ERV.
Emergency rendezvous. An important element of SOP when on covert operations, ERVs are a series of locations committed to memory that allow a dispersed force to regroup securely.
Fedayeen.
A combat militia under Saddam Hussein’s direct control.
GPMG.
General-purpose machine gun. Also known affectionately as the “Gimpy”; a belt-fed medium machine gun, usually operated from a stationary position or mounted on a vehicle.
Humint.
A source of human intelligence on the ground.
JTAC.
Joint terminal attack controller; the soldier responsible for coordinating air strikes in support of ground troops.
KrAZ-225.
A Soviet-era six-wheeled steel truck with strong off-road capabilities in widespread use with the Iraqi military.
Lion of Babylon (Asad Babil).
The Iraqi-manufactured version of the Russian T-72 main battle tank.
LRDG.
Long Range Desert Group; a Second World War precursor to David Stirling’s SAS.
LUP.
Lying-up point; a location chosen to allow a unit to occupy it undetected.
M72 LAW.
Light antitank weapon; a one-use 66mm rocket launcher designed to be employed against armored vehicles.
MILAN.
Acronym for Missile d´infanterie léger antichar; an antiarmor missile that packs a 7.1-kilogram wire-guided warhead that can defeat most armor. It is the most powerful and accurate piece of equipment that can be operated by a light vehicle or foot patrol.
Millilux.
A unit of illumination.
NBC.
Nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
NEP.
Night enhancement package; Specialist night-vision technology that shows a pilot the terrain over which he or she is flying in glowing near daylight, on laptop-like computer screens mounted in the cockpit.
NVG.
Night-vision goggles.
OPSEC.
Operational Security.
Pinkie.
Affectionate term for the open-topped, desert-adapted Land Rovers used by UKSF.
RPG.
Rocket-propelled grenade.
SAM.
Surface-to-air missile.
Satcom.
An encrypted radio satellite communications system.
Shemagh.
An Arab headscarf popular with UKSF engaged in desert operations.
SLAR.
Shoulder-launched assault rocket; an 85mm rocket launcher that fires an enhanced blast warhead, more commonly known as a thermobaric device.
Terp.
Military slang for interpreter.
A-10 Warthog
189
Afghanistan War
12
Qala-i-Jangi
29
,
42–43
Afrika Corps
16
Al Jazeera TV
267
Al Maini, Lieutenant General Yasin
41
Al Sahara airfield
51–57
al-Qaeda
12
,
29
Anfal Campaign
137
Angus
145
,
192
Asad Babil (T-72 main battle tanks)
41
,
64
,
185–66
,
189
,
244
,
276
, see
illustrations
Bayji
3
,
41
, see
illustrations
Bedou people
113
Birch, Phil (“Mucker”)
18
,
20
,
28
,
44
,
67
,
71
,
73
,
83
,
107
,
108
,
140
,
202
,
265
,
269
background
18
Blair, Tony
270
Blue Force Tracking (BFT)
204
,
214
,
228
,
264
, see
illustrations
Bravo Two Zero
8
,
14
,
22
,
57
,
84
,
94
,
165
,
207–8
British Royal Marines
200
Bush, George Walker
27
C-130 Hercules transport aircraft
52
,
61
,
62–66
CBU-87s (combined effects munitions; cluster bombs)
225
Chinooks
51
,
52
,
54
,
55
,
56
,
62–63
,
66–69
,
72–74
,
78
,
226–27
,
263
, see
illustrations
internal fuel bladders
259
MV
Nisha
assault
68–69
, see
illustrations
NEP (night enhancement package)
68
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) Special Activities Division (SAD)
42
Clarke, Clive (“Raggy”)
4th LUP (lying-up point)
121
ambush
168
escape
192
,
195–97
,
208
extraction
242
,
242–43
,
243
,
246
,
255
,
258
,
261
,
265
Colt assault rifles
48
,
54
,
64
,
241
, see
illustrations
CSAR (combat search and rescue)
226
,
227
,
270
DPV Land Rovers.
See
Pinkies
DShK antiaircraft guns (Dushkas)
147
,
174
,
236
ERV (emergency rendezvous) procedures
217
,
219
Euphrates River
52
, see
illustrations
F-15 warplanes
55
,
56
F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets
55–130
F-16 Fighting Falcons
225
,
231–33
,
234–35
,
237
,
237–39
Fedayeen
118
,
211–14
,
221–22
,
229
,
235–37
,
241–42
,
250
,
253–55
,
256
,
272
, see
illustrations
ambush
122
,
151
,
156
,
171
recruitment video
60
Field, Reginald (“Reggie”)
2nd LUP (lying-up point)
4
,
89–90
7th LUP (lying-up point)
141–42
,
143
ambush
159
,
168
,
178
escape
209
extraction
227
,
243
,
253
,
264
,
267
Kenya
14
First Gulf War
8
,
13
,
41
,
84
G2
airfield
62–63
,
63–69
,
267
general-purpose machine gun (GPMG)
17
,
19
,
43
,
117–18