[Milsurplus] Format of Military Nomenclature (JAN)

[Mike Morrow]

> I want to be sure that im listing the nomenclatures correctly
>
> ALQ-144  Helicopter Anti-IR missile Set Sanders Asso. TM 11-5865-200-*
>    T-1360/     ALQ-144 IR Jammer
>    C-9576/     ALQ-144 CBx
>    C-10280/    ALQ-144 CBx 

A.  Any JAN-system component nomenclature will **normally** have the
component designation, slash, system designation on its name
plate.

Example 1:  "AN/ARR-15A" system receiver control box "C-733A" will have
a complete designation of "C-733A/ARR-15A".

There will always be the dashes as shown above, and there will *never*
be a dash between the "733" and the "A", nor between the "15" and the "A".

Sometimes a specific system will use components designated initially
for some other system.

Example 2:  AN/ARC-5 receiver dynamotor DY-2A was actually initially
designated for the AN/ARR-2 homing receiver.  The dynamotor nomenclature
is DY-2A/ARR-2, even though it is being used in the AN/ARC-5 system.

Sometimes a specific system will be made up of several different
components with their own individual "generic" nomenclatures.

Example 3:  The AN/GRC-7 system consists of:
AM-65/GRC
C-375/VRC
C-435/GRC
MT-297/GR
PP-112/GR
PP-282/GRC
R-110/GRC
RT-68/GRC
RT-70/GRC

Eliminate the R-110/GRC from the AN/GRC-7 and it becomes AN/GRC-8.

Eliminate the RT-70/GRC from the AN/GRC-8 and it becomes AN/VRC-15.

The correct listing of, say, the RT-70 in the AN/GRC-7 is RT-70/GRC.
Never RT-70/GRC-7.

Example 4:  The AN/VRC-12 system consists of:
RT-246A/VRC
MT-1029/VRC

Add a R-442A/VRC aux receiver an MT-1898/VRC and it becomes AN/VRC-43.
Add another R-442A and MT-1898 and it becomes AN/VRC-44.

The correct listing of, say, the RT-246A in the AN/VRC-12 is RT-246A/VRC.
Never RT-246A/VRC-12.


Example 5A:

The AN/ARC-8 system consists of the AN/ART-13A (main component T-47A/ART-13)
and the AN/ARR-11 (main component BC-348-*).

The correct listing of, say, the receiver in the AN/ARC-8 is BC-348-*.
Never BC-348-*/ARC-8.  Similarly, the transmitter would never be listed as
T-47A/ARC-8, just T-47A/ART-13.

Example 5B:

The AN/ARC-25 system consists of the AN/ART-13 (main component T-47/ART-13)
and the AN/ARR-15A (main component R-105A/ARR-15).

The correct listing of, say, the receiver in the AN/ARC-25 is R-105A/ARR-15.
Never R-105A/ARC-25.  Similarly, the transmitter would never be listed as
T-47/ARC-25, just T-47/ART-13.

Example 6:

Some JAN components are never given explicit component numbers.

The AN/PRR-9 receiver has no explicit R-???/PRR-9 designation.  However,
its accessories did:  AS-1998A/PRR-9 antenna, H-264/PRR-9 headset.

The pilot rescue transceivers AN/CRC-7, AN/PRC-17, AN/PRC-32, AN/PRC-63,
AN/PRC-90, AN/URC-64, AN/URC-68 have no explicit RT-??? designations.

But the following similar sets do:
AN/URC-4 (RT-159*/URC-4)
AN/URC-10 (RT-278*/URC-10)
AN/URC-11 (RT-285*/URC-11)
AN/URC-14 (RT-350*/URC-14)

B. Sometimes a JAN system nomenclature will be assigned to commercial
equipment that has never had explicit JAN component numbers assigned.

Example:  Bendix commercial model RTA-1B HF transceiver was assigned
the JAN nomenclature of AN/ARC-9.  List unit as Bendix RTA-1B.

Example:  Bendix commercial model MN-26LB RDF receiver was assigned
the JAN nomenclature of AN/ARN-11.  List unit as Bendix MN-26LB.

Sometimes a JAN system nomenclature will be assigned to military equipment
with an older service-specific designation, but has never had explicit
JAN component numbers assigned.

Example:  Receiver BC-348-* was assigned JAN nomenclature AN/ARR-11.
List unit as BC-348-*.

Example:  Bendix commercial model RTA-1B HF transceiver was assigned
the JAN nomenclature of AN/ARC-9. 

Thus, there are many small variations and inconsistencies in JAN
nomenclature use.

> Should the components, for example "C-10280", be properly identified as:
>
> C-10280/ALQ

Only if that is what is actually on the component's name plate.

> or
> C-10280/ALQ-144

Baring the previous case, this will typically be the correct form of
nomenclature.

> or
> C-10280

Never, except in informal writing where the full nomenclature is
understood by all readers.  However, it is true that a component
number in the JAN system remains uniquely assigned...it will
never be reused in an unrelated system later.  That C-10280 is
enough information to pin down one specific component because
there will not have been anything else in any other system that
has also been designated C-10280.

You can find all the JAN rules in MIL-STD-196E, at URLs like
  http://ed-thelen.org/MIL-STD-196E.pdf

There is a lot of historical information about military nomenclature
systems at:
  http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/electronics.html

Mike / KK5F

Mike / KK5F