CHAPTER 2

COMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completing this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

l Identify the background and mission of the departments within the National Communications System.

l Identify the mission and policy of naval communications.

l Identify the functions of the Naval Telecommunications System and the roles of communications management personnel.

l Identify the elements and responsibilities related to standard message processing.

l Identify the procedures for minimize consideration and processing of messages.

l Identify the procedures used for general administration and handling of communication files.

l Identify the procedures used in communications planning.

l Identify the procedures for conducting watch-to-watch inventories and updating the NWPs.

l Identify the role of the naval warfare publications library (NWPL) including NWPL administration and maintenance.

"Naval communications" is the term assigned to the

entire communications effort of the Department of the Navy, both afloat and ashore. The naval communications complex is the total of all Navy-operated communications installations and services. The communications complex provides, operates, and maintains tactical communications, including fleet broadcast, ship to shore, and air to ground. The operating forces and all commands and activities ashore depend on this complex for reliable transmission and receipt of information.

In this chapter, we will give you a broad overview of how naval communications is organized at shore

commands and aboard ship. We will also discuss the various publications used in naval communications. These publications provide standard guidance for all phases of naval communications, such as basic communications doctrines, message preparation, and proper circuit discipline.

NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

The National Communications System (NCS) was established to achieve a cohesive effort in the event of war. The NCS provides a unified governmental system that links together the communications facilities and

components of the various Federal agencies. Essentially, all branches of the Federal Government, both civilian and military, are part of the NCS. Each department and branch, however, has its individual organization, methods, and procedures.

DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

The Defense Communications System (DCS) exists to support the three military departments (Navy, Army, Air Force) and other Department of Defense activities. The circuits that make up the DCS are government-owned or leased and are point-to-point circuits that are long-haul and worldwide. The DCS combines many of the communication elements of the three military forces into a single communications system.

Although the Naval Telecommunications System (NTS) and the DCS are two different communications systems (fleet and ashore, respectively), they are constantly intermixed. For example, as often happens, a naval message originated aboard ship and destined for a shore activity leaves the ship over the NTS, but final routing is accomplished over the DCS circuits. The interface between the NTS and DCS is always provided by the shore communications facility.