Description
Object description
A documentary film showing aspects of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) defence and surveillance systems, including Forward Scatter radar, surveillance satellites, the Situation Centre at NATO Headquarters in Brussels and communications between the various Armed Forces. The role of NICSMA (NATO Integrated Communications System Agency) is highlighted, preceded by footage of Soviet troops and equipment (including Red Square parades in colour). The delivery and launch of NATO's SATCOM satellite from Cape Kennedy, Florida, also features.
Content description
The German capital of Berlin is used as a metaphor of a divided Europe, where a military standoff has consolidated the political divide between East and West. Examples of Soviet military aggression, and the importance of surveillance, form a key part of the narrative.
The documentary sets out the contemporary political and military situation in Europe, from a NATO perspective, giving a brief historical overview of how relations between East and West deteriorated following the Second World War. The argument is made that the heightening of tensions, as demonstrated by Red Army parades and footage of Soviet expansion into satellite nations such as Czechoslovakia, validates the necessity of a robust NATO defence strategy.
A scenario is played-out whereby Soviet vessels undertake threatening manoeuvres in the Norwegian Sea. The situation is discussed and monitored before the incident is passed-up the NATO chain of command. Communication between NATO members is shown to be effective in tackling the issue, all the way up to the NATO Secretary General (Joseph Luns). Luns presents the information to national delegations, permanently based at NATO headquarters. The importance of effective governance within NATO is also covered. A meeting of the North Atlantic Council reaffirms that open lines of communication are engrained in NATO procedure.
Surveillance is also shown to be evolving, with the development and launch of a network of 22 NATO satellites. The SATCOM programme, the result of a 50 million dollar investment by 14 NATO nations, is traced from the production stage, at a plant in California, to the launch of a completed satellite via a three-stage Delta M rocket, from the NASA facility at Cape Kenny in Florida. NATO's new network of satellites are shown to be integral to the integrated surveillance system, known as NICS. It is outlined how this computerised system gives NATO the advantage of better analysis, derived from faster, more detailed and accurate information. Ultimately, enabling NATO nations to react to security threats enables them to gain an advantage over Warsaw Pact forces.
The endpoint, for surveillance and the decision making process, is the NATO Situation Centre, which gives representation to each member nation and allows direct communication with their respective capital cities. The Situation Centre is a working example that demonstrates the importance of NATO nations working collectively to make unanimous defence decisions quickly, whilst underlining the importance of developing new technologies.
Physical description
35mm