Glossary
Plain-language meanings of the acronyms used on this site: LVC, Link 16, GCI, RTO, OFP, MLU, IADS, SEAD, DIS/HLA and more.
The acronyms and terms used on this site, in plain words.
AAA
Anti-aircraft artillery.
Air Boss
The White Cell role that conducts the exercise and owns the overall mission flow: deconfliction, safety, tempo, the mission clock and approval of major injects.
ALSSA
Air Land Sea Space Application Center: the US multi-service centre whose brevity and radio phraseology our constructive forces use.
AWACS / ABM
Airborne Warning and Control System / Air Battle Manager.
BVR / WVR
Beyond visual range / within visual range air combat.
C2
Command and control.
C2SIM
Command and Control – Simulation interoperability standard.
CGF
Computer Generated Forces: simulated aircraft, ground units and threats.
COTS
Commercial off-the-shelf.
CRC
Control and Reporting Centre.
Cross-domain guard
The component that enforces a controlled boundary between security domains: one-way flow, a protocol break and deny-by-default release, with every decision audit-logged.
DART Challenge
The Belgian Air Force exercise in which six live F-16s, four simulators and constructive forces trained as one force across three locations.
Dash-1
The aircraft flight manual (for the F-16, Technical Order 1F-16C-1, or 1F-16AM-1 for the MLU): the authority for normal and emergency procedures.
DIS / HLA
Distributed Interactive Simulation / High Level Architecture: standards for connecting simulators.
EO/IR
Electro-optical / infrared sensors.
EP
Emergency procedure.
EW / EA
Electronic warfare / electronic attack.
EXCON
Exercise Control.
FCR
Fire-control radar.
Fence-in / fence-out
The checks a flight makes on entering (fence-in) and leaving (fence-out) the training or operating area, normally on the flight lead's call.
- fence-in
FENIX
An F-35 training simulator (not a full mission simulator) that the Air Combat Arena connects into the shared LVC picture.
FMS
Full Mission Simulator: our F-16 cockpit simulator. Not to be confused with Foreign Military Sales.
FOV
Field of view.
GCI
Ground-Controlled Interception: controllers directing fighters from the ground.
HOTAS
Hands-on throttle and stick.
IADS
Integrated Air Defence System.
IOC
Initial Operational Capability.
IOS
Instructor Operator Station.
IPR
Intellectual property rights.
ISR
Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
J-series
The Link 16 message families (for example J3.2 air tracks).
JCATS
Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation.
JMPS
Joint Mission Planning System.
JTAC
Joint Terminal Attack Controller.
Levels 2–3
The tactical training levels of the F-16 Tactical Training Center: Level 2 is individual, single-ship tactical training; Level 3 is multi-ship, four-ship coordinated training.
Link 16
The NATO tactical data link used by fighters, controllers and ground units.
LVC
Live, Virtual, Constructive: real aircraft, simulators and computer-generated forces training together.
MICE
A command-and-control (C2) system through which controllers can take part in an exercise.
MIDS
Multifunctional Information Distribution System: the Link 16 terminal.
MLU
Mid-Life Update: the F-16 upgrade standard flown by European operators.
NVG
Night-vision goggles.
OFP
Operational Flight Program: the aircraft's mission software.
OT&E
Operational Test and Evaluation.
PCDS
Personal Computer Debriefing System: a US debriefing system; we produce PCDS-compatible output for a customer's recorder.
PPLI
Precise Participant Location and Identification: the Link 16 position report.
RCS
Radar cross-section.
Red Air
The adversary air force in an exercise, live, virtual or constructive. The Red Air role drives its commit timing, tactics and force continuity to present the threat the Blue force trains against.
RFI
Request for Information: the document a customer issues to gather supplier information before a formal tender.
RTO
Range Training Officer: judges weapon shots and kills during the exercise.
RWR / ESM
Radar warning receiver / electronic support measures.
SAM
Surface-to-air missile.
SEAD / DEAD
Suppression / destruction of enemy air defences. Wild Weasel is the SEAD mission name.
TENA
Test and Training Enabling Architecture.
TTP
Tactics, techniques and procedures.
White Cell
The exercise control cell that runs the scenario and judges outcomes.