Other titles:SURVEILLER POUR SURVIVRE (French title) [Alternative Title]
SCHILDWACHT VOOR DE VREDE (Dutch title) [Alternative Title]
NATO DOCUMENTARIES [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: 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.
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 had deteriorated since the Second World War. The heightening of tensions, as demonstrated by Red Army parades and footage of Soviet expansion into satellite nations such as Czechoslovakia, validate the necessity of a robust NATO defence strategy.
A scenario is played-out where by 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 reaffirming that open lines of communication are engrained in NATO procedure.
Surveillance is shown to be evolving, with the development and launch of a network of 22 NATO satellites. The SATCOM programme, a 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, 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 allowing NATO nations to react to security threats and 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.
Alternative Title:SURVEILLER POUR SURVIVRE (French title) [Alternative Title]
SCHILDWACHT VOOR DE VREDE (Dutch title) [Alternative Title]
NATO DOCUMENTARIES [Allocated Series Title]
Colour:Colour
Digitised:Yes
Object_Number:NAT 2064
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:IWM NATO
Featured Period:
Production Date:1975
Production Country: Brussels, Belgium
Cape Kennedy, Florida, USA
Production Details: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Production sponsor)
Sandoz, Henry (Production individual)
