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* Done correctly in the track [[http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/1975 Defcon Zero]] by [=ParagonX9=] of {{Website/Newgrounds}}.

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* Done correctly in the track [[http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/1975 Defcon Zero]] by [=ParagonX9=] of {{Website/Newgrounds}}.{{Platform/Newgrounds}}.
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The UK did once operate a "Queen's Order" level which escalated from 1 to 5, [=QO1=] being the peacetime default and [=QO5=] meaning (at the time) that the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_bombers V-bombers]] had started their [probably] one way trip to enemy territory. The current system, dubbed the UK Threat Levels, doesn't use numbers at all, instead ranking the current likelihood of attack on a scale from Low to Critical (its most recent predecessor, the now-defunct BIKINI scale, used colours). Since 2006, the UK has used a non-numeric [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Threat_Levels Threat Levels]] system, ranging from Low to Critical. While this system could in theory be used to describe the threat to the country in the event of a declaration of war by another country, since its inception it has been used primarily as a means to monitor and describe the threat posed by terror cells.

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The UK did once operate a "Queen's Order" level which escalated from 1 to 5, [=QO1=] being the peacetime default and [=QO5=] meaning (at the time) that the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_bombers V-bombers]] had started their [probably] one way trip to enemy territory. The current system, dubbed the UK Threat Levels, doesn't use numbers at all, instead ranking the current likelihood of attack on a scale from Low to Critical (its most recent predecessor, the now-defunct BIKINI scale, used colours). Since 2006, the UK has used a non-numeric [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Threat_Levels Threat Levels]] system, ranging from Low to Critical. While this system could in theory be used to describe the threat to the country in the event of a declaration of war by another country, since its inception it has been used primarily as a means to monitor and describe the threat posed by terror cells.
terrorism.

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The UK did once operate a "Queen's Order" level which escalated from 1 to 5, [=QO1=] being the peacetime default and [=QO5=] meaning (at the time) that the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_bombers V-bombers]] had started their [probably] one way trip to enemy territory. The current system, dubbed the UK Threat Levels, doesn't use numbers at all, instead ranking the current likelihood of attack on a scale from Low to Critical (its most recent predecessor, the now-defunct BIKINI scale, used colours). However, these levels do not correspond to US Defcon levels - for example, the UK reached a "critical" Threat Level in 2006 and 2007. Thus, there is currently no real UK equivalent. Other countries have their own status levels, in some cases where this trope is played straight, in others they use phrases or colours instead.

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The UK did once operate a "Queen's Order" level which escalated from 1 to 5, [=QO1=] being the peacetime default and [=QO5=] meaning (at the time) that the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_bombers V-bombers]] had started their [probably] one way trip to enemy territory. The current system, dubbed the UK Threat Levels, doesn't use numbers at all, instead ranking the current likelihood of attack on a scale from Low to Critical (its most recent predecessor, the now-defunct BIKINI scale, used colours). However, these levels do not correspond to US Defcon levels - for example, Since 2006, the UK reached has used a "critical" non-numeric [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Threat_Levels Threat Level Levels]] system, ranging from Low to Critical. While this system could in 2006 theory be used to describe the threat to the country in the event of a declaration of war by another country, since its inception it has been used primarily as a means to monitor and 2007. Thus, there is currently no real UK equivalent. describe the threat posed by terror cells.

Other countries have their own status levels, in some cases where this trope is played straight, in others they use phrases or colours instead.
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This is incorrect, and this trope is about the misuse of these terms. DEFCON 5 (codename "FADE OUT"[[note]]These codenames are used during exercises to avoid confusion with the real deal[[/note]]) is the ''lowest'' state of alert, aka completely tranquil peace time. DEFCON 1 (codename "COCKED PISTOL") is the highest, referring to a confirmed state of nuclear war. The use of nuclear weapons is authorized here, but they will still require unlock codes from high authority. The highest state reached for the Strategic Air Command in US history was DEFCON 2 (codename "FAST PACE", during the Cuban Missile Crisis), the Gulf War also led to forces in the Middle East reaching DEFCON 2, for obvious reasons -- i.e., actually being at war. The Yom Kippur War of 1973 saw a brief period at DEFCON 3 (codename "ROUND HOUSE", with some forces in the Middle East being at 2), as did 9/11. It's important to note that DEFCON levels can be limited to geographical regions, DEFCON 2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Gulf War were limited to the affected regions. The highest that the worldwide DEFCON level has ever risen to is 3.

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This is incorrect, and this trope is about the misuse of these terms. DEFCON 5 (codename "FADE OUT"[[note]]These codenames are used during exercises to avoid confusion with the real deal[[/note]]) is the ''lowest'' state of alert, aka completely tranquil peace time. DEFCON 1 (codename "COCKED PISTOL") is the highest, referring to a confirmed state of indicating that nuclear war.war is imminent, or has already commenced. The use of nuclear weapons is authorized here, but they will still require unlock codes from high authority. The highest state reached for the Strategic Air Command in US history was DEFCON 2 (codename "FAST PACE", during the Cuban Missile Crisis), the Gulf War also led to forces in the Middle East reaching DEFCON 2, for obvious reasons -- i.e., actually being at war. The Yom Kippur War of 1973 saw a brief period at DEFCON 3 (codename "ROUND HOUSE", with some forces in the Middle East being at 2), as did 9/11. It's important to note that DEFCON levels can be limited to geographical regions, DEFCON 2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Gulf War were limited to the affected regions. The highest that the worldwide DEFCON level has ever risen to is 3.
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[[caption-width-right:350:Everybody got this?]]
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--->'''Beringer:''' Major Lem, take us to DEFCON 5.

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--->'''Beringer:''' Major Lem, Colonel Conley... take us to DEFCON 5.

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* In ''Film/TheSantaClause2'', the opening of the film shows that the North Pole has an "ELFCON" system" which tracks the threat of Santa's workshop being discovered by the outside world. It's surprisingly done correctly, with the number lowering from 5 to 1 as a plane passes closer and closer to the workshop and the threat of discovery rises. It's surprisingly done correctly, with the number lowering from 5 to 1 as a plane passes closer and closer to the workshop and the threat of discovery rises.


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* In ''Film/TheSantaClause2'', the opening of the film shows that the North Pole has an "ELFCON" system" which tracks the threat of Santa's workshop being discovered by the outside world. It's surprisingly done correctly, with the number lowering from 5 to 1 as a plane passes closer and closer to the workshop and the threat of discovery rises.
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* In ''Film/TheSantaClause2'', the opening of the film shows that the North Pole has an "ELFCON" system" which tracks the threat of Santa's workshop being discovered by the outside world. It's surprisingly done correctly, with the number lowering from 5 to 1 as a plane passes closer and closer to the workshop and the threat of discovery rises. It's surprisingly done correctly, with the number lowering from 5 to 1 as a plane passes closer and closer to the workshop and the threat of discovery rises.
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* In ''Film/ByDawnsEarlyLight'', not only does USAF General Renning use the "this is a drill" practice names for Defense Conditions COCKED PISTOL (DEFCON 1) and ROUND HOUSE (DEFCON 3); by going from COCKED PISTOL to ROUND HOUSE on his authority, Renning just ordered the reduction of defense readiness when there are Soviet nuclear missiles actively flying towards the United States at that moment! (Odd also is the board, the drill names are also present upon the prop instead of numbers and DEFCON 5 is named APPLE JACK instead of FADE OUT, DEFCON 4 is named SNOW MAN instead of DOUBLE TAKE, DEFCON 3 is named COCKED PISTOL instead of ROUND HOUSE, DEFCON 2 is ROUND HOUSE instead of FAST PACE, the movie's name for DEFCON 1 isn't named in dialog and not lit up on screen to be visible.)

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* In ''Film/ByDawnsEarlyLight'', not only does USAF General Renning use the "this is a drill" practice names for Defense Conditions COCKED PISTOL (DEFCON 1) and ROUND HOUSE (DEFCON 3); by going from COCKED PISTOL to ROUND HOUSE on his authority, Renning just ordered the reduction of defense readiness when there are Soviet nuclear missiles actively flying towards the United States at that moment! (Odd also is the board, the drill names are also present upon the prop instead of numbers and DEFCON 5 is named APPLE JACK instead of FADE OUT, DEFCON 4 is named SNOW MAN instead of DOUBLE TAKE, DEFCON 3 is named COCKED PISTOL instead of ROUND HOUSE, DEFCON 2 is ROUND HOUSE instead of FAST PACE, the movie's name for DEFCON 1 isn't named in dialog and not nor is it lit up on screen to be visible.)
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* Used correctly in ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}''. While the actual ''use'' is colloquial, using Defcon to describe the general situation rather than the likelihood of nuclear war (which is particularly unlikely given that Planet Jean has quite a low human population and doesn't even seem to ''have'' multiple nations), Mr Ishiguro still refers to Defcon 5 in his order that Clippy disable and archive all offensive software weapons.
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* DEFCON 4: Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measures. Code Name: DOUBLE TAKE

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* DEFCON 4: Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measures. Code Name: DOUBLE TAKE{{DOUBLE TAKE}}
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Note natter. We could probably remove the DEFCON 2 note as well, since most of it is covered in earlier paragraphs, but eh.


* DEFCON 4: Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measures. Code Name: [[DoubleTake DOUBLE TAKE]][[note]]seems that someone in the military had an [[GallowsHumor odd sense of humor]][[/note]]

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* DEFCON 4: Increased intelligence watch and strengthened security measures. Code Name: [[DoubleTake DOUBLE TAKE]][[note]]seems that someone in the military had an [[GallowsHumor odd sense of humor]][[/note]]TAKE

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* In ''Film/ByDawnsEarlyLight'', not only does USAF General Renning use the "this is a drill" practice names for Defense Conditions COCKED PISTOL (DEFCON 1) and ROUND HOUSE (DEFCON 3); by going from COCKED PISTOL to ROUND HOUSE on his authority, Renning just ordered the reduction of defense readiness when there are Soviet nuclear missiles actively flying towards the United States at that moment! (Odd also is the board, the drill names are also present upon the prop instead of numbers and DEFCON 5 is named APPLE JACK instead of FADE OUT, DEFCON 4 is named SNOW MAN instead of DOUBLE TAKE, DEFCON 3 is named COCKED PISTOL instead of ROUND HOUSE, DEFCON 2 is ROUND HOUSE instead of FAST PACE, the movie's name for DEFCON 1 isn't named in dialog and not lit up on screen to be visible.)
* In ''Film/CanadianBacon'', Defcon 4 means "imminent nuclear attack."
* The 1985 Canadian [[AfterTheEnd post-apocalyptic]] film ''Film/DefCon4'' incorrectly gave Defcon 4 as the highest state of alert.



* In ''Film/IndependenceDay'', the president says, "We may need to upgrade to Defcon 3", and does order it in the extended cut, [[FridgeBrilliance which could either be correct or incorrect. Either way, no one could accuse them of screwing up.]]
* ''Film/Transformers2007'' handled this in an interesting fashion. The Secretary of Defense announces the country was now at "Defcon ''Delta'', our highest alert level." The oddness is reconciled given the depth of cooperation he received from the United States armed forces: in the real world, Threat Conditions Alpha through Delta are used in the military to denote the likelihood of a ''terrorist/surprise'' attack (as opposed to a general state of hostilities and war), with 'Alpha' meaning 'remotely possible' and Delta meaning 'attack imminent or has just taken place'. Most likely, it was kept as "Defcon" in the film because [[SmallReferencePools that's what people would recognize.]]



* In ''Film/CanadianBacon'', Defcon 4 means "imminent nuclear attack."
* The 1985 Canadian [[AfterTheEnd post-apocalyptic]] film ''Film/DefCon4'' incorrectly gave Defcon 4 as the highest state of alert.
* The 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' film handled this in an interesting fashion. The Secretary of Defense announces the country was now at "Defcon ''Delta'', our highest alert level." The oddness is reconciled given the depth of cooperation he received from the United States armed forces: in the real world, Threat Conditions Alpha through Delta are used in the military to denote the likelihood of a ''terrorist/surprise'' attack (as opposed to a general state of hostilities and war), with 'Alpha' meaning 'remotely possible' and Delta meaning 'attack imminent or has just taken place'. Most likely, it was kept as "Defcon" in the film because [[SmallReferencePools that's what people would recognize.]]
* In ''Film/IndependenceDay'', the president says, "We may need to upgrade to Defcon 3", and does order it in the extended cut, [[FridgeBrilliance which could either be correct or incorrect. Either way, no one could accuse them of screwing up.]]
* In ''Film/ByDawnsEarlyLight'', not only does USAF General Renning use the "this is a drill" practice names for Defense Conditions COCKED PISTOL (DEFCON 1) and ROUND HOUSE (DEFCON 3); by going from COCKED PISTOL to ROUND HOUSE on his authority, Renning just ordered the reduction of defense readiness when there are Soviet nuclear missiles actively flying towards the United States at that moment! (Odd also is the board, the drill names are also present upon the prop instead of numbers and DEFCON 5 is named APPLE JACK instead of FADE OUT, DEFCON 4 is named SNOW MAN instead of DOUBLE TAKE, DEFCON 3 is named COCKED PISTOL instead of ROUND HOUSE, DEFCON 2 is ROUND HOUSE instead of FAST PACE, the movie's name for DEFCON 1 isn't named in dialog and not lit up on screen to be visible)



-->'''Beringer:''' Major Lem, take us to DEFCON 5.

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-->'''Beringer:''' --->'''Beringer:''' Major Lem, take us to DEFCON 5.
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* One ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' issue had a rather glaring example; after seeing a city attacked by some kind of aliens and he himself was set aflame, resident angel Zariel responded by shrieking "We are now at Defcon Five!" Lord knows what needs to happen in Franchise/TheDCU for Defcon 1… A few issues later, a RealityWarper turning the cars into goblins and a bank into a giant living monster was referred to as Defcon Four.

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* One ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' issue had a rather glaring example; after seeing a city attacked by some kind of aliens and he himself was set aflame, resident angel Zariel responded by shrieking "We are now at Defcon Five!" Lord knows what needs to happen in Franchise/TheDCU for Defcon 1… A few issues later, a RealityWarper turning the cars into goblins and a bank into a giant living monster was referred to as Defcon Four.
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* Creator/TheWeatherChannel's [[https://www.weatherstationadvisor.com/what-is-torcon-index/ TORCON]] index, which rates the local conditions for [[UsefulNotes/{{Tornadoes}} tornado]] development on a scale from 0 to 10. These are in the reverse order compared to the DEFCON scale, with 0 being the least favorable conditions for tornadoes (i.e. business and usual) and 10 being the most severe.

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* Creator/TheWeatherChannel's [[https://www.weatherstationadvisor.com/what-is-torcon-index/ TORCON]] index, which rates the local conditions for [[UsefulNotes/{{Tornadoes}} tornado]] development on a scale from 0 to 10. These are in the reverse order compared to the DEFCON scale, with 0 being the least favorable conditions for tornadoes (i.e. business and as usual) and 10 being the most severe.
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* Creator/TheWeatherChannel's [[https://www.weatherstationadvisor.com/what-is-torcon-index/ TORCON]] index, which rates the local conditions for [[UsefulNotes/{{Tornadoes}} tornado]] development on a scale from 0 to 10. These are in the reverse order compared to the DEFCON scale, with 0 being the least favorable conditions for tornadoes (i.e. business and usual) and 10 being the most severe.
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* In ''Film/ByDawnsEarlyLight'', not only does USAF General Renning use the "this is a drill" practice names for Defense Conditions COCKED PISTOL (DEFCON 1) and ROUND HOUSE (DEFCON 3); by going from COCKED PISTOL to ROUND HOUSE on his authority, Renning just ordered the reduction of defense readiness when there are Soviet nuclear missiles actively flying towards the United States at that moment!

to:

* In ''Film/ByDawnsEarlyLight'', not only does USAF General Renning use the "this is a drill" practice names for Defense Conditions COCKED PISTOL (DEFCON 1) and ROUND HOUSE (DEFCON 3); by going from COCKED PISTOL to ROUND HOUSE on his authority, Renning just ordered the reduction of defense readiness when there are Soviet nuclear missiles actively flying towards the United States at that moment!moment! (Odd also is the board, the drill names are also present upon the prop instead of numbers and DEFCON 5 is named APPLE JACK instead of FADE OUT, DEFCON 4 is named SNOW MAN instead of DOUBLE TAKE, DEFCON 3 is named COCKED PISTOL instead of ROUND HOUSE, DEFCON 2 is ROUND HOUSE instead of FAST PACE, the movie's name for DEFCON 1 isn't named in dialog and not lit up on screen to be visible)

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