US Army Dictionary of Military Terms

storage or stowage — Storage is the act of placing material or ammunition and other supplies onboard the vessel. Stowage relates to the act of securing those items stored in such a manner that they do not shift or move during at-sea periods, using methods and equipment as approved by higher authority. See also storage; stowage. (JP 3-04.1)

stores — See naval stores; supplies.

stowage — The method of placing cargo into a single hold or compartment of a ship to prevent damage, shifting, etc. (JP 3-02)

stowage diagram — (*) A scaled drawing included in the loading plan of a vessel for each deck or platform showing the exact location of all cargo. See also stowage plan.

stowage factor — The number that expresses the space, in cubic feet, occupied by a long ton of any commodity as prepared for shipment, including all crating or packaging.

stowage plan — A completed stowage diagram showing what materiel has been loaded and its stowage location in each hold, between-deck compartment, or other space in a ship, including deck space. Each port of discharge is indicated by colors or other appropriate means. Deck and between-deck cargo normally is shown in perspective, while cargo stowed in the lower hold is shown in profile, except that vehicles usually are shown in perspective regardless of stowage. See also stowage diagram.

strafing — The delivery of automatic weapons fire by aircraft on ground targets.

straggler — (*) 1. Any personnel, vehicles, ships, or aircraft which, without apparent purpose or assigned mission, become

separated from their unit, column, or formation. 2. A ship separated from its convoy by more than 5 nautical miles, through inability to keep up, and unable to rejoin before dark, or over 10 nautical miles from its convoy whether or not it can rejoin before dark. See also romper.

strapping — 1. An operation by which supply containers, such as cartons or boxes, are reinforced by bands, metal straps, or wire, placed at specified intervals around them, drawn taut, and then sealed or clamped by a machine. 2. Measurement of storage tanks and calculation of volume to provide tables for conversion of depth of product in linear units of measurement to volume of contents.

strategic advantage — The overall relative power relationship of opponents that enables one nation or group of nations effectively to control the course of a military or political situation.

strategic airlift — The common-user airlift linking theaters to the continental United States (CONUS) and to other theaters as well as the airlift within CONUS. These airlift assets are assigned to the Commander in Chief, United States Transportation Command. Due to the intertheater ranges usually involved, strategic airlift is normally comprised of the heavy, longer range, intercontinental airlift assets, but may be augmented with shorter range aircraft when required. Also called intertheater airlift.

See also theater airlift. (JP 4-01.1)

strategic air transport — The movement of personnel and materiel by air in accordance with a strategic plan.

strategic air transport operations — (*)

The carriage of passengers and cargo between theaters by means of: a. scheduled service; b. special flight; c. air logistic support; d. aeromedical evacuation.

strategic air warfare — Air combat and supporting operations designed to effect, through the systematic application of force to a selected series of vital targets, the progressive destruction and disintegration of the enemy’s war-making capacity to a point where the enemy no longer retains the ability or the will to wage war. Vital targets may include key manufacturing systems, sources of raw material, critical material, stockpiles, power systems, transportation systems, communication facilities, concentration of uncommitted elements of enemy armed forces, key agricultural areas, and other such target systems.

strategic concentration — (*) The assembly of designated forces in areas from which it is intended that operations of the assembled force shall begin so that they are best disposed to initiate the plan of campaign.

strategic concept — The course of action accepted as the result of the estimate of the strategic situation. It is a statement of what is to be done in broad terms sufficiently flexible to permit its use in framing the military, diplomatic, economic, informational, and other measures which stem from it. See also basic undertakings.

strategic estimate — The estimate of the broad strategic factors that influence the determination of missions, objectives, and courses of action. The estimate is continuous and includes the strategic direction received from the National Command Authorities or the authoritative body of an alliance or coalition. See also commander’s estimate of the situation; estimate; logistic estimate of the situation; national intelligence estimate.

(JP 3-0)

strategic intelligence — Intelligence that is required for the formulation of strategy, policy, and military plans and operations at

national and theater levels. See also intelligence; operational intelligence; tactical intelligence. (JP 2-0)

strategic level of war — The level of war at which a nation, often as a member of a group of nations, determines national or multinational (alliance or coalition) security objectives and guidance, and develops and uses national resources to accomplish these objectives. Activities at this level establish national and multinational military objectives; sequence initiatives; define limits and assess risks for the use of military and other instruments of national power; develop global plans or theater war plans to achieve these objectives; and provide military forces and other capabilities in accordance with strategic plans. See also operational level of war; tactical level of war. (JP 3-0)

strategic map — A map of medium scale or smaller used for planning of operations, including the movement, concentration, and supply of troops. See also map.

strategic material (critical) — Material required for essential uses in a war emergency, the procurement of which in adequate quantity, quality, or time, is sufficiently uncertain, for any reason, to require prior provision of the supply thereof.

strategic mining — A long-term mining operation designed to deny the enemy the use of specific sea routes or sea areas. (JP 3-15)

strategic mission — A mission directed against one or more of a selected series of enemy targets with the purpose of progressive destruction and disintegration of the enemy’s warmaking capacity and will to make war. Targets include key manufacturing systems, sources of raw material, critical material, stockpiles, power systems, transportation systems,

communication facilities, and other such target systems. As opposed to tactical operations, strategic operations are designed to have a long-range rather than immediate effect on the enemy and its military forces.

strategic mobility — The capability to deploy and sustain military forces worldwide in support of national strategy. See also mobility.

strategic plan — A plan for the overall conduct of a war.

strategic psychological activities — (*)

Planned psychological activities in peace, crisis, and war which pursue objectives to gain the support and cooperation of friendly and neutral countries and to reduce the will and the capacity of hostile or potentially hostile countries to wage war.

strategic sealift — The afloat pre-positioning and ocean movement of military materiel in support of US and multinational forces. Sealift forces include organic and commercially acquired shipping and shipping services, including chartered foreign-flag vessels and associated shipping services. (JP 4-01.5)

strategic sealift forces — Sealift forces composed of ships, cargo handling and delivery systems, and the necessary operating personnel. They include US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Army elements with Active and Reserve components. Merchant marine vessels manned by civilian mariners may constitute part of this force. See also force. (JP 4-01.6)

strategic sealift shipping — Common-user ships of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) force, including pre-positioned ships after their pre-positioning mission has been completed and they have been

returned to the operational control of MSC. See also Military Sealift Command; MilitarySealiftCommandforce. (JP4-01.6)

strategic transport aircraft — (*) Aircraft designed primarily for the carriage of personnel and/or cargo over long distances.

strategic vulnerability — The susceptibility of vital instruments of national power to being seriously decreased or adversely changed by the application of actions within the capability of another nation to impose. Strategic vulnerability may pertain to political, geographic, economic, informational, scientific, sociological, or military factors.

strategic warning — A warning prior to the initiation of a threatening act. See also strategic warning lead time; strategic warning post-decision time; strategic warning pre-decision time; tactical warning; warning; warning of war.

strategic warning lead time — That time between the receipt of strategic warning and the beginning of hostilities. This time may include two action periods: strategic warning pre-decision time and strategic warning post-decision time. See also commander’s estimate of the situation; strategic concept; strategic warning.

strategic warning post-decision time —

That time beginning after the decision, made at the highest levels of government(s) in response to strategic warning, is ordered executed and ending with the start of hostilities or termination of the threat. It is that part of strategic warning lead time available for executing pre-hostility actions to strengthen the national strategic posture; however, some preparatory actions may be initiated in the predecision period. See also strategic warning; strategic warning lead time.

strategic warning pre-decision time — That time which begins upon receipt of strategic warning and ends when a decision is ordered executed. It is that part of strategic warning lead time available to the highest levels of government(s) to determine that strategic course of action to be executed. See also strategic warning; strategic warning lead time.

strategy — The art and science of developing and employing instruments of national power in a synchronized and integrated fashion to achieve theater, national, and/or multinational objectives. See also military strategy; national strategy. (JP 3-0)

strategy determination — The Joint Operation Planning and Execution System function in which analysis of changing events in the international environment and the development of national strategy to respond to those events is conducted. In joint operation planning, the responsibility for recommending military strategy to the National Command Authorities lies with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in consultation with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and in concert with supported commanders. In the deliberate planning process, the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan is produced as a result of this process. In the crisis assessment phase of the crisis action planning process, crisis action planning procedures are used to formulate decisions for direct development of possible military courses of action.

stretcher — See litter.

stretch out — A reduction in the delivery rate specified for a program without a reduction in the total quantity to be delivered.

strike — (*) An attack which is intended to inflict damage on, seize, or destroy an objective.

strikedown — A term used to describe the movement of aircraft from the flight deck to the hangar deck level. See also aircraft; flight deck. (JP 3-04.1)

strike photography — (*) Air photographs taken during an air strike.

strip marker — (*) In land mine warfare, a marker, natural, artificial, or specially installed, located at the start and finish of a mine strip. See also marker.

strip plot — (*) A portion of a map or overlay on which a number of photographs taken along a flight line is delineated without defining the outlines of individual prints.

strong point — (*) Akey point in a defensive position, usually strongly fortified and heavily armed with automatic weapons, around which other positions are grouped for its protection.

structured message text — (*) A message text composed of paragraphs ordered in a specified sequence, each paragraph characterized by an identifier and containing information in free form. It is designed to facilitate manual handling and processing. See also formatted message text; free form message text.

stuffing — Packing of cargo into a container. See also unstuffing. (JP 4-01.7)

subassembly — (*) In logistics, a portion of an assembly, consisting of two or more parts, that can be provisioned and replaced as an entity. See also assembly; component.

subgravity — A condition in which the resultant ambient acceleration is between 0 and 1 G.

subkiloton weapon — (*) A nuclear weapon producing a yield below one kiloton. See

also kiloton weapon; megaton weapon; nominal weapon.

submarine operating authority — (*) The naval commander exercising operational control of submarines. Also called

SUBOPAUTH.

submarine operations area — Ageographic area defined for submarine operations for peacetime or warfare activities.

submarine patrol area — A restricted area established to allow submarine operations: a. unimpeded by the operation of, or possible attack from, friendly forces in wartime; b. without submerged mutual interference in peacetime.

submunition — (*) Any munition that, to perform its task, separates from a parent munition.

subordinate command — A command consisting of the commander and all those individuals, units, detachments, organizations, or installations that have been placed under the command by the authority establishing the subordinate command.

subordinate unified command — A command established by commanders of unified commands, when so authorized through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to conduct operations on a continuing basis in accordance with the criteria set forth for unified commands. A subordinate unified command may be established on an area or functional basis. Commanders of subordinate unified commands have functions and responsibilities similar to those of the commanders of unified commands and exercise operational control of assigned commands and forces within the assigned operational area. Also called subunified command. See also area command;

functional component command; operational control; subordinate command; unified command. (JP 0-2)

subscription — An agreement by a nation’s Military Services to agree to accept and abide by, with or without reservation, the details of a standardization agreement. See also implementation; ratification; reservation.

subsidiary landing — (*) In an amphibious operation, a landing usually made outside the designated landing area, the purpose of which is to support the main landing.

subsonic — Of or pertaining to speeds less than the speed of sound. See also speed of sound.

substitute transport-type vehicle — A wheeled vehicle designed to perform, within certain limitations, the same military function as military transport vehicles, but not requiring all the special characteristics thereof. They are developed from civilian designs by addition of certain features, or from military designs by deletion of certain features.

subunified command — See subordinate unified command. (JP 0-2)

subversion — Action designed to undermine the military, economic, psychological, or political strength or morale of a regime. See also unconventional warfare.

subversion of Department of Defense personnel — Actions designed to undermine the loyalty, morale, or discipline of Department of Defense military and civilian personnel.

subversive activity — Anyone lending aid, comfort, and moral support to individuals, groups, or organizations that advocate the overthrow of incumbent governments by

force and violence is subversive and is engaged in subversive activity. All willful acts that are intended to be detrimental to the best interests of the government and that do not fall into the categories of treason, sedition, sabotage, or espionage will be placed in the category of subversive activity.

subversive political action — A planned series of activities designed to accomplish political objectives by influencing, dominating, or displacing individuals or groups who are so placed as to affect the decisions and actions of another government.

summit — The highest altitude above mean sea level that a projectile reaches in its flight from the gun to the target; the algebraic sum of the maximum ordinate and the altitude of the gun.

sun synchronous orbit — An orbit where the satellite’s orbital plane is at a fixed orientation to the sun, i.e., the orbit precesses about the earth at the same rate that the earth orbits the sun. It has the characteristics of maintaining similar sun angles along its ground trace for all orbits, and typically has an inclination from 96 to 98 degrees, depending on orbit altitude and orbit shape (eccentricity).

supercargo — Personnel that accompany cargo on board a ship for the purpose of accomplishing en route maintenance and security.

supersonic — Of or pertaining to speed in excess of the speed of sound. See also speed of sound.

supervised route — (*) In road traffic, a roadway over which limited control is exercised by means of traffic control posts, traffic patrols, or both. Movement credit is required for its use by a column of vehicles

or a vehicle of exceptional size or weight. See also route.

supplementary facilities — (*) Facilities required at a particular location to provide a specified minimum of support for reinforcing forces, which exceed the facilities required to support in-place forces.

supplies — In logistics, all materiel and items used in the equipment, support, and maintenance of military forces. See also assembly; component; equipment; subassembly.

supply — The procurement, distribution, maintenance while in storage, and salvage of supplies, including the determination of kind and quantity of supplies. a. producer phase — That phase of military supply that extends from determination of procurement schedules to acceptance of finished supplies by the Military Services. b. consumer phase — That phase of military supply which extends from receipt of finished supplies by the Military Services through issue for use or consumption.

supply by air — See airdrop; air movement.

supply chain — The linked activities associated with providing materiel from a raw materiel stage to an end user as a finished product. See also supply; supply chain management. (JP 4-09)

supply chain management — A crossfunctional approach to procuring, producing, and delivering products and services to customers. The broad management scope includes sub-suppliers, suppliers, internal information, and funds flow. See also supply; supply chain.

(JP 4-09)

supply control — The process by which an item of supply is controlled within the

supply system, including requisitioning, receipt, storage, stock control, shipment, disposition, identification, and accounting.

supplying ship — (*) The ship in a replenishment unit that provides the personnel and/or supplies to be transferred.

supply management — See inventory control.

supply point — A location where supplies, services, and materiels are located and issued. These locations are temporary and mobile, normally being occupied for up to 72 hours.

supply support activity — Activities assigned a Department of Defense activity address code and that have a supply support mission, i.e., direct support supply units, missile support elements, and maintenance support units. Also called SSA. (JP 4-01.7)

supply transaction reporting — Reporting on individual transactions affecting the stock status of materiel to the appropriate supply accounting activity as they occur.

support — 1. The action of a force that aids, protects, complements, or sustains another force in accordance with a directive requiring such action. 2. A unit that helps another unit in battle. 3. An element of a command that assists, protects, or supplies other forces in combat. See also close support; direct support; general support; interdepartmental or agency support; international logistic support; inter-Service support; mutual support.

(JP 0-2)

supported commander — 1. The commander having primary responsibility for all aspects of a task assigned by the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan or other joint operation planning authority. In the context

of joint operation planning, this term refers to the commander who prepares operation plans or operation orders in response to requirements of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 2. In the context of a support command relationship, the commander who receives assistance from another commander’s force or capabilities, and who is responsible for ensuring that the supporting commander understands the assistance required. See also support; supporting commander. (JP 3-0)

supporting aircraft — All active aircraft other than unit aircraft. See also aircraft.

supporting arms — Weapons and weapons systems of all types employed to support forces by indirect or direct fire.

supporting arms coordination center — A single location on board an amphibious command ship in which all communication facilities incident to the coordination of fire support of the artillery, air, and naval gunfire are centralized. This is the naval counterpart to the fire support coordination center utilized by the landing force. Also called SACC. See also fire support coordination center.

supporting artillery — Artillery that executes fire missions in support of a specific unit, usually infantry, but remains under the command of the next higher artillery commander.

supporting attack — (*) An offensive operation carried out in conjunction with a main attack and designed to achieve one or more of the following: a. deceive the enemy; b. destroy or pin down enemy forces which could interfere with the main attack; c. control ground whose occupation by the enemy will hinder the main attack; or d. force the enemy to commit reserves prematurely or in an indecisive area.

supporting commander — 1. A commander who provides augmentation forces or other support to a supported commander or who develops a supporting plan. Includes the designated combatant commands and Defense agencies as appropriate. 2. In the context of a support command relationship, the commander who aids, protects, complements, or sustains another commander’s force, and who is responsible for providing the assistance required by the supported commander. See also support; supported commander. (JP 3-0)

supporting fire — (*) Fire delivered by supporting units to assist or protect a unit in combat. See also direct supporting fire.

supporting forces — Forces stationed in or to be deployed to an operational area to provide support for the execution of an operation order. Combatant command (command authority) of supporting forces is not passed to the supported commander.

supporting operations — In amphibious operations, those operations conducted by forces other than those conducted by the amphibious force. See also amphibious force; amphibious operation. (JP 3-02)

supporting plan — An operation plan prepared by a supporting commander or a subordinate commander to satisfy the requests or requirements of the supported commander’s plan. See also supported commander; supporting commander.

support items — Items subordinate to or associated with an end item (i.e., spares, repair parts, tools, test equipment, and sundry materiel) and required to operate, service, repair, or overhaul an end item.

support to counterinsurgency — Support provided to a government in the military, paramilitary, political, economic,

psychological, and civic actions it undertakes to defeat insurgency. See also support to insurgency. (JP 3-07)

support to insurgency — Support provided to an organized movement aimed at the overthrow of a constituted government through use of subversion and armed conflict. See also support to counterinsurgency. (JP 3-07)

suppression — Temporary or transient degradation by an opposing force of the performance of a weapons system below the level needed to fulfill its mission objectives.

suppression mission — A mission to suppress an actual or suspected weapons system for the purpose of degrading its performance below the level needed to fulfill its mission objectives at a specific time for a specified duration.

suppression of enemy air defenses — That activity that neutralizes, destroys, or temporarily degrades surface-based enemy air defenses by destructive and/or disruptive means. Also called SEAD. See also electromagnetic spectrum; electronic warfare.

suppressive fire — Fires on or about a weapons system to degrade its performance below the level needed to fulfill its mission objectives, during the conduct of the fire mission. See also fire.

surface action group — A temporary or standing organization of combatant ships, other than carriers, tailored for a specific tactical mission. Also called SAG. See group; mission. (JP 3-33)

surface code — See panel code.

surface combatant — A ship constructed and armed for combat use with the capability

to conduct operations in multiple maritime roles against air, surface and subsurface threats, and land targets.

surface smuggling event — In counterdrug operations, the sighting of a suspected drug smuggling vessel or arrival of a suspected drug smuggling vessel. See also arrival zone; counterdrug operations; transit zone. (JP 3-07.4)

surface-to-air guided missile — (*) A surface-launched guided missile for use against air targets.

surface-to-air missile envelope — That air space within the kill capabilities of a specific surface-to-air missile system.

surface-to-air missile installation — A surface-to-air missile site with the surface-to-air missile system hardware installed.

surface-to-air missile site — A plot of ground prepared in such a manner that it will readily accept the hardware used in surface-to-air missile system.

surface-to-air weapon — A surfacelaunched weapon for use against airborne targets. Future developments in air defense systems may lead to the employment of weapons other than missiles. Examples include rockets, directed-energy weapons, and air defense guns. (JP 3-09.3)

surface-to-surface guided missile — (*) A surface-launched guided missile for use against surface targets.

surface warfare — That portion of maritime warfare in which operations are conducted to destroy or neutralize enemy naval surface forces and merchant vessels. Also called SUW. (JP 3-33)

surface zero — See ground zero.

surf line — The point offshore where waves and swells are affected by the underwater surface and become breakers. See also breaker. (JP 4-01.6)

surf zone — The area of water from the surf line to the beach. See also surf line. (JP 4-01.6)

surplus property — Any excess property not required for the needs and for the discharge of the responsibilities of all federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, as determined by the General Services Administration.

surprise dosage attack — (*) A chemical operation which establishes on target a dosage sufficient to produce the desired casualties before the troops can mask or otherwise protect themselves.

surveillance — (*) The systematic observation of aerospace, surface, or subsurface areas, places, persons, or things, by visual, aural, electronic, photographic, or other means. See also air surveillance; satellite and missile surveillance; sea surveillance.

surveillance approach — An instrument approach conducted in accordance with directions issued by a controller referring to the surveillance radar display.

survey — The directed effort to determine the location and the nature of a chemical, biological, and radiological hazard in an area. (JP 3-11)

survey control point — Asurvey station used to coordinate survey control.

survey information center — A place where survey data are collected, correlated, and made available to subordinate units.

survey, liaison, and reconnaissance party

— A task organization formed from the Marine air-ground task force and Navy support element, which is introduced into the objective area prior to arrival of the flyin echelon (FIE). The survey, liaison, and reconnaissance party conducts initial reconnaissance, establishes liaison with in theater authorities and initiates preparations for arrival of the main body of the FIE and the maritime pre-positioning ships squadron. Also called SLRP.

survey photography — See air cartographic photography.

survivability — Concept which includes all aspects of protecting personnel, weapons, and supplies while simultaneously deceiving the enemy. Survivability tactics include building a good defense; employing frequent movement; using concealment, deception, and camouflage; and constructing fighting and protective positions for both individuals and equipment. (JP 3-34)

susceptibility — (*) The vulnerability of a target audience to particular forms of psychological operations approach.

suspect — 1. In counterdrug operations, a track of interest where correlating information actually ties the track of interest to alleged illegal drug operations. See also counterdrug operations; special interest target; track of interest. 2. An identity applied to a track that is potentially hostile because of its characteristics, behavior, origin, or nationality. See also assumed friend; hostile; neutral; unknown.

suspension equipment — (*) All aircraft devices such as racks, adapters, missile launchers, and pylons used for carriage, employment, and jettison of aircraft stores.

suspension strop — (*) A length of webbing or wire rope between the helicopter and cargo sling.

sustainability — See military capability.

sustained attrition minefield — (*) In naval mine warfare, a minefield which is replenished to maintain its danger to the enemy in the face of countermeasures.

sustained rate of fire — (*) Actual rate of fire that a weapon can continue to deliver for an indefinite length of time without seriously overheating.

sustaining stocks — (*) Stocks to support the execution of approved operation plans beyond the initial predetermined period covered by basic stocks until resupply is available for support of continued operations.

sustainment — The provision of personnel, logistic, and other support required to maintain and prolong operations or combat until successful accomplishment or revision of the mission or of the national objective.

swell — Ocean waves that have traveled out of their fetch. Swell characteristically exhibits a more regular and longer period and has flatter crests than waves within their fetch. (JP 4-01.6)

sweep — To employ technical means to uncover planted microphones or other surveillance devices. See also technical survey.