(DoD, NATO) The sum of the weight of passengers and cargo that an aircraft can carry. See also load.
(DoD, NATO) The warhead, its container, and activating devices in a military missile.
(DoD, NATO) The satellite or research vehicle of a space probe or research missile.
(DoD, NATO) The load (expressed in tons of cargo or equipment, gallons of liquid, or number of passengers) which the vehicle is designed to transport under specified conditions of operation, in addition to its unladen weight.
(DoD, NATO) The warhead, its container, and activating devices in a military missile.
(DoD, NATO) The satellite or research vehicle of a space probe or research missile.
(DoD, NATO) The load (expressed in tons of cargo or equipment, gallons of liquid, or number of passengers) which the vehicle is designed to transport under specified conditions of operation, in addition to its unladen weight.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). payload. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/payload/definitions/1963276 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "payload" http://smartdefine.org/payload/definitions/1963276 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, payload, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/payload/definitions/1963276>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "payload" 4 April 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/payload/definitions/1963276> |