National Communications System

Seal of the United States National Communications System

National Communications System (NCS) was an office within the United States Department of Homeland Security that was responsible for ensuring the availability of a telecommunications system that could support critical government functions during emergencies. Established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy following the Cuban Missile Crisis, the NCS played a crucial role in coordinating the telecommunications assets of 24 federal departments and agencies. It was designed to maintain and enhance the ability of the federal government to conduct national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) communications through various means, including traditional landlines, mobile systems, and satellite communications.

History

The inception of the NCS was a direct response to the communication challenges faced during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which highlighted the need for a robust and reliable means of communication that could withstand the pressures of national emergencies. The system was established under a presidential memorandum titled "National Communications System," which tasked the NCS with linking, improving, and extending the communications facilities and components of various federal agencies to enhance national security.

In 1984, the NCS was transferred to the Department of Defense under the Reagan administration, reflecting the system's critical role in national defense. The NCS continued to evolve, incorporating new technologies and expanding its capabilities to ensure the government could maintain command and control capabilities under all conditions, including the aftermath of a nuclear attack.

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the importance of the NCS was further underscored. In 2003, as part of a broader reorganization of federal emergency preparedness and response functions, the NCS was moved to the Department of Homeland Security. This transition aimed to consolidate federal emergency communication functions and enhance the nation's ability to respond to and recover from major disasters and attacks.

Functions and Responsibilities

The primary function of the NCS was to ensure that the federal government had access to a communications system that could survive, operate, and coordinate functions under all circumstances, including national emergencies. The NCS was responsible for:

• Developing plans and initiatives to enhance the national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) communications capabilities of the United States.
• Coordinating the implementation of these plans among member agencies.
• Ensuring the operational readiness of NS/EP communications services.
• Supporting the President, the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and other key officials and agencies with communications needs during emergencies.

Key Programs and Initiatives

The NCS developed and managed several key programs and initiatives to fulfill its mission, including:

• The Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS), which provided emergency access and priority processing for telecommunications services to authorized national security and emergency preparedness users.
• The Wireless Priority Service (WPS), which allowed key national security and emergency preparedness personnel to place calls through a congested wireless network with priority.
• The National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), which advised the President on issues related to national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications.

Dissolution

The functions of the NCS were integrated into the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) following a reorganization and the signing of the Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21) on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience in 2013. This move was part of a broader effort to streamline federal cybersecurity and infrastructure protection responsibilities under a single agency within the Department of Homeland Security.

Legacy

The legacy of the NCS is its contribution to the development of a resilient national communications infrastructure capable of supporting the United States government's needs during times of crisis. Its initiatives and programs laid the groundwork for modern emergency communications protocols and systems, ensuring that critical communications can be maintained in the face of disasters and threats to national security.