44 Squadron, IAF

Raised by Group Captain Trilok Nath Ghadiok in Chandigarh in April 1961. The 44 Squadron was equipped with Soviet AN-12 transport aircraft and Captain Ghadiok commanded the squadron through the Sino-India conflict in October-November 1962.

Flying Coffin

The first MiG- 21 crash took place near Chandigarh in December 1963 when two of the aircraft collided mid-air while practicing for the 1964 Republic Day parade. Over the years, the MiG-21 and its variants would be in the news for several crashes that killed hundreds of pilots, earning …

The First Supersonics

see: 28 Squadron, IAF

Line-of-sight (LOS)

1. In case of wireless transmission, an unobstructed path between the transmitting and receiving antennas. This path can be either direct, such as in the case of a satellite link or a microwave link, or can involve reflection, such as in the case of a wireless link bouncing off a …

Bipin bell

A bell placed in honor of former Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat at the Shree Muktinath temple in Nepal. General Rawat had expressed his keen interest in visiting the temple many times.

Trishul link

An IFF system used by the Indian military. See Vayulink for more details.

Ruperts

Stuffed sackcloth paratroopers dropped to confuse the Germans on D-Day in World War II as part of deception in war.

SATA Regiment

SATA is an acronym for Surveillance and Target Acquisition. SATA regiments are part of the Corps of Artillery in the Indian Army.

Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT)

see Allied Command Transformation (ACT) for details

Allied Command Operations (ACO)

It is one of the two strategic commands of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the other being Allied Command Transformation (ACT). The headquarters and commander of ACO is Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), respectively.

Council of Books in Wartime

1942-1946. An American non-profit founded by booksellers, publishers, librarians, authors, and others, in the spring of 1942 to channel the use of books as "weapons in the war of ideas" (the council's motto). It promoted the use of books to influence the thinking of the American people regarding World …

The Concept of Distinction

The U.S. Army’s “Law of Land Warfare” field manual defines the concept of distinction as requiring combatants to distinguish “between combatants and military objectives on the one hand and civilians and civilian objects on the other in offense and defense.” Distinction requires soldiers to separate themselves from civilians by …

Choke Points

Choke points refer to narrow, strategic passages or channels in maritime or land areas that have significant geopolitical or economic importance due to their potential to control or restrict the movement of goods, resources, or military vessels. These points often represent critical junctions in transportation routes, such as canals, …

Sylvanus Thayer Award

The Sylvanus Thayer Award is an honor given annually by the United States Military Academy at West Point to an individual whose character and accomplishments exemplifies the motto of West Point. The award is named after the 'Father of the Military Academy,' Colonel Sylvanus Thayer.

Munich Security Conference

The Munich Security Conference is the world’s largest security conference.

courier sortie

A mission in which an aircraft is used to transport people, cargo, or important documents from one location to another. Couriers are responsible for transporting sensitive materials, such as classified documents or valuable items, between military installations, government agencies, or other designated locations.

During a courier sortie, the …

Zapfenstreich (A Grand Tattoo)

The Zapfenstreich ( A Grand Tattoo) is the most important ceremony in the tradition of Germany’s Armed Forces; it consists of two armed platoons of the Guard Battalion, a military band, pipes and drums, and two lines of soldiers carrying torches, in total about 400 men.

Nair Army

A militia that was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram as body guards for the Maharajah of Travancore, and saw action in the Battle of Colachel by defeating the Dutch forces. The army was made up of soldiers from Nair warrior clans. However, after the 1940s, non-Nairs were permitted to join. …

Sumdorong Chu Standoff

In 1986-87, a military standoff occurred between India and China in the Sumdorong Chu Valley, which borders the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh and the Cona County in Tibet. The dispute arose from differences in their views on the ownership of the region. In 1962, China had attacked India …

AWS Snowball Edge

An extremely durable, portable piece of hardware from Amazon, the AWS Snowball Edge is capable of petabyte-scale data transport with on-board storage and dense compute capabilities. It was engineered to perform in the world’s most extreme environments, including warzones at the tactical edge, in a secure and transportable fashion. …

Snowball Edge

see: AWS Snowball Edge

Defense Readiness Condition (DEFCON)

The defense readiness condition (DEFCON) is an alert state used by the United States Armed Forces. For security reasons, the US military does not announce a DEFCON level to the public.

The DEFCON system was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and unified and specified combatant commands. …

Israel Defence Forces (IDF)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is the military of Israel, comprising ground, air, and naval forces. Established in 1948, shortly after the creation of the State of Israel, the IDF's primary objectives are to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Israel, deter potential adversaries, and, if necessary, defeat …

Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT)

The Allied Command Transformation (ACT), a military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), intended to lead the military transformation of alliance forces and capabilities, underwent a change when France rejoined the NATO Military Command Structure in mid-2009--the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) became a French officer. The …

Instrument of Surrender of Germany

This instrument of surrender was signed at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims by General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the German Army. The unconditional surrender of the German Third Reich was signed in the early morning hours of Monday, 7 May 1945, at Supreme Headquarters, Allied …

Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment (MMME)

High mobility vehicles equipped with advanced systems aimed at reducing the time required for marking minefields during military operations.

Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr are the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany, divided into a military part (armed forces or Streitkräfte) and a civil part, the military part consisting of the German Army, the German Navy, the German Air Force, the Joint Support Service, the Joint Medical Service, and …

Asafwala

see: War Memorial Asafwala

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS)

1. In wireless terminology, it means that there are obstacles or obstructions between the transmitting and receiving antennas. This can include buildings, hills, or other structures that block the direct path between the antennas. NLOS communications can be more difficult to establish and maintain, as the signal can be weakened …

War Memorial Asafwala

Built near the Indo-Pak border in Asafwala village of the Fazilka district of Punjab in homage to those who made the supreme sacrifice in the 1971 War.

coup d'oeil

A phrase used by Napolean to refer to that glance of the eye across a piece of terrain that brings into focus all the tactician's knowledge and experience, and sets in motion a series of quick decisions concerning how and where to deploy forces.

Perfidy

The state of being deceitful and untrustworthy. Perfidy is a war crime, as under international humanitarian law (ihl), which governs how armies may wage war, it is illegal to kill or wound “treacherously”. Specifically, that covers “acts inviting the confidence of an adversary to lead him to believe that …

28 Squadron, IAF

Equipped with the first lot of MiG- 21 (F-13 type) aircraft in the IAF, 28 Squadron was raised in Chandigarh with Wing Commander (later Air Chief Marshal and Chief of Air Staff) Dilbagh Singh taking over its command on March 2, 1963. Named The First Supersonics' they retain that …

fingerspitzengefuehl

(German) The instinctive sense of matching terrain with doctrine and weaponry.

Chatham House Rule

When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. From Chatham House, the name of the building in …

Sepoy Mutiny

The Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Indian Mutiny or the First War of Independence, marked a significant turning point in Indian history. The rebellion began in Bengal and quickly spread to other cities such as Delhi, Agra, and Lucknow. The British had been imposing new rules that eroded …

Integrated Battlefield Surveillance and Intelligence Centres

Being developed by the Indian Army. They will get feeds from a wide array of sensors ranging from satellites and drones to radars and troops on the ground, to provide a composite operational picture for commanders on both the China and Pakistan fronts. Dozens of such centres will be …

SAAB NLAW

The SAAB NLAW (Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon) is a man-portable, shoulder-launched, disposable anti-tank weapon developed by the Swedish defense company SAAB Bofors Dynamics.

sensor-shooter grid

A military concept that refers to the coordination of sensors and shooters in a battlefield environment.

Sensors are devices that detect and track targets, such as radar, sonar, and other electronic surveillance equipment. Shooters are the weapons systems, such as missiles, guns, and artillery, that are used to …

Vayulink

An indigenously-developed Identify-Friend-or-Foe (IFF) system used by the Indian Armed Forces. The Vayulink system has been developed by Wing Commander Vishal Mishra, a helicopter pilot with the Indian Air Force (IAF and showcased by the IAF at the Aero India 2023 show in Bengaluru.

Artillery Combat, Command, Control and Communication System

(ACCCCS) tbf

Joint All Domain Command and Control

(JADC2). U.S. military's concept which seeks to integrate and synchronize military operations across all domains, including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.

Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)

The war on terror, officially called the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), was a global counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the 11 September attacks and spanned multiple wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. The main targets of the campaign were militant Islamist and …

cantonment

(cantt). Military-civilian townships first set up by the British. The first cantonment came up in Barrackpore, West Bengal, in 1765, and there are currently 62 cantonments in India. The purpose of the cantonment was to provide the support structure to military establishments like schools, bazaars, recreation areas, etc. They …

military cantonment

see cantonment

Allied Command Transformation (ACT)

It is a military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), formed in 2003 after restructuring. It was intended to lead the military transformation of alliance forces and capabilities, using new concepts such as the NATO Response Force and new doctrines in order to improve the military effectiveness …

Storm-Z Squads

Russian penal units deployed in the Ukraine war.

Nair Brigade

see Nair Army

Nair Pattalam

see Nair Army

Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR)

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is based at SHAPE in Casteau, Belgium. SACEUR is the second-highest military position within NATO, below …

Bogie Open Military (BOM)

Specialised railway wagons used by the Indian military to transport troops and equipment.

Obligation of Proportionality

The U.S. Army’s “Law of Land Warfare” field manual defines the legal obligation of proportionality as requiring “commanders to refrain from attacks in which the expected loss or injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects incidental to such attacks would be excessive in relation to the concrete and …

Order of the Day for June 6, 1944

General Dwight D. Eisenhower issued this order to encourage Allied soldiers taking part in the D-day invasion. The order was distributed to the 175,000-member expeditionary force on the eve of the invasion (Operation Overlord).

Flag State

The term "flag state" refers to the country under whose flag a ship is registered or licensed. This country is responsible for regulating and overseeing the vessel according to its laws, ensuring compliance with international regulations, safety standards, and environmental protocols. The flag state holds authority over the ship's …

Panch Pran of Amrit Kaal

On 15 August 2022, PM Narendra Modi announced the Panch Pran of Amrit Kaal.

1. First Pran - Goal of Developed India
2. Second Pran - Remove any trace of a colonial mindset
3. Third Pran - Take pride in our roots
4. Fourth Pran - Unity
5. Fifth Pran - Sense of …

Antebellum

existing before a war, especially, existing before the American Civil War

Junta

a military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force

Thermobaric weapon

A thermobaric weapon, also called an aerosol bomb or a vacuum bomb, is a type of explosive munitions that work by dispersing an aerosol cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. Thermobaric weapons are almost 100% fuel and, as a result, are significantly more energetic than conventional explosives of …

International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

IHL aims to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting those who are not participating in hostilities (such as civilians and wounded soldiers) and by restricting and regulating the means and methods of warfare that combatants may use. It is primarily applicable in times of armed conflict, whether …

International Human Rights Law (IHRL)

IHRL seeks to ensure the protection and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedoms for individuals at all times--in times of peace and during conflict. It covers a broad spectrum of rights, including civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.

Certain rights may be derogated from in times of …

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–06) was a US military expedition led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest. The expedition was a major chapter in the history of American exploration. The Lewis and Clark Expedition has been commemorated with …

Russian Military Doctrines

US Specific Terms