This paper is an introduction to the world of naval/military translation for Russian translators. It consists of three parts: a critique of sample passages culled from Soviet naval/military literature, sent out to an translated by workshop participants; a survey of the best foreign-language dictionaries and other references most useful resolving the problems routinely encountered in this field of translation; and a discussion of the "terms of trade", including troublesome everyday terms which are close in meaning and therefore frequently used interchangeably by the inexperienced or undiscerning translator.