(c) 2017,2022 Peter McCollum
Observed Nomenclature
The following list details
the CIA nomenclature used for most equipment. In square brackets is an example
of a specific model using the designation.
In some cases, a
name is seen that includes an ‘X’ as either the first or last letter (such as
XRR-5 instead of SRR-5). These are typically ‘engineering models’ (prototypes
or early production units). Modifications to a standard design are often
indicated by adding a letter preceded by a slash, such as: RT/A-3, RT/D-3, and
RT/E-3 (all variations of the RT-3 transmitter). A double ‘X’, such as with the
RS-6XX, seems to also indicate a special build that is a variation from normal
production.
AC Antenna Coupler [AC-3]
AM Antenna Tuner
AN Antenna [AN-74]
AP AC Power Supply
AR Receiving System
AS Automatic Station [AS-3]
ASF High Speed
Point-to-point Communication System [ASF-4]
ASR Audio
Surveillance Receiver [ASR-1]; also Aircraft Survival Radio(?) [ASR-100]
AT Automatic Station Transmitter [AT-3]
ATP Facsimile
Printer [ATP-2]
AU Accessory Unit [AU-3]
BC Battery Charger [BC-16]
BN Beacon transmitter [BN-2]
BS Battery power supply
BT Tape Recorder; also a battery-powered concealable
xmtr [BT-2]
CA Tape Cartridge [CA-3B]
CB Tape Recorder [CB-3]
CC Crystal Case [CC-15]
CCS Carrier Current
Surveillance [CCS-1]
CK Coder-Keyer [CK-30]
CL Clamp (used with HG) [CL-48]
CM Crystal Matrix [CM-48]
CO Coder [CO-3B]
CP Control Panel [CP-4]
CR Collection Receiver (i.e. intercept)
[CR-26]
CRA Collection
Receiver, Aperiodic [CRA-4]
CSR Character Sequence
Recognizer [CSR-2]
CT Universal line cord [CT-1]
CU Timer/Actuator [CU-10]
CV Converter
CY Electronic Key Generator [CY-2]
DD Dual-Diversity receiving system [DD-1]
DF Direction Finder [DF-3]
DS Display System
EC burial container [EC-2]
EK Electronic Key [EK-1X]
ER Equipment Rack [ER-3]
ET Electro-mechanical Baudot Keyer [ET-2]
HG Hand-crank Generator [HG-48]
HK Hand Key [HK-1]
HRR
HRS Homing Receiver
System (?) [HRS-23]
HRT Homing Radio
Transmitter (beacon) [HRT-2]
IN Oscillator [IN-3]
IS Infrared Communication System [IS-5]
KA Keyer Adaptor [KA-3]
KE Keyer [KE-8]
KT Tool Kit [KT-2]
LRS Latching Radio
Switch (radio-controlled switch for a ‘bug’ xmtr)
[LRS-1]
OS Oscillator (VFO or freq. synth.)
PD Pre-Detection (record receiver IF before the detector)
[PD-1]
PM Phase Modulator [PM-18]
PS Power Supply
RA Radio Accessory [RA-2]
RR Radio Receiver [RR-2B]
RP Radio Power supply [RP-2]
RS Radio Station [RS-1]
RSR Radio Switch
Receiver [RSR-1]
RT Radio Transmitter [RT-3]
SRR Surveillance
Radio Receiver [SRR-4]
SRT Surveillance
Radio Transmitter [SRT-3]
ST Surveillance Transmitter [ST-2A]
SWM Surveillance
Wired Microphone (likely) [SWM-44B]
SY Synthesizer, voice line message [SY-3]
TA Transmitter Adaptor [TA-1]
TE Morse code trainer [TE-2]
TK Training Kit [TK-1]
TP Tape Printer [TP-3]
TS Test Set [TS-10]
TV CCTV
UGP Gas Generator
[UGP-12]
UPI Universal Power
Inverter (?) [UPI-10]
URR Universal Radio
Receiver (?) [URR-10 DF rcvr]
URT Universal Radio
Transmitter [URT-11]
VA Video Amplifier [VA-8]
VR Video Recorder [VR-4]
XRR Surveillance
(or Countermeasure) Receiver (prototype nomenclature for SRR) [XRR-8]