Navy Acronyms

The United States Navy uses special Navy acronyms to indicate important information in an efficient, speedy manner. Acronyms are constructed using the first letter (or first letters) of keywords of important phrases used by the Navy in all communication. These acronyms have been accepted throughout the Navy forces and thus act as a uniform vocabulary. By establishing acronyms that symbolize important phrases, Navy personnel can share information faster and be more precise with a standardized vocabulary.

Using these acronyms helps make the communication between individuals in the Navy more accurate, since it insures that these people communicate with clarity and uniform language. Below is a condensed list of important Navy Acronyms that have been established throughout the history of the Navy and that are still being used in communication throughout the United States Navy today. 

Navy Acronyms 

• AOW - Auxilliaryman of the Watch
• AUTEC - Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center
• ASAU - Air Search and Attack Unit
• ASUW - Anti-surface warfare
• ASW - Anti-submarine warfare
• ASWO - Anti-Submarine Warfare Officers
• ASW - Auxiliary SeaWater system
• BMOW - Boatswain's Mate of the Watch
• BUMED - Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
• BUPERS - Bureau of Naval Personnel
• BCG's - Birth Control Glasses
• COMNAVAIRPAC - COMmander, NAVal AIR forces, PACific
• COMNAVSEASYSCOM - COMmander, NAValy SEA SYStems COMmand
• COMNAVSECGRU - COMmander, NAVal SECurity GRoUp
• COMPACFLT - COMmander, PACific FLeeT (formerly CINCPACFLT)
• COMPTUEX - COMPosite Training Unit EXercise
• COMSEC - COMmunications SECurity
• COMSUBLANT - COMmander, SUBmarine force AtLANTtic           
• CPO - Chief Petty Officer
• DE - Destroyer Escort
• DL - Destroyer Leader
• DLGN - Nuclear powered Guided Missile Destroyer Leader
• DESDIV - DESstroyer DIVision
• DEVGRU - Naval Special Warfare DEVelopment GRoUp
• DAPA - Drug and Alcohol Programs Advisor
• DCA - Damage Control Assistant
• DCO - Direct Commission Officer
• DCAG - Deputy Air Wing Commander (see CAG)
• DCC - Damage Control Central
• FMF - Fleet Marine Force
• FMSS - Field Medical Service School
• FOD - Foreign Object Damage (Debris and Detection also used in some cases)
• FRS - Fleet Replacement Squadron (Formerly RAG)
• GQ - General Quarters (Call to battle stations)
• HELO – Helicopter
• HS - Helicopter Squadron (HS-4 Black Knights)
• HM - Hospital Corpsman
• JBD - Jet Blast Deflector (carriers)
• JTF - Joint Task Force
• JTFEX - Joint Task Force Exercise
• LES - Leave and Earnings Statement
• LPO - Leading Petty Officer
• LSO - Landing Signal Officer
• MO - (pronounced "Moe") Maintenance Officer
• MM - Machinist's Mate
• MSW - Main Seawater System
• MSG – message
• NAVSUP - Naval Supply Systems Command
• NAVTRA - Chief of Naval Training
• NAWCWD - Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (now Pacific Missile Test Center)
• NBSD - Naval Base San Diego
• NCDU - Navy Combat Demolition Unit
• NCIS - Naval Criminal Investigative Service
• OOD - Officer of the Deck
• OPSO - Operations officer
• OPNAV - Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
• PRIFLY - PRImary FLight Control (Aircraft carriers)
• PSNS and IMF - Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility
• PT - Physical Training
• PWD - Public Works Department
• RIO - Radar Intercept Officer
• RL - Restricted Line Officer
• RMD - Restricted Maneuvering Doctrine
• RT - Radiotelephone (voice radio)
• RTC - Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois
• SECDEF - United States Secretary of Defense
• SECNAV - United States Secretary of the Navy
• SCBA - Self-contained breathing apparatus
• SCPO - Senior Chief Petty Officer
• SCW - Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist insignia
• SICLOS - Shift Inspect Clean Lube Oil Strainers
• SLBM - Submarine-launched ballistic missile
• TF - Task Force
• TG - Task Group
• TOPGUN - United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
• TU - Task Unit
• USN - United States Navy
• URL - Unrestricted line officer
• USNA - United States Naval Academy (Annapolis)
• UWT - Underwater telephone
• VFA - Fixed Wing Fighter Attack Squadron
• VP - Fixed Wing Patrol Squadron
• VRC - Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC-30 Providers)
• VTU - Volunteer Training Unit
• WO Warrant Officer
• WSO (Wizzo) - Weapon Systems Operator/Naval Flight Officer
• WTD Watertight Door

Naval Rank Abbreviations

In addition to general acronyms, there is a whole selection of abbreviations for each of the different ranks in the navy. For example:

• Seaman Recruit SR
• Ensign ENS
• Seaman Apprentice SA
• Lieutenant Junior Grade LTJG
• Seaman SN
• Lieutenant LT
• Petty Officer Third Class PO3
• Lieutenant Commander LCDR
• Petty Officer Second Class PO2
• Commander CDR
• Petty Officer First Class PO1
• Captain CAPT
• Chief Petty Officer CPO
• Rear Admiral (Lower Half) RDML
• Senior Chief Petty Officer SCPO
• Rear Admiral (Upper Half) RADM
• Master Chief Petty Officer MCPO
• Vice Admiral VADM
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy MCPON
• Admiral ADM      
• Fleet Admiral FADM
• Warrant Officer First Class WO1
• Chief Warrant Officer Second Class CWO2
• Chief Warrant Officer Third Class CWO3
• Chief Warrant Officer Fourth Class CWO4

More Facts about Navy Communication

If you are looking for more information about the communication processes within the United States Navy or are interested to learn more about the Navy Acronyms they use to quickly communicate in a standardized way, consider contacting a United States Navy office.