DEFCON
Military abbreviation · Military Term
| Stands for | Defense readiness condition |
|---|---|
| Categories | Military |
DEFCON stands for Defense readiness condition, a military term abbreviation.
Alert system of the US military, with five levels from DEFCON 5, normal peacetime readiness, to DEFCON 1, maximum readiness for imminent nuclear war. Levels are set by the Joint Chiefs and can differ by command.
Example: During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Strategic Air Command went to DEFCON 2 for the first time.
Usage notes
DEFCON 2 in October 1962 is the highest level publicly confirmed. Forces were raised to DEFCON 3 during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war and on September 11, 2001. The 1983 film WarGames popularized the term, and popular use often reverses the scale, wrongly treating higher numbers as more dangerous.
Related abbreviations
More military term abbreviations
- CT – Counterterrorism
- CUI – Controlled unclassified information
- CZTE – Combat Zone Tax Exclusion
- DA – Direct action
- DD – Dishonorable discharge
- DEERS – Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
- DEP – Delayed Entry Program
- DEROS – Date eligible for return from overseas
- DFAC – Dining facility
- DFAS – Defense Finance and Accounting Service
- DI – Drill instructor
- DMZ – Demilitarized zone