Tool to translate / decipher / write messages via the NATO phonetic alphabet (also called the radio alphabet) generally used for telecommunications, based on american army radio alphabet.
NATO Phonetic Alphabet - dCode
Tag(s) : Communication System, Substitution Cipher
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NATO Phonetic Alphabet
NATO Alphabet Decoder
NATO Alphabet Encoder
Answers to Questions (FAQ)
What is the NATO Phonetic Alphabet? (Definition)
The NATO phonetic alphabet is an alphabet created for oral telecommunications, in order to spell words correctly. The alphabet first used by the armed forces has spread to all national and international radio broadcasts and has been standardized by NATO. The principle is to spell a word or a name, letter by letter, using another word that is easily pronounced and without any possible ambiguity, the first letter of which corresponds to the letter to be spelled.
How to encrypt using NATO Alphabet cipher?
To encode a message using the NATO phonetic alphabet, replace each letter of the word to be spelled with the corresponding word in the phonetic alphabet.
The NATO correspondance table is (ICAO version 1956, updated 2018):
| A | Alfa | B | Bravo |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Charlie | D | Delta |
| E | Echo | F | Foxtrot |
| G | Golf | H | Hotel |
| I | India | J | Juliett |
| K | Kilo | L | Lima |
| M | Mike | N | November |
| O | Oscar | P | Papa |
| Q | Quebec | R | Romeo |
| S | Sierra | T | Tango |
| U | Uniform | V | Victor |
| W | Whiskey | X | XRay |
| Y | Yankee | Z | Zulu |
| 0 | Zero | 1 | One |
| 2 | Two | 3 | Three |
| 4 | Four | 5 | Five |
| 6 | Six | 7 | Seven |
| 8 | Eight | 9 | Nine |
| - | Dash | . | Stop |
Example: DCODE is spelled Delta Charlie Oscar Delta Echo
These words are internationally standardized and remain the same regardless of speaker or country, allowing for effective communication.
How to decrypt NATO Alphabet cipher?
To decode a message encoded with the NATO phonetic alphabet, each word in the phonetic code must be replaced by the corresponding letter (which is all the easier since it is the first letter of the word).
Example: Alfa Lima Papa Hotel Alfa Bravo Echo Tango translates to ALPHABET
How to recognize a NATO Phonetic Alphabet ciphertext?
The message is theoretically an audio transmission (possibly coded in Morse code) with the presence of the words of the alphabet audible distinctly.
It is commonly used in aviation, military, emergency services and other fields requiring reliable radio communications.
Any reference to the army, military communications, civil aviation transmissions, radio amateurs etc. are clues.
What are the variants of the NATO Alphabet?
Before NATO standardization in 1956, there were different phonetic alphabets for navies, air forces, and even telephone operators.
Why Alfa and not Alpha in the alphabet?
The word Alfa is written with an f rather than a ph to avoid confusion in languages where ph might be pronounced differently. This simplified spelling ensures a more consistent pronunciation internationally.
Source code
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Cite as source (bibliography):
NATO Phonetic Alphabet on dCode.fr [online website], retrieved on 2024-12-21,
- NATO Alphabet Decoder
- NATO Alphabet Encoder
- What is the NATO Phonetic Alphabet? (Definition)
- How to encrypt using NATO Alphabet cipher?
- How to decrypt NATO Alphabet cipher?
- How to recognize a NATO Phonetic Alphabet ciphertext?
- What are the variants of the NATO Alphabet?
- Why Alfa and not Alpha in the alphabet?
