History Main / ReportingNames

** The vehicles used by the Tau are known only by their Imperial designations, which are all based on sea life: Hammerhead Tanks, Orca {{Drop Ship}}s, Barracuda fightercraft, etc.
*** Tau Battlesuits are also known by Imperial designations. XV (short for the Tau term, which translates to "mantle of the hero"), followed by a number indicating weight class and a second number indicating specialisation. For example XV-8 is a general purpose heavy battlesuit, while XV-88 is the same class but fitted for fire support and XV-25 is a light stealth suit. The new XV-104 mech is therefore properly called "ten-four" rather than "hundred and four".
** Similarily, the various [[BugWar Tyranid]] creatures are only ever referred to by their Imperial reporting names due to the fact that the 'Nids don't have any kind of [[StarfishLanguage language that humans or other intelligent life are capable of comprehending]]. The imperial names, gathered from different encounters all over the galaxy, don't really have a common theme, except that many sound vaguely like dinosaur names, and some are Latin names for things from the Romans: Lictors were public bodyguards for Roman magistrates, Carnifexes were executioners for the lower classes, it also means Butcher as in the job description. On the other hand, the Tyranid ''Hive Fleets'' follow a clear ThemeNaming scheme that draws upon the names of monsters and {{eldritch abomination}}s from ancient long-dead mythologies and legends (from in-universe POV, which includes 20th/21st-century fiction), e.g. [[Literature/TheBible Behemoth]], {{Kraken|AndLeviathan}}, [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Hydra]], [[Myth/NorseMythology Jormungandr]], and [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Dagon]], with some being named after fearsome prehistoric animals, like [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon Magalodon]] [sic].

Variants have a letter added after them, such as "Backfire-C" for the [=Tu-22M3=]. There can be sub-categories of these too.

* "Backfire" - The Tupolev Tu-22M medium bomber, which plays a major role in ''Red Storm Rising''. Mach 2+ capable and with the capacity to carry three nuclear or conventional anti-shipping missiles (or a lot of bombs), it scared the West so much that they got the USSR to take the refueling probes out in a side agreement during the SALT negotiations
** These turn up a lot in UsefulNotes/ColdWar naval games. It's a CoolPlane.
** It will likely always be known as the Backfire in the west because of the strange nature of its actual name. The "M" at the end stands for modern and is absolutely critical because the Tu-22 without the M is a completely different (and crappy) aircraft, with its own reporting name "Blinder". The Soviets didn't want to shill out and award Tupolev with the money to design a new plane so they just gave him enough to modernize the Tu-22. [[LoopholeAbuse Tupolev designed a new aircraft anyway and it was designated the Tu-22M, technically a variant of the Tu-22.]] Some western sources also mistakenly believed that the production models ([=Tu-22M2=] "Backfire-B" onward), which were significantly improved from the prototype and pre-production aircraft, had the separate designation of Tu-26. This was not the case, but the error spread widely enough to further confuse the issue of the plane's Soviet designation.
* "Badger"- the Tu-16 medium bomber, used in both a land-attack and anti-ship role, as well as electronic warfare, air-to-air refuelling, SIGINT... you get the idea.

* "Firefox" - The fictitious reporting name for the [=MiG-31=] from the [[Literature/{{Firefox}} book (and film) of the same name]], which was [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory Very Loosely Based]] on contemporary rumours that the new aircraft would be some kind of SovietSuperScience-powered GameBreaker. The RealLife [=MiG-31=], which looks nothing like the plane in the movie, has the reporting name "Foxhound" -- it's an interceptor with a Mach 2.8 top speed, the ability to climb to the edge of space, an advanced PESA radar and 6 to 10 missiles depending on the type carried. Undergoing upgrades to become a multi-role aircraft.

* "Flanker" - the Su-27S ("Flanker-B"), the newer version two-seater Su-30 ("Flanker-C", "Flanker-G" for the Chinese version and "Flanker-H" for the Indian one), the carrier-capable Su-33 ("Flanker-D"), the limited-service Su-35 ("Flanker-E") and the technology demonstrator Su-37 ("Flanker-F" or the "Super Flanker" still in prototype stage). The Russian response to the previously-unrivaled F-15, it is a higly-maneuverable, long-range aerial interceptor, which has been exported quite a bit. Capable of doing a move (some other aircraft can do it too, but it's most associated with the Flanker series) called "Pugachev's Cobra", where the aircraft effectively slides along on its tail. Whether it is of real-world combat utility or not remains to be seen on account of all the combat they've seen to date being so one-sided that dogfighting hasn't entered in the the equation (similar questions were raised about the Harrier "Viffing", before it turned out to be lethally effective in the Falklands). Whatever else may be said about it, it's one hell of a CoolPlane.
* "Frogfoot" - the Su-25, known to its crews as "Grach" ("rook"). A ground-attack aircraft, a new two-seater version, the Su-39 is in production. Dubbed [[GermanicEfficiency "The German Product"]] by Afghan fighters because they couldn't initially believe that something Soviet-built was that efficient. A counterpart to the A-10 (and coincidentally ''very'' similar to the YA-9 that lost out to the A-10 for a USAF contract): not very high-and-flashy, but ''very'' tough and boy does it get the job done.

* "Fulcrum" - the [=MiG=]-29, the Russian counterpart to the F-16. Very agile. Its best known feature is the R-73/AA-11 "Archer" missiles. Coupled to a helmet-mounted sight (like ''Series/{{Airwolf}}'' has), these highly agile missiles can be launched by the pilot merely looking at his target, up to about 60 degrees off the centre-line. Shockingly disproportionate results in mock dogfights with German [=MiG=]-29s led to the U.S. developing improved Sidewinders in response.
** According to references in Website/TheOtherWiki, the Russian pilots liked the NATO reporting name so much (they found the [=MiG=]-29 to be rather "pivotal") that they started using the Fulcrum name themselves. This was somewhat common for Soviet aircraft; they didn't have official names, just model numbers, so if the pilots hadn't already come up with their own nickname (see next entry), they'd likely adopt the NATO reporting name.
* "Foxbat" - The [=MiG-25=] interceptor aircraft. Capable of reaching a blistering Mach 3.2 and an altitude of over 80,000 feet, but had a very short range and wasn't very maneuverable, as the Americans learned when a Soviet pilot defected with one of them (when they were done with it, they gave it back to the USSR. In over 60 boxes). It sacrificed a lot of combat ability for its phenomenal performance,[[note]]Prior to said defection, US analysis had vastly overestimated the [=MiG-25=]'s capabilities based on several faulty assumptions about its design. In particular they presumed that the Soviets had made extensive use of titanium in the design because making a fighter that size out of steel would've made it ridiculously heavy. (Aluminum wasn't an option for external parts because it wouldn't have held up to the friction heating that such high speeds produce.) This was what the US had done to create the SR-71 Blackbird, and they had acquired said titanium ''from the Soviet Union'' via CIA front companies in third world nations. It seemed logical that this is what the Soviets would've done when creating their own Mach 3 aircraft. But in fact they ''had'' made the Foxbat out of steel and it ''was'' ridiculously heavy.[[/note]] but it was nevertheless the only aircraft able to cause trouble to SR-71 flights, and fast enough to outrun many air-to-air missiles. The above-mentioned "Foxhound" is a greatly-improved evolution of the "Foxbat" design.
* "Hind" - the Mil Mi-24 helicopter gunship/transport. Troop capacity is about half that of the UH-60 Black Hawk, weapons capacity is of AH-64 Apache level- it can carry the Russian equivalent of the Sidewinder IR missile, the R-73/AA-11 "Archer". A lot of variants. Soviet pilots called it the "Crocodile" or "Flying Tank". The Mujahideen hated it and called it "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The Devil's Chariot]]". Widely exported and is still turning up in conflicts the world over.
** In Afghanistan the Russians tended to *use* it carrying only four-man fireteam elements, but this was due entirely to the inadvisability of hanging around under heavy fire. It could carry a full eight-man squad, making it quite comparable to the Blackhawk or Huey. Its anti-tank armament was somewhat lacking, though; as designed, it had launch rails for only four antitank missiles, compared to the sixteen even an old [=AH1=]-T could carry. It did have stub wings with four hardpoints that in theory could carry an astonishing variety of heavy ordnance but which in the field frequently got [=UM57=] 57mm dumb rocket launchers bolted on, because Soviet airmobile doctrine envisioned using the transport helicopter in a secondary direct-fire fire-support role as a sort of flying Katyusha artillery rocket launcher. They got a whole lot deadlier when more powerful 80mm rockets with FAE warheads were installed.

** Several of the [[{{Lunarians}} Moonrace]] suits in ''Anime/TurnAGundam'' are colloquial reporting names used by the Earth militias: [=WaDo=] -> "Scarecrow", [[MiniMecha WaD]] -> "Armadillo", FLAT -> "High Heel".

** The Hind was featured in the ''Rambo'' series, ''Red Dawn'' and ''Film/BloodDiamond'', among other films, and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'' went so far as to 'reveal' that Big Boss came up with the name "Hind". It also inspired the LAAT transport gunships in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels.

* The Terrans in ''[[Videogame/FreeSpace FreeSpace 2]]'' used Egyptian- and demonic-themed reporting names, respectively, for Vasudan and Shivan themed spacecraft, in contrast to the Greco-Roman names they gave to their own ship classes. The Vasudans, who took the comparison to as a compliment, adopted the reporting names when they merged their government with the Terrans. The [[StarfishAliens Shivans]] are too [[OmnicidalManiac belligerent]] and use some kind of [[StarfishLanguage communication method]] that prevents them from being asked for their opinion of GTVA reporting names.
* {{Discussed|Trope}} in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' in an optional conversation. The [[spoiler:Patriots]] [[GainaxEnding (or whatever they were)]] tell Raiden about how the titular Metal Gears from this and the previous game are named after two WWII reporting names, before noting how his codename of Raiden ''and'' his own given name Jack are just the official and reporting names of a single aircraft, [[HumanWeapon as though he was just another weapon to be used and discarded]].
* Used in the games set in the [[VideoGame/{{X}} X-Universe]]. Due to the fact that no human is able to pronounce the original names of alien ships, all have got reporting names -- Boron ships have [[AnimalMotifs fish names]], Paranids use names from [[MythicalMotifs Greek mythology]], and so on. ''Videogame/XRebirth'' shows a more literal translation for [[ProudWarriorRace Split]] ships. Their [[MileLongShip Raptor-class carrier]] is actually called the "Gangrene Chaser". The [[EncyclopediaExposita encyclopedia]] then goes on to say that many pilots wish it hadn't been translated.

* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'':
** [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Covenant]] vehicles are known only by their UNSC designations, which are ethereal or supernatural beings -- Ghost scout vehicles, Wraith tanks, Phantom and Spirit dropships, Banshee fliers, Seraph starfighters, Shadow troop transports, Vampire support fighters, Goblin MiniMecha, etc. Mobile assault platforms are named after non-mythical insects with ties to mythology instead -- Locust light assault platforms and Scarab ultra heavy assault platforms.
** Humans mostly call the Covenant species' by UNSC designations ("Brute" is a lot faster and easier to say than "Jiralhanae"). Grunts are CannonFodder, Jackals are thieving scavengers, Elites are badass, Drones are InsectoidAliens, Hunters are relentless (also UNSC vehicles are named after animals and Hunters serve as anti-vehicle forces, therefore "hunting" them), and Brutes are, well, brutes. The Prophets are an exception, as the name was translated by advanced human AI.
** Almost all the in-game names of alien weapons are also UNSC designations based on what they do; Needler, Covenant Carbine, Plasma Pistol, etc.
** Subverted with the Forerunners and the Flood; both are direct translations of the original Forerunner names.

* The names of the different zerg broods in ''Videogame/{{Starcraft}}'' (back when the zerg had discreet broods) were explicitly stated to be names given by terran analysts. Their units are presumably named similarly. The zerg ''are'' shown to use these names themselves, but that's probably just TranslationConvention.
* In ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' the various Balmar mechs are all simply given reporting names by humans based on what they look like. The six-legged ones are called "Bugs", the ones with wings are called "Birds", etc. The various humanoid types are called "[[{{Mooks}} Soldiers]]", "[[EliteMooks Knights]]", and "[[GiantMook Fatmen]]". They are also asigned a numerical designation based on the order they were first encountered in. The Bugs, being recon units are therefore designated AGX[[note]]Derived from "Aerogater", the Federation's nickname for the Balmar[[/note]]-01; the heroic Cybaster has an official-unofficial AGX model number because the EFA initially mistook it for a Balmar machine. The funny thing is that their real names are also Earth words, only this time in [[GratuitousForeignLanguage Ancient]] [[SpaceJews Hebrew]]...
** Shadow Mirror's Soulgain is referred to as Mustache Man (or White Wrath in the English version, despite it being blue), while Zweizergain is referred to as Horned Man. The Shura gods Ialdaboth and Valefor are both referred to as "the haired one" by the EFA until Folka joins and tells everyone their actual names. Meanwhile the Shura refer to Compatible Kaiser as the "Red Demon".
* In ''VideoGame/{{Homeworld}}'', due to various confusions over which race the player belonged to, [[TheEmpire Taiidan]] vessels ended up with [[HumanAliens Kushan]] names, explicitly referring to creatures and gods from Kushani mythology. This was retconned in the sequel, ''Homeworld: Cataclysm'', to be class names invented by the latter race's Fleet Intelligence. The native Taiidani names were never revealed.

* In the 1998 [[VideoGameRemake Remake]] of ''VideoGame/{{BattleZone|1998}}'', the Soviet-made Cosmo Colonist Army vehicles are all known by Reporting Names. The "fighter" tank is called the Flanker, after the Su-27.
* In the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' universe, this is how the different varieties of [[OurZombiesAreDifferent husks]] are referred to. Some of them are meant to be descriptive, such as the Cannibals (which can eat their fallen comrades to regain health) or the [[DemonicSpiders Banshees]] (which announce their presence with a terrifying wail). The only variety not to receive a nickname are the original basic human models, simply called "husks".
* The Nephilim from ''VideoGame/WingCommander Prophecy'' initially have no names beyond "Unknown" when they first appear, but Confed quickly starts naming Nephilim craft after sea creatures, including a few mythological ones for big capital ships.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' uses the real-world reporting names and/or designations for all the military hardware portrayed. It also includes an in-universe example ("Didn't know the real name so we made one up") when the enemy's new non-nuclear bombs are christened "Trinity". Even after the project details are discovered, the name sticks.
** An averted example with ''VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown'': datamining has found that there were reporting names originally coded for the two main drones the Erusean military uses. The MQ-99 was to be called the "Wasp" and the MQ-101 the "Vogel," but in the final product, these names are nowhere to be found in the script and they are simply referred to by their model numbers.
* ''Videogame/WorldOfTanks'' players usually operate with something very close to this trope, consisting of abbreviations and player or historical nicknames for vehicles. Someone calling spots may state "Bathtub, Tumor, E2", meaning [=S35 AC=] and Souma [=SAu-40=] tank destroyers accompanied by a Sherman [=M4A3E2=] "Jumbo".
* The eponymous fightercraft from ''VideoGame/{{Einhander}}'' is actually a reporting name used by the (German-speaking) Earth forces. The fighter's actual name is either "Astraea" or "Endymion", depending on the specific model you choose to fly.
* In ''VideoGame/MapleStory'', the Thief job-class advancement Assassin is often shortened to 'Sin.
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'': Due to TranslationConvention, the Tau units use Imperial designations (see Warhammer 40K above) in their responses, including XV-22s and the Devilfish stealth transport ("The Devilfish swims silently").
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'' the crawling red monsters which attack the Raccoon City Police building early during the Raccoon City Outbreak are named "lickers" by surviving officers, largely because of their long tongues and because no one knew Umbrella's official name for the weapon, or even that it was made by Umbrella in the first place. However, Umbrella (and later TriCell) apparently found the name apt enough and kept it (even marketing a Licker-Beta shortly before Umbrella went under and was absorbed by TriCell), resulting in "licker" being the officially recognized name for the bioweapon.
* Zombie games like ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' and ''VideoGame/StateOfDecay'' feature groups of "special" infected with consistent abilities, and their in-universe names appear to be reporting names rather than official designations. This becomes somewhat confusing in ''State of Decay,'' where some classes of infected have multiple names even in hint text within the game itself; a very large, nigh indestructible infected is referred to as a "Big Un" when assigned the radiant "Hunt X Infected" quest, a "Juggernaut" on the achievement for killing one with a vehicle, and as a "Big Bastard" when spotted during surveying. What makes this even more bizarre is the two in-game names can be given to the identical infected by the same character.
* In ''VideoGame/ThunderForce V'', the people of Earth don't know that the wayward ship that landed on their planet (the player's ship in ''Thunder Force IV'', which hails from another part of space and which [[spoiler:was left to drift aimlessly after sustaining heavy damage against the FinalBoss]] in that game) is called the Rynex, so they christen it as ''Vasteel''.