#LETTERS IN ALPHabet TO SPELL A WORD code#

A review of the Able Baker alphabet, spearheaded by NATO Allies US and UK, was conducted.Ī proposal changing the words for the letters C, M, N, U, and X only was submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (IACO) although debate continued over the code word for the letter N (Nectar versus November) (see declassified document from the NATO Archives: SGWM-762-54). It is similar to the one used today.Īlfa, Bravo, Coca, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Gold, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Metro, Nectar, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Union, Victor, Whiskey, eXtra, Yankee, ZuluĪs militaries and NATO continued to follow the Able Baker phonetic alphabet, it was clear the need for a universal phonetic alphabet still remained. A new version incorporating sounds common to English, French, and Spanish was proposed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and came into effect on 1 November 1951 for civil aviation only. Two years later, the British Royal Air Force decided to use the Able Baker alphabet as well.Īble, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, George, How, Item, Jig, King, Love, Mike, Nan, Oboe, Peter, Queen, Roger, Sugar, Tare, Uncle, Victor, William, X-ray, Yoke, ZebraĪ common criticism of these alphabets was that they were rather English in composition. On the military side, the United States adopted a Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, called the Able Baker alphabet after the first two code words, across all of its military branches in 1941. It featured names of cities across the globe.Īmsterdam, Baltimore, Casablanca, Denmark, Edison, Florida, Gallipoli, Havana, Italia, Jerusalem, Kilogramme, Liverpool, Madagascar, New York, Oslo, Paris, Quebec, Roma, Santiago, Tripoli, Uppsala, Valencia, Washington, Xanthippe, Yokohama, Zurich. In the 1920s, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) produced the first phonetic alphabet to be recognized internationally. However, it took several adaptations before the version used today came into effect. The NATO phonetic alphabet became effective in 1956 and just a few years later became the established universal phonetic alphabet.

LETTERS IN ALPHabet TO SPELL A WORD