Convert NATO Angular Mils to Radians
Convert NATO Angular Mils (mil (NATO)) to Radians (rad) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
rad = mil (NATO) × 0.0009817477042
About NATO Angular Mils
The NATO angular mil equals 1/6,400 of a full circle - π/3,200 rad ≈ 0.9817 mrad. Artillery and mortar crews rely on its practical small-angle equivalence: 1 mil at 1,000 m subtends ~1 m (exact: 0.9817 m), enabling rapid range correction calculations. The 6,400-mil circle divides cleanly: 1,600 mils = 90°, 3,200 mils = 180°. Note: 1 NATO mil ≈ 0.9817 mrad - not the same as a milliradian; the 1.8% difference equals ~18 mm at 1,000 m. 1° ≈ 17.778 NATO mils.
About Radians
The radian (rad) is the SI unit of plane angle, defined as the angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius. A full circle = 2π rad; a right angle = π/2 rad. The radian is dimensionless (arc length / radius), so it can be omitted in equations. All calculus and physics formulas are simplest in radians: d/dx(sin x) = cos x holds only in radians; Taylor series sin x = x − x³/6 + x⁵/120 hold only for x in radians; angular frequency ω = 2πf gives energy E = ħω. 1 rad = 180°/π ≈ 57.2958° ≈ 206,264.8″.
Quick Reference Table
| NATO Angular Mils (mil (NATO)) | Radians (rad) |
|---|---|
| 1 mil (NATO) | 0.000981748 rad |
| 2 mil (NATO) | 0.0019635 rad |
| 5 mil (NATO) | 0.00490874 rad |
| 10 mil (NATO) | 0.00981748 rad |
| 25 mil (NATO) | 0.0245437 rad |
| 50 mil (NATO) | 0.0490874 rad |
| 100 mil (NATO) | 0.0981748 rad |