ACP 125 facts for kids

ACP 125 is a special rulebook for talking on radios. Its full name is Allied Communications Publication 125: Communications Instructions—Radiotelephone Procedures. This guide was created by the Combined Communications Electronics Board. It is used by countries like the Five Eyes nations (which include the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) and other countries in NATO.

The main goal of ACP 125 is to set clear rules for how military forces from different countries talk to each other on radios. This includes both secure (private) and non-secure (open) radio channels. It helps them share messages and information in a standard way. This makes sure messages are accurate, fast, and safe, which is important for military operations.

Even though it's a military guide, many non-military groups also use ACP 125. For example, the United States Department of State and the Civil Air Patrol use it for their radio communications.

The first version of this guide, ACP 125(A), came out around 1951. The most recent version is ACP 125(G), which was published in 2016. The letter in parentheses shows how many major updates the guide has had. There are also extra guides called supplements, such as:

• ACP 125 U.S. SUPP-1: HF Air-Ground Radiotelephone Procedures U.S. Supplement 1 to ACP 125(B)
• ACP 125 (US SUPP-2): Radiotelephone Procedures for the Conduct of Artillery and Naval Gunfire (U)

How Countries Use ACP 125

ACP 125 is made for all NATO countries to use, especially when they work together. Sometimes, countries have tried to translate the special radio words, called procedure words or "prowords," into their own languages.

For example, in 1956, a NATO memo (SGM-623-56) called French Equivalents to English Expressions Used in ACP 125(B) listed French versions of these prowords. This helps people from different countries understand each other better on the radio.

See also

• ACP 131