Reference · radio spelling
Military Alphabet
The military alphabet, also called the phonetic alphabet, gives a code word for each letter and each digit. It is used to spell names, call signs, and codes clearly over a radio or telephone.
- Letters
- 26 code words, A to Z
- Digits
- Zero to nine, spoken one digit at a time
- Source
- ICAO phonetic alphabet
- Checked
- 2026-11-01
Letters
| Letter | Code word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa | AL FAH |
| B | Bravo | BRAH VOH |
| C | Charlie | CHAR LEE or SHAR LEE |
| D | Delta | DELL TAH |
| E | Echo | ECK OH |
| F | Foxtrot | FOKS TROT |
| G | Golf | GOLF |
| H | Hotel | HOH TEL |
| I | India | IN DEE AH |
| J | Juliett | JEW LEE ETT |
| K | Kilo | KEY LOH |
| L | Lima | LEE MAH |
| M | Mike | MIKE |
| N | November | NO VEM BER |
| O | Oscar | OSS CAH |
| P | Papa | PAH PAH |
| Q | Quebec | KEH BECK |
| R | Romeo | ROW ME OH |
| S | Sierra | SEE AIR RAH |
| T | Tango | TANG GO |
| U | Uniform | YOU NEE FORM or OO NEE FORM |
| V | Victor | VIK TAH |
| W | Whiskey | WISS KEY |
| X | X-ray | ECKS RAY |
| Y | Yankee | YANG KEY |
| Z | Zulu | ZOO LOO |
Numbers
| Digit | Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Zero | ZE RO |
| 1 | One | WUN |
| 2 | Two | TOO |
| 3 | Three | TREE |
| 4 | Four | FOW ER |
| 5 | Five | FIFE |
| 6 | Six | SIX |
| 7 | Seven | SEV EN |
| 8 | Eight | AIT |
| 9 | Nine | NIN ER |
How to use it
- Spell one letter at a time with its code word: “Bravo Alfa Charlie” spells BAC.
- Say the stressed syllable clearly. The pronunciation column shows the syllables in capitals.
- For numbers, say each digit separately: 1330 is “Wun Tree Tree Zero.”
Frequently asked questions
What is the military alphabet?
It is the phonetic alphabet used to spell words and letters clearly over a radio. Each letter has a code word, such as Alfa for A and Bravo for B. The same list is used in aviation radiotelephony.
Source: SKYbrary Aviation Safety, ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.
How do you spell a word with the military alphabet?
Say the code word for each letter in order. For example, the word “CAB” is spoken as Charlie, Alfa, Bravo. Pause briefly between letters, and repeat any letter that is not clear.
Source: SKYbrary Aviation Safety, ICAO Phonetic Alphabet (letter table).
How are numbers said on the radio?
Each digit has its own word, and a number is said one digit at a time. Five is “Fife,” four is “Fow-er,” and nine is “Nin-er,” as listed in the number table. For example, 19 is “Wun Nine.”
Source: SKYbrary Aviation Safety, ICAO Phonetic Alphabet (number table).
Do all organizations use the same spelling words?
This page lists the ICAO spelling alphabet. Other agencies or units may use a different list, so follow the one your unit or organization specifies.
Source: Scope of this page.