Air Force Acronyms

There are over 1,000 Air Force acronyms and abbreviations. These cover training, deployment, rank, weapons, equipment, and more. Following is a list of a few of these acronyms categorized by type.

Personnel

These include acronyms 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
• 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 Pilots
• 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

Miscellaneous

These include acronyms for the 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