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The NATO phonetic alphabet is one of the most widely recognised symbols of the Alliance. Created in 1956, it helps NATO forces communicate with each other clearly and quickly, which can make all the difference in emergency situations. 

Take the quiz to see if you know all 26 letters of the phonetic alphabet, then read on below to learn about its history! 

Can you identify all 26 letters of the NATO phonetic alphabet?

Take the quiz below!

Thank you for taking the quiz!

Learn more about the answers below.

A

Able

Alfa

Amsterdam

Adam

B

Baltimore

Baker

Brazil

Bravo

C

Casablanca

Charlie

Coca

Canada

D

Denmark

Delta

Dog

David

E

Edison

Easy

Echo

Elsa

F

Foxtrot

Fox

Florida

Fiesta

G

Golf

George

Gallipoli

Gold

H

Havana

Hotel

How

Harry

I

India

Italia

Ida

Item

J

Jerusalem

Jig

Juliett

Jupiter

K

Kilo

Kilogram

King

Khartoum

L

Liverpool

Lima

Love

Liter

M

Mike

Madagascar

Metro

Maestro

N

New York

Nan

November

Nectar

O

Oslo

Oscar

Oboe

Opera

P

Paris

Peter

Papa

Peru

Q

Queen

Quebec

Quiz

Quetzal

R

Roma

Roger

Rosa

Romeo

S

Sierra

Santiago

Sugar

Santa

T

Tripoli

Tango

Tare

Thomas

U

Uppsala

Uniform

Uncle

Union

V

Victoria

Valencia

Vaniya

Victor

W

William

Whisky

Whiskey

Washington

X

X-ray

Xanthippe

eXtra

Xaintrie

Y

Yoke

Yokohama

Young

Yankee

Z

Zebra

Zulu

Zanzibar

Zurich

Soldiers from the Durham Light Infantry operate a radio and keep watch for the enemy, near Bayeux, Normandy, France on 11 June 1944. © IWM (B 5378)

History of the NATO phonetic alphabet

The NATO phonetic alphabet was established in 1956 and just a few years later became the established universal phonetic alphabet. However, it took several adaptations before the version used today came into effect.

1927/1932 - International Telecommunications Union (ITU) phonetic alphabets

In 1927, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) produced the first phonetic alphabet to be recognised internationally. Most of its letters were based on the names of cities and countries: 

Amsterdam, Baltimore, Canada, Denmark, Eddystone, Francisco, Gibraltar, Hanover, Italy, Jerusalem, Kimberley, Liverpool, Madagascar, Neufchatel, Ontario, Portugal, Quebec, Rivoli, Santiago, Tokio, Uruguay, Victoria, Washington, Xantippe, Yokohama, Zululand

In 1932, the ITU updated this alphabet with several changes: 

Amsterdam, Baltimore, Casablanca, Danemark, Edison, Florida, Gallipoli, Havana, Italia, Jerusalem, Kilogramme, Liverpool, Madagascar, New York, Oslo, Paris, Quebec, Roma, Santiago, Tripoli, Upsala, Valencia, Washington, Xanthippe, Yokohama, Zürich

1941 - Able Baker phonetic alphabet

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. Two years later, the British Royal Air Force decided to use the Able Baker alphabet as well.

Able, 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, Zebra

1951 - International Air Transport Association (IATA) phonetic alphabet

A common criticism of these alphabets was that they skewed English in composition. 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. 

Alfa, Bravo, Coca, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Gold, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Metro, Nectar, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Union, Victor, Whiskey, eXtra, Yankee, Zulu

1956 - NATO phonetic alphabet

Although the IATA phonetic alphabet had been adopted for civilian aviation, militaries and NATO continued to follow the Able Baker phonetic alphabet for several years. Eventually, however, civilian and military authorities agreed that there should be a single, universal phonetic alphabet. NATO therefore launched a review of the IATA alphabet in the mid-1950s, spearheaded by the United Kingdom and the United States.

The initial proposal from NATO called for the adoption of the IATA alphabet, with changes to five letters: Coca, Metro, Nectar, Union and eXtra. This proposal 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).

On 8 April 1955, the North Atlantic Military Committee Standing Group advised that whether or not the proposal was approved by the IACO, the alphabet would "be adopted and made effective for NATO use on 1 January 1956" (see declassified document from the NATO Archives: SGM-0217-55).

Allied militaries hesitated to adopt the alphabet for national use until the ICAO ruled on the proposal, thus creating a rather odd situation in which NATO Military Commands would be the sole users of the proposed phonetic alphabet. Luckily this situation did not last for long, as the ICAO approved the alphabet, with November as the code word for the letter N.

On 21 February 1956, NATO Allies were advised “that the new Phonetic Alphabet is to be made effective in NATO 1 March 1956” (see declassified document from the NATO Archives: SGM-0156-56).

The ITU formally adopted this phonetic alphabet a few years later, making it the established universal phonetic alphabet governing all military, civilian and amateur radio communications. Since it NATO Allies had spearheaded the final revision, it became known from that point on as "the NATO phonetic alphabet".

Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu

The NATO phonetic alphabet and its related Morse code, flaghoist and semaphore signals