Oscar Mike to the glossary. Copy that.
The route by which supplies reach the front lines—cut this and your enemy runs out of food, ammunition, and morale all at once.
Remain Over Night—military code for 'we're sleeping here tonight' in whatever conditions exist, usually not great.
The United States military's elite special operations unit trained to conduct missions via sea, air, or land with exceptional skill and precision. They're basically the gold standard of special forces worldwide.
A smaller nuclear weapon designed for battlefield use rather than strategic destruction. Scarier because it's more likely to actually be used.
A secured perimeter around an area, usually with personnel or vehicles placed to prevent entry or escape—basically sealing off the zone.
Radio code for 'we've encountered the enemy'—usually followed by frantic tactical discussions and a lot of urgency.
Operational Plan—a detailed written plan for a military operation that specifies objectives, routes, timings, and contingencies, because leaving things to improvisation usually ends badly.
Military tactic targeting and destroying reinforced underground facilities. The sledgehammer approach to solving structural problems.
Adding features, materials, or capabilities beyond what a requirement calls for, usually inflating cost and schedule. In defense acquisition it is the classic way a simple procurement becomes a decade-long program with a gold-leaf logo. Engineers do it out of pride, and contractors do it out of profit.
The process of finding, tracking, analyzing, and striking a target—a systematic way to turn 'someone bad is over there' into 'no more someone bad.'
The process of progressively increasing authorized levels of force in response to threats. It's like going from 'show of force' to 'actually use force' in carefully measured steps.
The right side of a vessel when you're facing forward, because naming it 'right' would make navigation way too intuitive. Nautical jargon for people who enjoy making tourists ask twice.
A military unit designed to deploy quickly and operate independently far from home. It's basically a self-contained military unit that travels like a touring band of armed professionals.
Firing a missile from a launcher using gas pressure or a catapult instead of igniting the engine inside the tube. It's the missile equivalent of spitting instead of vomiting.
A military or defense term for an area where enemy forces or threats are active and significant, basically the opposite of a place you want to vacation. It's where people shoot at you and explosions are a regular occurrence.
A standardized system where A is 'Alpha,' B is 'Bravo,' and miscommunication is 'Charlie.' It prevents radio operators from confusing the letter B with D when someone's hearing is compromised by jet noise.
Military personnel kept in reserve who can be activated quickly if needed. They're basically the military equivalent of having a spare tire in your trunk.
The uncertainty, confusion, and incomplete information that surround combat, where nobody knows what is actually happening. Carl von Clausewitz made it a central concept in On War (1832). Its modern cousin is the dashboard that says everything is green while the building is on fire.
Combining data from multiple sensors to get a better picture of what's happening. It's like having multiple people describe a situation and taking the average to get closer to the truth.
An imaginary line that says 'anything beyond this gets shot at by our artillery.' It's the invisible fence that keeps friendly fire from being too unfriendly.
A security exercise where red team (attackers) and blue team (defenders) work together to improve defenses. It's the military equivalent of a married couple arguing about what's broken in the house.
Design features that reduce a military platform's detectability by radar, infrared, or other sensors. It's basically the military equivalent of becoming invisible, except not actually invisible.
Bombs and missiles with guidance systems that steer toward targets, as opposed to dumb bombs that just fall where gravity takes them. It's the difference between throwing and aiming.
Using radio frequencies, radar, and electronic warfare to detect, communicate, or jam enemy systems. It's the invisible warfare happening at the speed of light alongside kinetic operations.