There are over 1,000 Air Force acronyms, initialisms and abbreviations. These cover training, deployment, rank, weapons, equipment, and more. Following is a list of a few of these acronyms categorized by type.
Common Air Force Acronyms and Initialisms
Air Force Rank and Position
These include acronyms and abbreviations for military rank and positions:
- A1C - Airman First Class
- AB - Airman Basic
- ABM - Air Battle Manager
- Brig Gen - Brigadier General
- Capt - Captain
- CMSAF - Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
- COMAFFOR - Commander, Air Force Forces
- CSAF - Chief of Staff of the Air Force
- EWO - Electronic Warfare Officer
- Gen - General
- IG - Inspector General
- IP - Instructor Pilot
- Lt Col - Lieutenant Colonel
- Maj - Major
- MSgt - Master Sergent
- NCO - Non-commissioned Officer
- PTL - Physical Training Leader
- ROAD - Retired On Active-Duty
- SMSgt - Senior Master Sergeant
- SNCO - Senior Non-commissioned Officer
- SrA - Senior Airman
- SSgt - Staff Sergeant
- TSgt - Technical Sergeant
- WAF - Women in the Air Force
- WASP - Women Airforce Service Pilot
- WSO - Weapon Systems Officer
Machines, Systems and Equipment
These include arcronyms for training equipment and weapons:
- AWACS - Airborne Warning and Control System
- CBRNE - Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives
- CFT - Cockpit Familiarization Trainer
- DSCS - Defense Satellite Communications System
- EELV - Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
- EGI - Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation
- GLCM - Ground Launched Cruise Missile
- HARM - High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile
- ICBM - Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
- JPATS - Joint Primary Air Training System
- LGB - Laser-Guided Bomb
- MOAB - Massive Ordinance Air Blast Bomb
- NVG - Night Vision Goggles
- SAM - Surface to Air Missile
- SBIRS - Space-Based Infrared System
- UAS - Unmanned Aircraft System
- X-plane - Experimental aircraft
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Miscellaneous Military Acronyms
These include acronyms commonly-used by an individual in the Air Force:
- AWOL - Absent Without Leave
- BAH - Basic Allowance for Housing
- BDU - Battle Dress Uniform
- COLA - Cost of Living Adjustment
- ITT - Information, Tickets, and Travel
- LOR - Letter of Reprimand
- MRE - Meal Ready to Eat
- NOTAM - Notice To Airmen
- PFT - Physical Fitness Test
- RTB - Return To Base
- TLF - Temporary Living Facility
Consult the Air Force Supplement to the Department of Defense Dictionary for a full explanation of all Air Force acronyms. Then, you can explore some fun facts about Air Force One.