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self-contained night attack
self-contained night attack Capability of single aircraft
navigating by night to acquire and strike designated point
target and return to base (USAF omits word ‘point’).
self-destroying fuze One designed to explode projectile
before end of its flight.
self-destruct Ability of missile, RPV or similar air
vehicle to explode into harmless fragments at particular
time or geographical location.
self-erecting Of gyro, capable of erecting automatically
after being toppled or started from rest.
self-exciting Generator’s own current supplies magnet
coils.
self-FAC To carry out entire surface-attack-mission
without help of FAC or other aircrft giving aiming
directions.
self-forging fragment Warhead which punches through
thin top armour of AFVs: transverse disc of explosive
converts disc of dense metal ahead of it into streamlined
globule moving at over 9,000 ft (2,750 m)/s, its impact
energy exceeding shear strength of armour.
self-generated multipath effect Multipath radio/radar
problems caused by change in aircraft configuration, eg
carriage of large stores.
self-guided missile One guided by means other than
command.
self-indexing Automatically moving to the next operating
position; thus a * cartridge starter automatically
readies the next cartridge.
self-induced vibration Caused by internal conversion of
non-oscillatory to oscillatory excitation; also called selfexcited
vibration.
self-induced wing rock Sustained roll, with little or no
yaw, in flight at high AOA by slender delta or aircraft with
wing of low aspect ratio, caused by asymmetric shedding
of LE vortices.
self-inductance Ratio of magnetic flux linking circuit to
flux-producing current, ie e.m.f induced per unit rate of
change of current; symbol L, unit henry, also webers per
ampere; analogous to inertia in mechanical system.
self-manoeuvring stand Airport apron arranged so that
gate parking and departure are accomplished by aircraft
taxiing under own power. Normally nose-in parking
avoided, and gate parking is accomplished with fuselage
approximately parallel to adjacent wall of finger or
terminal.
self-noise Internally generated noise within system, esp.
within sonar.
Selfoc Sheet electric-light focusing; patented (Nippon)
two-component optical-fibre system.
self-repairing Having inbuilt ability automatically to
adjust itself to best possible condition (eg operative channels,
gain, feedback, power management) following any
malfunction or damage.
self-rescue system Patented (Bell Aerospace) jetpropelled
foldable parawing to enable combat aircrew to
eject and fly to friendly area.
self-sealing tank Fluid, esp. hydrocarbon fuel, tank
constructed with layer of soft unvulcanized synthetic
rubber sandwiched between main structural layers so that
combat damage causes leak, bringing fuel into contact
with rubber, which swells swiftly to block hole.
self stall Self-induced stall brought about by inherent
tendency when near stalling AOA to pitch-up, eg by stall
semi-armour-piercing
well outboard on swept wing with root still lifting
strongly, thus progressively increasing nose-up tendency.
self-sustaining speed Gas-turbine rpm [typically 35%
maximum] at which, during start cycle, external cranking
is no longer needed.
self-test Sequential test program performed by equipment
(usually electronic) upon itself to determine whether
it is operating correctly and which subsystems or circuits
are faulty. In advanced form pinpoints each fault to
particular device or PCB and stops.
selint Selective interrogation; not a particular system
but technique.
SELR Switchable eyesafe laser ranger [or rangefinder];
D adds designator.
SELS 1 Severe local storm[s].
2 Single-engine land and sea.
selscan Selective-call scanning.
selsyn From self-sychronous, patented (US General
Electric) synchronization system for transmitting remote
compass indication to cockpit; fluxvalve current fed to
three 120° coils driving central coil carrying indicator
needle.
selvedge Woven edge of fabric from mill, does not
unravel (US = selvage).
SEM 1 Scanning electron microscope, microscopy.
2 Space environment monitoring (or monitor).
3 Service engineered [in UK, engineering] modification.
4 Standard electronic [or system equipment] module.
5 Superconducting electrical machine (or machinery).
6 Society for Experimental Mechanics (US).
7 System engineering management.
8 Simple evaluation model.
SEMA 1 Special electronics mission aircraft (USAF).
2 Station engineering management aid (RAF, computerized
maintenance management).
3 Smart electro-mechanical actuator.
4 Syndicat des Equipements et Matériels Aéronautiques
(Paris).
semaphore TVC Thrust-vector control using oscillating
blades pivoted to move across propulsive jet transversely
and by partial blocking of flow path cause angular
deflection.
SEMC Standard electronic-memory cartridge.
SEM-E Standard electronic module Format E.
semi-active homing Homing on to radiation reflected or
scattered by target illuminated by radar forming part of
system but mounted on fighter or surface platform, ie, not
carried by the homing vehicle.
semi-active landing gear One in which the damping
forces are controlled in response to the aircraft motion.
semi-active missile Missile whose guidance system
includes a receiver only, to home on a target illuminated
by a radar, laser, or other emitter located elsewhere.
semi-angled deck Carrier deck whose axis is at
maximum diagonal angle permitted by original hull and
deck without addition of large overhanging portion.
semi-annular wing Wing whose front elevation forms
lower half of circle centred on fuselage or on each of two
engine nacelles.
semi-armour-piercing Important category of gunlaunched
projectiles with AP properties conferred by high
muzzle velocity and choice of materials but not relying
entirely upon KE for penetration and with internal
explosive charge. Some have added incendiary or tracer.
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