NATO reporting name - Definition and Overview

NATO reporting names were code names for Soviet and Chinese equipment. These were created to facilitate communications between military units speaking different languages. Also, in most cases the actual Soviet names for these items were not known or did not exist, and in many cases were not known for many years. NATO maintained lists of these names. Much of that equipment can still be found in use around the world, and NATO reporting names are still used to refer to that equipment.

The initial letter of the name indicated something about the use of that equipment; for example, fighter airplanes were assigned names beginning with the letter "F," bomber airplanes with "B," helicopters' with "H," surface-to-surface missiles' names with "S," and surface-to-air missiles' names with "G." For airplanes, names with one syllable are used for propeller engines while two syllable names indicate jet engines. Perhaps the most famous reporting name refers to the SS-1 ballistic missile, the "Scud."

Missiles

• Air-to-Air Missiles
• Air-to-Surface Missiles
• Anti-Tank Missiles
• Surface-to-Air Missiles
• Surface-to-Surface Missiles

Aircraft

• Bombers
• Fighters
• Helicopters
• Transports
• Miscellaneous

Submarines

• Ballistic Missile Submarines
• Guided Missile Submarines
• Hunter-Killer and Experimental Submarines