the transmission and reception of sound, light, or radio signals to maintain communications in the armed forces. Military signaling is used for the transmission of short commands, the mutual identification and designation of one’s own troops, aircraft, and ships, the designation of targets, and the coordination of troop actions; it is also used to alert troops concerning radioactive, chemical, and bacteriological contamination and enemy air raids. Signals may be transmitted by radio, by telephone, by light devices, such as flares, colored smokes, signal lights, searchlights, tracer bullets and shells, and signal flags or panels, or by sound devices, such as sirens, horns, or whistles.