Her Majesty’s Armed Forces

МИНИСТЕРСТВО НАУКИ И ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ

РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ ИССЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬСКИЙ ТОМСКИЙ 

ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

М. А. Шевченко, П. Д. Митчелл, Л. А. Митчелл, 

Е. В. Горобцов

HER MAJESTY'S ARMED FORCES

Учебное пособие

Томск 

Издательство Томского государственного университета

2022

УДК 811.111’25(075.8) 
ББК 81.2-7я73 
Ш37 

Шевченко М.А., Митчелл П.Д., Митчелл Л.А., Горобцов Е.В. 
Her Majesty’s Armed Forces : учебное  пособие. – Томск : 
Издательство Томского государственного университета, 2022. 
– 634 с.

Ш37

Данное учебное пособие состоит из 46 уроков, в каждом из 
которых содержатся поурочный словарь, вступительные упражнения, 
основной текст и разнообразные упражнения, направленные 
на развитие языковых и переводческих навыков.
Учебные материалы пособия предоставляют широкие возможности 
для подготовки обучающихся к абзацно-фразовому, 
последовательному, письменному переводу и реферированию 
иноязычных текстов. Данное пособие призвано ознакомить обучающихся 
с Вооруженными силами Великобритании, а также 
значительно расширить терминологические знания, необходимые 
для работы в военно-технической сфере.
Для обучающихся по программе военной подготовки «Лингвистическое 
обеспечение военной деятельности» с уровнем 
знания английского языка Upper Intermediate (B2) и выше.

УДК 811.111’25(075.8) 
ББК 81.2-7я73 

Рецензенты: 
П.В. Сысоев, доктор педагогических наук, профессор; 
Е.В. Тихонова, кандидат педагогических наук, доцент 

ISBN 978-5-907442-92-4

ISBN 978-5-907442-92-4

©  Шевченко М.А., Митчелл П.Д.,
  Митчелл Л.А., Горобцов Е.В., 2022
©  Томский государственный университет, 2022 

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE 

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

NATIONAL RESEARCH TOMSK STATE UNIVERSITY

M. A. Shevchenko, P. J. Mitchell, L. A. Mitchell,

E. V. Gorobtsov

HER MAJESTY'S ARMED FORCES

Textbook

Tomsk

Publishing House of Tomsk State University

2022

УДК 811.111’25(075.8) 
ББК 81.2-7я73 
Ш37 

Shevchenko, M.A., Mitchell, P.J., Mitchell, L.A., Gorobtsov E.V. 
Her Majesty’s Armed Forces : Textbook. – Tomsk: Publishing 
House of Tomsk State University, 2022. – 634 p. 

Ш37

ISBN 978-5-907442-92-4

The textbook Her Majesty’s Armed Forces is designed for teaching 
learners undergoing military studies in the specialization ‘Linguistic 
support of military activity’ with a level of English at Upper Intermediate 
(B2) or above. 
The textbook consists of 46 lessons, each of which contains a lesson 
dictionary, introductory exercises, main text and a range of language and 
translation exercises. 
The study materials in the textbook offer a wide range of opportunities 
to prepare for paragraph-phrase interpreting, consecutive interpreting, 
written translation and summarizing of foreign-language texts. As a result 
of using the textbook, learners will gain a wide-ranging understanding of 
the British Armed Forces and also significantly improve their knowledge 
of terminology necessary for working in the military-industrial sphere. 

УДК 811.111’25(075.8) 
ББК 81.2-7я73 

Reviewers: 
Prof. P.V. Sysoyev, DSc 
Assoc. Prof. E.V. Tikhonova, PhD 

ISBN 978-5-907442-92-4

©  Shevchenko, M.A., Mitchell, P.J., 
  Mitchell, L.A., Gorobtsov E.V., 2022
©  Tomsk State University, 2022 

CONTENTS

 CONTENTS    ................................................................................................................... 5 
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE........................................................................................ 7 
UNIT I – THE BRITISH ARMY.................................................................................16
LESSON 1: HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY .....................................................16
LESSON 2: STRUCTURE OF THE BRITISH ARMY ...............................................24
LESSON 3: REGIMENTS & CORPS OF THE BRITISH ARMY ..............................31
LESSON 4: ELEMENTS OF THE BRITISH ARMY..................................................41
LESSON 5: RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING IN THE BRITISH ARMY..............48
LESSON 6: ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY SANDHURST...................................56
LESSON 7: INFANTRY ..............................................................................................64
LESSON 8: THE 3RD (UK) MECHANISED DIVISION ...........................................72
LESSON 9: INFANTRY BATTALION.......................................................................81
LESSON 10: SPECIAL AIR SERVICE.......................................................................88
LESSON 11 FUNDAMENTALS OF SMALL ARMS WEAPONS ............................95
LESSON 12: BALLISTICS, PART I .........................................................................105
LESSON 13: BALLISTICS, PART II ........................................................................113
LESSON 14: INFANTRY WEAPONS. SMALL ARMS, PART I ............................119
LESSON 15: INFANTRY WEAPONS. SMALL ARMS, PART II...........................128
LESSON 16: CREW-OPERATED WEAPONS.........................................................137
LESSON 17: ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS............................................................150
LESSON 18: INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE................................................158
LESSON 19: IFV “WARRIOR”.................................................................................164
LESSON 20: CHALLENGER 2 MAIN BATTLE TANK .........................................172
LESSON 21: 1ST ARTILLERY BRIGADE ..............................................................181
LESSON 22: ARTILLERY WEAPONS. L118 LIGHT GUN....................................188
LESSON 23: ARTILLERY WEAPONS. AS90 HOWITZER....................................198
UNIT II – THE ROYAL NAVY.................................................................................205
LESSON 1: HISTORY OF THE ROYAL NAVY .....................................................205
LESSON 2: MISSION AND ORGANISATION OF THE NAVY.............................217
LESSON 3: THE ROYAL NAVY PERSONNEL......................................................231
LESSON 4: SHIPS AND VESSELS CLASSIFICATION. PART I...........................244
LESSON 5: SHIPS AND VESSELS CLASSIFICATION. PART II..........................262
LESSON 6: SUBMARINES.......................................................................................275
LESSON 7: AIRCRAFT CARRIER...........................................................................294
LESSON 8: NAVAL AVIATION ..............................................................................312
LESSON 9: AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS. MARINES ..........................................326
LESSON 10: AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS. SPECIAL BOAT SERVICE.............340

UNIT III – THE ROYAL AIR FORCE ......................................................................349
LESSON 1: ROYAL AIR FORCE.............................................................................349
LESSON 2: ORGANIZATION AND COMBAT TASKS OF AVIATION 
FORMATION AND UNITS.......................................................................................356
LESSON 3: THE CLASSIFICATION AND PURPOSES OF AIRPLANES AND 
HELICOPTERS..........................................................................................................363
LESSON 4: PLANE CONTROL SURFACES...........................................................371
LESSON 5: SCHEMATIC DESIGN OF THE AIRPLANE, HELICOPTER.............379
LESSON 6: SCHEMATIC DESIGN OF THE JET ENGINE. TYPES OF AIRCRAFT 
ENGINES ...................................................................................................................389
LESSON 7: AIRCRAFT WEAPONS.........................................................................395
LESSON 8: FLEET AIR ARM...................................................................................402
LESSON 9: MISSILES CLASSIFICATION..............................................................412
LESSON 10: CRUISE MISSILES..............................................................................421
LESSON 11: BALLISTIC MISSILES........................................................................429
LESSON 12: MISSILE GUIDANCE .........................................................................437
LESSON 13: MILITARY SPACE PROGRAM OF THE UK....................................444
THE BRITISH ARMY VOCABULARY...................................................................451
Tactical Terminology..................................................................................................451
Organisational Terminology .......................................................................................469
Technical Terminology...............................................................................................487
Miscellaneous Terminology........................................................................................519
THE ROYAL NAVY VOCABULARY .....................................................................531
Tactical Terminology..................................................................................................531
Organisational Terminology .......................................................................................545
Technical Terminology...............................................................................................554
Miscellaneous Terminology........................................................................................583
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE VOCABULARY............................................................590
Tactical Terminology..................................................................................................590
Organisational Terminology .......................................................................................597
Technical Terminology...............................................................................................601
Miscellaneous Terminology........................................................................................632
LIST OF REFERENCES............................................................................................634

METHODOLOGICAL NOTE

Military translation is a multi-faceted theoretical and practical 

course. Its purpose is to prepare a qualified military interpreter with 
public, linguistic, military and national expertise. During military 
translation studies, students learn the following skills:

- expertise in all forms of interpretation and translation of original 

military, military-technical and military-political texts from a foreign 
language into Russian and from Russian into a foreign language, 
including 
two-way 
interpretation 
of 
military 
interviews 
and 

interrogation of prisoners of war, as well as radio negotiation skills;

- consecutive translation skills;

- annotation and referencing skills.

The skills of the military interpreter are formed on top of their 

theoretical knowledge.

The theory of military translation should be studied in a 

comprehensive manner, combining theory with practical translation 
techniques, where theoretical generalizations are made by the students 
themselves and formulated as instruction rules for a group of translation 
tasks. The content of the textbook is aimed at achieving the objectives 
that derive from the list of competencies required for the learners’ 
development at different stages of education. The manual thus meets 
the following general requirements:

- The teaching process based on the manual ensures that the students 

are fully immersed in the military discourse (i.e., speech immersed in 
life);

- The content is enjoyable, while maintaining a focus on specific 

tasks (i.e., problem-oriented approach) and the formation of 
competencies at all levels (general, professional and vocational);

- communicative and problem-oriented tasks are accompanied by 

exercises which are focused on developing language skills, saturated 
with grammar and terminology to the extent that is not burdensome, but 
contributing to the expansion of grammar (for example, different verb 
forms) and lexical knowledge (new terms, phrases and expressions);

- The content of the textbook is linguistically multi-faceted and at 

the same time clearly systematized in strict accordance with the norms 
of military training;

- In addition to speaking, writing and reading exercises, the textbook 

combines various types of special activities, including:

1) situational modelling

2)
verbal activities: storytelling, discussing, formulating and

presenting ideas and concepts, substantiation of one’s own opinion and 
reaction to opinions of others, etc.

3) all types of translation activities: consecutive interpreting, sight

translation, military interview, etc.

4)
activities focused on searching, analyzing, selecting and

comparing references from various sources;

5) analysis of various diagrams, graphs, tables and documents;

6) preparation of annotations, abstracts, notes, reports;

7) viewing and discussing educational films, presentations, videos.

Obviously, the tasks must contribute directly to skills and abilities 

required for professional activities. The contents of the textbook are a 
reflection of the above-mentioned list of requirements.

Many years of pedagogical practice at the Military Training Centre 

at Tomsk State University shows that the students’ ability to effectively 
study military discourse is directly dependent on their progress in 
general military studies (i. e. tactics, weapons training, RHC protection, 

military topography, etc.). In other words, the higher the level of 
military training reached in the initial phase, the more successful the 
trainee is in the further study of special disciplines, such as the practical 
course of military translation.

The work of military translators is multilateral. As a result, there is a 

wide range of information that the graduate will have to deal with, thus 
the problems of eliminating unnecessary information (in order to make 
rational use of teaching time), rational planning of the educational 
process, careful selection and skillful use of appropriate teaching and 
learning materials.

Often, the role of basic military disciplines is underestimated. Any 

officer is, above all, a member of the armed forces. First, regardless of 
their military speciality, every member of the Armed Forces is obliged 
to be proficient in foot drills, weapon handling, map reading, NBC 
training, etc. Secondly, all skills mentioned above are especially 
important for a military interpreter, since it is the fundamental 
knowledge that will contribute to the interpreter’s correct choice of 
words. The higher-ranking commander will always assess the 
competence of the interpreter on the basis of their native language 
proficiency, and their professional characteristics.

In order to develop relevant skills, it is necessary to draw the 

attention of students to importance of the subjects studied, to remind 
them of the role that each of them plays in their development as soldiers 
and specialists. In addition, the trainees must be systematically 
monitored to prevent unsatisfactory levels of expertise in disciplines 
such as tactics, military regulations, topography, foot drill, weapons 
training, NBC protection, etc.

With regard to teaching materials used in the study of professional 

discourse, there must always be a link between foreign-language and 
Russian military materials. It is highly undesirable to study foreign 
military realities in isolation from domestic ones, since it is precisely 
analysis, comparison and the ability to see regularities that develops a 
system of knowledge based on facts and logic.

Such an approach, in addition to consolidating the fundamental 

knowledge gained in the early stages of training, also ensures a 
significant increase in background knowledge and the development of 
correct speech. The textbook illustrates how to integrate elements of 
basic military disciplines into communication and role-playing tasks.

Considering the sheer abundance of information which the military 

interpreter has to deal with, special importance needs to be attached to 
the development of background knowledge. However, there are no 
separate curricula that specifically aim at developing the learners’ 
erudition.

It is logical to assume that such skills can be developed either 

through independent work or through the point-by-point introduction of 
appropriate communication tasks, information sheets, encyclopaedic 
articles into other disciplines. While developing exercises, we found it 
most rational to identify and rely on the graduates' specific areas of 
competence.

Accordingly, the implementation of a competency-based approach 

in one form or another at all levels is essential for the quality of training. 
At the macro level, it is the introduction of the qualification 
requirements into the educational process. At the micro level it is 
striving to implement the model of the future activity of the graduate 
within each theme, lesson and every subject or even individual exercise. 
Situational simulation is a private form of the competency-based 
approach: the more systematic the emergence into the future work 
environment, the easier the adaptation to the new social and 
professional role will be for the student.

Thus, the main tool for developing the interpreter’s comprehensive 

competence is the simulation of a kind of virtual reality which reflects 
the different types of translation activities.

The acquisition of relevant background knowledge is an essential 

element in the training of the military interpreter, since it is background 
knowledge, combined with knowledge of military terminology, that 

distinguishes the military interpreter, in professional terms, from the 
interpreters in civilian fields. Consequently, the curriculum should be 
structured in such a way that all subjects, including language disciplines, 
are taught in a military-applied manner. This way, students are trained 
in the use of advanced interpretation techniques to successfully perform 
even the most difficult translation tasks. Students learn to annotate 
foreign military materials, acquire extensive knowledge of military 
terminology, as well as grammatical and lexical tools characteristic of 
foreign military documents and correspondence, familiarize themselves 
with the characteristic principles of the foreign Armed Forces.

The training of military interpreters must also focus on the self-

development of students. For example, a practical exercise is essentially 
a test of an assignment for self-study. Thus, for two classroom hours, 
the student spends five to six hours preparing for the class. This is 
achieved in several ways: students are trained to work independently 
with military materials, learn military terminology, and, above all, this 
method makes it possible to make the most effective use of the time 
directly allocated for military training.

This textbook is designed for teaching students of language faculties 

undergoing military training in "Linguistic support of military 
activities" programs, as well as cadets of military schools.

The textbook can also be used in self-study to develop and improve 

military interpreting skills and the ability to work with military 
information in a foreign language, as well as to develop vocabulary 
based on foreign military terminology and relevant background 
knowledge.

The textbook consists of a methodological note, three sections and a 

glossary. Each section is dedicated to one branch of the British Armed 
Forces and consists of lessons, each of which, in turn, consists of a 
vocabulary list, a main text and a set of communication, translation and 
interpreting exercises.

The textbook includes exercises aimed at developing basic 

translation and interpreting skills and abilities, such as written 
translation, sight interpreting and consecutive interpreting. The 
textbook provides fundamental military terminology relating to the 
structure, role and manning principles of the UK's Army, Navy and Air 
Force. This textbook also contains information on the main weapons 
and equipment used by the British Armed Forces, which can help 
students develop relevant background knowledge.

When developing tasks, the authors used the latest research in the 

field of methodology by Russian and international language schools. 
The textbook is based on the principles of systematicity, consistency, 
integrated approach, accessibility and clarity. The authors have made 
use of original texts published openly. Some texts have been edited for 
educational purposes. A list of sources appears at the end of the 
textbook.

The contents of the textbook are organized on a thematic basis. All 

exercises in the textbook are practice-oriented. They are divided into 
introductory exercises that precede the text of the lesson and are 
primarily intended for learning the lesson's vocabulary, and main 
exercises that follow the text of the lesson and are aimed at reinforcing 
the material covered.

Each lesson starts with a vocabulary list, which includes basic 

military terms in English along with their Russian translations. When 
preparing for a lesson, students (cadets) must learn the lesson's 
vocabulary and independently complete all the necessary exercises, 
both introductory and some of the main ones, in particular, written 
translation exercises. A lesson begins with a written vocabulary quiz, 
followed by preparatory exercises and the main exercises of the lesson. 
During the lesson, the teacher needs to check independently completed 
written translations, point out errors or inaccuracies and offer the 
correct translation if the student (cadet) is not able to correct the 
mistake on their own.