Phonetic Alphabet as used by the International Telecommunications Union

The Phonetic Alphabet is used to spell out letters in place of just saying the letter itself. By using a word for each letter there is less chance that the person listening will confuse letters. For instance, some letters that can easily be confused are "D" and "B". Using the phonetic alphabet, "Delta" and "Bravo" can be easily distingusihed. The phonetic alphabet is used primarily used in two-way radio communications. The effects of noise, weak signals, distorted audio, and radio operator accent are reduced through use of the phonetic alphabet. This system of spelling letters is used around the world by maritime units, aircraft, amateur radio operators and the military. This alphabet is recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and NATO as the standard for aircraft communications and radio communications.