Glossary

This glossary should assist you with some of the commonly used abbreviations found within the tendering process. If you come across anything which is not explained in our glossary please email dci@bipsolutions.com and we will email you back with the explanation where possible and also consider adding it to the list below:

A

AAM - Air-to-Air Missiles

A&SCS - Avionics and Safety Critical Software

AeIGT - Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team

ACARE - Advisory Council for Aerospace Research in Europe

A-D - Analogue to Digital

AESA - Active Electronically Scanned Array

AFV - Armoured Fighting Vehicle

AI - Artificial Intelligence

ALARP - A Low As Reasonably Practicable

ALM - Air and Littoral Manoeuvre

AMSAR - Airborne Multi-mode Solid-state Activearray Radar

ARTS - Advanced Radar Targeting System

ASICs - Application Specific Integrated Circuits

ASTRID - Ammunition System Two Revision and Interactive Development

ASW - Anti-Submarine Warfare

ATR - Automatic Target Recognition

ATSG - Aerospace Technology Steering Group

B

BABT - Behind Armour Blunt Trauma

BCS - British Computer Society

BDA - Battle Damage Assessment

BDI - Battle Damage Information

BIL - Burst Illumination Laser Imaging

BoI - Balance of Investment

BVR - Beyond Visual Range

BW - Biological Warfare

C

C2 - Command and Control

C4ISTAR - Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance

C-DIRCM - Compact Directed Infra Red Counter Measures

CAD - Computer Aided Design

CB - Chemical Biological

CBM - Command and Battlespace Management

CBRN - Chemical Biological Radioactive Nuclear

CCII - Command, Control and Information Infrastructure

CCIRM - Counter-Countermeasures

CESG - Communications and Electronic Security Group

CFD - Computational Fluid Dynamics

CGDA - Common Geographic Database Architecture

CIS - Communications and Information Systems

CM(IS) - Capability Manager (Information Superiority)

CMT - Cadmium Mercury Teluride

Conops - Concept of Operations

COTS - Commercial Off The Shelf

CR - Cognitive Radio

CSA - Chief Scientific Adviser

CSEP - Certified Systems Engineering Professional

CSP - Capability Sustainment Programme

CT - Counter Terrorism

CTSTC - Counter Terrorism Science and Technology Centre

CW - Complex Weapons

CWG - Capability Working Group

CWID - Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration

CWIT - Complex Weapons Implementation Team

D

D&D - Denial and Deception

DA - Design Authority

DARA - Defense Aviation Repair Agency

DARPA - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

DAS - Defensive Aid System

DCDC - Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre

DCL - Detection, Classification, Localisation

DCPD - Direct-Collect-Process-Disseminate

DCTA - Defense Clothing and Textiles Agency

DEC - Director Equipment Capability

DEFCON - Defense Conditions

DEFRA - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

DEW - Directed Energy Weapon

DIF - Data & Information Fusion DTCDirected Energy Weapon

DIF DTC - Data & Information Fusion DTC

DIRCM - Directed Infra Red Counter Measures

DIS - Defense Industrial Strategy, Defense White Paper, Dec 2005

DLO - Defense Logistics Organisation

DLOD - Defense Line of Development

DNAE - Day/Night/All Environment

DoD - Department of Defense

DPA - Defense Procurement Agency

DRFM - Digital Radio Frequency Memories

DSAC - Defense Scientific Advisory Council

DSP - Digital Signal Processing

Dstl - Defense Science and Technology Laboratory

DTC - Defense Technology Centre

DTI - Department of Trade and Industry

DTS - Defense Technology Strategy

DU - Depleted Uranium

DVI - Direct Voice Interaction

E

EA - Electronic Attack

ED - Electronic Defense

EDA - European Defense Agency

eHALE - electric High Altitude Long Endurance

EI - Environmental Information

ELINT - Electronic Intelligence

ELS - Expeditionary Logistics and Support

EM - Electromagnetic

EMC - Electro-Magnetic Compatibility

EMCDB - Elastomer Cast Double Base Propellants

EMRS - Electro Magnetic Remote Sensing

EO - Electro-optic

EO - Earth Observation

EOB - Electronic Order of Battle

EOCM - Electro-optic Countermeasures

EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal

EOPM - Electro-Optic Protective Measures

EP - Equipment Plan

EPSRC - Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

ERA - Explosive Reactive Armours

ES - Electronic Surveillance

ES - Electronic Systems

ES - Electronic Support

ESM - Electronic Support Measures

ESAU - Electronic Safety and Arming Units

EUMETSAT - European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites

EUT - Emerging and Underpinning Technologies

EW - Electronic Warfare

F

FCO - Foreign and Commonwealth Office

FCS - Fire Control System

FDOA - Frequency Difference of Arrival

FIST - Future Infantry Soldier Technology

FMCMC - Future Mine Counter Measure Capability

FPA - Framework Partnering Agreement

FPE - Force Protection Engineering

FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array

FRES - Future Rapid Effect System

FSA - Food Standards Agency

FSP - Future Submarine Programme

FW - Firmware

FW - Fixed Wing

FWD - Flightworthy Demonstrator

G

H

I

IAWG - Industrial Avionics Working Group

ICA - Independent Component Analysis

ICS - Intelligent Customer Status

ICT - Information and Communications Technology

ID - Identification

IDM - Improved Data Modem

IED - Improvised Explosive Device

IEE - Institution of Electrical Engineers

IER - Information Exchange Requirements

ILS - Integrated Logistics Support

IM - Insensitive Munitions

IMSSA - Integrated Modelling and Simulation Support for Acquisition

IMU - Inertial Measurement Unit

InAs - Indium Arsenide

INCOSE - International Council of Systems Engineering

InSb - Indium Antimonide

IO - Information Operations

IO - Input Output

IP - Intellectual Property

IP - Internet Protocol

IPR - Intellectual Property Rights

IPT - Integrated Project Team

IR - Infra-red

IRC - International Research Collaboration

IRC - Interdisciplinary Research Centre

IRST - Infra Red Search and Target

ISD - In-Service Date

ISEE - Integrated Sensor Evaluation Environment

ISMS - Integrated Sensor Management System

ISP - Intelligent Signal Processing

ISR - Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance

ISTAR - Intelligence, Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance

IT - Information Technology

ITP - International Technology Partnership

J

JCA - Joint Combat Aircraft

JIMSG - Joint Insensitive Munitions Strategy Group

JSF - Joint Strike Fighter

K

KE - Kinetic Energy

KUR - Key User Requirement

L

LAASS - Low Altitude Airborne Sensor System

LCAD - Lightweight Chemical Agent Detector

LED - Light Emitting Diode

LEFIS - Link Encryptor Family Interoperability Specification

LFE - Link Encryption Facility

LIDAR - Light Detection and Ranging

LO - Low Observable

LOVA - Low Vulnerability Ammunition

LPD - Landing Platform Dock

LPI - Low Propability of Intercept

LTPA - Long Term Partnering Agreement

M

M&S - Modelling and Simulation

MASS - Munition Acquisition Supply Solution

MAV - Micro Air Vehicles

MAW - Missile Approach Warners

MCM - Mine Counter Measures

MEDL - Munition Environmental Data Loggers

MEMS - Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems

MFA - Multi-function Apertures

MIDAS - Military Integrated Defensive Aid System

MIMO - Multiple-Input Multiple-Output

MIS - Maritime Industrial Strategy

MLU - Mid-Life Update

MMS - Mission Management System

MMW - Millimetric Wave

MOD - Ministry of Defense

MODAF - Ministry of Defense Architecture Framework

MOTS - Military Off the Shelf

MSR - Major Supply Route

MTBF - Mean Time Between Failure

MTS - Maritime Technology Strategy

MW - Mid-ware

N

NAC - National Advisory Committee

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

NAVWAR - Navigation Warfare Programme

NBC - Nuclear Biological Chemical

NBC - BISA Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Battlefield Information System Application

NDE - Non-Destructive Evaluation

NDEC - National Defense Energetics Community

NDIC - National Defense Industries Council

NEC - Network Enabled Capability

NELS - Networked Emitter Location System

NGOSS - New Generation Operations Support System

NITEworks - Network Integration Test and Experimentation works

NLW - Non-Lethal Warfare

NQR - Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance

NSRP - Nuclear Steam Raising Plant

NVG - Night Vision Goggles

O

OA - Open Architectures

OA - Operational Analysis

ODPM - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer

OEU - Operational Evaluation Unit

OGD - Other Government Department

OS - Operating Systems

OSI - Office of Science and Innovation

OTS - Off The Shelf

P

PBX - Polymer Bond Explosives

PCR - Passive Covert Radar

PKI - Public Key Infrastructure

PSDB - Police Scientific Development Branch

PV - Private Venture

Q

R

R&D - Research and Development

R&T - Research and Technology

RAEng - Royal Academy of Engineering

RAF - Royal Air Force

RAM - Radar Absorbent Materials

RAO - Research Acquisition Organisation

RCS - Radar Cross Section

RCV - Remote Controlled Vehicle

RF - Radio frequency

RFI - Request for Information

RFID - Radio Frequency Identification

RN - Royal Navy

RoE - Rules of Engagement

RoW - Rest of the World

RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade

RSS - Really Simple Syndication

RTO - Research and Technology Organisations

RWR - Radar Warning Receiver

S

S2C2 - Sustainable Surface Combatant Capability

S&T - Science and Technology

SA - Situational Awareness

SAA - Small Arms Ammunition

SAC - Submarine Atmosphere Control

SAL - Semi-Active Laser

SAM - Surface-to-Air Missile

SAR - Synthetic Aperture Radar

SAR - Search and Rescue

SAU - Safety and Arming Unit

SCIP - Secure Communication and Interoperability Protocol

SCS - Safety Critical Software

SDR - Strategic Defense Review

SE - Systems Engineering

SE - Synthetic Environment

SEAD - Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses

SEAS - Systems Engineering for Autonomous Systems

SF - Special Forces

SG - Support Group

ShyFE - Sustained Hypersonic Flight Experiment

SIAP - Single Integrated Air Picture

SiGe - Silicon Germanium

SIL - Systems Integration Laboratory

SIT - Science Innovation Technology

SME - Small and Medium-sized Enterprise

SP - Special Projects

SSEI - Software System Engineering Initiative

STP - Short Term Plan

SSK - Conventional Submarine

SVD - Singular Value Decomposition

SW - Software

SWAP - Size, Weight and Power

SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

T

T&E - Tested and Evaluated / Test and Evaluation

TDL - Tactical Data Link

TDOA - Time Difference of Arrival

TDP - Technology Demonstrator Programme

TEEMAC - Terminal Effects and Energetic Materials Advisory Committee

TI - Thermal Imaging

TICM - Thermal Imager Common Module

TLB - Top-Level Budget

TLCM - Through-Life Capability Management

TLM - Through-Life Management

ToE - Tower of Excellence

TRDs - Towed radar decoys

TR - Module Transmit - Receive Module

TRaME - Tactical Radiation Monitoring Equipment

TRL - Technology Readiness Level

TST - Time Sensitive Targeting

TTP - Tactics, Techniques and Procedures

U

UAS - Unmanned Air System

UAV - Unmanned Air Vehicle

UCAS - Unmanned Combat Air System

UCAV - Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle

UHF - Ultra High Frequency

UMV - Unmanned Maritime Vehicle

UOR - Urgent Operational Requirement

UPC - Unit Purchase Cost

URD - User Requirement Document

UUV - Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

UV - Ultra Violet

UW - Underwater

UXV - Unmanned Vehicles (Air, Above Water, Under Water or Land)

V

VFM - Value for Money

VHF - Very High Frequency

W

WLC - Whole Life Cost

WMD - Weapons of Mass Destruction

X

Y

Z