National Military Command Center

National Military Command Center
Name	National Military Command Center
Location	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
Type	Command and control center
Built	1960s
Used	1960s–present
Controlled by	United States Department of Defense

National Military Command Center The National Military Command Center is the central United States Department of Defense command and control node located in The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. It serves as a nexus between the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and combatant commands such as United States Northern Command, United States European Command, and United States Strategic Command. The center interfaces with strategic systems like the U.S. nuclear triad, the Defense Support Program, and the National Military Command System to provide situational awareness and crisis response for events ranging from the Cuban Missile Crisis legacy to modern contingencies.

History

The origins trace to command arrangements developed during World War II under initiatives linked to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combined Chiefs of Staff in coordination with the War Department. Postwar evolution involved the National Security Act of 1947 and integration with agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council, and the Federal Aviation Administration for air defense coordination after incidents such as the Korean War and the Berlin Airlift. The current center was established in the 1960s amid tensions exemplified by the Cuban Missile Crisis and the development of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. Subsequent upgrades correspond with events like the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the September 11 attacks, and operations including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Organizational reforms paralleled directives from the Goldwater–Nichols Act and doctrinal shifts reflected in the National Defense Strategy.

Mission and Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include crisis management for incidents involving the President of the United States, implementation of orders from the National Security Council, coordination with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and execution support for unified combatant commands such as United States Central Command, United States Pacific Command, and United States Africa Command. The center provides real-time connectivity to strategic deterrent forces like Air Force Global Strike Command, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. It maintains liaisons with intelligence organizations including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office to fuse targeting, warning, and assessment for contingencies such as Operation Desert Storm and nuclear warning incidents like the 1979 NORAD computer glitch.

Organization and Structure

Staffing comes from the Joint Staff, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and service components including the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps. The directorate operates alongside elements from the Defense Information Systems Agency and the National Communications System with established protocols tied to the Unified Command Plan. The center coordinates with regional hubs such as the United States European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, the United States Indo-Pacific Command in Camp H.M. Smith, and the NORAD headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base. Chain-of-command interactions occur through actors like the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commanders, and the Secretary of Defense.

Facilities and Technology

Facilities include hardened rooms within The Pentagon designed to survive threats associated with the Cold War and to sustain continuity comparable to Raven Rock Mountain Complex and Site R. Technology suites integrate satellite communications via systems like Defense Satellite Communications System, missile warning from the Space-Based Infrared System, and data links such as Link 16 for tactical picture sharing used in exercises like Red Flag and operations such as Allied Force. Cyber and information assurance are moderated with partners including the United States Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Redundant power and telecommunications mirror continuity plans associated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and facilities such as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center.

Operations and Exercises

The center conducts 24/7 watch operations supporting crises like Operation Eagle Claw planning aftermath, the Panama Invasion coordination, and synchronization during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It participates in national exercises such as Global Lightning, Vigilant Shield, and Cobra Gold in coordination with allies including NATO, United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan. Training scenarios emulate strategic outcomes informed by events like the Yom Kippur War and exercises such as Able Archer 83 to validate procedures between the National Command Authority and strategic forces including Strategic Air Command predecessors.

Incidents and Controversies

Controversies include debates over alert procedures highlighted after the 1979 NORAD computer glitch and accidental warning incidents prompting reviews by the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee. Security incidents around The Pentagon such as during the September 11 attacks spurred critiques of readiness and interagency coordination with entities like the Federal Aviation Administration and the Intelligence Community. Criticism has also arisen over transparency in decision-making during operations like Operation Iraqi Freedom and programmatic spending tied to acquisitions overseen by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and audits by the Government Accountability Office.

Category:United States military command and control