Official Statistics

Glossary - Defence & Security Export Figures for 2019

Published 6 October 2020

Glossary of Terms & Abbreviations

3G

Mobile communications standard that allows mobile phones, computers, and other portable electronic devices to access the Internet wirelessly

4G

Mobile communications standard intended to replace 3G, allowing wireless Internet access at a much higher speed.

Aerospace

Aircraft (inc naval aircraft, aircraft related equipment (including aircraft simulators & air launched weapons).

APAC

Asia Pacific.

AW159

Also known as Future Lynx/Lynx Wildcat, is a maritime surveillance and attack helicopter built by Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland).

Brexit

Departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

CNI

Critical national infrastructure - term used to describe assets deemed essential for the functioning of the society/economy.

Contracts

Agreement between two or more parties to perform a service or provide a product.

Cyber security

Protection of networked information systems.

Cyber Security Export Growth Strategy

Government’s approach to increasing UK cyber security exports.

UK Defence & Security Exports

UK Defence & Security Exports, within the Department for International Trade (DIT), helps the UK defence and security industry achieve export success.

Department for International Trade

UK government department responsible for securing UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade.

DIT

See Department for International Trade.

DoD

Department of Defense (US).

DSO

See Defence & Security Organisation.

ECJU

See Export Control Joint Unit.

ESN

Emergency services network.

EU

European Union.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Advanced multi-role combat aircraft.

Export Control Joint Unit

The ECJU administers the UK’s system of export controls and licensing for military and dual-use items.

F-15

Twin-engine fighter aircraft built by Boeing.

F-35

Single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighter aircraft built by Lockheed Martin.

FMS

See foreign military sales.

Foreign military sales

The U.S. Department of Defense’s FMS programme facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defence equipment, defence services, and military training to foreign governments.

G2G

See government-to-government.

GDPR

General Data Protection Regulation.

Government-to-government

A government to government relationship is often required to support and secure high value export opportunities, strengthen bilateral relationships and provide a framework for future export success.

Hawk aircraft

Single-engine, jet-powered advanced trainer aircraft.

HGHP

See high growth high potential.

High growth high potential (DIT classification)

Around 400 companies (outside top 20 UK exporters) who are provided with facilitated engagement of government support to business in overseas markets (from military to civilian services).

HM Revenue & Customs

UK’s tax, payments and customs authority, whose purpose: is to collect the money that pays for the UK’s public services and help families and individuals with targeted financial support.

HMG

Her Majesty’s Government.

HMRC

See HM Revenue & Customs.

ICT

Information and communications technology.

IoT

Internet of things.

KAM

See Key account management (DIT classification).

Key account management

Top 20 UK Defence exporters provided with Facilitated engagement of government support to business in overseas markets (from Military to Civilian Services).

Land

Ground based platforms (such as tanks, armoured vehicles), equipment and ground based weapons

LTE

Long term evolution - the highly technical process involved in high-speed data for smartphones and mobile devices.

MMS

Multimedia messaging service - standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from a mobile phone over a cellular network.

MoD

Ministry of Defence.

MRTT

See multi role tanker transport aircraft.

MT30

Marine gas turbine engine, based on Rolls-Royce Trent 800 aero engine, which is used to power ships.

Multi role tanker transport aircraft

Aerial refuelling tanker aircraft based on the civilian airbus A330.

NHS

National Health Service.

Office of National Statistics

The ONS is responsible for the production of a wide range of independent economic and social statistics, to improve our understanding of the United Kingdom’s economy and society, and for planning the proper allocation of resources, policy-making and decision-making. It is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to Parliament. ONS is the UK government’s single largest statistical producer.

ONS

See Office of National Statistics.

Orders

Products/services requested by customers that appear in a company’s order book.

OTS

Overseas trade statistics.

Prime contractor

Principal contractor responsible for the delivery of goods and services to the customer. The contractor is typically the original equipment manufacturer. In some the cases, a prime contractor may outsource part of the production process to a sub-contractor.

PTT

Push to talk

Rafale

French twin-jet combat aircraft capable of carrying out a wide range of short and long-range missions, including ground and sea attacks, reconnaissance.

S-400

Air defence missile system developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau of Russia.

Sales

The actual exchange of money between customer and exporter.

SBU

See small business unit (team within DIT DSO).

Sea

Ships, submarines, ship launched weapons, naval dockyards.

SEGS

Security export growth strategy.

Security export growth strategy

Governments approach to increasing UK security exports.

SIPRI

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Small and medium-sized enterprise

Businesses whose personnel numbers fall below certain limits.

Small Business Unit

Part of DSO helping UK companies win business in global defence and security markets.

SME

See small and medium-sized enterprise

SMS

Short message service (text message).

TETRA

Terrestrial trunked radio.

Trent 700 engine

Three spool high bypass turbofan aircraft engine made by Rolls-Royce.

Type 218SG

Class of submarine built in Germany by ThyssenKrupp.

US DoD

United States Department of Defense.

VoLTE

Voice over LTE voice calls over a 4G LTE network.

WA

Westlands Advisory