Military Callsign List (forever under construction) Last Revised 1/16/03 Latest version incorporates observations by Ron Perron, MD PLEASE READ IMPORTANT NOTES AT END US Military Identifier Usage A callword is a station identifier without numbers, such as Mudbug Control. A callsign is one with numbers, such as Abnormal 10. Some calls are static, that is they stay the same for long periods. Others are tactical, changing with each day or even each mission. The US Strategic Command (a joint nuclear "triad") continues the old Air Force policy of changing the words daily, from a master list. Aircraft tend to use words with 2-3 syllables. The ground station, WAR46, has also adopted the use of such words. Selection is reputed to be random, but some come back around more often than others. There is no point listing these rotating calls here, as they would be obsolete before they made the list. Static callsigns/callwords of air tankers used to associate with gasoline, gas stations, or fuel in general, though the association became pretty vague. "FUELER" is currently a common tanker call in the Pacific. Fighters tend to get quite a bit more macho. Many transports use the callsign REACH (Air Mobility Command) plus a mission number and optional letter. Other transports might use the number 1 or 01 for the unit commander's aircraft, such as PACAF 01 (US Pacific Air Force), and of course the famous Presidential "AIR FORCE ONE." Similarly, 2 or 02 can denote the deputy commander. Ron Perron notes that fighters with the callword plus numbers 81 or 91 are probably on cross country or out-of-area flights, though other units use special callwords for these. (This is especially common for US aircraft being ferried across the Atlantic.) Many CPs, Air National Guard or CAP units, and the like, derive callwords from geographical characteristics of their locations, aka AK-SAR-BEN (Nebraska backwards, and a popular horse track), FOG PATCH CONTROL (an AFB near Visalia, where it gets foggy in winter), MUDBUG (near the Mississippi "big muddy" delta, where mudbug crabs are found), and HIGH ROLLER (Nevada ANG, Reno). A few callsigns/callwords are acronyms, such as ARIA (Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft), JOINT STARS (Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System), SPAR (Special Air Resources), and SAM (Special Air Mission). Some aircraft have "front end" calls (the flight crew) and "back end" calls (the staff operating at the positions in the back). These can and will be heard simultaneously. Three-character alphanumeric calls such as "T-9-V" (which would be given phonetically as "Tango Niner Victor") are "NATO trigraphs," and also assigned tactically. Some units, especially the US Navy, often abbreviate these. More recently, the use of Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) has led to many stations having both their static calls and special "addresses" that show up on ALE decoders. The more modern ALE standard allows these to get pretty long, though most are still under 8 or so characters. Some include the agency name, but most don't. Good hunting! Callsign List - Military, some US Govt Callsign Type User AAC2 US Army Harbormaster, Ft. Eustis, VA AADS LCU US Army Vessel Runnymeade, LCU-2001 AADT USAV ALDIE LCU-2004 AADU USAV BRANDY STATION LCU-2005 AADV USAV BRISTOE STATION LCU-2006 AADW USAV BROAD RUN LCU-2007 AADX USAV BUENA VISTA LCU-2008 AADY USAV SPRINGFIELD LCU-2009 AADZ USAV CEDAR RUN LCU-2010 AAEA LCU US Army Vessel Chickahominy LCU-2011 AAEB USAV CHICKASAW BAYOU LCU-2012 AAEC LSV-1 USAV GEN. FRANK S. BESSON-FT EUSTIS AAED LSV-2 USAV-CW3 HAROLD C. CLINGER-FORD ISLAND HI AAEE LSV-3 USAV Gen. Brehon B. Somervell-TACOMA WASH AAEF LSV-4 USAV LT. GEN. WILLIAM BUNKER-FT EUSTIS VA AAEG USAV KENESAW MTN LCU-2002 AAEH USAV MACON LCU-2003 AAEI USAV CHURUBUSCO LCU-2013 AAEJ USAV COAMO LCU-2014 AAFA LSV-6 USAV SPEC4 JAMES A. LOUX-FT EUSTIS VA AAFB USAV MAJ GEN NATHANIEL GREEN LT-801 ABENAKI New Hampshire CAP ABNORMAL 10 Western Test Range, Vandenberg AFB, CA ABNORMAL 30 Western Test Range, Kwajalein Test Site ABYSS C-130E 302nd AW, Peterson AFB, CO ACCOUNTANT USAF Rescue ACROBAT Old Secret Service code for Andrews AFB, MD ADMM LCU USAV CONTRERES LCU-2015 ADMN LCU US Army Landing Craft, USAV Corinth ADMO LCU USAV EL CANEY LCU-2017 ADMP LCU USAV FIVE FORKS LCU-2018 ADMQ LCU USAV FORT DONELSON LCU-2019 ADMR LCU USAV FORT MCHENRY LCU-2020 ADMS LCU USAV GREAT BRIDGE LCU-2021 ADMT LCU USAV HARPERS FERRY LCU-2022 ADMU LCU USAV HOBKIRK LCU-2023 ADMV LCU USAV HOMIGUEROS LCU-2024 ADMW LCU USAV MALVERN HILL LCU-2025 ADMX LCU USAV MATAMOROS LCU-2026 ADMY LCU USAV MECHANICSVILLE LCU-2027 ADMZ LCU USAV MISSIONARY RIDGE LCU-2028 ADNA LCU USAV MOLINO DEL REY LCU-2029 ADNB LCU USAV MONTERREY LCU-2030 ADNC LCU USAV NEW ORLEANS LCU-2031 ADND LCU USAV PALO ALTO LCU-2032 ADNE LCU USAV PAULUS HOOK LCU-2033 ADNF LCU USAV PERRYVILLE LCU-2034 ADNG LCU USAV Port Hudson LCU-2035 ADOBE KC-135? ADSV LSV-5 USAV MAJ GEN CHARLES P GROSS-FORD ISLAND HI ADTG USAV MAJ GEN HENRY KNOX LT-802 ADTH USAV MAJ GEN ANTHONY WAYNE LT-803 ADTI USAV BRIG GEN ZEBULON PIKE LT-804 ADTJ USAV MAJ GEN WINFIELD SCOTT LT-805 ADTK USAV COL SETH WARNER LT-806 ADTL USAV SGT MAJ JOHN CHAMPE LT-807 ADTM USAV MAJ GEN JACOB BROWN LT-808 AEGIS C-130H Dyess AFB AERO CAP, DC AFTON C-130 Wyoming ANG AGAR var 412th TW, Edwards AFB, CA, missile test a/c AIR FORCE 1 USAF acft carrying US Pres (usually 747) AIR FORCE 2 USAF acft carrying US Vice President AIR FORCE RESCUE Any ARRS a/c on SAR, plus tail ## Aircat LCAC Generic for air-cushioned landing craft AIREVAC Aircraft on a medical airlift mission AKSARBEN USAF, Offutt AFB (Nebraska backwards AME var Spanish Air Force (spoken phonetically) ANDY Andrews AFB, MD ANGEL AF-1 Secret Service code when airborne ANGEL CAP, Montana ANGRY OWL Hill AFB, UT range control ANGRY WARRIOR Hill AFB, UT Eagle Range Control APACHE AH-64 Generic: US Army helo ARCHITECT Royal Air Force Strike Command, UK ARCO KC-135 Tanker ARIA Advanced Range Instrumention Aircraft, EDW ASCOT var Royal Air Force, UK (all UK transports) ATLAS DEA/Collins flight following fac., Cedar Rapids, IA AUGUR F-16 52nd FW, Spangdahlem AFB, Germany USAFE AUSSIE RAAF AWOKE RC-135 55th Wing, Offutt AFB, NE AXE C-12 AXEMAN EA-6B US Navy, VAQ-209 BACKSPIN Hill AFB, UT range control for R-6404 BAMA F-16 187th FG, AL ANG at Dannelly Field BANDSAW E-3B 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK BANDSAW ABC E-3B 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK (US training) BANDSAW GOLF E-3C 552nd ACW battlestaff call BANDSAW JULIET E-3B 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK BARRACUDA US Customs, hrd working PANTHER BEARMAT USMC 29 Palms, CA range control BEAVER NAS North Island, CA FACSFAC BEAVER FOX CAP, Oregon BEAZ ??? BETA WC-130 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, MS BIGFOOT NORAD western US air defense SOCC, McChord A BILLFISH US CUSTOMS MARINE SUPPORT BAHAMAS BLACK BEAR Civil Air Patrol, command, California BLACK HAWK CAP, Ohio BLACK LIST 29 Palms AGCC, CA range control BLACKFOOT CAP, North Dakota BLACKSHEEP US CUSTOMS AIR BRANCH SAN ANGELO TX BLOIE F-16 113th FW, DC ANG at Andrews AFB BLUE ANGELS F/A-18 Navy Demo Team, NAS Pensacola, FL BLUE BIRD CAP, Missouri BLUE CHIP CAP, Tennessee BLUE FIRE US Customs, Houston, TX BLUE FLITE CAP, Virginia BLUE GHOST NAS Key West, FL BLUE KNIGHT Robins AFB, GA Lockheed Security Unit BLUE STAR US Navy TSCC, Rosey Roads NAS, PR BOEING Generic callword for company tests BOOM KC-135 AF Reserve Tankers BRANCH P-3C USN BRANDYWINE Andrews AFB, MD SATCOM center BRICKYARD Gnd Grissom ARB, IN BROADWAY US CUSTOMS NEW YORK CITY SECTOR OPS BRONCO OV-10D US State Dept anti-drug BROOK C-130 153rd AG, WY ANG at Cheyenne BROOM EC-130 193rd SOG, PA ANG at Harrisburgh BROWN BEAR Civil Air Patrol command, California BUFF B-52 Barksdale AFB, LA BULLFROG TANGO Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, CA CABIN CRUISER US Customs AB, Caribbean CAMSLANT US Coast Guard Atlantic Master Station, VA CAMSPAC US Coast Guard Pacific Master.Station., CA CANFORCE var Canadian Forces CAPS F-16 113th FW, DC ANG at Andrews AFB CARMEN C-130 DE-ANG CARPET US Secret Service motor pool, DC or field CHALICE AWACS 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK CHALICE ABC AWACS 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK CHEROKEE White Sands Missle Range, NM CHESTAID US Customs CHINO C-130 928th AG, O'Hare Int'l, IL CID ALE c/s for Rockwell/Collins, Cedar Rapids CIRCUS BLANC GND FAF, Bangui, Africa CIRCUS BONNE GND FAF, Bordeaux CIRCUS CITRON GND FAF, Cayenne, F. Guyana CIRCUS DIAMANT GND FAF, Dole/Taveaux CIRCUS DORE GND FAF, Djibouti CIRCUS EBENE GND FAF, Evereaux CIRCUS FRAISE GND FAF, Ft. de France CIRCUS LILAS GND FAF, Libreville, Gabon CIRCUS NOIR GND FAF, Noumea, New Caledonia CIRCUS OCRE GND FAF, Orleans CIRCUS ORANGE GND FAF, Dakar, Senegal CIRCUS SEVRON GND FAF, SKOPJE, MACEDONIA CIRCUS TANGO GND FAF, Toulouse CIRCUS TILLEUL GND FAF, NDJAMENA, CHAD CIRCUS VERT GND FAF, CFAP HQ, Villacoublay CIRCUS VILLA GND FAF, Villacoublay CLAM BAKE US Customs, Boston, MA COAST GUARD ## US Coast Guard airplane or helo COAST GUARD ONE Cmdr. Of US Coast Guard COAST GUARD RESCUE US Coast Guard aircraft involved in SAR CONDOR US Army Rapid Deploy C troop, Ft. Polk COPPER KC-135 161st ARG, AZ ANG at Phoenix CORNHUSKER KC-135 190th ARG, KS ANG at Topeka CORNSTATE CAP, Iowa CORVETTE A-10A 103rd FG, CT ANG at Bradley ANGB COTAM var French Air Force transports CRESCENT CAP, SC CREST LINE MCAS Camp Pendleton, CA North Range CROWN White House Communications Agency CROWN CITY US Customs, Coronado, CA CRUD F-16 144th FW, CA ANG at Fresno ANGB CRUMPET USAF/ANG MOBILE RADAR CUBAN SCOUT NAS Moffett, CA CUBE var Coronet callsign for missions to the UK CUDA A-10 118th FS Flying Yankees, Bradley ANGB, CT. CUDA A-10A 103rd FG, CT ANG at Bradley ANGB CUERVO F-16 144th FW, CA ANG at Fresno ANGB CUFMY EC-135 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK CUTTY SARK Nightwatch tac call, comes around a lot CUJO F-16 CYPRUS FLIGHTWATCH GND RAF STICS, Cyprus CYRANO E-3F FAF DACOTAH CAP, South Dakota DAE var Danish Air Force (spoken phonetically) DAGGER A-10A 104th FG, MA ANG at Barnes ANGB DANNO A-10A MA ANG at Barnes ANGB DEATH BLOW Nightwatch tac call, comes around a lot DEER HUNTER Gnd NORAD Western Air Defense Sector, WA DEMO var misc military aircraft doing flight demo DENALI AMC ALCC, Elmendorf AFB, AK DESERT BASE US Customs Air Ops, Tucson, AZ DESERT CONTROL NAS Fallon, NV range control DETONE E-3B 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK DHJ 59 Gnd German Navy HQ, Wilhelmshaven DIAMOND CAP, Delaware DIAMONDBACK Gnd US Navy, Oceana, VA DLA 302 Gnd Defense Logistics Agency, Stockton CA DLA 303 Gnd Defense Logistics Agency, Bremerton WA DOMINO US Air Defense, FL DOOM B-52 2nd Wing, Barksdale AFB, LA DOORWAY CONTROL NAS South Weymouth, MA DOWN RIGGER US Navy FACSFAC, Whidbey Island, WA DRAGNET F-1 Mirage French Armee de l'Air France DRAGO USAF Aerial Control Team DUSTER F-15 48th FW, RAF Lakenheath, UK EAGLE Civil Air Patrol, California EAGLE NEST CAP, Texas EMPIRE Civil Air Patrol, New York EMPIRE US Customs, Inland Empire, Riverside, CA ENERGY var Dept of Energy acft ENJEP T-38 Euro-Nato Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB ENYP Ship Russian RTMKS Kapitan Butrimov EOYW Ship Russian RTMS Arabat EXECUTIVE 1 civil aircraft with US President on board EXECUTIVE 1 F aircraft carrying the First Family EXECUTIVE 2 civil aircraft with US Vice Pres on board EXECUTIVE 2 F aircraft with VP's family FAF var French Air Force (spoken phonetically) FAF0400 C-135 French AF, Istres FALCON P-3C Netherlands Royal Navy, Caribbean ops FIDDLE Gnd US Navy TSCC, Jacksonville, FL FIGHTING TIGER P-3C VP-8, NAS Brunswick ME FILO E-3B 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK FIR CAP, Washington FIREBRAND CAP, Hawaii FIRE SHIP Nightwatch tac call FISHER gnd Tactical call used by Cape Radio, FL FISH NET Nightwatch tac call FLAG PLOT USCG HQ Ops Center, Washington DC FLASH 84 B737 CINC SOUTHCOM, FL Flight Check KingAir FAA Facilities Check aircraft, Oklahoma City FLINT var DEA aircraft FLINT BASE DEA DALLAS TX FLYNEST Nuclear/CBW Emergency Search Team FMN var French Navy (spoken phonetically) FOCUS 962nd AWACS, Alaska FOG PATCH CONTR US Air Force CP, near Visalia, CA FORCE var Canadian Forces FOXTROT TANGO USN tracking net control FOXTROT WHISKEY USN Pacific Air Defense Warning Net FREEDOM CAP, Massachussetts FREEDOM STAR NASA Booster Recovery Vessel FRIED CHICKEN US Customs, New Orleans, LA FRONTIER CONTL Vandenberg AFB, CA range surveillance FURIOUS AMC South America ALCC FUROR C-130 352nd SOG, RAF Mildenhall, UK FURRY F-16 USAF, Germany FYY var RAF Finningley based acft GABBY F-15 48th FW, RAF Lakenheath, UK GAF var German Air Force GASSER,GASSR ? US Air Force tanker GIANT KILLER NAS Oceana, VA FACSFAC Virginia Capes GIBRALTAR FLTWTCH GND RAF STICS, Gibraltar GLASS EYE USAF acft on NUDET visual observation miss GLOBAL Postpended to GHFS base stations GLUCOSE KC-10 4th Wing, Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC GOLDEN HAWK USN Brunswick TSCC, ME GOLDENROD CAP, Alabama GROVE CONTROL Royal Navy, UK GUARDIAN var CONUS ROCC, Langley AFB GUDA C-130 352nd SOG, RAF Mildenhall, UK GUN BARREL Nightwatch tac call GUN RACK Nightwatch tac call GUN SHOP Nightwatch tac call Gulf test G-V Generic test call for Grumman Gulfstream GUNSMOKE Nellis AFB, NV Flight Weapons School HABITAT Gnd US Navy TSCC, Whidbey Island, WA HAF var Hellenic (Greek) Air Force HAMMER US Customs DAICC, possibly March ARB, CA HAMPSHIRE Commander Naval Forces Carribbean HAPPY HOUR US Customs, Gulfport, MS HAPPY HUNTER Point Loma Range, CA HARD ROCK Customs? HAVEN GND RAF STICS, Ascension Is. HEADCAP Civil Air Patrol HQ, number tells person HERC C-130 Generic C-130 callsign HERKEY C-130 Another generic C-130 call HERSHEY Key West, FL Joint Air Recon Control Center HIGH ROLLER Nevada ANG, Reno HIGH VOLTAGE US ground control for UK a/c HILDA 375th AW HQ TACC, AMC, Scott AFB, IL HILDA EAST AOR for everything E of Mississippi to India HILDA WEST AOR for everything W of Mississippi to India HILL CAP var CAP, West Virginia HIPPO Tonopaw Test Range, NV HOPPER LCAC37 Generic for air-cushioned landing hovercraft HORNET Royal Navy, Portsmouth, UK HORNET F/A-18 generic F/A-18 callsign HORNET TOWER Hill AFB, UT range control for HAG R-6404 HOSER KC-135 HULA DANCER US Navy FACSFAC, Hawaii HUNTER RAF Nimrod on Blue Star ASW/drug ops HUNTER CP-140 RCAF HUNTRESS NORAD Northeast ROCC, Griffis AFB, NY IAF var Israeli Air Force (spoken phonetically) ICE PACK TACC/Air Support Coord Section ICH Italian Navy, La Maddalena Idaho Aircraft on FBI surveillance (joint) Index 100 US Customs El Paso Intel Ctr (EPIC), TX INDIA var Italian Air Force INDY KC-135 434th ARW, Grissom ARB, IN JAMBO B-52 2nd Wing, Barksdale AFB, LA Jammer C-5 Dover AFB per Ron Perron JAYHAWK CAP, Kansas JAZZ F-15 159th FG, LA ANG at NAS New Orleans JEFFERSON var CAP, Virginia JEWEL BOX Nightwatch tac call JOLLY helo SAR helos not on SAR mission JOSHUA CONTROL 412th TW, Edwards AFB, CA (approach) JPAT Jet Priority Air Transport, US Army JSTARS 03 E-8C Same as WIZZARD, Army/USAF joint radar a/c KEYSTONE CAP, Pennsylvania KING CAP, Wyoming KING USAF SAR aircraft not on mission KITTY HAWK CAP, NC KITTYHAWK Royal Squadron (Number 32), RAF KIWI RESCUE Royal New Zealand Air Force on SAR LEE OPS US Army Ops at Petersberg Apt, VA LEOPARD CT-114 Canadian trainer LETTERMAN Hickam AFB, HI weather forcasts LIBERTY STAR NASA Booster Recovery Vessel LIFTER C-141 generic C-141 callsign LONE STAR US Customs, Houston, TX LONE STAR TALCE US military Tactical Airlift Control Element LONG FIRE MCAS Camp Pendleton, CA South Range LONGHORN US Customs, Houston, TX LONG KNIFE ??? LONG RIFLE MCAS Camp Pendleton, CA South Range LOOKING GLASS var Old code for STRATCOMM airborne CP LOS var RAF Lossiemouth based acft MAGIC E-3D RAF NATO 8/23 AWACS, Waddington (UK) MAGIC E-3D NATO AWACS deployed to CONUS MAGIC F-16 144th FW, CA ANG at Fresno ANGB MAINE KC-135 101st ARW, ME ANG at Bangor MAJAN var Omani Air Force MARINE 1 USMC helicopter with US President on board MARINE 2 USMC helicopter with US Vice Pres on board marlin DEA, Cedar Rapids, IA MARLIN 395 El Paso Intel Ctr (EPIC) MARS CT-33 RCAF MAST OPS Army Ops at Kelly Heliport, Ft Sam Houston MAZDA var Coronet callsign for missions to the UK MEDEVAC var acft on medical mission METAPHOR AMC CP, Ramstein AB METMAN var RAF Meteorological Research Flight MIAMI MONITOR National Hurricane Tracking Ctr, Miami, FL MIDDLEGROUND CAP, Kentucky MIG var Mock-aggressor training callword MIME CONTROL ADIZ Southern CA MOCKINGBIRD CAP, Mississippi MOUNTAINEER CAP, West Virginia MUDBUG Barksdale AFB, LA MUH1 British Army 1 Signals Regiment Bramcote MUH1B British Army Signals Munich Germany MUH1C British Army Signals Greece MUH3A Army/Navy comm station Vancouver Canada MUH4 RAAF Darwin MUH4B NavCommSta Darwin MUH5A New Zealand Army Signals MUH7 NavCommSta Canberra MUH7C Australian Army Signals Regiment Enoggera Br MUH8A British Army Signals Eskiopi Cyprus MULL C-130 352nd SOG, RAF Mildenhall, UK MUSHROOM US Customs, Tampa, FL MUSTANG TACC/Direct Air Support Center MUSTANG F-15 48th FW, RAF Lakenheath, UK NALO var Naval Air Logistics Office NASA 1-5 C-11 Johnson Space Center, TX NASA 414-431 var Wallops Island NASA 432 Fkkr27 Wallops Is, tail number N432NA NASA 500-566 var Langley Research Center NASA 600-636 var Lewis Research Center NASA 700-750 var Ames Research Center, CA NASA 8 Kng Ar Wallops Is, tail number N8NA NASA 800-849 var Dryden Flight Center, CA NASA 900-962 var Johnson Space Center, TX NEST Nuclear Emergency Search Team FLYNEST NIGHTHAWK Helo in Marine One party, or Pres not aboard NIGHTHAWK CH-46E HMX-1, MCAF Quantico, VA (CH-53D) NIGHTSTAR E-8C JSTARS, Robins AFB NIGHTWATCH NEACP/NAOC program identifier NIGHTWATCH 01 E-4B Lead NAOC a/c of day, airborne CP for NCA NITRO ? Tanker NORTHERN LIGHTS NE Air Intercept Gnd Ctl NORTHWIND CAP, Nevada NORWEGIAN var Norwegian Air Force NUTMEG CAP, Connecticut OAK GROVE NORAD Southeast ROCC OCEANSIDE 300 US Customs BLUE LIGHTNING Op center, Miami OCTOPUS UK a/c on US ops ODOUR F-16 159th FG, LA ANG at NAS New Orleans OILER KC-135 OILGATE KC-135 OKIE SAM var NORAD link coordination, Tyndall AFB OMAHA var Customs acft used in DEA/Customs activity OPBAT DEA OPS OPEC KC-10 Tanker OPEN SKIES OC-135 NATO compliance a/c, 24th Recon, Offut ORCA Italian Navy OUTRIDER Pacific Missile Range, Barking Sands, Hawaii OVERLORD US Customs Op Ctr, Oklahoma City, OK PACAF 01 Cmdr. Of Pacific Air Forces PACKER P-3C NAS Brunswick, ME PAN HANDLE US Customs Pensacola FL PANTHER DEA/US Customs, Nassau, Bahamas PANTHER 400 DEA, Georgetown, Bahamas PARADISE US Customs, San Juan, PR PAT USArmy Priority Air Transport (Andrews AFB) PATROL Usually a/c engaged in range guard PHANTOM AMC European ALCC PHANTOM OPS 388th FW, Hill AFB, UT range control PICO CAP, Vermont PIGGY F-16 52nd FW, Spangdahlem AFB, Germany USAFE PIKES PEAK CAP, Colorado PILGRIM OPS Army Reserve Ops at Moore AAF, Devens, MA PINEAPPLE CAP, Puerto Rico PINETREE CAP, Maine PING PONG Customs Sector Office, Corpus Christi, TX PLANT CAP, Maryland PLEAD 13 NAS Point Mugu, CA weather PLEAD ALPHA NAS Point Mugu, PMTC ops PLEAD CONTROL NAS Point Mugu, PMTC/PMFC range safety PORT CITY CNTRL 157th ARG, NH ANG at Pease ANGB CP PUEBLO CAP, New Mexico PUERTO RICO gnd USAF GHFS, Salinas, PR QUASAR French military QUEEN Eglin AFB, FL Rescue Ops RACER F-16 181st FG, IN ANG at Hulman Field RAINBOW US Customs, British Virgin Is. RAMSEY C-141 60th AMW, Travis AFB, CA RAWHIDE BASE VRC-40, NAS Norfolk, VA CP RAYMOND Any ACC command post RAYMOND 1 Langley AFB, VA HQ ACC RAYMOND 3 Langley AFB RAYMOND 7 27th FW, Cannon AFB, NM CP RAYMOND 8 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ ACC CP RAYMOND 10 16th SOW, Hurlburt Field AFB, FL CP RAYMOND 11 Eglin AFB, FL CP RAYMOND 13 Langley AFB RAYMOND 14 49th FW, Holloman AFB, NM CP RAYMOND 15 Homestead AFB? RAYMOND 16 1st FW, Langley AFB, VA CP RAYMOND 17 347th Wing, Moody AFB, GA CP RAYMOND 18 56th FW, Luke AFB, AZ CP RAYMOND 19 Robbins AFB, GA RAYMOND 20 Patrick AFB, FL ACC CP RAYMOND 21 55th Wing, Offut AFB, NE CP RAYMOND 22 57th Test Wg, Nellis AFB, NV CP RAYMOND 23 Hill AFB, UT tactical CP RAYMOND 24 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK CP RAYMOND 25 4th Wing, Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC CP RAYMOND 26 20th FW, Shaw AFB, SC CP RAYMOND 27 366th Wing, Mt Home AFB, ID CP RAYMOND 31 Possibly 9th RW, Beale AFB, CA RAYMOND 33 7th Wing, Dyess AFB, TX CP RAYMOND 37 7th Wing, Dyess AFB, TX CP RAYMOND 99 Roswell Industrial Air Center (Roving Sands) RAZOR E-8C JSTARS, Robbins AFB RAZOR P-3 US Navy, Rosy Roads, on drug interdiction RAZOR BACK US Customs Air Center, PR REACH C-141 AMC aircraft (acft #'s 20134-70027) REACH C-5A AMC aircraft (acft #'s 0047-00467) REACH C-5A AMC aircraft (acft #'s 50006-50007) REACH C-5A AMC aircraft (acft #'s 70029-90042) RED FOX CAP, Illinois RED ROBIN CAP, Michigan RED STAR CAP, Georgia RELIEF var Used in 1998 Honduran hurricane aid RESCUE aircraft engaged in SAR mission RHODY CAP, Rhode Island RIPPER B-52 ????? Used to be Navy F-14 RIVER CITY CUSTOMS AIR BRANCH, SAN ANTONIO TX ROAD RUNNER CUSTOMS AIR BRANCH, ALBURQUERQUE NM ROPER C-130H TX ANG ROYAL CROWN White House Comm Agency switchboard RUST F-16 52nd FW, Spangdahlem AFB, Germany USAFE SAM Special Air Mission aircraft (VIP) SAM 27000 VC-137 Old presidential/VP aircraft SAM 28000 VC-25 President's 747 - (Pres not on board) SAM 29000 VC-25 President's other 747 - (Pres not on board) SAMP U-2R STRATCOM high altitude air sampling recon SAUDI var Saudi Air Force SAVE UH-1 ARRS locally based helos not on SAR SCAT NAS Fallon, NV SEMINOLE var FL ANG SENTRY E-3B 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, OK SENTRY E-3B May be generic for E-3 SERVICE CENTER US Customs DIACC, Oklahoma City, OK SHARK Rare use by USCG anti-smuggling SHIFTY F-15 48th FW, RAF Lakenheath, UK SHOCKER KC-135 McConnell AFB, KS SHOCKER CONTROL USAF ops, Iowa SHOGUN F-15C 18th FW, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan SHOGUN F-16C 35th FW, Misawa AB, Japan SHRIMP BOAT CUSTOMS SECTOR OFFICE, NEW ORLEANS SIDE CAR Canadian NORAD Region (CANR) SOCC, Ontario SIERRA US Customs aircraft SIERRA PETE var NORAD Southwest US SOCC, March ARB SILVER BOW Tonopaw Test Range Control, NV SILVER STORM Groom Lake, NV approach control SINATRA From CNTRA-Chief, Naval Air Training SKINNER CT-33 RCAF Halifax, NS Schooner SKYHAWK TA-4J Meridian SKYKING general call to all STRATCOM SIOP forces SLINGSHOT C3I EAST. RICHMOND HEIGHTS FL SLINGSHOT Miami ATC for USCG SLINGSHOT ALPHA BACKUP TO SLINGSHOT SMASHER US SOUTHAF flt monitoring, Key West SMOKE SIGNAL NAWS China Lake, CA SNOWBIRD Canadian Demo Team SOONER Civil Air Patrol, Oklahoma SOURDOUGH CAP, Alaska SPAR Special Air Resources, non-SAM VIP flights SPARROW 01 P-3C Dutch Royal Navy on Caribbean JTF ops SPOOKY AC-130U Spectre gunship, 16SOW SPORT CONTROL 412th TW, Edwards AFB, CA (R-2515 control) SPRUCE GOOSE CUSTOMS SECTOR OFFICE, LOS ANGELES CA SPRY RC-135 55th Wing, Offutt AFB, NE STARBURST USN ASW/USW SOAR range, off SoCal STARFISH CAP, Minnesota STARGATE E-8C JSTARS surveillance aircraft STEALTH F-117A generic call STONEWALL USN CINCPAC STORM CLOUD CUSTOMS VESSEL MAINT CENTER, MIAMI FL STRIKE HAWK FAIRCHILD AFB WASH SUITCASE Ft Huachuca, AZ SUNDANCE DEA Support Facilities, S. America SUNDANCE 150 DEA, poss Barranquilla SUNDANCE 300 DEA, Colombia SUNDANCE 500 DEA, Ecuador SUNDANCE 600 DEA, Ecuador SUNDANCE 700 DEA, Lima, Peru SUNDANCE 715 DEA, Peru SUNDANCE 720 DEA, Peru SUNDANCE 750 DEA, Peru SUNDANCE 780 DEA, Peru SUNDANCE 855 DEA, Bolivia SUNDANCE 875 DEA, Bolivia SUNDANCE 900 DEA, Venezuela SUNFLOWER KS Army NG SUNSHINE Customs Sector Office, Miami SWORDFISH USCG helos on JIATF/Customs/DEA missions SWORDFISH cp-140 Canadian Forces, 415 Maritime Patrol, NS TALON T-38 generic T-38 callsign TANGO 14 Ft Hood, TX Air Defense Coordination Sect TANGO 14 Ft Hood, TX Air Defense Coord. Sect TAR OPS MS ANG Ops at Gulfport Muni Apt TEAL WC-130 53rd WRS, "Hurricane Hunters"Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS TESTLINE NAS North Island, CA NARF TESTLINE VAR NAS North Island, CA NARF THINKER 1 CHARLIE Cape Canaveral AS restricted area ctrl THUNDERBIRD CAP, Arizona THUNDERBIRD F-16 AF Demo Team, Nellis AFB, NV TOAD var USN trainers TOMAHAWK DRUG INTERDICTION OPS TOMCAT F-14 generic F-14 callsign TONIGHT AMC Pacific ALCC TOPGUN var Navy Fighter Weapons School now at Fallon TOPHAND Atlantic Submarine Cmd, NAS Norfolk, VA TOPSOIL NORAD Ops Center, McChord AFB, WA TRANSPORT 1 Secretary of Transportation's a/c TRANSPORT 2 Deputy Secy. of Transportation's a/c TRIDENT OPS FELKER AAF, FT EUSTIS VA TRIGGER NAS Lemoore, CA TROOPER MD STATE POLICE MEDEVAC HELOS TROPIC 100 DEA, Miami Division TROPIC 1XX MIAMI DIVISION PERSONNEL TROPIC 201 Customs vessel working PANTHER on 5277 TROPIC 2XX MIAMI MARITIME VESSELS TROPIC AIR DEA Air Ops, Opalocka, FL TROUBLESHOOTER NAS Jacksonville, FL TRUMP F-15 MASS ANG OTIS TULSA F-16 138th FG, OK ANG at Tulsa TURBO KC-135 22nd ARW, McConnell AFB, KS UANP ship Russian TH Ladoga-17 UAOO Ship Russian TH Svirx UAPQ Ship Russian TH VBALT-207 UBEO Ship Russian TH STK-1023 UERS ship Russian TH Vasilij Kalashnikov UEYW Ship Russian TH AVK Polikarpov UNCLE MIKE CAP, Utah URIL Ship Russian RTMKS Fedor Korobkov VEGAS F-16 Nellis AFB WAFER P-3C NAS Brunswick, ME WALDORF gnd Ground Entry Point (GEP) to US DSN WAMO Wash. Aerial Measurments Ofc., Andrews AFB WAR 46 US Alternate National CP, NCA/JCS, PA WARLOCK Hill AFB, UT range control WATERBUG VAR AIRCRAFT TEST SQDN, NAS Patuxent River WATERGATE 121st FS DC ANG, Andrews (Maintenance) WAVE RIDER P-3 US Navy Antisubmarine Warfare WESTERN WESTERN REGION CAP WESTERN SKY US Navy Pacific Antisubmarine warfare WGY 912 FEMA Special Facility, Mt. Weather, VA WHAMO helo NEST Nuclear Emergency Search Team WHITE LAKE CUSTOMS AIR BRANCH, EL PASO TX WHITE PEAK NEW YORK CAP WIGWAM CAP, Nebraska WILDWOOD ARKANSAS CAP WINTER WONDERLAND CUSTOMS SECTOR OFFICE, CHICAGO IL WISE C-130E 711th SOS, Duke Fld FL WITCH DOCTOR USN EW REWS range, off San Diego WIZZARD E-8C JSTARS back end staff WOLF CLUB 178th FG, OH ANG at Springfield WOLVERINE QF-4 NAS Point Mugu, CA Target QF-4's WOODEN BAKER Hurlburt Field AFB, FL WORKHORSE US Army HHT, Ft. Polk WRANGLER CONTROL Francis E. Warren AFB, alternate CP, WY YANKEE A-10A Flying Yankees, Bradley ANGB, CT. YELLOWBLOOD Marine Force Pacific HQ FLT YOKE C-130 928th AG, O'Hare Int'l, IL YOSEMITE CAP, California ZIP ZAG CAP, New Jersey IMPORTANT NOTES This list has been drastically shortened, to get rid of some old misinformation that people have been propagating over the Internet. (You know who you are.) Every copy of this list since its 1998 inception has carried the disclaimer that it came from someone else's work that was similarly copied to the point where it became more or less public domain, that it was old to begin with, and that it was impossible to maintain in anything resembling complete accuracy. It was always made very clear that no such list, and certainly not this one, could ever be considered as anything even close to a current snapshot of US military call usage, as such a snapshot is old before it hits the net. Therefore, it was to be used more as a history to be consulted when in doubt. Further still, many people maintaining these lists insert bogus information (euphemistically called "coded data") to catch copyright violations. This data invariably finds its way onto the net, and is repeated by well-intentioned users who haven't the slightest idea of its origin, let alone any plans to illegally profit from it. It is amazing to watch how quickly this kind of planted disinformation becomes part of the radio hobby's general canon of "knowledge." This is the one place that tells you all this. It was always said that common sense was necessary, that all US calls should be taken with a BIG grain of salt, and that some of the information on this list or any similar one was JUST PLAIN WRONG. Unfortunately, people insisted on re-using this list without the lengthy disclaimers, leading to some VERY old information being circulated as the latest usage. For example, the callword GULL, which might or might not ever have been used by 53WRS "Hurricane Hunters" appears faithfully on every utility web site, despite the strong possibility that it came from one listener's garbling of TEAL, the callword still used today. Similarly, most utility lists continue to show "Miami Monitor" on HF, despite the fact (which was originally published in my old RCMA column) that the National Hurricane Center (itself now the TPC) never even bothered to uncrate the HF radios when it moved, and now has only amateur presence there (W4EHW - Early Hurricane Warning). Therefore, a massive editing job has been done, pretty much with a meat-axe, and a lot of things are simply no longer available here. Of course, they are still on the hundreds of supposedly authoritative clones of the last version of this list, which I assume will circulate over the Internet as the latest hot poop forever. Having gotten rid of most of the old stuff, we can now start making more old stuff. Calls will be added, but not removed, and we'll see if people use their brains this time. If not, the whole list goes away, saving me time and nasty letters, but costing you a free service. # # # #