-R-

RAF –
Royal Air Force

Rapier –
Provides low-level air defense for a battlefield area approximately 100 square kilometers. Sighting and tracking is based on an electro-optical scan mode. Rapier and Hawk missile systems were part of the air defense component Iran required in the Iran/Contra arms-for-hostages deal.

RC-135 –
The Rivet Joint electronic intelligence aircraft is designed to gather signal (SIGINT), electronic (ELINT) and communication (COMINT) intelligence from hostile areas beyond visual range. It is capable of near real-time battlefield intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination.

Remington 870 –
Introduced in 1950, the 870 is probably one of the most popular shotguns ever produced. There are hundreds of variants and tons of after market accessories available. The Marine Corps uses the shotgun as a CQB weapon, and the 870 was one of their models.

Republican Guard -
During the late 1970s and the mid-1980s, the Iraqi armed forces underwent many changes in size, structure, arms supplies, hierarchy, deployment, and political character. Headquartered in Baghdad, the army--of an estimated 1.7 million or more Iraqis, including reserves (actual numbers not available) and paramilitary--in 1987 had seven corps, five armored divisions (each with one armored brigade and one mechanized brigade), and three mechanized divisions (each with one armored brigade and two or more mechanized brigades).

RHYOLITE –
A constellation geostationary SIGINT and ELINT satellites designed to intercept Chinese and Soviet microwave transmissions worldwide. The primary downlink station is Pine Gap near Alice Springs, Australia (see JDSRF). The designation was changed to AQUACADE after the existence of these satellites was revealed in the Boyce and Lee spy trial (Falcon and the Snowman movie).

Rivet Joint –
See RC-135.

ROC –
Republic of China is an island nation better known as Taiwan. The PRC (Beijing) considers Taiwan to be a rebel province. The PRC contends Taiwan is an internal matter, not subject to international review. Let’s cut the diplomatic doublespeak. Taiwan are the good guys and Beijing are the bad guys. If that seems too simple, consider the following:

1. Beijing has nuclear weapons targeted on American cities.

2. Beijing forced down an American Rivet Joint in 2001.

3. Beijing is doing nothing to contain the North Korean threat.

4. Taiwan produces 80% of the motherboards used in PCs worldwide.

5. Taiwan’s largest trading partner is America.

6. Taiwan is a full partner in the war on terror.

Roland –
A tracked anti-aircraft vehicle for defense of armored and mechanized units. Primary targets are attack helicopters and fixed wing strike aircraft flying up to Mach 1.5. It is used designed for use as part of a layered defense. Operating modes include: optical, radar and optical mode recopy radar.

Romeo class –
This is an early Soviet diesel electric class attack submarine. THE Chinese PLAN still counts over 100 of these submarines as part of their inventory, but the number of active is somewhere below 50.

Displacement: 1,710 tons

Crew: 51

Speed: 13 knots

RPG-7 –
The rocket propelled grenade is one of the most common infantry battlefield weapons. It is an evolutionary descendant of the German Panzerfaust and Soviet Forces adopted it in 1961. It has been used to down Blackhawk helicopters in Somalia, blast Russian tanks in Chechnya and attack government strong points through out the world.

RS-6000 –
This is IBM’s entry into the mid range UNIX market. This is based around IBM’s RISC (reduced instruction set computer) processors and hosts the AIX Operating System.

RVSN –
Russian Federation’s Strategic Rocket Forces were the main Soviet force used for attacking an enemy's offensive nuclear weapons, its military facilities, and its industrial infrastructure. They operated all Soviet ground-based intercontinental, intermediate-range, and medium-range nuclear missiles with ranges over 1,000 kilometers. The Strategic Rocket Forces also conducted all Soviet space vehicle and missile launches. A the end of the Cold War the Strategic Rocket Forces, the newest Soviet armed service, were the preeminent armed service, based on the continued importance of their mission.

Douglas De Bono / DouglasDeBono.Com Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota E-Mail readermail@DouglasDeBono.Com