The RAF phonetic alphabet is not a phonetic alphabet in the sense in which that term is used in phonetics, i.e., it is not a system for transcribing speech sounds. See the phonetic alphabet disambiguation page, and also International Phonetic Alphabet and SAMPA.

Following the take up of radio, the United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF) used a succession of radiotelephony spelling alphabets to aid communication. These have now all been superseded by the "NATO phonetic alphabet" actually the ICAO alphabet.

They would be used in phrases to emphasize the aircraft identifcation eg "H-Harry", "G for George"

The first alphabet owes a lot to World War I Western Front trench slang. Only Ack, Gee Emma and Esses changed. Possibly these were lost because they were already in use in phrases such as Ack-Ack - AA, anti-aircraft (fire) and "ack emma", "pip emma" for AM and PM. The Royal Navy of World War I differed more from the later alphabet having Apples, Butter, Duff, Pudding, Queenie, Tommy, Vinegar, Willie, Xerxes and Yellow.

Alphabets

1924-1942

Ace, Beer, Charlie, Don, Edward, Freddie, George, Harry, Ink, Johnnie, King, London, Monkey, Nuts, Orange, Pip, Queen, Robert, Sugar, Toc, Uncle, Vic, William, X-ray, Yorker, Zebra

• The choice of Nuts following Monkey is probably from "monkey nuts" = peanuts.

1942-1943

Apple, Beer, Charlie, Dog, Edward, Freddy, George, Harry, In, Jug/Johnny, King, Love, Mother, Nuts, Orange, Peter, Queen, Roger/Robert, Sugar, Tommy, Uncle, Vic, William, X-ray, Yoke/Yorker, Zebra

1943-1956

Able-Affirm, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, George, How, Item/Interrogatory, Jig/Johnny, King, Love, Mike, Nab/Negat, Oboe, Peter/Prep, Queen, Roger, Sugar, Tare, Uncle, Victor, William, X-ray, Yoke, Zebra.

1956 +

In 1956 the so called NATO phonetic alphabet was adopted.