A fire-fighting agent which is mixed with water and sprayed on flammable liquids fires. Recently, the preferred interpretation has become 'American Forces Radio and Television Services.'ĪFFF - Aqueous Film Forming Foam. Spoken as 'a-farts', Armed Forces Radio and Television System is a US system providing television and radio entertainment to forces overseas. Advance is maximized in a turn of 90 degrees or more transfer is maximized in a turn of 180 degrees or more.ĪEF/A – (USN submarine) Auxiliary Electrician Forward/Aft.Ī.F.R.T.S.

Transfer is the horizontal displacement of the ship during the same period of time. Advance is the forward progress made between the time that the rudder is put over and the time the ship is steady on her new course.

'Oh no, I'm adrift for the meeting and the Bossman'll be there!'Īdvance and Transfer – Two separate terms involving a ship’s turn. In original usage, if a sailing ship’s yards were not all aligned, she was said to be 'all acockbill.' See also SQUARED AWAY.Īctive Homing – A homing (guidance) method where the missile provides its own signal (typically either radar or sonar) transmissions and homes in on the energy reflected off the target.Īdrift – (1) Not secured scattered about not properly stowed, or out of place. Dogfighting practice.Īcockbill – Out of alignment or awry. Generally a much more violent event than an unaccelerated stall.Īcey-Deucey – Backgammon, a board game traditionally played in off-duty hours.Īcey-Deucey Club – A club for E-5 and E-6 enlisteds (Second- and First-Class Petty Officers).ĪCM - Air Combat Maneuvering. An early term since supplanted by NBC.Īccelerated Stall – (Aviation) A stall which occurs during accelerated flight, i.e. the bridge is abaft the bow.ĪBC – Atomic, Biological, Chemical. A sail which is being backed is said to be ‘aback.’ A sailing ship which accidentally goes aback when tacking loses its momentum and is said to be ‘in irons.’ A person is said to be ‘all aback’ when he is confused or surprised.Ībaft – Aft of a given point on a ship e.g. '99 Guntrains' would address all aircraft with a Guntrain callsign.Īback – Backing a sail is turning it so that the wind hits the front face the effect is to slow a ship or boat. Commonly seen as '90-Day Blunder.'ĩ9 – (USN aviation) Precedes a radio call which applies to a group of aircraft, e.g. The derision arises from the lack of experience and naval knowledge of the typical graduate. weapons systems, navigation communication, engineering systems, firefighting, etc.ġ30-rpm fish - A form of sea life (type unknown) which makes a sound very similar to a propeller turning at 130 rpm.ĩ0-Day Wonder – Derisive term for a graduate of OCS. There are other MC and JV circuits used for communications within the ship. Other transmitters may be installed at additional points. Control stations are located on the bridge, quarterdeck, and central station. Used for general announcements, and to transmit general alarm system signals. You have been warned.ġMC - The basic one-way communications system on a vessel. While I have attempted to present things with a bit of humor, if you are easily offended this FAQ may not be for you. That may be changing somewhat in these politically correct times, but to Bowdlerize the sailor’s language represented here would be to deny its rich history. Special note: Since days of yore the military in general, and sailors in particular, have often had a rather pithy (dare I say ‘tasteless'?) manner of speech. Terms in ALL-CAPS have a separate listing. Similarly, RCN = Royal Canadian Navy, RAN = Royal Australian Navy, RM = Royal Marines, RNZN = Royal New Zealand Navy, UK = general usage in militaries of the former British Empire Naval Terminology, Jargon and Slang FAQ Naval Terminology, Jargon and Slang FAQĬrowell web hosting provided by Haze Gray & Underway.

Sailboat lingo