danger close

Definition

A warning that friendly forces are uncomfortably near the target being bombed or shelled, close enough that 'near miss' becomes a very relative term. It's the military version of 'hold my beer and watch this.'

Example Usage

The forward observer called in artillery fire danger close, with rounds impacting just 200 meters from his position.

Origin

Formalized in U.S. military fire support doctrine during the Vietnam War to standardize risk communication

Fun Fact

The actual distance for 'danger close' varies by weapon system—for mortars it's 600 meters, but for a 2,000-pound bomb it's 750 meters, because math matters when explosions are involved.

Source: Joint fire support terminology

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