Joint Electronics Type Designation System

The Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System (AN System. JAN) and the Joint Communications-Electronics Nomenclature System, is a method developed by the U.S. War Department during World War II for assigning an unclassified designator to electronic equipment. In 1957, the JETDS was formalized in MIL-STD-196.

Computer software and commercial unmodified electronics for which the manufacturer maintains design control are not covered.

Usage

Electronic material, from a military point of view, generally includes those electronic devices employed in data processing, detection and tracking (underwater, sea, land-based, air and space), recognition and identification, communications, aids to navigation, weapons control and evaluation, flight control, and electronics countermeasures. Nomenclature is assigned to:

  • Electronic materiel of military design
  • Commercial electronic materiel that has been modified for military use and requires military identification and design control
  • Electronic materiel which is intended for use by other Federal agencies or other governments that participate in the nomenclature system.

Systems

In the JETDS system, complete equipment sets or systems are designated with a sequence of letters and digits prefixed by AN/, then three letters, a hyphen, a number, and (occasionally) some optional letters (AN/AAA-nnn suffixed by (Vn) {hardware/software version} or (T) {training equipment} . The three letters tell where the equipment is used, what it does and its purpose. For example, the AN/PRC-77 is a Portable Radio used for two way Communications. The model numbers for any given type of equipment are assigned sequentially, thus higher numbers indicate systems that are more modern.

The three letter codes have the following meanings:

First letter: installation
  • A - Piloted Aircraft
  • B - Underwater Mobile (submarine)
  • C - Cryptographic Equipment (was Air, Transportable) (NSA use only)
  • D - Pilotless Carrier (drone, UAV)
  • F - Ground, Fixed
  • G - Ground, General
  • K - Amphibious
  • M - Ground, Mobile
  • P - Portable
  • S - Water (surface ship)
  • T - Ground, Transportable
  • U - General Utility (multi use)
  • V - Ground, Vehicle
  • W - Water Surface and Underwater combined
  • Z - Piloted-Pilotless Airborne Vehicles combined

Second letter: type of equipment
  • A - Invisible Light, Heat Radiation (e.g., infrared)
  • B - Communications security (was Pigeon) (NSA use only)
  • C - Carrier (electronic wave or signal)
  • D - Radiac (Radioactivity Detection, Identification, and Computation)
  • E - Laser (was NUPAC, Nuclear Protection & Control)
  • F - Fiber Optics (was Photographic)
  • G - Telegraph or Teletype
  • I - Interphone and Public Address
  • J - Electromechanical or Inertial Wire Covered
  • K - Telemetering
  • L - Countermeasures
  • M - Meteorological
  • N - Sound in Air
  • P - Radar
  • Q - Sonar and Underwater Sound
  • R - Radio
  • S - Special or Combination
  • T - Telephone (Wire)
  • V - Visual, Visible Light
  • W - Armament (not otherwise covered)
  • X - Facsimile or Television
  • Y - Data Processing or Computer
  • Z - Communications (NSA use only)

Third letter: purpose
  • A - Auxiliary Assembly
  • B - Bombing
  • C - Communications (Receiving/Transmitting, two way)
  • D - Direction Finder, Reconnaissance and Surveillance
  • E - Ejection and/or Release
  • G - Fire Control or Search Light Directing
  • H - Recording and/or Reproducing
  • K - Computing
  • L - no longer used (was Searchlight Control, now covered by "G")
  • M - Maintenance or Test Assemblies
  • N - Navigational Aids
  • P - no longer used (was Reproducing, now covered by "H")
  • Q - Special or Combination
  • R - Receiving or Passive Detecting
  • S - Detecting or Range and Bearing, Search
  • T - Transmitting
  • W - Automatic Flight or Remote Control
  • X - Identification and Recognition
  • Y - Surveillance (search, detect, and multiple target tracking) and Control (both fire control and/or air control)
  • Z - Secure (NSA use only)

Model number

Following the three-letter designation, after a dash, is a number, uniquely identifying the equipment. Different variants of the same equipment may be given an additional letter and other suffixes (for example, AN/SPY-1A, AN/SPY-1B, etc.), while entirely new equipment within the same category is given a new number (for example, AN/SPY-3).

Variants and training equipment

A suffix "(V)", parenthetical V, indicates variable components. A number may follow the parenthetical V to identify a specific configuration. Or the number will identify the precise quantity of equipment required for a specific configuration.

A suffix of "(P)", parenthetical P, indicates a unit or component of a system which are designed to accept "plug-in" modules capable of changing the function, frequency, or other technical characteristics of the unit.

A suffix of "(C)", parenthetical C, indicates a NSA-controlled cryptographic/classified item. See also: Classified information in the United States#Confidential.

A suffix of "-Tn ", dash T followed by a number, indicates equipment designed to provide training in the operation of a specific set or multiple sets.

For example:

AN/ABC-1(V) would be an AN/ABC-1 complete equipment set capable of operating in multiple different configurations with variable components.

AN/ABC-1(V)4 would be the 4th specific configuration of the AN/ABC-1(V) complete equipment set.

OT-1957(V)1/ABC-1(V) would be the 1st specific configuration of the OT-1957(V) group required as a component for the AN/ABC-1(V) complete equipment set.

AN/ABC-1(C) would be an NSA-controlled cryptographic/classified complete equipment set.

R00(P)/ABC-1 would be a unit (capable of accepting plug-in modules) required as a component for the AN/ABC-1 complete equipment set.

AN/ABC-1-T1 would be the first training set for the AN/ABC-1 complete equipment set.

AN/ABC-T1 would be the first training set for several different AN/ABC-n complete equipment sets.

AN/UBC-T1 would be the first training set for both AN/ABC-n and AN/GBC-n complete equipment sets; this is a usage for a training set which can be used for complete equipment sets of similar type and purpose but different installation locations.

Subsystems

Subsystems ("groups") are designated by a two letter code (without the AN/ prefix), followed by a number, followed by slash and one, two or three letters from the three letter codes for systems. For example, BA-1234/PRC would be a battery for portable radio sets. Some subsystems will have the designation for the system they belong to. For example, RT-859/APX-72 and C-6820/APX-72, the /APX-72 indicates both are part of the AN/APX-72 system.

History

JETDS was adopted 16 February 1943 by the Joint Communications Board for all new Army and Navy airborne, radio, and radar equipment. Over time it was extended to cover the Marine Corps and the Navy's ship, submarine, amphibious, and ground electronic equipment. When the Air Force was established as a separate department, it continued the use of the system for electronic equipment. JETDS was adopted by the United States Coast Guard in 1950, Canada in 1951 and the NSA in 1959 (though the NSA continued to use its own TSEC telecommunications security nomenclature[1]). In 1957 the U.S. Department of Defense approved a military standard for the nomenclature, MIL-STD-196. The system has been modified over time, with some types (e.g. carrier pigeon -B-) dropped and others (e.g. computers and cryptographic equipment) added. The latest version, MIL-STD-196G, was issued in 2018.

MIL-STD-196 Rev. History
Revision Date
Original 9 May 1957
A 16 September 1960
B 7 April 1965
C 22 April 1971
D 19 January 1985
E 17 February 1998
F 11 September 2013
G 30 May 2018

Listing of AN/ equipment designations
AN/AAx - Airborne Infrared Equipment[2]
AN/AAA Airborne Infrared Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AAB Airborne Infrared Bombing Equipment
AN/AAD Airborne Infrared Reconnaissance and Surveillance
AN/AAG Airborne Infrared Fire-Control Equipment
AN/AAM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Infrared Equipment
AN/AAQ Airborne Infrared Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AAR Airborne Infrared Receivers
AN/AAS Airborne Infrared Search and Detection Equipment
AN/AAT Airborne Infrared Transmitters
AN/ACx - Airborne Carrier Signal Based Equipment
AN/ACC Airborne Carrier Signal Based Communications
AN/ACM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Carrier Signal Based Equipment
AN/ACQ Airborne Carrier Signal Based Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/ADx - Airborne Radiological Equipment
AN/ADA Airborne Radioactivity Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/ADR Airborne Radioactivity Receivers
AN/AEx - Airborne Laser Equipment
AN/AES Airborne Laser Search and Detection Equipment
AN/AGx - Airborne Teletype Equipment
AN/AGA Airborne Teletype Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AGC Airborne Teletype Communications
AN/AGM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Teletype Equipment
AN/AIx - Airborne Interphone Equipment
AN/AIA Airborne Interphone Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AIC Airborne Interphone Communications
AN/AIH Airborne Interphone Recorders
AN/AIM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Interphone Equipment
AN/AIQ Airborne Interphone Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AJx - Airborne Electromechanical Equipment
AN/AJA Airborne Electromechanical Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AJB Airborne Electromechanical Bombing Equipment
AN/AJM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Electromechanical Equipment
AN/AJN Airborne Electromechanical Navigation Equipment
AN/AJQ Airborne Electromechanical Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AKx - Airborne Telemetering Equipment
AN/AKA Airborne Telemetry Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AKM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Telemetering Equipment
AN/AKQ Airborne Telemetry Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AKR Airborne Telemetry Receivers
AN/AKT Airborne Telemetry Transmitters
AN/ALx - Airborne Countermeasures Equipment
AN/ALA Airborne Countermeasures Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/ALD Airborne Countermeasures Detection and Surveillance
AN/ALE Airborne Countermeasures Ejectors (i.e. flare/chaff dispensers)
AN/ALH Airborne Countermeasures Recorders
AN/ALK Airborne Countermeasures Computers
AN/ALM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Countermeasures Equipment
AN/ALQ Airborne Countermeasures Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/ALR Airborne Countermeasures Receivers
AN/ALT Airborne Countermeasures Transmitters
AN/AMx - Airborne Meteorological Equipment
AN/AMA Airborne Meteorological Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AME Airborne Meteorological Ejectors
AN/AMH Airborne Meteorological Recorders
AN/AMM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Meteorological Recorders
AN/AMQ Airborne Meteorological Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AMR Airborne Meteorological Receivers
AN/AMS Airborne Meteorological Search and Detection Equipment
AN/AMT Airborne Meteorological Transmitters
AN/ANx - Airborne Sound Equipment
AN/ANH Airborne Sound Recorders
AN/ANQ Airborne Sound Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/APx - Airborne Radar Equipment
AN/APA Airborne Radar Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/APB Airborne Bombing Radars
AN/APD Airborne Direction Finding and Surveillance Radars
AN/APG Airborne Fire-Control Radars
AN/APH Airborne Radar Recorders
AN/APM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Radars
AN/APN Airborne Navigation Radars
AN/APQ Airborne Multipurpose/Special Radars
AN/APR Airborne Radar Receivers
AN/APS Airborne Search and Detection Radars
AN/APT Airborne Radar Transmitters
AN/APW Airborne Flight Control Radars
AN/APX Airborne Identification Radars
AN/APY Airborne Surveillance Radars
AN/AQx - Airborne Sonar Equipment
AN/AQA Airborne Sonar Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AQH Airborne Sonar Recorders
AN/AQM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Sonar Equipment
AN/AQQ Airborne Sonar Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AQS Airborne Search & Detection Sonars
AN/ARx - Airborne Radio Equipment
AN/ARA Airborne Radio Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/ARB Airborne Radio Bombing Equipment
AN/ARC Airborne Radio Communications
AN/ARD Airborne Radio Direction Finding and Surveillance
AN/ARH Airborne Radio Receorders
AN/ARM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Radio Equipment
AN/ARN Airborne Radio Navigation Equipment
AN/ARQ Airborne Radio Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/ARR Airborne Radio Receivers
AN/ARS Airborne Radio Search Equipment
AN/ART Airborne Radio Transmitters
AN/ARW Airborne Flight/Remote Control Radio
AN/ARY Airborne Radio Surveillance and Control Equipment
AN/ASx - Airborne Special/Combination Equipment
AN/ASA Airborne Special/Combination Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/ASB Airborne Special/Combination Bombing Equipment
AN/ASC Airborne Special/Combination Communications
AN/ASD Airborne Special/Combination Detection and Reconnaissance Equipment
AN/ASE Airborne Special/Combination Ejectors
AN/ASG Airborne Special/Combination Fire-Control Equipment
AN/ASH Airborne Special/Combination Recording/Reproducing Equipment
AN/ASK Airborne Special/Combination Computers
AN/ASM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Special/Combination Equipment
AN/ASN Airborne Special/Combination Navigation Equipment
AN/ASQ Airborne Special/Combination Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/ASR Airborne Special/Combination Receivers
AN/ASS Airborne Special/Combination Search Equipment
AN/AST Airborne Special/Combination Transmitters
AN/ASW Airborne Special/Combination Flight/Remote Control Equipment
AN/ASX Airborne Special/Combination Identification Equipment
AN/ATx - Airborne Telephone (Wire) Equipment
AN/ATC Airborne Wire Telephone Communications Equipment
AN/ATE Airborne Wire Dispensers
AN/ATM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Wire Telephone Equipment
AN/ATR Airborne Wire Telephone Receivers
AN/AVx - Airborne Visual/Light Equipment
AN/AVA Airborne Visual/Light Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AVB Airborne Visual/Light Bombing Equipment
AN/AVD Airborne Visual/Light Detection and Reconnaissance Equipment
AN/AVG Airborne Airborne Visual/Light Fire-Control and Searchlight Control Equipment
AN/AVH Airborne Visual/Light Recorders
AN/AVM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Visual/Light Equipment
AN/AVN Airborne Visual Navigation Equipment
AN/AVQ Airborne Visual/Light Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AVR Airborne Light Receivers
AN/AVS Airborne Visual Search Equipment
AN/AVT Airborne Light Transmitters
AN/AVX Airborne Visual Identification Equipment
AN/AWx - Airborne Armament Equipment
AN/AWA Airborne Armament Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AWB Airborne Armament Bombing Equipment
AN/AWE Airborne Armament Ejectors
AN/AWG Airborne Fire-Control Systems
AN/AWH Airborne Armament Related Recorders/Reproducers
AN/AWM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Armament Equipment
AN/AWQ Airborne Armament Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AWW Airborne Armament Remote Control Equipment
AN/AXx - Airborne Television/Telefax Equipment
AN/AXA Airborne TV/Fax Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AXC Airborne TV/Fax Communications
AN/AXD Airborne TV Detection and Surveillance Equipment
AN/AXH Airborne TV/Fax Recorders
AN/AXM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne TV/Fax Equipment
AN/AXQ Airborne TV/Fax Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/AXR Airborne TV/Fax Receivers
AN/AXS Airborne TV Search Equipment
AN/AXT Airborne TV/Fax Transmitters
AN/AXX Airborne TV Identification Equipment
AN/AYx - Airborne Data Processing Equipment
AN/AYA Airborne Data Processing Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/AYC Airborne Data Processing Communication Equipment
AN/AYD Airborne Data Processing Detection Equipment
AN/AYG Airborne Fire-Control Computers
AN/AYH Airborne Data Processing Recorders
AN/AYK Airborne Data Processing Computers
AN/AYM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne Data Processing Equipment
AN/AYN Airborne Navigation Computers
AN/AYQ Airborne Multipurpose/Special Computers
AN/AYR Airborne Data Processing Receivers
AN/AYS Airborne Search Computers
AN/AYW Airborne Flight Control Computers
AN/AYY Airborne Surveillance Computers
AN/Cxx - Air Transportable Equipment
AN/CBQ Air Transportable Pigeon Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/CNQ Air Transportable Sound Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/CPA Air Transportable Radar Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/CPM Maintenance and Test Sets for Air Transportable Radars
AN/CPN Air Transportable Navigation Radars
AN/CPQ Air Transportable Multipurpose/Special Radars
AN/CPS Air Transportable Search and Detection Radars
AN/CPT Air Transportable Radar Transmitters
AN/CPX Air Transportable Identification Radars
AN/CRA Air Transportable Radio Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/CRB Air Transportable Bombing Radio Equipment
AN/CRC Air Transportable Radio Communications
AN/CRD Air Transportable Radio Direction Finding
AN/CRM Maintenance and Test Sets for Air Transportable Radio Equipment
AN/CRN Air Transportable Radio Navigation Equipment
AN/CRR Air Transportable Radio Receivers
AN/CRT Air Transportable Radio Transmitters
AN/CRW Air Transportable Remote Control Radio
AN/CRX Air Transportable Radio Identification Equipment
AN/CSC Air Transportable Special/Combination Communications
AN/CSQ Air Transportable Special/Combination Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/CST Air Transportable Special/Combination Transmitters
AN/CTQ Air Transportable Telephone Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/CTW Air Transportable Telephone Remote Control Equipment
AN/CVQ Air Transportable Visual/Light Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/CVX Air Transportable Visual/Light Identification Equipment
AN/Dxx - Missile/Drone Equipment
AN/DAB Missile/Drone Infrared Bombing Equipment
AN/DAN Missile/Drone Infrared Navigation Equipment
AN/DAW Missile/Drone Infrared Flight Control Equipment
AN/DJM Maintenance and Test Sets for Missile/Drone Electromechanical Equipment
AN/DJN Missile/Drone Electromechanical Navigation Equipment
AN/DJQ Missile/Drone Electromechanical Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/DJW Missile/Drone Electromechanical Flight/Remote Control Equipment
AN/DKM Maintenance and Test Sets for Missile/Drone Telemetering Equipment
AN/DKQ Missile/Drone Telemetry Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/DKT Missile/Drone Telemetry Transmitters
AN/DKW Missile/Drone Flight/Remote Control Telemetry Equipment
AN/DLD Missile/Drone Countermeasures Detection and Surveillance
AN/DLM Maintenance and Test Sets for Missile/Drone Countermeasures Equipment
AN/DLQ Missile/Drone Countermeasures Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/DMQ Missile/Drone Meteorological Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/DPD Missile/Drone Direction Finding and Surveillance Radars
AN/DPM Maintenance and Test Sets for Missile/Drone Radars
AN/DPN Missile/Drone Navigation Radars
AN/DPQ Missile/Drone Multipurpose/Special Radars
AN/DPS Missile/Drone Search and Detection Radars
AN/DPT Missile/Drone Radar Transmitters
AN/DPW Missile/Drone Flight/Remote Control Radars
AN/DPX Missile/Drone Identification Radars
AN/DPY Missile/Drone Surveillance Radars
AN/DRA Missile/Drone Radio Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/DRC Missile/Drone Radio Communication Equipment
AN/DRM Maintenance and Test Sets for Missile/Drone Radio Equipment
AN/DRN Missile/Drone Radio Navigation Equipment
AN/DRQ Missile/Drone Radio Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/DRR Missile/Drone Radio Receivers
AN/DRS Missile/Drone Radio Search Equipment
AN/DRT Missile/Drone Radio Transmitters
AN/DRW Missile/Drone Flight/Remote Control Radio
AN/DSA Missile/Drone Special/Combination Auxiliary Assemblies
AN/DSM Maintenance and Test Sets for Missile/Drone Special/Combination Equipment
AN/DSN Missile/Drone Special/Combination Navigation Equipment
AN/DSQ Missile/Drone Special/Combination Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/DSW Missile/Drone Special/Combination Flight/Remote Control Equipment
AN/DVG Missile/Drone Airborne Visual/Light Fire-Control Equipment
AN/DWQ Missile/Drone Armament Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/DWW Missile/Drone Armament Remote Control Equipment
AN/DXQ Missile/Drone TV Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/Fxx - Fixed Ground Equipment
AN/FPS Fixed Ground Range and Bearing Detecting Radar Equipment
AN/Sxx - Water (Surface Ship) Equipment
AN/SPY Surface Ship Surveillance and Control Radar Equipment
AN/Txx - Transportable Equipment
AN/TPS Transportable Range and Bearing Detecting Radar Equipment
AN/TPY Transportable Surveillance and Control Radar Equipment
AN/Uxx - General Utility (or Multiple Installation) Equipment
AN/USD Special/Combination Surveillance Equipment
AN/Zxx - Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Equipment
AN/ZPQ Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Multipurpose/Special Radars
AN/ZRC Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Radio Communications
AN/ZSD Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Special/Combination Detection and Reconnaissance Equipment
AN/ZSM Maintenance and Test Sets for Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Special/Combination Equipment
AN/ZSN Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Special/Combination Navigation Equipment
AN/ZSQ Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Special/Combination Multipurpose/Special Equipment
AN/ZSW Airborne (Piloted/Pilotless Combination) Special/Combination Flight/Remote Control Equipment

See also

Notes
  1. Telecommunications Security (TSEC) Nomenclature System
  2. Parsch, Andreas (February 3, 2008). "Designations Of U.S. Military Electronic And Communications Equipment". Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  • The US government's BINCS database currently assignes CAGE code 80058 to JETDS items.
  • The US government's system for input of Form DD-61 Request for Nomenclature is the Joint Electronic Type Designation Automated System (JETDAS).
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