The most famous cultural usage of call signs takes place in the film Top Gun. Keep tactical messages short and to the point, and limit communication to essential items. Be sure to conduct regular radio checks, especially before and after operations. The NATO phonetic … Pilots rely on the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), which provides a continuous broadcast of weather information, runway logistics, and other vital information. Unlike, say, the International Phonetic Alphabet, which indicates intonation, syllables, and other features of speech, the Military Alphabet does not actually indicate its own phonetics. This is a great way to increase your familiarity and comfort with these terms. Have you ever watched a war film and wondered, “What’s a Foxtrot? Below is a list of important procedural words, known as “Prowords,” that play important roles in radio communication. The complete list of words is listed below in alphabetical order. Rw¨ğA˜nò!BêRÕ� ‚. During WWI, the British Royal Airforce introduced the first complete spelling alphabet, the RAF radio alphabet. The most important of these were the CCIR alphabet used for telegraphs starting in 1927, and the “Able Baker” alphabet used by the U.S. military during WWII. Servicemen and women use this language to improve clarity of communication, and sometimes as a form of slang. By the start of WWII, most commercial airlines around the globe were using the ITU code words. The IRSA remains in use today, and has only grown more popular with time. This procedure helps regulate communication over the radio and other communication platforms used by the military. Take 26 flashcards, write the letter on one side, and the corresponding Military Alphabet term on the other. Ask a friend to test you – Some people aren’t visual learners. It has even made its way into modern cinematic depictions of WWII, such as Saving Private Ryan. Who is Charlie? In other words, while phonetic alphabets use symbols to describe the details and nuances of language, the Military Alphabet is simply for oral communication. 2V”¢7J=C¾¦Ê‚¢O»¾f‰bHÓIh p£Æ3¤iñ$a©O!OöÎ r”|Ôré(epc2äh‹ŠÛ7)šgEî%ެ…b³ ‰9dA6Š:Cb’tà0‹&nEÑÃAV’_�ÑyÈÔÑÖ 7šÑ ÈÔ ÑÉØ Ï+YSGgc„ I‡È èÆE)@šÆÔ…@—�GkS[,+¬�ö~&@¾ªÌ üÆÂ�­)'I€Ÿ7"’½f¦ÒÙZÑCÒŠ‚à'ã&'@ÒæFjÅ_™¡ïf¡�¼£Ÿáâ�Š6…޸ªHŞD8ª–�D~µ_—¢¼ÌEËÜ.`ß±CÆj?ƒÁ{wVšZ3ë^ But no matter how you speak, “Foxtrot” and “Echo” do not sound the same, which is why the Military Alphabet exists. The ITU phonetic alphabet and figure code is a variant. ATIS also features a lot of Military letters and numbers to communicate logistical data. To discover more expressions, check out our list of military slang. Want a birds eye view of what the military alphabet looks like and how to pronounce everything? The US government initially classified the IRSA as confidential, but soon later released it to the public. Establishes that an error has been made in the transmission. A proven method commonly used by actors, lawyers, musicians, and others, this will help your brain process new information better. The earliest versions of the military alphabet came into use during the early twentieth century. The Joint Army / Navy Phonetic Alphabet, also known as the “Able Baker Charlie” alphabet, can be heard in movies and TV shows dating from the 1950s. As such, 'A' becomes 'Alpha', 'B' becomes 'Bravo, 'C' becomes 'Charlie' and so on. The ICAO (International Civil Aviation Authority) developed this system after years of careful research and testing. Can only be spoken by the person who initiated the transmission. Today many have come to know this extraordinary code language simply as the “Military Alphabet.”. Want to learn this code? Multiple code words often are combined to form words or expressions. For instance, “Alpha” means “A,” “Bravo” means B, and so on. This way you will be easily understood, even under duress and chaos. Critically, the ICAO tested each code word in many common dialects. Whether you want to join the armed forces, get a handle on soldier parlance, or just impress others, we have some helpful resources for you. We include the entire Military Alphabet below, along with pronunciation info and spelling.