression of background noise for the improvement of an object signal.
BAE Battlefield Area Evaluation (USA term).
BAFO Best and Final Offer.
BAI Battlefield Air Interdiction.
Balanced
Technology
Initiative (BTI)
DoD’s program to hasten application of advanced technology to the most critical
and urgent operational needs. BTI projects are demonstrating leap-ahead
capabilities enabled by emerging technologies in smart weapons, target
acquisition, battlefield C3I, active countermeasures, and ultra-wide bandwidth
radars and high power microwave systems.
Ballistic
Coefficient
The weight of the object divided by the product of the coefficient of drag and the
projected area (W/CDA), in kilograms per square meter.
Ballistic Missile
(BM)
Any missile that does not rely upon aerodynamic surfaces to produce lift and
consequently follows a ballistic trajectory when thrust is terminated.
Ballistic Missile
Boost Intercept
(BAMBI)
OBSOLETE. A 1966 system concept that a Lockheed study group developed in
anticipation of possible government interest in the development of an ABM
capability.
Ballistic Missile
Defense (BMD)
All active and passive measures designed to detect, identify, track, and defeat
attacking ballistic missiles (and entities), in both strategic and theater tactical
roles, during any portion of their flight trajectory (boost, post-boost, midcourse, or
terminal) or to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of such attack.
Ballistic Missile
Defense Battery
An Army operations center, which operates and maintains BMD ground-based
weapons and sensors.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
28
Ballistic Missile
Defense (BMD)
Cell
This facility will be located in the USSPACECOM Consolidated Command Center
(CCC) and Space Control Center (SPACC) to support the Space Force
Application mission area interface between the BMD system and
USCINCSPACE. The BMD Cell will provide command and decision support to
USCINCSPACE.
Ballistic Missile
Defense
Operations
Center (BMDOC)
OBSOLETE. Initially located at the NTF, and ultimately in the Cheyenne
Mountain Complex, this facility supports the BMD Cell-USSPACECOM information
interface. The BMDOC hosts a BM/C3 processing suite and the operations
personnel necessary to coordinate and integrate system-wide BMD activities and
supports the USCINCSPACE planning and decision process.
Ballistic Missile
Defense
Organization
(BMDO)
OBSOLETE. The former name of an agency of the Department of Defense
whose mission is to manage and direct the conduct of a research program
examining the feasibility of eliminating the threat posed by ballistic missiles of all
ranges and of increasing the contribution of defensive systems to United States
and Allied security. MDA is the successor to Strategic Defense Initiative
Organization (SDIO). See MDA.
Ballistic Missile
Defense Program
An architecture comprising three objectives: Theater Missile Defense (TMD),
National Missile Defense (NMD), and Follow-on Research Programs.
Ballistic Missile
Defense (BMD)
System
(1) An integrated system that employs layered defenses to intercept missiles
during their boost, midcourse, and terminal flight phases. (MDA Lexicon)
(2) The aggregate BMD BMC3 and BMD forces that, in total, provide defense
against ballistic missile attacks to North America and other areas of vital interest.
(USSPACECOM)
Ballistic Missile
Early Warning
System (BMEWS)
Provides tactical warning of ballistic missile attacks, and is part of Spacetrack
system. A two-faced phased array radar located at Thule AB, Greenland; three
detection radars and one tracking radar at Clear AFS, AK; and three tracking
radars at RAF Fylingdales, UK.
Ballistics The science or art that deals with the motion, behavior, appearance, or
modification of missiles or other vehicles acted upon by propellants, wind, gravity,
temperature, or any other modifying substance, condition, or force.
Ballistic
Trajectory
The trajectory traced after the propulsive force is terminated and the body is
acted upon only by gravity and aerodynamic drag.
Balloon A spherical inflatable decoy used as a penetration aid to mask the location of
reentry vehicles.
BAMBI OBSOLETE. See Ballistic Missile Boost Intercept.
Bandwidth The range of usable frequencies assigned to a channel or system; the difference
expressed in Hertz between the highest and lowest frequencies of a band.
BAR Bimonthly Activity Report.
BARBB BMDO Acquisition Reporting Bulletin Board
Barrage
Jamming
Simultaneous electronic jamming over a broad band of frequencies.
Battery Tactical and administrative artillery unit or subunit corresponding to a company or
a similar unit in other branches of the Army.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
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Battle Damage
Assessment
(BDA)
The estimate of damage resulting from the application of military force against a
predetermined objective. Battle damage assessments can be applied to the use
of all types of weapons systems throughout the range of military operations.
BDAs are primarily an intelligence responsibility with required inputs and
coordination from the operators. BDA is composed of physical damage
assessment, functional damage assessment, and target system assessment.
Battlefield
Coordination
Element (BCE)
An Army liaison provided by the Army component commander to the Air
Operations Center (AOC) and/or to the component designated by the joint force
commander to plan, coordinate, and de-conflict air operations. The battlefield
coordination element processes Army requests for tactical air support, monitors
and interprets the land battle situation for the AOC, and provides the necessary
interface for exchange of current intelligence and operational data.
Baseline Defined quantity or quality used as starting point for subsequent efforts and
progress measurement. Can be a technical baseline or cost baseline.
Baseline
Comparison
System (BCS)
A current operational system, or a composite of current operational subsystems,
which most closely represents the design, operational, and support
characteristics of the new system under development.
Baseline
Conditions
The natural and human environmental conditions, which are present prior to
implementation of a program and against which impacts are assessed.
Baseline Cost
Estimate (BCE)
A detailed estimate of acquisition and ownership costs normally required for highlevel decisions. This estimate is performed early in the program and serves as
the base point for all subsequent tracking and auditing purposes.
Base Program The base program is the program described in the Future Years Defense
Program base file, when updated to conform to the budget presented to
Congress in January. It constitutes the base from which all current-year program
changes are considered.
Base Year A reference period, which determines a fixed price level for comparison in
economic escalation calculations and cost estimates. The price level index for
the base year is 1.000.
Battle Debris Battle Debris are the fragments produced by the hypervelocity collision of an
interceptor with a ballistic missile, post-boost vehicle, or reentry vehicle, objects
resulting from intentional fragmentation or accidental detonation of booster
components, and objects normally associated with the deployment and
propagation of threat objects (such as nuts, bolts, inter-stages, fairings, shrouds,
etc.).
Battle Group (1) Domains into which the battle space is partitioned. (2) A data processing
approach implemented in the battle management computer, which
minimizes the processing load by partitioning (grouping) threat data
(Virtual Battle Group). (3) A group of associated system elements which
operate together in a segment of the battle, based upon their
capabilities and relative location to each other and the threat.
Battle Integration Preplanning processes and/or real-time coordination that occur to minimize
resource wastage between battle tiers or battle partitions.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
30
Battle
Management
(BM)
Battle management is comprised of two parts: strategies and the collection of
tasks to be performed to successfully implement chosen strategies. Given a set
of strategies, resources, and hostile asset deployment, battle management
addresses the problem of choosing a specific strategy or set of strategies and
performing the associated tasks, which would result in the most desired outcome.
Battle
Management/
Command,
Control,
Communications,
and Computers
(BM/C4 )
BM/C4 is a set of automated processes, which respond to the C2 system’s control
directives. The BM/C4 will provide the BMD system with the capability of
planning, coordinating, directing, and controlling the surveillance and
engagement operations of the system. It will consist of a distributed
arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications, facilities, and
procedures that will ensure timely human control of the battle management
process. BM/C4 consists of a battle planning function, an engagement planning
function, and a battle execution function. (USSPACECOM)
Battle
Management
Database
Battle Management data files including: battle management message file, object
file, track file, discrimination file, engagement file, kill assessment file, and battle
management health and status file.
Battle
Management
System
The hub of the command and control process. It consists of computer hardware
and software that integrates elements of the command and control system into a
synergistic operation. (USSPACECOM)
Battle Management System
Configuration
The battle management elements currently in the system together with their
locations, connectivity and currently activated modes of operation.
Battle Manager The automated set of hardware and software equipment that performs the battle
management functions at an element.
Battle Plan One of a set of BMD operational approaches to counter a ballistic missile attack.
It contains the rules of engagement, battle strategy, and intercept tactics to be
implemented by the battle management processors. It is directly responsive to
the attack type (e.g., counterforce).
Battle Space A characterization of the BMD area of operation generally expressed by Tier
(Boost, Post-Boost, Midcourse, and Terminal). (USSPACECOM)
Battle Space
Partitioning
Assignment of management, sensing, control and firing responsibilities to specific
platforms/facilities within the deployed constellation of platforms/facilities.
Battlefield
Coordination
Element
An Army liaison provided by the Army component commander to the Air
Operations Center (AOC) and/or to the component designated by the joint force
commander to plan, coordinate, and de-conflict air operations. The battlefield
coordination element processes Army requests for tactical air support, monitors
and interprets the land battle situation for the AOC, and provides the necessary
interface for exchange of current intelligence and operational data.
BBS Bulletin Board System.
BBSF Brass Board Seeker Flight
BBT Booster Burn Time.
BCAS Battle Management and C3 Architecture Simulator.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
31
BCAS (1) Battle Management and C3 Architecture Simulator. (2) Base Contracting
Automated System.
BCBL Battle Command Battle Laboratory, Ft. Leavenworth, KS.
BCCE BM/C3 Consolidated Capabilities Effort.
BCD Baseline Concept Description.
BCE Battlefield Coordinating Element.
BCFR Battle Command Focused Rotation.
BCIS Battlefield Combat Identification System (US Army term).
BCM Baseline Correlation Matrix (AF term).
BCO Broad Concept of Operations.
BCP Battery Command Post (HAWK).
BCS (1) Beam Control System. (2) Baseline Comparison System.
BCTP Battle Command Training Program, Ft. Leavenworth, KS
BCV Battle Command Vehicle (US Army term).
BCWP Budget Cost of Work Performed.
BCWS Budget Cost of Work Scheduled
BD Baseline Description.
BDA Battle Damage Assessment.
BDC Backgrounds Data Center, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC
BDE Brigade
BDL Battlefield Demonstration Laser.
BDP Baseline Data Package
BDPI Baseline Data Package Integration.
BDS Boost Phase Detection System.
BDT Birth-to-Death Tracking.
BDY Burst Detector Y Sensor.
Be Beryllium.
BE OBSOLETE. See Brilliant Eyes.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
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Beam Control Technologies associated with controlling the physical properties of high-energy
beams and steering the energy transmitted by those beams to the target vehicle;
also, the management of signal or image beams within a complex sensor system.
Beam Width The angle between the directions, on either side of the axis, at which the
intensity of the radio frequency field drops to one-half the value it, has on the
axis.
BEAR Beam Experiment Aboard Rocket (NPB Technology Validation Experiment).
BEAST Battle Experiment Area Simulator Tracker.
BECO Before Engine Cutoff.
BECS Battlefield Electronic CEOI System (See RBECS)
.
Bell-Lapadula
Model
A formal state transition model of computer security policy that describes a set of
access control rules.
BELLCORE Bell Communications Research, Incorporated.
BEP Brilliant Eyes Probe.
BES Budget Estimate Submission.
BESAM OBSOLETE. Brilliant Eyes Sensor Algorithm Manager.
BESC BM/C3 Element Support Center
BESim OBSOLETE. Brilliant Eyes Simulator.
BESim/AT OBSOLETE. Brilliant Eyes Simulator Analysis Tool.
BESim/RT OBSOLETE. Brilliant Eyes Simulator Real-Time.
BEST BM/C3 Element Support Task.
BET Best Estimate Trajectory.
BFAC Blue Forces Analysis Center.
BFTT Battle Force Tactical Training.
BG Battle Group (USN term).
BGM Battle Group Manager.
BGSE Bus Ground Support System (USAF term).
BGV Boost Glide Vehicle.
BI (1) Background Investigation. (2) Briefing to Industry.
BIB Blocked Impurity Band.
BIC Battlefield Integration Center.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
33
BID Built-In Diagnostics.
BIDS Biological Integrated Detection System.
Biennial Budget The FY86 DoD Authorization Act required the submission of two-year budgets for
the Department of Defense beginning with FY88/89. The department has
institutionalized a biennial cycle for the Planning, Programming, and Budget
System (PPBS). A biennial budget, as currently structured, represents program
budget estimates for a two-year period in which fiscal year requirements remain
separate and distinct.
Big Crow A suite of aircraft, helicopters, ground vans, and electronic equipment, which is
used to emulate an electronic warfare environment for testing, weapon systems
on test ranges.
BIM Ballistic Intercept Missile.
Biological
Weapon
An item of material, which projects, disperses, or disseminates a biological agent
including arthropod vectors.
BIOS Basic Input/Output System.
BIPS Billion Instructions Per Second.
Birth-to-Death
Tracking (BDT)
The tracking of space objects (e.g., satellites, reentry vehicles, or decoys that
simulate these) from the time they are deployed from a booster or post-boost
vehicle until they are destroyed.
Bistatic Radar A radar system that has transmitters and receivers stationed at two
geographically separate locations; a special case of multi-static radar.
BIT Built-in-Test
Bit Binary digit.
BITE Built-in Test Equipment.
Bit Transfer
Rate
The number of bits transferred per unit time, usually expressed in bits per second
(bps).
Black Body An ideal body, which would absorb all (and reflect none) of the radiation falling
upon it.
Blackout The disabling of electronic equipment by means of nuclear explosion. The
intense electromagnetic energy by a nuclear explosion obscures signals and
renders many types of radar and other types of electronic equipment useless for
minutes or longer.
BLADES BMD Long Wavelength Infrared Advanced Exo-atmospheric Sensor.
BLADT Blast, Dust, Thermal Effects Model.
Blast Effect Destruction of or damage to structures and personnel by the force of an
explosion on or above the surface of the ground. Blast effect may be contrasted
with the cratering and ground-shock effects of a projectile or charge that goes off
beneath the surface.
MDA GLOSSARY, VER. 4.0 B
34
Blast Wave A sharply defined wave of increased pressure rapidly propagated through a
surrounding medium from a center of detonation or similar disturbance.
BLCCE BMDO Life Cycle Cost Estimate.
BLK Block (system production lot)
Blk IVA Navy Standard Missile Block IV-A.
Block (1) A biennial increment of the Ballistic Missile Defense System that provides an
integrated set of capabilities which has been rigorously tested as part of the
BMDS Test-bed and assessed to adequately characterize its military utility. Once
tested, elements and components are available for limited procurement,
transition to production, or for emergency deployment as directed. These “offramps” may occur at any time during the Block Cycle to support timely execution
of these transition or deployment decisions.
The configuration for each Block is drawn from the following sources:
•The prior BMDS Block;
•BMDS elements, components, technologies, and concepts;
•BMDS Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications
(BMC2/C) specifications and products;
•Externally managed systems, elements, or technologies (e.g., DSP,
GCCS, MILSTAR, etc).
