The Joint Electronics Type Designation System , which was previously known as the Joint Army-Navy Nomenclature System 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 materiel, from a military point of view, generally includes those electronic devices employed in data processing, detection and tracking, 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 some optional letters or . 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:
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, while entirely new equipment within the same category is given a new number.
Variants and training equipment
A suffix "", 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 "", 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 "", 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 would be an AN/ABC-1 complete equipment set capable of operating in multiple different configurations with variable components. AN/ABC-14 would be the 4th specific configuration of the AN/ABC-1 complete equipment set. OT-19571/ABC-1 would be the 1st specific configuration of the OT-1957 group required as a component for the AN/ABC-1 complete equipment set. AN/ABC-1 would be an NSA-controlled cryptographic/classified complete equipment set. R00/ABC-1 would be a unit 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 are designated by a two letter code, 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. 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 dropped and others added. The latest version, MIL-STD-196G, was issued in 2018.
