DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) gives operational direction to the DCS. With reference to the DCS, the DISA must ensure that the system is operated and improved so as to meet the continual long-haul, point-to-point requirements that arise.

The DISA functions under the management of a director who is appointed by the Secretary of Defense. The director is a flag-rank officer and is responsible for coordinating the combined communications elements of the three military departments.

MISSION OF NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS

The mission of naval communications is to provide and maintain reliable, secure, and rapid communications, based on war requirements, to meet the needs of naval operating forces. Naval communications must also satisfy the requirements of the Defense Communications System (DCS) and the National Communications System (NCS).

Naval communications must always be ready to shift to the requirements of wartime. Our peacetime organization and training must be capable of making this shift rapidly and with a minimum of changes. Without this capability, our forces would be severely handicapped, and vital defense information would never reach its destination. For this reason, we have a well-defined communications structure, with responsibilities assigned to each element, from the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) down to individual fleet units.

POLICY OF NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS

The policy of naval communications is to:

l Establish and maintain effective communications within the Department of the Navy;

l Encourage at all levels of command an effort to improve techniques, procedures, and efficiency;

l Cooperate with the military services, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), and other departments and agencies of the U.S. Government and allied nations;

l Encourage development of the amateur and commercial communications activities of the United States to enhance their military value and to safeguard the interests of the nation; and

l Promote the safety of life at sea and in the air by maintaining communications facilities with the U.S. Merchant Marine, aircraft over sea, and appropriate U.S. and foreign communication stations.

NAVAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

The word "telecommunications" includes all types of information systems in which electric or electromagnetic signals are used to transmit information between or among points. The Naval Telecommunications System (NTS) is comprised of all the end terminal processing equipment, transmission, switching, cryptographic, and control devices used to transmit operational information in the Navy.

The NTS provides electrical and optical communications from the commander in chief and naval commanders down to all naval forces under its command. You should remember that the NTS is used primarily to exercise command and control over the naval operating forces; not the shore establishment. Most shore establishments are served through the Defense Communications System (DCS). Naturally, there are overlapping portions of each system where necessary.

Operational direction and management control of the assigned elements of the NTS are the responsibility of the Commander, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Command (COMNAVCOMTELCOM).

In naval communications, COMNAVCOMTELCOM determines the responsibilities of each of the various commanders, whether a fleet commander or the commanding officer of a ship. For example, direction and control of all naval fleet broadcasts, ship shore, air-ground, and other direct fleet-support telecommunications are assigned to the fleet commanders in chief. That is to say, all Pacific Fleet naval broadcasts are under the operational direction and control of the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT). The same applies to Atlantic Fleet navak broadcasts. These broadcasts are under the operational direction and control of the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT).

Fleet commanders in chief are responsible for the adequacy of communications to satisfy the needs of their respective fleets. They, in turn, assign broad communications responsibilities in the form of fleet operation orders (OPORDs). OPORDs are to be complied with at every level down through individual commanding officers of operating ships.

The commanding officers use only those portions of the fleet commander's communications OPORD that affect them. In this simple, yet direct, manner, the NTS is administered at every operational level in the fleet, according to that ship's mission and communication needs. We will talk more about OPORDs later in this chapter.

The Naval Telecommunications Command is composed of the following elements:

l Commander, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Command (COMNAVCOMTELCOM);

l Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Stations (NCTAMSs);

l Naval Computer and Telecommunications Stations (NAVCOMTELSTAs, sometimes referred to as NCTSs);

l Naval Communications Detachments (NAVCOMTEL DETs, also abbreviated NCTDs);

l Naval Data Automation Commands (NAV-DACs);

l Naval Security Group Departments (NAV-SECGRUDEPTs) of NAVCOMTELSTAs; and

l Navy-Marine Corps Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS).

COMMANDER, NAVAL COMPUTER AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMAND

With the merging of Automated Information Systems (AIS) and telecommunications, the mission and responsibilities of COMNAVCONTELCOM have greatly increased. You will see COMNAVCOMTELCOM continue to change and grow as telecommunications technology advances into the 21st century.

There have already been changes in the makeup of the COMNAVCOMTELCOM claimancy as communications stations have merged with Naval Regional Data Automated Centers (NARDACs). Those communications stations that do not merge with an AIS activity will become Naval Computer and Telecommunications Stations (NCTSs) or Naval Computer and Telecommunications Detachments (NCTDs).

Although not all-inclusive, COMNAVCOMTEL-COM's responsibilities include the following: l Integrates and consolidates Navy common-user

ashore communications and information resources (IR) (including personnel) into the NAVCOMTELCOM claimancy, and implements Navy IR management policy within the claimancy;

Advises the Director, Naval Space and Warfare Command, of validated communications requirements that may demand development or modification of satellite communications systems;

Formulates policy on, and exercises authoritative control over, the Navy Communications Security Material System (CMS), and reviews or initiates action in cases of loss or compromise of CMS material;

Serves as Department of the Navy (DON) manager of leased portions of Navy dedicated and common-user information transmission systems;

Manages the Navy and Marine Corps Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) and coordinates Navy participation in amateur radio matters;

Establishes, implements, and maintains the Fleet Operational Telecommunications Program;

Manages International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) communications ground interfaces to naval communications for the DON and handles any other commercial telecommunications authorized by law or treaty;

Operates and maintains the NCTSs, NARDACs, and assigned elements of the Defense Communications System (DCS);

Serves as technical advisor to CNO for communications/enlisted ratings (RM, ET, and assists in career development and training for these ratings; and

Serves as central design agency for communications in the DON, performs life-cycle management on Navy Standard Communications Software components.

NAVAL COMPUTER AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS AREA MASTER STATIONS (NCTAMSs)

As we mentioned earlier, there have been changes in the claimancy of NAVCOMTELCOM. As a result, each of the former NAVCAMS has been redesignated as a NCTAMS, and has merged with a NARDAC. The four NCTAMSs are NCTAMS EASTPAC, Honolulu, Hawaii; NCTAMS LANT, Norfolk, Virginia; NCTAMS WESTPAC, Guam; and NCTAMS MED, Naples, Italy.

The world is divided into four Naval Communications Areas (NAVCOMMAREAs): Western Pacific (WESTPAC), Eastern Pacific (EASTPAC), Atlantic (LANT), and Mediterranean (MED) (figure 2-l). All communications activities within any of these geographical areas are organized to operate under the operational control of a NCTAMS. These master stations are the major sites in a COMMAREA and are the primary keying stations for that area. They are the entry points for Navy Tactical Satellite Systems and also operate and maintain one or more Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) terminals.

The NCTAMSs have, as part of their organization, a fleet telecommunications operations center (FTOC). This is the focal Point for fleet communications support.

To support the operating forces of each fleet commander in chief (FLTCINC), the authority to exercise operational direction over all NAVTELCOMs is delegated on an area basis to the commanding offiers of the master stations. Operational direction is decentralized down to the commanding officers of the NCTAMSs. These commanding officers report to and are immediately responsible to the FLTCINC. COMNAVCOMTELCOM, however, exercises overall operational direction to assure integration of the worldwide system, taking into consideration the requirements and priorities of other FLTCINCs and/or higher authority. You should refer to the appropriate Fleet Operational Telecommunications Program (FOTP) manual for futher information.

Within the various NAVCOMMAREAs are alternate NCTAMSs. They coordinate control of communications under the direction of the primary NCTAMSs.