Acronyms and Abbreviations
P
P Power
P-Code Precision Code ( for GPS )
P2P Peer-to-Peer ( PC computer networking system characterized by absence of a central server )
P3I Pre-Planned Product Improvement
P5CTS P5 Combat Training System ( rangeless air-to-air and air-to-ground training system for USAF and USN )
PA Power Amplifier; Parabolic Antenna
PAAMS Principal Anti-Air Missile System ( U.K. / French / Italian )
PABX Private Automatic Branch Exchange
PAC Patriot Advanced Capability
PAC/C Power Aware Computing/Communications
PACCS Post-Attack Command and Control System
PACT Partial Aircrew Coordination Trainer; Photonic Analog-to-digital ( conversion? ) Technology
PACTALET Pacific area Tactical Law Enforcement Team (e.g., drug interdiction)
PAD Propellant Actuated Device; Precision Aerial Delivery; Persistent Area Dominance
PADS Position/Azimuth Determining System
PAF Project Air Force ( ca 2005 )
PAFC Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell
PAI Primary Aircraft Inventory
PAL Phase Alternating Line; Paradox Application Language; Permissive Action Link; Panoramic Annular Lens ( Sniper detection/location device ); Perceptive Assistant that Learns ( DARPA program ca 2003 ); Protuberance Air Load ( ramps on the main fuel tank consisting of thick layers of foam to protect the tank’s cable trays and pressurization lines from launch-induced airflow - NASA)
PALS Passive Littoral Surveillance
PALT Procurement Administrative Lead-Time
PAM Penetration-Augmented Munition ( special forces ); Precision Attack Missile
PAMA Pre-Assigned Multiple Access
PANS Precision Assault Navigation System
PAP Password Authentication Protocol
PAR Phased Array Radar; Precision Approach Radar; Perimeter Acquisition Radar
PARACHUTE Point-to-point and Apple Remote Access Central High-speed User Telecommunications Engine
PARAMP Parametric Amplifier
PARCS Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System
PAS Penetration Aid Spacer ( e.g., radar detection countermeasures section of an ICBM; it is situated between the guidance system and warhead )
PASOTRON Plasma-Assisted Slow-wave Oscillator
PASR Preparatory Action for Security Research ( European Union )
PAT Passive Angle Track; Production Acceptance Test; Process Action Team
PATAS Portable Advanced Telemetry Acquisition System
PATRIOT Phased Array Tracking Radar Intercept On Target
PATS Passive Angle Tracking System; Precision Automatic Tracking System; Precision Attack Targeting System
PATTERN Planning Assistance Through Technical Evaluation of Relevance Numbers
PAVE Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry
PAVN People's Army of North Vietnam [ circa 1970 - Vietnam era term; U.S. & allies used "North Vietnamese Army" ( NVA ) ]
PAWS Phased Array Warning System; Passive Airborne Warning System; Passive Approach Warning System; Portable ASAS Workstation
PAWSS Ports and Waterways Safety System ( USCG acquisition project circa 2003 )
PB Particle Beam; Petabyte ( 1012 Bytes )
PBBE Performance Based Business Environment
PBL Performance Based Logistics
PBP Performance Based Payment
PBW Particle Beam Weapon; Power-By-Wire
PBX Private Branch Exchange; Plastic-Bonded eXplosive
PC Personal Computer; Pulse Compression
PCA Propulsion-Controlled Aircraft; Polymorphous Computing Architecture
PCB Printed Circuit Board
PCC Polygon Coordination Center ( also Polygone Coordination Center ) ( electronic warfare tactics range located on the border between France and Germany ) Click for the PCC logo
PCCADS Panoramic Cockpit Control and Display System
PCCIE Power Conditioning & Continuation Interfacing Equipment ( USAF )
PCD Point Chemical Detector
PCDS Personal Computer Debriefing System
PCES Program Composite for Embedded Systems
PCG Police Coast Guard
PCI Pressure Contact Interface (chip connector); Peripheral Component Interconnect; Peripheral Component Interface
PCIE Protective Clothing and Individual Equipment (subsystem for the "Electronically-Enhanced Soldier")
PCL Passive Coherent Location ( PRC system )
PCM Pulse Compression Modulation; Pulse Code Modulation; Power Conversion Module
PCMSB Phased-array Contiguous Multi-Spot Barrage
PCR Passive Covert Radar; Preliminary Chain Reaction
PCS Pocket Computer System; Personal Communications Service(s); Permanent Change of Station; Personal Communication System
PCSS Photo-Conductive/Semiconductor Switch
PCTAP Positive Control Turn Around Point (e.g., for B-1 or B-52 bombers)
PCTC Pure Car/Truck Carrier (ship)
PCU Portable Computer Unit; Packet Control Unit; Plasma Contact Unit (used to ground space stations into their surrounding plasma)
Pd Probability of Detection (also PD)
PD Pulsed Doppler; Probability of Detection; Point Defense ; Pulse Duration ; Participatory Design; Preliminary Design; Product Director; Phase Detector
PD2 Procurement Desktop-Defense
PD-21 An educational consortium comprised of the Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Detroit Mercy (UDM), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) for "Product Development Leadership in the 21st Century." ( also known as the PD-21 Consortium )
PDA Personal Digital Assistant; Portable Digital Assistant
PDCUE™ Projectile Detection & CUEing (counter sniper system)
PDD Personnel Detection Device; Procurement Desktop-Defense
PDF Planetary Defense System
PDID Pulse Doppler Identification
PDL Pass Down-the-Line
PDM Programmed Depot Maintenance; Pursuit Deterrent Munition (See also ADAM); Product Data Management
PDN Power Dividing Network; Phased-array Doppler Noise
PDP Plasma Display Panel
PDR Preliminary Design Review
PDRR Program-Definition and Risk-Reduction (acquisition program phase)
PDS Passive Detection System; Processing Display System; Point Defense System; Planetary Defense System ( Air Force 2025 concept )' Protected Distribution System
PDSS Post-Deployment Software Support
PDT Portable Data Terminal
PDU Protocol Data Unit
PDW Personal Defense Weapon; Pulse-Descriptor-Word ( ELINT pulse analysis )
PE Processor Element; Professional Engineer; Precision Engineering
PEAPL Pioneer Electronic Attack Payload
PEBB Power Electronic Building Block ( ship architecture )
PEC Platform Evaluation Confidence; Photoelectric Cell
PED Program Element Description; Portable Electronic Device
PEF Presidential Emergency Facilities
PEGASYS Precision and Extended Glide Air-drop System ( Army )
PEM Proton Exchange Membrane ( fuel cell )
PEM-FC Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell ( also PEMFC )
PENAID Penetration Aid
PEO Program Executive Officer; Program Executive Office
PEO-EIS Program Executive Office - Enterprise Information Systems
PERCS Productive, Easy-to-use, Reliable Computing System
Perl Practical extraction & report language ( Internet scripting language )
PERSTEMPO Personnel Tempo
PERT Program Evaluation and Review Technique; Project Evaluation and Review Technique
PESM Precision Electronic Support Measures
PET Passive ESM Tracker
PETRA Planning, Evaluation, Training, Rehearsal, and Analysis ( Hungary )
PETS Property and Evidence Tracking System
PEU Pod Electronics Unit
PEUO Physics-based Environment for Urban Operations
PEWD Platoon Early Warning Device
PEWSS Portable Electronic (Warfare) Signal Simulator
PFED Pocket-sized Forward Entry Device ( e.g., PDA-like stylus entry device )
PFM Precise Frequency Measurement
PFN Pulse Forming Network
PfP Partnership for Peace ( NATO )
PFPS Portable Flight Planning Software; Portable Flight Planning System
PFT Pipelined Frequency Transform ( signal processing )
PGA Programmable Gate Array; Pin Grid Array ( computer chip )
PGB Precision Guided Bomb ( U.K. )
PGK Precision Guided Kit ( e.g., Global Positioning System attachments to artillery shells )
PGL Personal Grenade Launcher
PGM Precise Guided Munitions; Precision-Guided Munition; Program Group Manager ( USAF )
PGMM Precision Guided Mortar Munition
PGMPS Precision Guided Munition Planning Software
PGP Pretty Good Privacy ( asymmetric encryption technique )
PGRS Precision Guided Rocket System
PGS Precision Gun System
Ph Probability of Hit
pHEMT Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor
PHID Positive Hostile Identification
PHILLS Portable Hyperspectral Imager for Low Light Spectroscopy
PHLASH Phone Home Link for Autonomous Spacecraft Handling
PHOTINT Photographic Intelligence
PHOTO-OPTINT Photographic Optical Intelligence
PHS Personal Handyphone System
PHS&T Packaging, Handling, Storage, and Transportation
PI Probability of Intercept ( Also POI ); the ratio "pi"; Protective Intelligence
PIA Planned Incremental Availability ( e.g., of an aircraft carrier )
PiB pebibytes - ( e.g., binary peta: 250 ), equal to 210 TiB ( tebibytes )
PIC Programmable Integrated Circuit; Plastic Insulated Conductor; Persistence In Combat
PICS Passive Infrared Cueing System ( U.S. Army ca 2008 )
PID Preflight Insertion Data; Proportional, Integral, and Differential ( controller ); Personal Information Device; Player Identification; Planning Identification
PIDS Pylon Integrated Dispenser Station; Pylon Integrated Dispensing System
PIF Personal Identification Feature; Pseudo Identification Feature
PILOT Phased Integrated Laser Optics Technology
PIM Position and Intended Movement; Product Information Management
PIMAWS Passive Infrared Missile Approach Warning System ( Germany )
PIN Personal Identification Number
PINS Precise Integrated Navigation System
PIP Precision Instrumentation Package; Product Improvement Program
PIPES PACOM ( Pacific Command ) Imagery Processing Exploitation Segment
PIR Passive InfraRed (sensor)
PIRATE Passive InfraRed Airborne Tracking Equipment
PIRAZ Positive Identification and Radar Advisory Zone (see also ADIZ)
PITS Peak Instantaneous Transients and Subtleties
PIV Personal Identity Verification
PIVADS Product Improvement, VULCAN Air Defense System
Pixel Picture Element
PJ Parachute Jumper
Pk Probability of Kill (also Pkill)
PK Peacekeeping ( e.g., JTF-PK )
PKC Public Key Cryptography
PKI Public Key Infrastructure
PLA Programmable Logic Array; Patent Licensing Agreement
PLAAF People's Liberation Army Air Force ( People's Republic of China )
PLAF Polish Armed Forces
PLAID Precision Location And IDentification (system)
PLA-N People's Liberation Army-Navy (PRC)
PLAN People's Liberation Army-Navy (PRC)
PLD Programmable Logic Device
PLGR Precision Lightweight GPSPS (Global Positioning System) Receiver
PLHR Power-Line Harmonic Resonance
PLI Position Location Information (e.g., GPS data)
PLL Phase-Locked Loop
PLOCAAS Powered Low Cost Autonomous Attack System
PLRS Position Location and Reporting System
PLS Portable Launching System ( e.g., "TLAM-N PLS" ); Palletized Load System ( e.g., bulk ammo transport )
PLSS Precision Location Strike System
PLUSNet Persistent Littoral Undersea Surveillance Network ( USN )
PM Pulse Modulation; Photomultiplier; Project Manager; Phase Modulation; Permanent Magnet; Passive Matrix
PMA Propagation Management Assessment
PMAD Power Management And Distribution
PMADS Pedestal-Mounted Air Defense System
PMATS Predator Mission Aircrew Training system
PMAWS Passive Missile Approach Warning System
PMC Private Military Company; Privatized Military Company
PMCS Programmable Modular Communication System
PME Peacetime Military Engagement
PMESII Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information and Infrastructure
P-MIGITS See MIGITS
PMM Permanent-Magnet Motor
PMMW Passive MilliMeter Wave ( e.g., imaging system )
PMOP Pulse Modulation on Pulse
PMP Prime Mission Product; Parallel Motion Protractor
PMTS Passive Multi-target Tracking System; Precision Multi-target Tracking System
PMTV Personal Miniature Thermal Vision ( system ) ( e.g., night vision system )
PN Pseudo-random Noise
PNAV Precision Navigation
PNCC Power Node Control Center ( e.g., for the DDX )
PNM Pedestrian Navigation Module ( e.g., handheld GPS system )
PnP Plug and Play (operating system to assign system resources)
PNU Position Navigation Unit
PNV Pilot Night Vision
PNVS Pilot Night Vision Sight ( e.g., helicopter optics system )
POBS Psychological Operations Broadcast System
POC Payload Operations Center (NASA); Point Of Contact
POD Probability Of Detection ( also Pd )
POEMS Passive Observatories for Experimental Microbial Systems in Microgravity ( NASA )
POES Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite
POET Primed Oscillator Expendable Transponder; Programmable Objective Encryption Technology ( Army )
POEW Protracted Offensive Electronic Warfare
POFA Probability Of False Alarm
POG Psychological Operation Group
POI Probability of Intercept (Also PI)
POL Polarization ; Problem/Process/ Procedure-Oriented Language; Petroleum, Oil,and Lubricants
POM Program Objective Memorandum; Proof of Manufacture
POMALS Pedestal Operated Multi-Ammunition Launching System
POP Pulse-On-Pulse; Post Office Protocol (Internet) [e.g., POP3 - Post Office Protocol, Version 3]; Point Of Presence; Plug-in Optronic Payload
PoP-V Point of Presence Vehicle ( e.g., USMC communication vehicle, ca 2006 )
POPS Points of Presence ( e.g., U.S. Army force units )
PORTS Physical Oceanographic Real Time System
PORTSTEP Port Security Training Exercises Program
POS Protection of Shipping; Point of Sale; Positive
POSD Port Operations, Security and Defense
POSIT Position
POSNAV POSition-NAVigation
POSIX Portable Operating System Interface for Computing Environments
POST Prototype Ocean Surveillance Terminal; Passive Optical Seeker Technique; Prototype Ocean Surveillance Tracker; Portable Satellite Terminal
POTS Plain Old Telephone Service (part of ASMDL); Plain Old Telephone System
PP2P Patrol Plane second Pilot
PPBES Program, Planning, Budgeting and Execution System
PPBM Positive Passenger Baggage Matching ( e.g., airport security )
PPC Patrol Plane Commander
PPE Personal Protective Equipment ( USMC )
PPI Plan Position Indicator; Points per inch (mouse resolution); Pixels per inch
PPL Preferred Parts List
PPLN Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate (wavelength converter)
PPM Pulse Position Modulation ( ppm: parts per million )
PPP Point-to-Point Protocol
PPS Pulses per Second; Precision Positioning Service; Program Performance Specifications; Propulsion Power System
PQT Preliminary Qualification Test; Production Qualification Test
PR Programmatic Requirement; Purchase Request; Public Relations; Personnel Recovery
PRAM Productivity, Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability
PRAT Production Reliability Acceptance Test
PRAWN PRoliferated Autonomous WeapoN
PRC Phase Rate of Change; People's Republic of China
PREPO PRE-POsitioned
PRESS Personal Recovery Extraction Survivability/Smart-sensors
PRF Pulse Repetition Frequency
PRI Pulse Repetition Interval; PRImary
PRIMES Preflight Integration of Munitions and Electronic Systems
PRISM Passive Radar Identification System; Portable Reusable Integrated Software Modules
PRISMA Primary Imaging System for Multiple Applications
PRJ Projected Radar Jammer
PRM Precision Runway Monitoring
PRMS Personnel Recovery Mission Software
PRN Pseudo-Random Noise
PROCNET Procurement Network
PROFILE Passive Radio Frequency Interference Location Experiment
PROM Programmable Read-only Memory
ProSEDS Propulsive Small Expendable Deployer System
PROTEC Programmable Ordnance Technology
PROTECT Program for Response Options and Technology Enhancements for Chemical/biological Terrorism
PRR Pulse Repetition Rate; Personal Role Radio ( for providing secure communications among service personnel )
PRSN Phased-array Responsive Spot Noise
PRSS Passive Ranging Sub-System
PRT Pulse-Repetition Time; Provisional Reconstruction Team ( e.g., in Afghanistan, ca 2006 )
PRTCS Portable Radar Tracking and Control System
PSA Personal Satellite Assistant ( robot for space station tasks )
PSAD Passive Sensor for Aircraft Detection
PSBT Public Safety Broadband Trust ( used by FCC to regulate the public airwaves, ca 2007 )
PSDS2 Persistent Surveillance and Dissemination System of Systems
PSEAG Physical Security Equipment Action Group ( DoD )
PSEUDOLITE Pseudo-Satellite ( e.g., terrestial transmitter )
PSFD Production, Sustainment, and Follow-up Development ( e.g., program acquisition phase )
PSI Proliferation Security Initiative
PSIAM Programmable Scalable Information Assurance Model
PSIC Public Safety Integration Center ( e.g., Homeland Security project )
PSK Phase-shift Keying
PSLV Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
PSM Practical Software Measurement ( DoD initiative circa 2003 )
PSN Packet Switching Network; Public Switched Network
PSNEXT Power Sum Near-End Crosstalk
PSP Production Software Package
PSS Projected Smoke System
PSTAR Portable Search and Target-Acquisition Radar
PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network; Public Switched Telecommunications Network
PSTS Precision SIGINT Targeting System; Precision-Strike Team; Precision Signals Intelligence Targeting System
PSU Port Security Unit ( USCG )
PSUM Phalanx Surface Mode ( See CIWS )
PSYOP PSYchological OPerations
PSYW PSYchological Warfare
PT Peacetime (Level of Conflict); Point
PT&F Precise Time & Frequency ( also PTF )
PTA Post-Timeline Assessment
PTF Precise Time & Frequency ( also PT & F ); Planning Task Force
PTI Precision Targeting Identification
PTIC Passive Tunable Integrated Circuit
PTIR Precision Track Illuminator Radar
PTLP Pre-Timeline Planning
PTM Paint The Night ( e.g., thermal scene simulator )
PTN Public Telecommunications Network
PTP Production Test Plan
PTPRS Point-to-Point Radio System ( Austria )
PTT Part Task Trainer ( USN ); Postal Telephone and Telegraph; Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones; Press To Talk; Push-To-Talk
PUMA Precision Underwater Mapping Array
PUMAS Persistent Unmanned Maritime Airborne Surveillance ( e.g., program )
PUPS Portable Universal Programming System
PURL Persistent Uniform Resource Locator ( e.g., on the Internet )
PV Photovoltaic; Production Verification
PVAB Portable Vehicle Arresting Barrier
PVDS Propelled Variable-Depth Sonar
PVIP Portable Vehicle Immobilization System
PVLS Peripheral Vertical Launch System
PVP Permanent Virtual Path ( network topology )
PVR Personnel Vehicle Radar; Precision Video Registration
PVT Position, Velocity, Time ( navigation ); PriVaTe
PW Pulse Width
PWASSP Photonic Wavelength And Spatial Signaling Program ( DARPA circa 2002 )
PWB Printed Wiring Board
PWM Pulse Width Modulation
PWMA Primary Warfare Mission Area
PWSC Preferred Weapon System Concept
PWSN Public Safety Wireless Network
Q
Q Quality Factor ( of an electric circuit ); Power Dissipation; Quantity
Q-GERT Queueing - Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique
QA Quality Assurance
QAB Quick Action Button
QAM Quadrature-AMplitude Modulation
QAT Quality Action Team
QBE Query By Example
QC Quality Control
QDC Quiet-Day Curve ( cosmic background measurement )
QPSK Quardrature-Phase-Shift Keying
QDR Quadrennial Defense Review
QDHT Quad-band Dual Hub Terminal
QEAM Quick-Erection Antenna Mast
QEC Quick Engine Change
QFD Quality Function Deployment ( a matrix analysis technique )
QFP Questions Fréquemment Posées ( FAQ )
Q-GERT Queueing - Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique
QIC Quarter-Inch Cartridge ( Magnetic Tape )
QK Quick Knight ( aircrew awareness program )
QML Qualified Manufacturers List
QNT Quint Networking Technology ( e.g., miniature networked datalinks for use on weapons, vehicles, and personnel )
QoS Quality of Service ( e.g., communications )
QoV Quality of Voice
QPC Quadratic Phase Coding
QPELS QuadPack Evolved ( Seasparrow ESSM ) Launching System
QPL Qualified Parts List
QPSK Quadrature Phase Shift Keying; Quadriphase Shift Keying
QR Quick Reaction
QRA Quick Reaction Aircraft; Quick Reaction Assessment; Quick Reaction Alert ( e.g., for the Eurofighter ca 2007 )
QRF Quick-Reaction Force; Quick Response Force
QRMP Quick-Response Multicolor ( topographic ) Printer
QRP Quick Reaction Program
QS Quick Strike ( family of naval bottom mines )
QSP Quiet Supersonic Platform
QTR Quad TiltRotor ( helicopter ); Quarter
QUA Quadrature Amplitude Modulation
QUBIT Quantum Bit
QuIST Quantum Information Science and Technology
QVIS Quasi-Vertical Incidence Sounder.
QWERTY Not an acronym. Refers to the English typewriter keyboard design having the upper left letter keys in the sequence Q,W,E,R,T,Y. See also AZERTY ( e.g., French or Continental European keyboard )
QWIP Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector
August 18, 2008 02:15 PM -0400