blue on blue

Definition

A polite military euphemism for when your own forces accidentally shoot at each other, because apparently 'we screwed up catastrophically' doesn't sound professional enough in an after-action report. The color coding refers to NATO's system where friendly forces are marked in blue on tactical maps.

Example Usage

The investigation revealed the Apache attack was a blue on blue incident caused by poor communication between ground and air units.

Origin

Derived from NATO tactical map symbology where friendly forces are designated in blue, while hostile forces are shown in red

Fun Fact

The British military prefers the term 'blue on blue' while Americans typically say 'friendly fire,' though neither sounds particularly friendly to those on the receiving end.

Source: NATO military tactical terminology

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