Globalisation, coupled with the accessibility of the Internet in the modern world, can result in things meaning very different things to different people. Common terms can be misused too; we have seen some very interesting interpretations of meanings in our various lifetimes! We have decided to put a lexicon on the website so we can keep the pages tight to the usually defined and abbreviated form. Apologies if that makes them a little awkward to read. Rather than a straight glossary, herein is a lexicon to aid better the background as often a little more context is needed in this highly specialist field and easily stated, yet difficult to actually do set of technologies and problems.

This is not going to be exhaustive, but will list many of the acronyms and areas where an explanation is best served. We will assume most of the common Telecommunications and Military Signals terms are standard, for the avoidance of doubt we will always use the UK meaning. If we choose to alter that to a NATO or other jurisdiction then it will be listed below. Feel free to Contact Us to ask us to update this page with something we haven't yet put on here.

The common Electronic Warfare acronyms are excluded.

The following links are the various pages in alphabetic order for our site's use of various abbreviations and our intended meaning, {use the links to relevant pages}:

QMS - Quality Management System. Comprising all Standard Operating Procedures, Forms and Configuration Management Matrices for the whole organisation.

R&D - Research and Development.

RAENG - Royal Academy of Engineering.

RAF FF - Royal Air Force Families Federation.

RAV - Remote Aerial Vehicle. This is generally not a piloted aerial vehicle; it is one that has been given mission plans and the vehicle automatically carries them out subject to conditions, rules and its own sensors. See UAV and RPAS.

RBL - Royal British Legion.

RCV - Remotely-Controlled Vehicle. This is generally a land radio-controlled robotic vehicle.

REACH - Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. This EU regulation is for the production and use of chemical substances and their impact on the environment and human health. See also CHIP and COSHH.

RF - Radio Frequency.

RFCA - Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.

RFID - Radio Frequency Identification.

RI - Royal Institution. Founded in 1799, this is a very long-standing organisation devoted to science and technology, the education thereof and its research.

RIN - The Royal Institute of Navigation.

RoHS - Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive [2002/95/EC]. See also WEEE.

RPAS - Remotely-Pilotted Aerial System. See also UAV.

RODET - Roll-Over Drills Egress Training. This is a specially designed, armoured, military vehicle trainer that can rotate the vehicle to any inclination [including fully tumbled], so that the occupants can be taught the safe methods of egress from a vehicle that has been subject to external forces or factors.

ROV - Remotely-Operated Vehicle. Commercial Maritime Operators use this term for a UUV. Typically a ROV is a robot for testing, surveying and recovery at depths that a human diver would not be able to endure or for use that could enable more effective dive planning for example.

RSC - The Royal Society of Chemistry.

RSS - Really Simple Syndication. A web feed content enabling delivery mechanism.

RUSI - The Royal United Services Institute. Technically the old name for the organisation, for which most still use that name. It is actually the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. This was founded in 1831 by the Duke of Wellington and has international credibility for its advice and reports.