AEROSPACE COMMUNICATIONS THE REINS OF COMMAND

The time tomorrow. The place, a hostile nation. The weapons, intercontinental range ballistic missiles in hardened sights. This is the threat we face. But we are not asleep. Night and day, our satellites and radars are on guard. The Midas satellite detects hostile missiles shortly after launch and relays the information through a ground station to alert Bemuse. NORAD and the aerospace defense forces of the free world. Bmuse the ballistic missile early warning system tracks the hostiles. When they have attained sufficient altitude, Bmuse identifies the launch and impact areas. And our early warning radars detect hostile aircraft. Their intelligence is sent to the North American Air Defense Command, the Strategic Air Command, and the Pentagon by landline, radio, and communication satellites. transmitting information that the unknown missiles are hostile. Orders go out to launch our striking force of supersonic bombers, intercontinental and air launched ballistic missiles and to defend ourselves with supersonic interceptors, missiles and anti-missile missiles. Of course, the attack you've just seen depicted never happened. But the Air Force is prepared for just such an eventuality. The people, most of the equipment, and the technical knowhow are already in being. Now, this all became especially clear to me during a recent tour of reserve duty in the Pentagon. While there, I had a unique opportunity to review the communications capability that now exists within the Air Force. a capability which forms a major and an intricral part of the overall defense communication system. As an old bomber pilot who has had to rely on communications many times, I I was very impressed with the important story of aerospace communications. A story which never really has been told. And that's why I'm here today to help pass on this fascinating story as seen through the eyes of a reserve officer and to show you that only through communications is effective command and control possible. Now to begin with here are the major elements of the network that provides this nation with up to 15 minutes of warning. There's the D line, the MidCanada line, and the Pine Tree line to warn of hostile aircraft. Bmuse, the ballistic missile early warning system in Alaska, Greenland, and Great Britain. Plus, in the near future, additional minutes of warning from the detection satellite known as Midas. These are augmented by radar equipped picket ships and radar early warning aircraft. All of them feed intelligence of various kinds into NORAD, the North American Air Defense Command. For the continental United States, our most advanced system to control the air battle against the man bomber is SAGE semiautomatic ground environment, which evaluates all information electronically and displays it at various locations for the guidance of our interceptors and missiles. Communications provide the vital link between the commander and the complex weapon systems he employs. Now, let me show you just how vast the Air Force communication system is. These are the worldwide Air Force installations that must be linked together by the Air Force Communication Service. To do this tremendous job, the Communications Service operates Aircom, the USAF Aerospace Communications Complex, which is a component part of the Defense Communications System. Now here are some of the major networks which comprise that complex. Air communications net for administrative operations. Combat logistics net for logistical support. Weather net for dissemination of weather data. Air operations net for control of air traffic and the strategic air command alerting net. You know, a sack commander once said, "Without communications, the only thing I can command is my desk." And that's not a very lethal weapon. And he was right. But with communications, with communications, a vast amount of command and control is possible, which you'll see in a moment. But now, now let's uh let's begin with something basic. We use many forms of communication, including the ordinary pneumatic tube and the teletype that sends a message thousands of miles by cutting a perforated tape and transmitting it to our automatic relay system. By this means the same message may be transmitted as many times and to as many locations as desired. Now here's something a little more spectacular. This quite a piece of equipment. This is long range radio used for command of airborne forces. Now I get this thing fired up. is in the 14 megay band there. Now I'm going to talk to the pilot of a sack B-58 flying at 50,000 ft above the Mediterranean. Ready? Jolly Jack, this is Green Tree Alpha. Jolly Jack, this is Green Tree Alpha. Over. Green Tree Alpha, this is Jolly Jack. Over. Roger, Jolly Jack. Green Tree Alpha for com check. Your 5x5 here. Over. Loud and clear here. Roger. Thank you, Jolly Jack. Green Tree Alpha out. This and that. Instantaneous communications from a desk just like this to any air force aircraft anywhere in the world. It's just that simple. It's just that simple with our global communication system. And now let's take a look at closed circuit television. Here's up tothem minutee global weather as shown on the world weather map at weather central. The combat operations center at headquarters North American air defense command. And here's the command post at Strategic Air Command Headquarters. Now the equipment you've seen the television radio telephone and intercom and others that you may not have seen weather faximile data computers voice recorders telemetry data link communications rockets underseas cables and high-powered radio antenna. All of these and many more are operating 24 hours a day as a part of our deterrent force. Now, in just a moment, at exactly 1,800 hours Zulu time, you'll see how all the members of the Air Force Communications Electronics Team would work together as a unit if a fullscale alert were to take place. To demonstrate this, we will assume in this instance that only a few people in the top echelons know that this alert is actually a test exercise. To the rest of the people you see here, what is about to happen could be the real thing. The beginning of a life and death struggle between our country and a hostile force. 1,800 hours. The first sign of trouble shows at the NORAD combat operations center on the missile display panel from the Midas satellite. Two missiles have been fired from the North Pacific and two more from the North Atlantic. Sir, there are four missile launches shown in our Midas screen with impact areas unknown. Okay. Uh, we'll assemble the battle staff, implement Coca-Cola, and I'll call the commander-in-chief. Okay. The ballistic missile early warning system is notified. Bmuse will soon be able to supply additional intelligence, including the predicted areas of impact. Interconnecting displays keep each command informed of the situation. The displays at NORAD and SAC will show what is being received by Midas, the early warning satellite, and Beam use, the ballistic missile early warning system. At 1801, a new threat appears on the display board at NORAD. Dooline radars are picking up unknowns along the northern borders of America. High-powered radars are picking up aircraft penetrating our perimeter defenses. Early warning information is relayed to NORAD combat operations center where it is noted by all personnel including civil defense and the sack liaison group. The threat is now great enough to warrant an increase in our alert status. In a few seconds, the commander-in-chief of the North American Air Defense Command, the commander-in-chief of the Strategic Air Command, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are in conference. General, we picked up four unknown missiles from the North Pacific and North Atlantic. Unknown aircraft are penetrating into the north of Canada and Alaska. I've just talked to the Canadian Chief of Staff Committee and we feel the situation is serious enough to warrant going into maximum alert. All right, go to maximum alert and stand by for further directives. Sack acknowledges and we'll take the necessary action. These few words set in motion a worldwide alert with command and control exercised through global communications. The strategic air command senior controller then alerts all sack units throughout the world. This is bandbox. All stations prepare to copy. The code words are followed by a pause during which the warning system alerts all sack bases. Foxtrot 24, Delta 0926 04 05 Tango Mohawk X-ray. Authentication is Peter 7. I repeat, and sack crews everywhere immediately react. Missiles are ready. Sack aircraft already airborne and the airborne command post receive the alert order. Mohawk X-ray authentication is Peter 7. All stations acknowledge at the count of five. 1 2 3 4 5 SAC airborne commander acknowledges. The coded alert is heard over radio facilities of the early warning network. Groundto-air radio circuits are tested to ensure continuity of operation. Communications rockets are prepared. Strategic Air Command is now on alert status. Communications will assume battle staff configuration. The underground has now been sealed. In the Sack Communication Center, the alert warns personnel to cease transmission of all but essential traffic. At the Air Force command post in the Pentagon, simultaneously with the red phone announcement, the senior operations officer will alert commanders throughout the world. Stand by, sir, for an emergency conference. I repeat, stand by for an emergency conference. This is the Air Force command post. Authentication is Earthquake. Please acknowledge your presence in conference as your command is called. Commanderin-Chief Pacific. Sink Pack here. This is Sinkure. Sink Lant acknowledges. This is Sink Al. Sink Navure here. This is S Karib. Sink Nurad acknowledges. Sink Sack acknowledges. This is blastoff. Open your sealed instructions number 979. Each aerial commander then sets his forces in motion. 1806 hours. Fighters scramble from bases in Alaska, in Canada, and in the continental United States. All tactical missile units are alerted. Air defense missiles are ready. And if this were an actual alert, the commander-in-chief NORAD would institute a Conrad alert and the civil defense group at NORAD headquarters would simultaneously declare an air raid warning and alert the civilian population. This is a Connellyrad alert. Normal broadcasting will be discontinued for an indefinite period. Civil defense information will be broadcast in most areas at 6:40 or 12:40 on your regular radio receiver. Across the North American continent, all units are alerted for action. Hardened missile sites are opened, ICBMs are ready, and instantaneous logistic support is available to supply whatever may be needed in forward areas, plus weather information, firepower, and refueling capability. 1813 hours at the NORAD Combat Operations Center. An increasing number of unknowns appear on the display board. The radars at Sage, the semi-automatic ground environment, show several penetrations, and fighter aircraft are guided toward the unknown invaders. The pilot is guided by data link, an automatic electronic guidance system. 185 hours. The unknown missiles are now being tracked by our ground electronic system. The impact points predicted by Beam use South Atlantic and South Pacific are posted on the missile display boards at NORAD and SAC. They are friendly missiles fired as part of the exercise, but the aircraft are still unidentified and they are more numerous than before. However, visual contact will soon be made by our interceptors. Have them in sight. Contrails have won 5 miles. At the same time, the sack force is ready to strike in hostile territory if the alert proves to be an attack. Some of these aircraft will need fuel to retain their long strike capability. Bomber and tanker rendevous points have been predetermined. Navigator from Boomer. Have them in sight. Roger, Boomer. Bring him in. 410 up five. Bomber contact. Another example of command and control through communications. But until the unknowns are identified, no one can relax for an instant. The progress of the unknowns is closely followed. 189 hours. The reports from interceptors to Sage bring the first contact with the unknown aircraft. The unknown turns out to be one of our own B-58s simulating a hostile. This is Red Bird leader. Unknown target is USF B-58. Tail number 07462. Unknown target is USF B58. Tail number 07462. Smoking 2. Unknown target is tanker KC 135. Tail number niner 510 1 0 0. Roger Red Bird Leer. Aircraft confirmed as friendly. Break. Break. Roger. Smokey 2, Blackjack 3, and Skyway Leer. Aircraft all confirmed as friendly. Sage relays the information to NORAD. As one by one, the unknowns prove friendly. At NORAD, the display board shows a diminishing number of unknowns. Unknowns are proved friendly on the Pacific coast, Atlantic coast, over Canada, Newfoundland, and Alaska. 1845 hours, 45 minutes after the alert exercise began, the Air Force command post calls it off. This is the Air Force command post. Exercise blastoff is terminated at 05/1845 Zulu. Authentication is Baker 9. Commanderin-Chief advises, terminate your air defense emergency and notify all units. I repeat, Commanderin-Chief advises, terminate your air defense emergency and notify all units. NORAD now relays the cancellation to all air defense units. Interceptors are recalled to base. Defense missiles are returned to normal. The civil defense liaison group at NORAD takes action to cancel the civilian alert. At SAC headquarters, SAC aircraft are recalled and missiles are returned to normal. Freight train freight train. This is Bandbox transferred to Blue Denim. Authentication is Hot Point Baker. Let's go home, boys. Overseas commands recall their tactical aircraft. Ah, domino. Domino, this is Penbrook control. All aircraft, return to your bases. I repeat, domino, domino, this is penrook control. All aircraft, return to your bases. Blue leader. Roger. The alert is over and the aircraft returned to their bases. We have proved that we're ready to defend the country. We have shown that only through communications can we have positive command and control of our weapon systems. We have shown that communications are in truth the reigns of command. Now looking to the future, we'll see a continuing priority on satellite systems for warning and reconnaissance and communications. They can make a great contribution to the overall national deterrent posture. But warning and reconnaissance systems are of little value without reliable communications and automatic data processing systems capable of analyzing and transmitting their intelligence to the people who command our aerospace forces. Frankly, what we're looking for in communications electronics are technological breakthroughs. Not merely new improvements on old methods, but completely new methods that will take our messages instantaneously to any commander on Earth or in space. A system with even greater capacity, reliability, and survivability than is possible today. And with simpler, more direct routing. all at greater savings in money and people. Developments now in progress will lead us to this new capability. Meanwhile, the Air Force's communications and electronic systems, the biggest, most responsive, and most complex in existence, will continue to support the defense posture of the free world. These systems admittedly are expensive, but we must have them not only for command and control, but to buy time, to buy the precious minutes of warning which permit the launching of aircraft and missiles. For every few seconds of additional warning, it's possible for each base to launch additional aircraft and missiles. And as our weapon systems become even more sophisticated in speed and accuracy and destructive power, time plays an increasingly important role. As long as we can buy time with communications, we can stay ahead. When the life or death of a nation can be counted in minutes, then every second, every microscond counts. Yeah. Heat.