Aerospace Acronym and Abbreviation Guide

The Avionics Aerospace Acronym and Abbreviation Guide

December 2010

Avionics proudly presents the fifth edition of our biennial Aerospace Acronym and Abbreviation Guide. Updated with the latest terms from the magazine’s pages, this comprehensive guide has grown to more than 3,000 civil and military acronyms.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

  • M mach number
  • M2K Mobility 2000 (U.S. Air Force)
  • M-SNDCF mobile-subnetwork dependent convergence function
  • M-TADS Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight
  • M/ASI mach/airspeed indicator
  • M/S meters per second
  • M&S merging & spacing
  • MA message assurance
  • MAA maximum authorized IFR altitude
  • MAB Military ATM Board (Europe)
  • MAC medium access controller
  • MACC military area control center
  • MACS multiple access communication system
  • MADARS malfunction detection, analysis and recording system
  • MAGIC manager of air-ground interface  communications
  • MAHWP missed approach holding waypoint
  • MALDT mean administrative and logistics delay time
  • MALE medium-altitude, long-endurance
  • MALSR Medium-Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator
  • MAN metropolitan area network
  • MANPADS man portable air defense system
  • MAP missed alert parameter
  • MAP missed approach
  • MAP missed approach procedure
  • MAP monitor alert parameter
  • MAPt missed approach point
  • MAR mobile access router
  • MARSA military assumes responsibility for separation
  • MASPS minimum aviation system perfor­mance standard
  • MAST multiaircraft simulation terminal
  • MAT maintenance access terminal
  • MAV micro air vehicle
  • MAWP missed approached waypoint
  • MAX maximum
  • mb millibars
  • MB marker beacon
  • MBE multiple bit error
  • MBER minimum bit error rate
  • MBPS megabytes per second
  • MC master change
  • MCA minimum crossing altitude
  • MCAP Manned/Unmanned Common Architecture Processor
  • MCB microwave circuit board
  • MCC maintenance control computer
  • MCDP maintenance control display panel
  • MCDU multifunctional control display unit
  • MCI mode C intruder
  • MCN manufacturing control number
  • MCOS multi-computing operating system
  • MCP maintenance control panel
  • MCP mode control panel
  • MCT max continuous thrust
  • MCU modular concept unit
  • MCU multifunction concept unit
  • MDA minimum descent altitude
  • MDA Missile Defense Agency (U.S.)
  • MDAH minimum descent altitude/height
  • MDAU maintenance data acquisition unit
  • MDC maintenance diagnostic computer
  • MDCRS Meteorological Data Collection and Reporting Service
  • MDD mission data debrief
  • MDH minimum decent height
  • MDL multipurpose data link
  • MDMP military decision making process (U.S. Army)
  • MDR mode digital radio
  • MDS minimum discernible signal
  • MDT maintenance display terminal
  • MDT mean downtime
  • MEA minimum en route altitude
  • MEARTS Microprocessor En Route Automation Radar Tracking System
  • MEC main equipment center
  • MEL minimum equipment list
  • MEO medium earth orbit
  • MEOT multiple-expert opinion team
  • MES main engine start
  • MET meteorology
  • METAR meteorological aviation routine weather report
  • METL mission essential task list (U.S. Army)
  • METOC meteorological and oceanographic condition
  • MF medium frequency
  • MFCP multifunction control display panel
  • MFD multifunction display
  • MFDS multifunction display system
  • MFDU multifunction display unit
  • MFDUA miscellaneous flight data acquisi­tion unit
  • MFIT mean fault isolation time
  • MFM maintenance fault memory
  • MGSCU main gear steering control unit
  • MGR manager
  • MHD magnetic hard drive
  • MHD multi-hazard display
  • MHRS magnetic heading reference system
  • MHS message handling service
  • MHz megahertz
  • MIB management information base
  • MIC microphone
  • MicroEARTS Micro Enroute Automated Radar Tracking System
  • MIDS multifunction information distri­bution system
  • MIDS-J Multifunctional Information Distri­bution System-JTRS
  • MIDS-LVT Multifunctional Information Distribution System Low Volume Terminal
  • MIDU multi-purpose interactive display unit
  • MILS multiple independent levels of security
  • MILSPEC military specification
  • MIL-STD military standard
  • MIMO multi-input/multi-output
  • MIN minimum/minute
  • MIPS management interface protocol specification
  • MIPS million instructions per second
  • MKR marker
  • MLA maneuver limited altitude
  • MLM mid-level management
  • MLS microwave landing system
  • MLW maximum landing weight
  • MM mass memory
  • MM middle marker (glideslope)
  • MMI man-machine interface
  • MMIC monolithic microwave integrated circuit
  • MMR multimode receiver
  • MMS maintenance management system
  • MMS metering, merging and spacing
  • MMSI miniature munitions system interface
  • MMU memory management unit
  • MMW millimeter wave
  • MNCID management network category interaction diagram
  • MNPS minimum navigation performance specification
  • MNS managed network service
  • MO managed object
  • MO magneto-optical
  • MOA memorandum of agreement
  • MOA military operation area
  • MOC memorandum of cooperation
  • MOCA minimum obstacle clearance altitude
  • MOD magneto-optical drive
  • MOD modification
  • MODEM modulator/demodulator
  • MOPR minimum operational perfor­mance requirements
  • MOPS minimum operational perfor­mance standards
  • MOQA maintenance operations quality assurance
  • MORA minimum off-route altitude
  • MOS metal oxide semiconductor
  • MOS military occupational specialty
  • MOSA modular open systems approach
  • MOSP multi-mission optronic stabilized payload (U.S. Army)
  • MOU memorandum of understanding
  • MOV metal oxide varsitor
  • MP-CDL Multi-Platform-Common Data Link
  • MPAR multipurpose airport radar
  • MPEG Moving Picture Expert Group
  • MPCU multiport protocol converter unit
  • MPDS mobile packet data service
  • MPEL maximum permissible exposure level
  • MPM microwave power module
  • MPP materials, processes and parts
  • MPS maintenance processor system/subsystem
  • MRA minimum reception altitude
  • MRO maintenance, repair and overhaul
  • MRR manufacturing revision request
  • MRT mean repair time
  • MRT multi-remote terminal
  • Ms millisecond
  • MSB most significant bit
  • MSC message sequence chart
  • MSCP mobile satellite service provider
  • MSD mass storage device
  • MSG message
  • MSI medium scale integration
  • MSK minimum shift keying
  • MSL mean sea level
  • MSP Mode S specific protocol
  • MSSR monopulse secondary surveil­lance radar
  • MSSS Mode S specific services
  • MSU mode select unit
  • MT minimum time
  • MTA message transfer agent
  • MTBF mean time between failure
  • MTBO mean time between outages
  • MTBR mean time between removal/repairs
  • MTBUR mean time between unscheduled removal
  • MTBUR mean time between unit replacements
  • MTC maintenance terminal cabinet
  • MTD maintenance terminal display
  • MTF maintenance terminal function
  • MTI moving target indicator
  • MTM module test and maintenance
  • MTMBIU MTM bus interface unit
  • MTOW maximum takeoff weight
  • MTR military training route
  • MTS multi-spectral targeting system
  • MTSAT Multifunction Transport Satellite
  • MTTDA mean time to dispatch alert
  • MTTF mean time to failure
  • MTTM mean time to maintenance
  • MTTMA mean time to maintenance alert
  • MTTR mean time to repair
  • MTTRS mean time to restore service
  • MTTUR mean time to unscheduled removal
  • MU management unit
  • MUE modernized user equipment
  • MUM manned unmanned teaming
  • MUOS Mobile User Objective System
  • MUS minimum use specification
  • MUSE multi-user system environment
  • MUX multiplexer
  • mV millivolts
  • MVA minimum vectoring altitude
  • MVMC marginal visual meteorological conditions
  • MWARA major world air route area
  • MWP meteorological weather processor
  • MWS missile warning system