Designations Of U.S. Military Electronic And Communications Equipment
Copyright © 2000-2008 Andreas Parsch
2 Early Communications Designation Systems
3 Joint Electronics Type Designation System (The "AN" System)
3.1 History
3.2 Sets And Systems
3.3 Components (Groups And Units)
3.4 Miscellanea
4.1 BuAer Defensive Fire Control Systems
4.2 US Air Force QRC (Quick Reaction Capability) Programs, 1952 - 1964
6 Sources
Soon after radio came in use at the beginning of the 20th century, Army and Navy started to use this new means of communication. Both services also assigned formalized designations to its radio and communications equipment almost from the beginning. These systems, however, proved cumbersome and difficult to adapt to new requirements. The expansion of World War II, and the introduction of new types of equipment (e.g. radar) finally lead to the joint "AN" designation system for all types of electronic and communications equipment. This article will describe the various designation systems in some detail.
The material in this section is exclusively from source [4].
The Army used a numbering system for its radio communications equipment since at least World War I. The system distinguished between complete sets and components.
Sets:
Sets were designated with a type designator and a sequential model number, separated by a dash.
Each designator used its own sequential number series, starting with 1. The following types were defined:
Sometimes, modifications were indicated using additional letters, as in SCR-211-C or SCR-AH-183.
Components and Equipment:
Components and associated items were also designated using a type designator and a model number, separated by a dash.
Type designators for radio communications components and equipment were:
Beginning around 1910, the Navy assigned alphanumerical type designations codes to its radio communication equipment.
Sets and Systems:
Two letters were used, where the first letter indicated the type of equipment, while the second letter served as a
sequential model letter, e.g. "RB" was the second receiver. When the single letter model sequence was exhausted,
this was extended to three letters, e.g. "RZ" was followed by "RAA", "RAB", etc.
Some type letters used "sub-series", in which the second letter of the 3-letter designator was not assigned sequentially,
but indicated the sub-type of the equipment. Examples (like type letter "A") can be found in the type letter listing
below.
Later versions of a system would receive a numerical suffix, i.e. "RAK-1" for the second version of "RAK", "RAK-2" for the third, etc.
Modifications after delivery resulted in lower case suffixes, like "RAK-1a", "RAK-1b", etc.
Prototypes and test models of an equipment item were designated with an
"X-" prefix, e.g. the prototype for the "RAK" would be an "X-RAK".
The following type letters were defined:
(listing copied verbatim from source [4])
Model Type of Equipment
A-- --- Airborne Radio and Radar Equipment
AB- Airborne IFF
AI- Airborne Radar Intercept
AM- Airborne Radio Transmitting and Receiving
AR- Airborne Radio Receiving
AS- Airborne Search Radars
AT- Airborne Radio Transmitting
AY- Airborne Radar Altimeters
B-- --- Ship-Shore IFF Equipment
C-- CX All Commercial Experimental Equipment
D-- --- Ship-Shore Radio and Radar Direction Finding Equipment
DX- Assembled Direction Finder Equipments (DF assemblies
which when used with a standard receiver form a
complete DF equipment.)
E-- --- Emergency Power Equipment (Gasoline or Diesel engine
generator sets)
F-- --- Radar Fire Control Equipment ("F" series superseded by
the BuOrd Radar Mark/Mod series)
--- Subseries of "F" series in use for other than fire
control radar, as follows:
FP- Facsimile Recording Equipment.
FQ- Facsimile Scanning Equipment.
FR- Frequency Shift Receiver Converter Equipment.
FS- Frequency Shift Keying Equipment.
G-- --- Airborne Radio Transmitting Equipment (Classification
cancelled - Reassigned "AT" series.)
H-- --- Hoist Train Mechanism (Cancelled - hoist train
mechanism considered as part of an equipment.)
I-- --- Intercept Radar.
J-- --- Sonar-Sound Listening (Receiving).
L-- --- Precision Calibrating Equipment.
M-- --- Radio Transmitting and Receiving Equipment.
N-- --- Sonar Echo Sounding.
NA- Sonar Beacon.
NG- Echo Sounding (Rochelle Salt).
NJ- Lightweight Echo Sounding Recording.
NK- Portable Echo Sounding Recording.
NM- Echo Sounding (Magnetostriction).
O-- --- Measuring, Test, and Operator Trainer Equipments for
Models OA to OCZ inclusive. For Models after OCZ, the
subseries breakdown is as follows:
OE- Xmtr and/or Rcvr Analyzers, Vacuum-Tube Voltmeters,
Volt-Ohm-Milliammeters, Multimeters.
OF- Echo Boxes, Wavemeters, Frequency Meters (non-
precision).
OG- Signal Generators (non-precision), Test Oscillators
OK- Sonar Computers.
OM- Test Monitor Equipment.
OP- Signal and Sound Wave Measuring Equipment, Noise
Meters.
OS- Oscilloscopes.
OT- Radar Operator Trainers.
OV- Vacuum Tube Analyzers or Testers.
OW- Sonar Test Equipment.
OZ- Impedance Measuring Equipment.
P-- --- Automatic Transmitting and Receiving Equipment Coding
Equipment.
Q-- --- Sonar Echo-Ranging-Listening Equipments:
QA- E/R/L (Quartz).
QB- E/R/L (Rochelle Salt).
QC- E/R (Magnetostriction) with L (Rochelle Salt).
QD- Depth Determining Equipment.
QF- Teacher and Training Equipment.
QG- Console Version of "QC" Series.
QJ- Console Version of "QB" Series.
QK- Scanning Sonar-Crystal.
QL- Frequency Modulated Sonar.
QX- Auxiliary Equipments to Echo Ranging Sonar.
R-- --- Radio Receiving Equipment (Panoramic radio adapters
were included in this class up through Model REZ).
RP- Panoramic Radio Adapters.
S-- --- Search Radar Equipment.
T-- --- Radio Transmitting Equipment.
TP- Power Amplifiers.
U-- --- Remote Control:
UX- Mobile Remote Control.
V-- --- Visual - PPI Repeaters.
W-- --- Sonar - Combined Ranging and Sounding:
WA- Combined Sounding-Ranging (Magnetostriction).
WB- Combined Sounding-Ranging (Rochelle Salt).
WC- Combined Sounding-Ranging (R/S Sounding) (M/S & R/S
Ranging & Listening).
WD- Combined Sounding-Ranging (R/S Sounding) (M/S & R/S
Ranging & Listening)
WE- Combined Lightweight M/S Echo Ranging with sounding
feature removed.
WF- Combined Ranging-Sounding-Listening (Sonic & supersonic
listening using ADP crystals).
X-- --- Experimental (Navy-designed).
Y-- --- Navigation and Landing Equipment: (other than direction
finders), (beacons).
Z-- --- Airborne Navigation and Landing. (Classification
cancelled - reassigned "AY" series).
Components:
Components and parts of a system received separate designations, as follows:
| Examples: | CRV | - | 46 | 151 | ||
| COL | - | 46 | 159 | - | A | |
| CAY | - | 50 | AEY | - | 1 | |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) |
(1) was a letter code for the manufacturer, the first letter always being a "C". Initially, only two letters were used, but this was later extended to 3 and 4 letters.
The two-digit code (2) indicated the class or type of the component. The following table lists the type codes:
(listing copied verbatim from source [4])
Class Material
10 Miscellaneous: To be used when a definite class is not
available.
14 Special RF Devices (Not covered by any other
classification). (Electronic switching, etc.)
18 Prime Movers and Accessories: All types except
electrical.
19 Batteries: All types; parts and accessories.
20 Rectifier Power Units - Voltage Regulators - Copper Oxide
Rectifiers: All types. A20 is crystal detectors.
21 Motors - Generators - Dynamotors - Motor Generators -
Rotary Converters, etc. Motor controllers.
22 Instruments - Electrical Indicating and Recording.
23 Control Panels and Control Units. (Except motor
controllers.)
24 Switches: Manually operated.
25 Shields and Shielding Material: Finishes.
26 Keys - Telegraph: Manually operated.
28 Protective Devices: Static types.
29 Electromagnetic Contact Devices: All types.
30 Transformers and Reactors: Power and audio.
35 Oscillators - Complete Units (Audio or RF).
36 Ranging Equipment - Radio (Localizer, rotating beacons,
etc.)
38 Vacuum Tubes - Photo-electric Cells: All types.
40 Piezo-Electric Crystals and Holders - Thermometers and
Thermostats.
41 Compensators - Underwater Sound.
43 Transmitter-Receiver Units (Combined): Equipment in which
the transmitter and receiver are not separable as units.
46 Receiver Units and Converters (RF to IF, etc.) - Radio
and Sound.
47 RF Transformers - Inductors - Chokes.
48 Capacitors: All types.
49 Head Telephones - Telephone Cords - Patch Cords -
Loudspeakers - Plugs - Jacks - Sockets - Receptacles: All
types.
50 Amplifier, Modulator, and Coupler Units - Electronic
Converters - Mixing Panels: All types. (Complete diplex
and duplex units.) See 14 for electronic switching.
51 Microphones - Hydrophones - Underwater Sound Electrical
Pickup Devices - Combination Handsets: All types.
52 Radio Transmitter Units: Includes RF drivers for
underwater sound equipment, etc.
53 Filter Units: All electrical types.
54 Sound Receiving Devices - Acoustical.
55 Indicators and Recorders: Radio, radar, and underwater
sound. (Indicating instruments under Class 22.)
56 Wave Propagation.
59 Television - Photo - Radio.
60 Test Equipment (Integral instruments under Class 22.) A60
is Training Equipment (Operator trainers and instruction
devices.)
61 Insulators and Insulating Material: Phenolic and ceramic.
62 Wires and Conductors - Junction Boxes. A62 is RF
transmission lines and RF cables, etc.
63 Resistors: All types.
64 Static Recorders and Eliminators.
65 Remote Control Systems by Wire: Repeater systems, etc.
66 Antennas - Antenna Assemblies. (Dummy and phantom
antennas.)
67 Automatic Systems, Facsimile, Tele-Automatic: Automatic
keyers and recorders.
68 Secrecy Systems: Sending and receiving. (Speech
scrambling)
69 Direction Finding Equipment: Radio.
70 Distance Finding: A70 is radio altimeters.
72 Portable Equipment - Field Sets.
73 Combined Gas Engine Generator Sets.
74 Precision Calibration and Measuring Equipment.
75 Standards: (Including standardization notices, etc.)
78 HF Underwater Sound Projector (above 10 Kc) and
supporting parts.
79 LF Underwater Sound Projector (10 Kc or below).
83 Frequency Control Systems.
84 Control by Radio.
85 Interference Reduction.
87 Experimental Superfrequency Equipment.
88 Instrument Landing Equipments.
89 Radio Recognition and Identification Devices.
90 Visual Signalling Apparatus (This classification for type
number assignments only).
(3) was the number of the specific model, consisting of 2, 3 or 4 digits, resulting in a 4-, 5- or 6-digit model designation. Secret equipment used 3-letter codes instead of model numbers.
(4) was an optional suffix to designate modifications. Normal designations had upper case letter suffixes, while designations for secret equipment had numerical suffixes.
With the rapidly expanding use of radio, radar and other electronic equipment in World War II, the old Army and Navy systems were increasingly unsuited for the new requirements. Therefore, the Army and Navy introduced the new "Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System", also known as "Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System", or short as "AN System". This was formally approved on 17 February 1943, although the first designation assignments were already made in late December 1942. The initial emphasis was on airborne radio and radar equipment, but the system was designed to be extendable and was soon extended to include other types of equipment. When the Air Force separated from the Army in 1947, it continued to use the system for its electronic equipment. The Coast Guard started to use the system from 16 August 1951 and the Army from 8 June 1953. In 1957, the system was formalized in MIL-STD-196 "Joint Electronics Type Designation System" (JETDS). The system has since been slightly revised and adapted to modern requirements, and the current version is MIL-STD-196E, released on 17 February 1998.
In a way similar to the older Army and Navy systems, JETDS distinguishes between complete systems and components. The US military uses detailed definitions of "Item Levels" from single "Parts" to complete "Systems", and a brief explanation of all terms relevant to the discussion of JETDS can be found here. JETDS does not designate parts and assemblies, and uses different designation schemes for the other item types.
Sets, subsystems and systems are designated by the well-known "AN" nomenclature.
| Examples: | AN / | A | P | G | - | 5 | A | |
| AN / | A | L | Q | - | 151 | (V)2 | ||
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) |
All designations are prefixed by "AN/". Originally, this stood for "Army-Navy", but this interpretation is no longer valid. Nowadays, "AN/" is simply an indicator for the JETDS. In non-official references to electronic equipment, the "AN/" prefix is often omitted.
Letter (1) indicates the installation location of the equipment:
Letter (2) is the type of the equipment:
Letter (3) defines the purpose of the equipment:
(4) is the model number. Each Installation-Type-Purpose letter combination uses its own model number sequence, starting at 1. Blocks of high model numbers are reserved for use by Canada (500-599, 2500-2599), Australia (2000-2099), New Zealand (2100-2199) and the UK (2200-2299). It seems that the first number of the Canadian block (500) is never used, i.e. Canadian designations always start with 501.
The optional suffix letter (5) denotes a specific version of the equipment. The first version uses no suffix, the first modifcation uses "A", etc. The letters "I", "O", "Q", "S", "T", "X", "Y", "Z" are not used as version suffix. "I", "O", "Q" and "S" could be confused with numerals 1, 0 and 5 respectively, for "T", "X", "Y" and "Z" see section 3.4.
(6) The "(V)" symbol indicates an equipment with variable components (sets, groups or units). A number following the "(V)" is used to designate a specific version of the equipment, i.e. with a specific component configuration. If a component of a set or system is of variable configuration, i.e. carries a "(V)" symbol, the set or system itself must also use the "(V)" symbol.
Notes:
1. Installation letter "C", type letters "B" and "Z", and purpose letter "Z" are reserved for use by the NSA (National Security Agency) only.
2. "Cryptographic" is not an "installation" letter in the proper sense. It should have been a new "type" or "purpose" letter.
3. Installation letter "G" is used, when two or more of "F", "M", "P", "T" or "V" apply.
4. Installation letter "M" is only used if the vehicle housing the equipment is solely designed for this purpose, i.e. the vehicle is a part of the equipment. For equipment installed in other vehicles, like tanks, etc., installation letter "V" is used.
5. Installation letter "T" is only used, if none of "G", "M", "P", "U" or "V" can be applied. It is intended for equipment, which can be moved, but can't be operated while in motion.
6. Installaton letter "U" is used in following two principally different cases:
- Equipment items (e.g. a radio AN/URC-n), which can be used in different installations (e.g. in aircraft, ship or ground
installations)
- Systems, which consist of several components installed in different locations (e.g. the AN/USD-9 system has an airborne
component AN/ARW-83 and a ground-based component AN/TSQ-105)
7. This designator was actually used. For example, the AN/CBQ-1 was an air-transportable pigeon loft & message center. The "AN" system, as originally devised, was intended for electronic and communications equipment. The US military used homing pigeons (on a small scale, of course) through WW II (the Army did not retire its last homing pigeon until 1957).
8. Type letter "E" (Laser) is a fairly recent (1985) addition to the system and is not in wide use. Most laser devices use either "V" or "A", depending on the laser wavelength.
Groups and units (i.e. the components of complete sets and systems) are designated as follows:
| Examples: | MD | - | 945 | / | TSC | ||
| AM | - | 4859 | A | / | ARN-89 | ||
| R | - | 1808 | (V)5 | / | TRS-2(V) | ||
| OA | - | 1256 | / | MPQ-4A | |||
| PP | - | 867 | / | U | |||
| AS | - | 22 | / | AP | |||
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (5) | (4) |
The one- or two-letter code (1) indicates the type of the unit or group.
Group indicators:
Unit indicators:
(2) is the model number. Each unit or group indicator uses its own model number sequence, starting at 1. Blocks of high model numbers are reserved for use by Canada (5000-5999, 25000-25999), Australia (20000-20999), New Zealand (21000-21999) and the UK (22000-22999).
The optional suffix letter (3) denotes a specific version of the equipment. The first version uses no suffix, the first modifcation uses "A", etc. The letters "I", "O", "Q", "S", "T", "X", "Y", "Z" are not used as version suffix. "I", "O", "Q" and "S" could be confused with numerals 1, 0 and 5 respectively, for "T", "X", "Y" and "Z" see section 3.4.
(4) The full type designation of a group or unit includes a slant bar, followed by the designation of the set or system, of which it is a part. If the equipment can be used with several systems, a more general designator is appended. E.g. the MD-945/TSC is a modulator, which is used with several AN/TSC-n systems, while the AS-22/AP is an antenna, which is used with several airborne radar sets/systems with different purpose indicators. A designation for a general purpose component, i.e. one that is not designed to be used in a specific environment, should use only the general installation letter "U" after the slant bar. However, the "/U" suffix is often omitted in these cases.
(5) The "(V)" symbol indicates an equipment (usually a group) with variable components. A number following the "(V)" is used to designate a specific version of the equipment, i.e. with a specific component configuration.
Notes:
1. Group indicator "OS" was added to the system in 1998, and clashes with the "OS" unit indicator. These two designators apparently share a single numerical model number sequence.
2. Unit indicator "DU" is not listed in the original MIL-STD-196E. It was added to the system around 1999 and will be included in the next revision of MIL-STD-196.
Training items designed to be used with a certain equipment item are designated by adding "-Tn" to the equipment designator. E.g., the second training set for the AN/APQ-13 radar set is designated as AN/APQ-13-T2. If a set/system can be used for training with several sets/systems of a certain type, the model number is omitted. E.g., AN/APG-T1 is the first training set designed to be used with several AN/APG-n systems. If a set/system can be used for training with equipment in different installation locations, installation letter "U" is used, e.g. AN/URC-T1 is a training set for both airborne (AN/ARC-n) and ground (AN/GRC-n) radio communicators.
Modifications of an equipment, which only change the electrical power input requirements (e.g. different voltage and/or frequency), are not indicated by the "standard" modification letters "A", "B", etc., but by the three reserved letters "X", "Y" and "Z". These can also be combined, e.g. AN/ARC-51BX is the first power input modification of the AN/ARC-51B. If more than 3 power input modifications exist for a specific equipment, multiple suffix letters ("XX", "YY", etc.) are used.
During the development phase of an equipment item, a development indicator like (XN-1) may be appended to
the basic equipment designation. The letter combination always starts with "X" and indicates the organization
responsible for the development, and the number is a sequential series number (using separate series for
each combination of equipment designator and developing organization). E.g., the AN/APS-73(XH-3) is
the third developmental model of the basic AN/APS-73 by the Air Force Aerial Reconnaissance Laboratory.
The following letter combinations for organizations have been defined over the years (not all of
them are still used today):
Designators for data processing sets and systems (type indicator "Y") can optionally be further detailed to indicate the characteristics of the equipment. In this case, additional digits in parentheses are inserted behind the installation-type-purpose designator, e.g. AN/UYK(1,4,5)-n. The following digits can be used:
There are two other designators, which are used in a way similar to the "(V)" for variable configuration equipment, i.e. they are appended behind the model number. These designators are:
An example, which uses both of these designators, is RT-1539A(P)(C)/G.
If an equipment item has not yet received an official designation, it can be referred to using a designation, where the model number has been replaced by parentheses. E.g., a new fire control radar system could be identified as AN/APG-() in the initial development phase.
[The information in this section was contributed by Chuck Hansen. Thanks!]
The postwar U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) assigned "AERO" designations to many different types of equipment, that were used on postwar US Navy aircraft. More specifically, "AERO" designations were assigned to aircraft ordnance equipment and accessories, including tow targets, gunsights, bombsights, target carriers, gun chargers, turrets, bomb shackles, bomb and torpedo racks, launchers and ejectors, bomb trailers and skids, and bomb and torpedo hoists. The following table lists the AERO numbers assigned to airborne defensive fire control systems.
| Number | Contractor | Description/Use |
| AERO-1 | Westinghouse | 4x20mm tail turret with automatic gun laying radar |
| AERO-2 | General Electric | 2x20mm wingtip turret with radar |
| AERO-3 | Emerson | 2x20mm wingtip roll/traverse turret |
| AERO-4 | Martin | 4x20mm roll/traverse fighter nose turret |
| AERO-5 | General Electric | 4x20mm tail turret with automatic gun laying radar |
| AERO-6 | Martin | 2x20mm; automatic gun laying with S-6 sight & APG-19 radar; for P4M tail (X220CH-3) |
| AERO-7 | Martin | 2x20mm; S-4 sight, stabilized drive; for P4M tail (X220CH-2) |
| AERO-8 | Martin | 2x.60 cal; automatic gun laying with S-4 sight; for P4M tail (X260CH-1) |
| AERO-9 | Emerson | 2x20mm nose turret; for P4M and P2V |
| AERO-10 | Emerson | 2x20mm nose turret; S-9 sight, stabilized drive |
| AERO-11 | Emerson | 2x20mm; Mk 18 sight, APG-18 radar; for patrol plane tails (X220RH-1) |
| AERO-12 | Martin | 2x20mm side turret; for XP5Y-1 |
| AERO-13 | Emerson | 2x20mm deck turret (as AERO-9) |
| AERO-14 | Emerson | 2x20mm deck turret; stabilized drive; for P2V-7 |
| (15) | (No information) | |
| AERO-16 | ERCO | 2x20mm teardrop turret (modified ERCO X220TH-1) |
| AERO-17 | Emerson | 4x.50 cal. roll/traverse nose turret; for F9F-3 |
| AERO-18 | Control Instr.(Westinghouse) | 2x20mm roll/traverse nose turret; Vickers drive; for escort fighters |
| AERO-19 | NADC | Side turret |
| AERO-20 | Emerson | 20mm side turret (similar to AERO-12) |
| AERO-21 | Westinghouse | 2x20mm tail turret (developed from AERO-11); for A3D |
| AERO-22 | Westinghouse | Automatic gun laying radar |
| AERO-23 | Westinghouse | Automatic gun laying radar turret; for XP6M-1 |
| AERO-24 | Emerson | Wingtip turret; for XP5Y-1 |
[The information in this section was contributed by Per Nyström. Thanks!]
The following text is quoted from "The History of US Electronic Warfare" (source [5]), Volumes 2 and 3:
AIR FORCE QUICK REACTION CAPABILITY PROGRAMS, 1952 TO 1964
In 1952, mid-way through the Korean War, the US Air Force issued a new directive entitled "Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) for ECM". This procedure was to be used when it was necessary to procure quickly limited quantities of new equipment, to counter new enemy electronic threats as they were discovered. The program used production procurement funds, which are larger than those for research and development. The ECM Branch of the Aircraft Radiation laboratory at Wright Field was assigned technical responsibility for the resultant QRC equipments designed for airborne use, and the Air Force Supply Depot at Gentile AFB held procurement responsibility. Early in the program an in-house QRC facility was established at the Rome Air Development Center for building ground-based systems. Following a competitive bid the Hallicrafters Company at Chicago won the contract to become sole source contractor to built QRC systems, and held the position throughout most of the 1950s. As electronic warfare increased in importance the company did well out of the program. It also enjoyed an advantage over competitors, when the Air Force wanted QRC equipments placed in production. In 1959, following strong representations from competing companies, the Air Force revised the QRC program to allow any suitable company to bid for the work.
Usually a QRC program would provide engineering prototypes or a few production models of an equipment, plus sufficient spare parts for one year's operation. In a very few cases, however, as many as 100 examples of a specific equipment might be built. Later the Navy and the Army would initiate QRC programs of their own, though the other two services would use them far less than the Air Force. The Navy equipments built under QRC contracts carried regular equipment designators rather than QRC designators, making them difficult to identify. The Army ran its own system of QRC designators in parallel with that used by the Air Force, also starting from QRC-1.
The List of QRC Programs from [5] gives brief details of the first 232 Air Force QRC programs, spanning the period between the date of the initiation of the procedure and the end of 1964. A few post-1964 numbers are also listed, but the list is incomplete from this date on.
In more recent days there appears to be a continued use of "QRC" designations but in a slightly different format. There are references to projects with designations like QRC xx-yy, where xx is 83 or 84, possibly indicating a year, and yy is a low number, up to 05, possibly a consecutive series of QRC projects for that year. QRC may also be read as "Quick Reaction Contract" in these cases. A list with a few of these designations can be found here.
Note: Special thanks go to David Huie. Without his active help, the designation listings on this site wouldn't be anywhere near as complete as they are now!
Because some of the AN equipment listings are fairly large, I provide them in separate files. If a certain AN/Axx, AN/Cxx, AN/Dxx or AN/Zxx code is not listed, then I don't know any equipment item using that designator. You may also look for listings of designations on the sites listed on the Link page.
The reasons, why I do not attempt
to include listings of equipment with installation-letters other than "A", "C", "D" and "Z" are:
- The topic of my site are military aviation designations.
- I really do have very few data about other "AN" designations, because my library is almost completely aviation related.
The AN/USD category is listed, because it includes several drone surveillance systems, and is therefore "on-topic" for an aviation
related site.
Notes for the designation lists:
Navigation Bar
If your browser - and you ;-) - like frames, click here to view the equipment listings in a window with a separate "AN/xxx" Navigation Bar on the left side. This is definitely not a very sophisticated solution, but I want to avoid any frame-based trouble (i.e. difficulties with bookmarking, search-engines, text-only browsers, etc.) with this website (as you will have noticed, I'm not focusing on design, but on content ;-)) ).
Note: Other AN/Uxx listings are outside the scope pf this website.
[1] Department of Defense: MIL-STD-196E "Joint Electronics Type Designation System"
[2] Department of Defense: MIL-HDBK-505 "Handbook For Definitions Of Item Levels, Item Exchangability, Models And Related Terms"
[3] Department of Defense: MIL-HDBK-1812 "Type Designation, Assignment And Method For Obtaining"
[4] Ray Mote: "World War Two Nomenclature Systems", in ELECTRIC RADIO Magazine, June & July 1995
[5] Association of Old Crows: "The History of US Electronic Warfare"
(The designation listings were compiled using a wide variety of sources, not the least of which were the Internet and contributions
by fellow researchers.)