Royal Air Force

Abbreviations And Slang

 

Updated: February 2009

"A"

A/C – Aircraft

A&AEE – Aeroplane & Armament Experimental/Evaluation Establishment

AA – Air Attaché / Anti Aircraft Fire
AAC – Army Air Copse: Anti Aircraft Co–operation
AACC – Army Air Copse Centre
AACF – Anti–aircraft Co–operation Flight
AACTDC – Army Air Corps Tactical Development Centre
AACU/F – Anti Aircraft Co–operation Unit  / Flight
AAF – Auxiliary Air Force/Anti Aircraft Flight
AAFCE – Allied Air Forces Central Europe
AAFNE – Allied Air Forces Northern Europe

AAFSE – Allied Air Forces Southern Europe
AAGS – Air Armament & Gas School
AAITS – Airmen Aircrew Initial Training school
AAP – Aircraft Acceptance Park / Air Ammunition Park / Advance Aircraft Park

AAPC – Anti Aircraft Practice Camp
AAS – Air Armament School
AASF – Advanced Air Striking Force
AATE – Air Armament trials Establishment
AATTF – Anti–Aircraft and Target Towing Flight

AATT&DC – Army Air Transport Training & Development Centre
AAU – Air Ambulance Unit / Aircraft Acceptance Unit / Aircraft Assembly Unit

ABC – Airborne Cigar
ABGS(ME) – Air Bombing & Gunnery School (Middle East)

ABFT – Air Bombing Training Flight
A/Cdre – Air Commodore

AC – Aircraftman
AC1 Aircraftman First Class
AC2 Aircraftman Second Class
ACAC – Aircrew Allocation Centre – Brackla (1944)
ACATC – Air Cadets Adventure Training Centre (Llanbeder and Windermere)
ACC – Allied Control Commission
ACCF – Army Co–operation Command Communication Flight

ACCGS – Air Cadet Central Gliding School (RAF Syerston)
ACDC – Aircrew Dispatch Centre

ACDU – Army Co-Operation Development Unit

ACDU(ME) – Army Co-Operation Development Unit (Middle East)

ACDW – Air Crew Disposal Wing

ACE – Allied Command Europe

ACF – Air Command Far East

ACFAWF –  Air Command Far East All Weather Flight

ACFE – Air Command Far East

ACFSS – Air Cadets Flying Scholarship Scheme

ACGFS(OC) – Air Cadet Gliding Flight Safety Officer's Course

ACGS(OR) – Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Operational Requirements)
ACH  – Air Craft Hand
ACHU – Aircrew Holding Unit
ACO – Air Cadet Organisation
ACM – Air Chief Marshall
ACP – Air Cadet Publication (derived from AP’s)
ACPNTS – Air Cadets Pilot Navigation Training Scheme
ACRC – Air Crew Reception Centre – St John's Wood, London – Regent's Park, London
ACRS – Air Crew Refresher School

ACS – Aircrew School / Airfield Construction Squadron / Armoured-Car Section
ACSEA – Air Command South East Asia
ACSEA/ASS – Air Command South East Asia Air Service Squadron

ACTC – Air Cadet Training Centre (at RAFC Cranwell)

ACW – Airfield Construction Wing / Air Component Wing
AD – Aircraft Depot / Air Depot

ADC – Aircraft Disposal Company
ADCC – Air Defence Cadet Corps (established 1938, see ATC)
ADCS – Air Defence Cooperation Squadron
ADEM – Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean
ADF(U) – Aircraft Delivery Flight (Unit)
ADGB – Air Defence of Great Britain

Adj – Adjutant
ADLS – Air Dispatch Letter Service
ADM – Air Defence Missile
ADRU – Air Dispatch & Reception Unit
ADU – Aircraft Delivery Unit

ADUME – Aircraft Delivery Unit, Middle East
AE – Air Efficiency award
AEAES – Air Electronics& Air Engineers School
AEAF – Allied Expeditionary Air Forces
AEC – Assessment & Evaluation Centre
AED – Aircraft Equipment Depot
AEF – Air Experience Flight /

AEAF – Allied Expeditionary Air Forces

AE – Air Engineer
AES – Air Electronics School / Armament Experimental Station / Aerial Erectors School

AFAP – Air Forces Arabian Peninsula
AFC – Air Force Cross (medal)
AFC – Australian Flying Corps

AFCENT – Air Forces Central (Europe)
AFDE – Air Fighting Development Establishment
AFDS – Air Fighting Development Squadron, part of CFE
AFDU – Air Fighting Development Unit
AFE – Airborne Forces Establishment
AFEE – Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment
AFG – Air Forces Gulf
AFHQ – Airfield Headquarters
AFM – Air Force Medal

AFME – Air Forces Middle East

AFNORTH – Air Forces Northern (Europe)
AFRU – Advance Flying & Refresher Unit
AFS – Advanced Flying School / Auxiliary Fighter Squadron
AFSI(I) – Advanced Flying School (India)
AFS(ME) – Advanced Flying School (Middle East)
AFTCC – Air Force Troop Carrier Command
AFTDU – Airborne Forces Tactical Development Unit
AFTS – Advanced Flying Training School
AFTU – Advanced Flying Training Unit / Air Firing Training Unit
AFU – Advanced Flying Unit
AFWE – Air Forces Western Europe
AG – Air Gunner
AGBS – Air Gunnery & Bombing School
AGITS – Air Gunner Initial Training School

AGL – Air Gun Laying
AGME – Aircraft Gun Mounting Establishment

AGRS – Air & Ground Radio School
 A&GS – Armament & Gunnery School
AGS – Aircrew Grading School
AGS – Air Gunners School

AGS(ME/I) Air Gunners School (Middle East/India)
AGT – Air work & General Trading (part of the CRO)
AGT – Advanced Gliding Training (Air Cadets)

AGU – Air work Grading Unit
AHQ – Air Headquarters
AHQ(I) – Air Headquarters (India)
A&IEU – Armament & Instrument Experimental Unit
AI – Airborne Interception – night fighter radar equipment
AICF – AI Conversion Flight
AIEU – Armament and Instrument Experimental Unit
AIS – Air Interception School
AITF – AI Training Flight

AIU – Air Investigation Unit
ALG – Advance Landing Ground
ALS – Air Landing School
ALO – Air Liaison Officer
AM – Air Ministry / Air Marshal / Albert Medal / Air Mechanic
AMDP – Air Member for Development & Production
AMES – Air Ministry Experimental Station
AMESS – Air Ministry Experimental Station (ground Radar Station)

AMG – Advance Maintenance Group
AMMF – Air Ministry Meteorological Flight
AMO – Air Ministry Order
AMSDU – Air Ministry Servicing Development Unit
AMWD – Air Ministry Works Department
ANBS – Air Navigation & Bombing School
ANS – Air Navigation School

AO – Administrative Order
AOC – Air Officer Commanding
AOCU – Andover Operational Conversion Unit
AONS – Air Observers Navigation School
AOP – Air Observation Post
AOS – Air Observers School
AOTS – Aircrew Officers Training School
AP – Aircraft Park / Air Publication
APC – Armament Practice Camp
APCS – Aden Protectorate Communication Squadron
APDU – Air Photography Development Unit
AP&DU – Aircraft Preparation& Development Unit
APF – Air Pilotage Flight

APO – Acting Pilot Officer
APS – Air Pilotage School / Armament Practice Section
APSF – Aden Protectorate Support Flight

AQ – Air Quartermaster
APU – Aircraft Preparation Unit
ARD – Aircraft Repair Depot
ARF – Aircraft Repair Flight
ARP – Aircraft Repair Park
"Arthur Mitchell" – A.M. or Air Ministry

ARS – Aircraft Repair Section
ARU – Aircraft Repair Unit
ARWF/S – Advanced Rotary Wing Flight/Squadron
A/S – Anti Submarine
AS – Air Staff

ASC – Aircrew Selection Centre / Air Support (Service) Command / Advance Staff Course
ASC – Air Support Command
ASD – Aeroplane Supply Depot
ASF – Air Survey Flight
ASI – Air Speed Indicator
ASM – Anti Submarine Missile

ASO – Assistant Section Officer                                           
ASP – Air Stores Park
ASR – Air Sea Rescue
ASR&CF – Air Sear Rescue & Communication Flight
ASRF – Air Sea Rescue Flight
ASRTU – Air Sea Rescue Training Unit
AS&RU – Aircraft Salvage & Repair Unit
ASS – Air Signals School
AST – Air Service Training (CRO)
ASTOR – Airborne Stand–Off Radar
ASU – Aircraft Storage Unit
A/S – Anti Submarine
ASV – Airborne Surface Vessel, radar for maritime patrol aircraft
ASWDU – Air–Sea Warfare Development Unit
ATA – Air Transport Auxiliary
ATAF – Allied Tactical Air Force
ATC – Armament Training Camp / Air Traffic Control / Air Training Corps (succeeded ADCC, 1941)
ATDC(I) –Air Transport Development Centre (India)
ATDF – Air Transport Development Flight
ATDU – Air Torpedo Development Unit? Air Transport Development Unit
ATF – Autogiro Training Flight
ATFERO – Atlantic Ferry Organisation
ATGU – Aircrew Testing & Grading Unit
ATP – Advanced Training Poll/Aircrew Transit Pool/Air Transit Pool
ATS – Auxiliary Territorial Service (women
ATS – Armament Training Station / Air Training Squadron / Apprentices Training School
ATTDU – Air Transport Tactical Development Unit/Armament Training Unit/Aircrew Transit Unit/Air Trials Unit
ATREL – Air Transportable Reconnaissance Exploitation Laboratory
ATU – Armament Training Unit / Aircrew Transit Unit / Air Trials Unit

ATW – Apprentice Training Wing
AUAS – Aberdeen University Air Squadron
AUBDS – Anti U–boat Devices School
AVG – American Volunteer Group
AVM – Air Vice Marshall
AW/CN – Awaiting Collection

AW – Armstrong Whitworth

AWI – Air Warfare Instructor
AWDS – All Weather Development Squadron
AWF – Air Warfare Centre/All weather Flight
AWFCS – All Weather Fighter Conversion Squadron
AWOCU – All Weather Operational Conversion Unit

AWOl – Absent Without Leave
AWRE – Atomic Weapons Research Establishment