MILITARY ENCYCLOPEDIA

Semi-automatic command to line of sight: a missile guidance method where the operator keeps the target in the sight, and the system automatically adjusts the missile's flight path to maintain alignment.

A sail is a fabric structure attached to a mast that propels a vessel by capturing wind.

A flat surface or structure on an aircraft that generates lift or thrust, typically used to describe the wings or rotor blades of fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) radar are airborne radar systems used to detect, track, and image moving or stationary targets on the ground, regardless of weather or lighting conditions.

A communication link between a drone and its control station via satellite relay, enabling beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) operations.

Scatterable: a capability of anti‑personnel mines that allows them to be deployed en masse by aerial, artillery, or vehicle‑borne dispersal systems rather than manual placement.

A breech mechanism in artillery where a cylindrical plug with spiral threads is rotated to open or close the breech.

Anti-ballistic missile systems deployed on naval platforms, designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles during flight.

Sea-Launched Cruise Missiles (SLCM) are cruise missiles launched from naval vessels, typically submarines or surface ships, to attack land targets. They are guided missiles that fly at low altitudes and speeds.

Sea‑skimming is a low‑altitude flight profile in which a missile or projectile flies close to the sea surface to minimize radar detection and increase survivability.

Select fire is a fire selector mechanism on a firearm that lets the shooter choose the firing mode, such as semi‑automatic, burst, or fully automatic.

Firearm capability allowing selection between semi-automatic and fully automatic modes via a selector switch.

A safety or security feature in anti-personnel mines that renders the device permanently inoperable or destroys its components to prevent unauthorized use or recovery.

Artillery system with integrated propulsion, enabling movement under its own power rather than being towed.

Self-propelled artillery consists of artillery pieces mounted on self-propelled chassis, providing mobile, armored platforms for indirect fire support.

Fuel tanks equipped with a material that automatically seals punctures from small arms fire or shrapnel to prevent leakage and reduce fire risk.

A guidance method where a missile uses radar reflections from an external illuminator, typically a ground or airborne radar, to track and intercept a target.

A semi‑automatic transmission in a tank automatically shifts gears using hydraulic or mechanical mechanisms while the driver selects gear positions, reducing manual clutch operation.

Firearms that discharge one round per trigger pull and automatically chamber the next round, requiring manual operation of the bolt between shots.

A ship or submarine serving as the delivery platform for launching torpedoes against targets.

Surface ship from which a torpedo is launched, typically a destroyer, cruiser, or dedicated torpedo boat.

Ship-based Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) are rapid-fire, radar-guided autocannons or missiles designed to detect and destroy incoming anti-ship missiles, aircraft, and drones at short range.

Ship-launched: a torpedo designed to be deployed from surface warships using onboard launch tubes or deck-mounted launchers.

Anti-ship missiles launched from naval platforms, designed to strike other ships or maritime targets with guided warheads.

Ship-launched SAM/Naval AAW systems are ship-mounted surface-to-air missile systems designed to intercept aerial threats, integrating radar, fire control, and missile launchers for naval anti-aircraft defense.

Artillery tactic where a firing unit rapidly deploys, fires, and relocates to avoid counter-battery fire.

SHORAD: Short-Range Air Defense, a military air defense system.

Short Range Air Defense systems are mobile ground-based weapons designed to counter low-altitude aerial threats such as helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles within a range typically under 10 km.

Firearm operating mechanism where the barrel and breech recoil together a short distance before unlocking, extracting, and ejecting the spent casing.

Short recoil is a firearm operating mechanism where the barrel and slide move together for a short distance after firing, then separate to complete extraction, ejection, and chambering.

Air-to-air missiles designed for engagements within visual range, typically under 20 nautical miles, using infrared or radar guidance for close combat.

Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM) are ballistic missiles with a range of less than 1,000 km, typically used for land-attack missions. They are launched from a mobile or fixed platform and follow a parabolic trajectory.

Short-range nuclear missiles are ballistic or cruise missiles with a range typically under 1,000 km, designed to deliver nuclear warheads for battlefield or tactical use.

A portable rocket or missile launcher designed to be operated by a single soldier from the shoulder.

SIGINT/ELINT satellites are reconnaissance satellites that intercept and collect signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic intelligence (ELINT) data, such as radar emissions and communications signals.

Military equipment designed to intercept, identify, and locate foreign communications and electronic signals for intelligence purposes.

Silo-based: a launch configuration in which an intercontinental ballistic missile is stored and launched from a hardened underground silo.

Firearm mechanism requiring manual cocking of the hammer before each shot, firing only when the trigger is pulled.

Firearm or weapon designed to be loaded and fired once before reloading.

A firearm feed system where only one round is chambered and fired per cycle, requiring manual reloading.

A single-use or disposable underbarrel grenade launcher is a type that is intended to be used once and then discarded, often due to its low cost or limited functionality.

Slat or cage armour is an external protective grid designed to detonate incoming anti-tank projectiles before they strike the main vehicle armour.

Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile, a ballistic missile launched from a submarine.

Submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM): a ballistic missile capable of being launched from a submarine, typically carrying nuclear warheads.

A breech mechanism in artillery where a solid block slides horizontally to open and close the breech for loading.

A recoil system where the gun barrel slides backward within the cradle during firing, absorbing recoil energy before returning to battery.

Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) are compact, precision-guided munitions designed for use in various military aircraft. They are typically smaller and lighter than standard bombs, allowing for increased payload capacity and versatility.

Smoke grenades are pyrotechnic devices deployed by infantry fighting vehicles to create a visual screen, obscuring movement or positions from enemy observation or targeting.