Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications: Update on Air Force Oversight Effort and Selected Acquisition Programs

Abstract

Nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) is a large and complex system comprised of numerous land-, air-, sea-, and space-based components used to ensure connectivity between the President and nuclear forces. The current NC3 architecture consists of components that support day-to-day nuclear and conventional operations prior to a nuclear event as well as those that provide survivable, secure, and enduring communications through all nuclear threat environments. Though some NC3 systems are specific to the nuclear mission, most support both nuclear and conventional missions. The Department of Defense (DOD) is executing several acquisition efforts to modernize elements of NC3. In addition, the Air Force, which is responsible for the majority of DOD NC3 assets, has begun establishing an oversight structure for its NC3 capabilities and programs.

Document Details

• Document Type: Technical Report
• Publication Date: Aug 15, 2017
• Accession Number: AD1167562

Entities

People

• Andrew Berglund
• Cristina T. Chaplain
• David Best
• Jay Tallon
• Jean K. Lee
• Jean Mcsween
• Laura Greifner
• Marie Ahearn
• R. E. Devan

Organizations

• United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Accountability
• Acquisition
• Air Force
• Best Practices
• Communication Terminals
• Complex Systems
• Congress
• Department Of Defense
• Electronic Mail
• Engineering
• Governments
• House Of Representatives
• Line Of Sight
• National Governments
• National Security
• Personnel Management
• Space Based
• Systems Engineering
• Terminals
• United States
• Very Low Frequency
• Weapon Systems

Fields of Study

• Physics

Readers

• Ballistic Missile Meteorology
• Defense Acquisition Program Management
• Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

• Space