Military Abbreviations, Nicknames and Slang Terms
Beginning with N
Compiled by Jon Stacy

NACA-
(Short) National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The forerunner of NASA.

Nail-
(Nickname) Air to Ground Rockets, used by Helicopters in the Vietnam War.

Nape-
(Short) Napalm.

NAS-
(Short) Naval Air Station.

NASA-
(Short) National Aeronautics & Space Administration.

Nasty Asty-
(Nickname) USS Astoria CA-34, a New Orleans Class Heavy Cruiser.

Nasty Maru-
(Nickname) USS Nassau CVE-16, a Bogue Class Escort Carrier.

Nate-
Allied Codename for the Japanese Nakajima Army Ki-27, fighter.

Navion-
The Ryan L-17 liaison aircraft of the Korean War.

NAVY-
(Acronym) Never Again Volunteer Yourself.

NBC-
(Short) Nuclear, Biological, Chemical. Weapons of Mass Destruction.

NEACP-
(Abbv.) National Emergency Airborne Command Post. The role the E-4B fills in the US Air Force.

Nell-
Allied Codename for the Japanese Mitsubishi G3M Torpedo Bomber.

Nevada Cities-
(Korea) Hills known as Vegas, Carson & Reno. Site of many pitched battles between the US Marines and the Chinese.

New York-
The 27th Infantry Division, that served during World War I and in the Pacific during World War II.

New York’s Finest-
(Squadron Nickname) 136th AS/ARS, that operated the C-130 Hercules & currently the KC-135 Stratotanker for the New York Air National Guard.

Nick-
1. Allied Codename for the Japanese Kawasaki Ki-45, Twin Seat Fighter.
2. Nickname for the USS Nicholas DD-449, a Fletcher Class Destroyer.

Nickel-
A propaganda leaflet.

Nickels-
(Squadron Nickname) 55th Airlift Flight, which flies the C-12 Huron.

Nickel Mission-
Air Missile dedicated to propaganda.

Night CAP-
Nighttime Combat Air Patrol.

Nightcappers-
(Squadron Nickname) VF-13, that flew the F-8 Crusader. (Disestablished)

Night Dippers-
(Squadron Nickname) HS-5, who flies the SH-60 Seahawk.

Nightfighters-
(Squadron Nickname) VMF-532, that flew the F4U Corsair during World War II. (Disestablished)

Nightingale-
The McDonnell-Douglas C-9A & C-9C transports.

Nightingales-
(Squadron Nickname) 11th AES/Airlift Squadron, that flew the C-118 Liftmaster, C-131 Samaritain, & the
C-9 Nightingale. (Disestablished)

Nighthawk-
The Lockheed F-117A, stealth fighter of the Persian Gulf War, Kosovo, and the War with Iraq.

Nighthawks-
1. (Squadron Nickname) VA-185, that operated the A-6 Intruder. (Disestablished)
2. (Squadron Nickname) 55th Special Operations Squadron, that flew the MH-60 Blackhawk. (Disestablished)

Nightmares-
(Squadron Nickname) VMF/VMA-513 that served during World War II & Korea. They operated the F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, F7F Tigercat, F3D Skyknight, FJ Fury, F-8 Crusader, F-4 Phantom II & AV-8 Harrier II.

Night Owls-
1. (Squadron Nickname) 67th Special Operations Squadron, who flies the MC-130 Hercules.
2. (Squadron Nickname) VMU-2 that operates the RQ-2 drone.

Nightstalkers-
(Squadron Nickname) 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron, that flew the F-117 Nighthawk during the Persian Gulf War. (Disestablished)

Nightwings-
(Squadron Nickname) 9th Special Operations Squadron, that flies the MC-130 Hercules.

Night Wolves-
(Squadron Nickname) VAW-77, that flies the E-2 Hawkeye.

Nike-
Name for the A-7 Surface to Air Missile, that was deployed around US cities during the height of the cold war.

Nine Eleven Ship-
(Nickname) USS George Washington CVN-73, a Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier. The Navy’s Go-To ship in a crisis.

Ninety Day Wonder-
(Slang) An Officer who attended Officer Training School.

Nissen Hut-
(Slang) Similar to a Quonset Hut.

NJ-
(Nickname) USS New Jersey BB-62, an Iowa Class Battleship.

NO Boat-
(Nickname) USS New Orleans CA-32, a New Orleans Class Heavy Cruiser.

No Hope, Pope-
(Nickname) Pope AFB, North Carolina.

No Strain-
(Slang) With no difficult.

NOB-
(Short) Naval Operating Base. A ships homeport.

Nomad-
The Northrop A-17, all metal single engine/wing attack plane of the Mid 1930’s.

Nomads of the North-
(Squadron Nickname) 54th Helicopter Flight that operates the UH-1 Iroquois.

Nor’easter-
(Squadron Nickname) VR-62, who currently flies the P-3 Orion.

Nosegunner-
(Slang) The pilot of a F-4 Phantom II.

Notams-
Notices issued to aircrews on what they might encounter en route.

November-
Codeword for the letter N.



This list was created by Jon Stacy and is displayed on MaritimeQuest with his permission.
This information may not be duplicated, displayed or published without the express written consent of the author.

© 2006 John Stacy All Rights Reserved.


If you have an addition, correction or clarification please
email John Stacy.