Allied_Command_Europe_Highband Knowpia

Allied Command Europe Highband, better known as ACE High, was a fixed service NATO radiocommunication and early warning system dating back to 1956. After extensive testing ACE High was accepted by NATO to become operational in 1964/1965.

The frequency supportability and frequency assignments were provided in accordance with the NATO Joint Civil/Military Frequency Agreement (NJFA). The system was designed to be a combined UHF troposcatter/microwave radio system, providing long-range communications in the form of telephone, telegraph and data traffic in the NATO chain of command.^[1]

Its combined services produced over 200 channels and equipment was in place to multiplex them to contain up to 12 different calls each. There used to be 49 troposcatter links augmented by 40 Line Of Sight Microwave terrestrial stations, located in nine different NATO countries from northern Norway through central Europe to eastern Turkey. The transmitters broadcast at 832.56 - 959.28 MHz producing an average transmitting power of 10 kilowatts.^[2]

History edit

NATO had been established in 1949 with then a supreme command (SHAPE) near Versailles, France, and the regional headquarters (RHQ) Allied Forces Northern Europe (AFNORTH) at Kolsås, Norway (responsible for Denmark, Norway and the UK), Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) at Laffaux, France (responsible for Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands) and Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH) at Naples, Italy (responsible for Italy, Greece and Turkey). Supreme command, the three RHQ's and all subordinated units used various communication systems to establish contact: high frequency radio networks, VHF beaming transmitters and civil or military landlines. All systems had their weakness in equipment reliability; in the maximum amount of data transferred; in encryption possibilities and in unauthorized data interception. So in the early 1950s there existed an urgent need for a reliable, foolproof long distance European communications network.

US developed tropospheric diffusion techniques, integrated in a new military communications network appeared to be the solution and in 1956 STC, a planning, design, engineering and installation company had been ordered to develop a new integrated communications network in Europe. This network consisted of a number of "backbone" stations covering the 6,800 km (4,200 mi) distance from the north of Norway to the south of Turkey and was initially called the "Over the Horizon Troposperic scatter Communications Net" but was renamed "Allied Command Europe - Highband" (ACE-High). The network would be kept operational until the 1990s as all frequencies then had to be released to the civilian authorities.

After all components had been installed on their locations by Marconi Electronic Systems UK, (from 1968 part of General Electric Company), in 1961 the ACE-High system had officially been transferred to NATO.

In 1966 however France, under president Charles de Gaulle, withdrew from NATO integrated military structure (not from the Alliance itself) and systems had to be rerouted from France to Brunssum, Netherlands while the former Primary Control Center at Beauvais, was relocated to Lamersdorf, West-Germany.

In the early 1970s, the first geostationary satellites in the "Satellite Communication" network (SATCOM) had been activated thus expanding the ACE-High system.

The rise of the military SATCOM I-III (1971-1994), SATCOM IV (1995-now) network satellites, Internet routers, and the Central Region Integrated Communication System (CRICS) and the Crisis Response Operations in NATO Operating Systems (CRONOS) made ACE High obsolete. By the end of the 1980s, its replacement was already available but NATO postponed the ACE High phasing-out until 1995.^{[citation needed]}

In 1995, the first British NATO SATCOM IV/B satellites had been activated and because the ACE-High frequencies had to be released for civil TV and mobile phone usage NATO decided to deactivate ACE-High in 1996, and the 800 MHz band frequencies became available for civilian use again.^{[citation needed]}

ACE High sites edit

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

KML
GPX (all coordinates)
GPX (primary coordinates)
GPX (secondary coordinates)

The ACE High network included the following major sites and terminals, but also connected Line of Sight (LOS) microwave links to other networks reaching C2 centres not listed here.^[3]

AFNORTH-Norway

(NC- Senja) > NSEZ

Pos 69°19′44″N 17°29′49″E / 69.32889°N 17.49694°E / 69.32889; 17.49694 TX RX Equipment:1 Scatter Line + 2 Radio Line

(nca - Höggumpen) > NHGZ

Pos 69°04′41″N 18°00′16″E / 69.07806°N 18.00444°E / 69.07806; 18.00444 502 m TX RX Equipment:1 Radio Line

(ND- Bodö) > NKLZ

Pos 67°10′23″N 15°01′24″E / 67.17306°N 15.02333°E / 67.17306; 15.02333 801 m TX RX Equipment:2 Scatter Line + 1 Radio Line

(nda - Bodoe Tail - Kletkov) > NVAZ Pos unbekannt

TX RX Equipment:1 Radio Line

(NE - Mosjöen) > NMOZ

Pos 65°52′41″N 13°18′11″E / 65.87806°N 13.30306°E / 65.87806; 13.30306 627 m TX RX Equipment:2 Scatter Line

(NF - Trondheim) > NSBZ

Pos 63°18′41″N 10°56′17″E / 63.31139°N 10.93806°E / 63.31139; 10.93806 677 m AMSL TX RX Equipment:2 Scatter Line + 1 Radio Line

(nfa - Trondheim Tail - Graakallen)

Pos 63°25′15″N 10°15′06″E / 63.42083°N 10.25167°E / 63.42083; 10.25167 543 m AMSL TX RX Equipment:1 Radio Line

(NG - Oslo AAA) > NSOZ

Pos 60°03′34″N 11°16′09″E / 60.05944°N 11.26917°E / 60.05944; 11.26917 246 m TX RX Equipment:2 Scatter Line + 1 Radio Line

(Oslo YYY - Svartas) > NVAZ

Pos 68°18′3″N 14°14′16″E / 68.30083°N 14.23778°E / 68.30083; 14.23778 TX RX Equipment:3 Radio Line

(nga - Oslo Tail 01 - Kolsaas) > NKOZ

Pos 59°55′7″N 10°30′58″E / 59.91861°N 10.51611°E / 59.91861; 10.51611 TX RX Equipment:1 Radio Line

(ngb - Oslo Tail 02 - Maakeroy) > NVEZ

Pos 59°09′22″N 10°26′19″E / 59.15611°N 10.43861°E / 59.15611; 10.43861 14 m TX RX Equipment:1 Radio Line

(NH - Grimstad - Stormyrheia/hørte) > NSMZ

Pos 58°27′19″N 08°27′43″E / 58.45528°N 8.46194°E / 58.45528; 8.46194 326 m TX Rx Equipment:3 Scatter Line

(NJ - Sola - Lysenut) > NLYZ

Pos 59°31′40″N 05°54′12″E / 59.52778°N 5.90333°E / 59.52778; 5.90333 792 m TX RX Equipment:2 Scatter Line

AFNORTH-Denmark

(DA - Karup - Torphøj) > DTOZ

Pos 55°52′28″N 09°21′00″E / 55.87444°N 9.35000°E / 55.87444; 9.35000 135 m TX RX Equipment:2 Scatter Line + 1 Radio Line

(daa - Karup Tail - Lundbakke) > DLUZ

Pos 56°13′49″N 09°09′48″E / 56.23028°N 9.16333°E / 56.23028; 9.16333 68 m TX RX Equipment:1 Radio Line

AFNORTH-United Kingdom

(EAA - Faroes - Sandfelli 2)
(EA - Shetlands - Mossy Hill) > UMSZ - Mossy Hill > 59°57′17.15″N 01°18′11.60″W / 59.9547639°N 1.3032222°W / 59.9547639; -1.3032222 227 m AMSL
(eab - Shetlands Tail Relay - Collofirth Hill) > UCOZ - Collafirth Hill > 60°32′00.75″N 01°23′28.30″W / 60.5335417°N 1.3911944°W / 60.5335417; -1.3911944 239 m AMSL
(eac - Shetlands Tail - Saxa Vord) USVZ - Saxa Vord 60°49′37.20″N 00°50′22.59″W / 60.8270000°N 0.8396083°W / 60.8270000; -0.8396083 276 m AMSL
(EB - Aberdeen - Mormond Hill) > UMOZ - Mormond Hill 57°36′11.19″N 02°01′51.86″W / 57.6031083°N 2.0310722°W / 57.6031083; -2.0310722 227 m AMSL
(eba - Aberdeen Tail - Long Haven Hill) > UBUZ - Long Haven Hill 57°27′31.94″N 1°48′46.07″W / 57.4588722°N 1.8127972°W / 57.4588722; -1.8127972 95 m AMSL
(EC - Boulmer - Brizlee Wood) > UBOZ - Brizlee Wood 55°25′05.28″N 1°46′04.26″W / 55.4181333°N 1.7678500°W / 55.4181333; -1.7678500 250 m AMSL
(ED - Binbrook - Stenigot) > UBIZ - Stenigot 53°19′36.08″N 00°06′57.44″E / 53.3266889°N 0.1159556°E / 53.3266889; 0.1159556 153 m AMSL
(EE - London - Coldblow Lane) > UMAZ - Coldblow Lane 51°17′44.95″N 00°36′51.52″E / 51.2958194°N 0.6143111°E / 51.2958194; 0.6143111 194 m AMSL
(eeb - London Tail Relay - Woldingham - RAF Botley Hill Farm)
(eea - London tail - Hillingdon)
RAF Uxbridge – local terminus

AFCENT-France

(FAN - Paris - Mont Florentin) FFLZ - Paris North 49°20′27.59″N 02°03′06.79″E / 49.3409972°N 2.0518861°E / 49.3409972; 2.0518861 222 m AMSL
FTAZ - Taverny 49°02′02.88″N 02°13′45.85″E / 49.0341333°N 2.2294028°E / 49.0341333; 2.2294028 178 m AMSL
(fac - Paris Tail (2)- Sant Germain) 48°54′44.67″N 02°01′25.44″E / 48.9124083°N 2.0237333°E / 48.9124083; 2.0237333 71 m AMSL
(fae - Paris Tail (2) - Extension (SHAPE) 48°50′34.19″N 02°06′14.30″E / 48.8428306°N 2.1039722°E / 48.8428306; 2.1039722 178 m AMSL
(fa - Relais Paris - Emeville) FEMZ - Emeville 49°18′01.83″N 03°00′41.00″E / 49.3005083°N 3.0113889°E / 49.3005083; 3.0113889 247 m AMSL
(faa - Paris Tail (1) - Laffaux) 49°27′15.05″N 03°24′57.39″E / 49.4541806°N 3.4159417°E / 49.4541806; 3.4159417 143 m AMSL
(fad - Relay Paris - Rozoy Bellevalle) FRBZ - Rozoy Bellevalle 48°55′56.05″N 03°28′24.62″E / 48.9322361°N 3.4735056°E / 48.9322361; 3.4735056 219 m AMSL
(FAS - Paris - Mont Aout) FAOZ - Paris South 48°46′14.78″N 03°53′25.33″E / 48.7707722°N 3.8903694°E / 48.7707722; 3.8903694 216 m AMSL
(FA - Trier - Rohrbach) FROZ - Rohrbach 49°03′18.47″N 07°14′40.74″E / 49.0551306°N 7.2446500°E / 49.0551306; 7.2446500 376 m AMSL
(fay - Trier Tail - Kindsbach) ABHZ - Kindsbach 49°23′48.11″N 07°35′38.32″E / 49.3966972°N 7.5939778°E / 49.3966972; 7.5939778 458 m AMSL
(FC - Lyon - Pierre sur Haute) FLYZ - Lyon 45°39′11.52″N 03°48′33.07″E / 45.6532000°N 3.8091861°E / 45.6532000; 3.8091861 1632 m AMSL
(FD - Nice - Signal de la Chens) FNIZ - Nice 43°44′53.67″N 06°39′44.85″E / 43.7482417°N 6.6624583°E / 43.7482417; 6.6624583 1703 m AMSL

AFCENT-Netherlands

HBRZ - Brunssum 50°56′19.11″N 05°58′35.60″E / 50.9386417°N 5.9765556°E / 50.9386417; 5.9765556 95 m AMSL TX equipment 1S + 1R
HMAZ - Maastricht 50°50′25.05″N 05°39′33.78″E / 50.8402917°N 5.6593833°E / 50.8402917; 5.6593833 82 m AMSL TX equipment 1S +2R

AFCENT-Belgium

BADZ - Adinkerke
BCAZ - Casteau Supreme HQ Allied Powers Europe Pos 50°30′05.56″N 03°58′15.69″E / 50.5015444°N 3.9710250°E / 50.5015444; 3.9710250 87 m AMSL TX Equipment 2S +2R
BCHZ - Chievres Pos 50°35′7.75″N 3°48′59.84″E / 50.5854861°N 3.8166222°E / 50.5854861; 3.8166222 TX Equipment 2S +2R
BFRZ - Baraque de Fraiture 50°15′07.94″N 05°43′56.13″E / 50.2522056°N 5.7322583°E / 50.2522056; 5.7322583 654 m AMSL TX Equipment 3R

AFCENT-Germany

ABHZ - Kindsbach 49°23′51.24″N 07°35′41.17″E / 49.3975667°N 7.5947694°E / 49.3975667; 7.5947694 458 m ü. NN
(AA - Emden - Aurich) AEMZ - Aurich 53°30′32.04″N 07°26′34.83″E / 53.5089000°N 7.4430083°E / 53.5089000; 7.4430083 10 m ü. NN
(AB - Moenchengladbach - Roetgen) ALAZ -Lammersdorf 50°39′57.59″N 06°17′14.58″E / 50.6659972°N 6.2873833°E / 50.6659972; 6.2873833 593 m ü. NN
(abb - Moenchengladbach Tail (1) - Hehn) AHEZ - Hehn 51°10′51.44″N 06°23′37.77″E / 51.1809556°N 6.3938250°E / 51.1809556; 6.3938250 81 m ü. NN
(aba - Moenchengladbach Tail (2) - Millen) 50°45′57.87″N 05°33′47.26″E / 50.7660750°N 5.5631278°E / 50.7660750; 5.5631278 151 m ü. NN
(abc - Uedem) AUEZ - Uedem 51°39′39.08″N 06°16′58.97″E / 51.6608556°N 6.2830472°E / 51.6608556; 6.2830472 47 m ü. NN
AFEZ - Feldberg 47°52′23.09″N 08°00′59.73″E / 47.8730806°N 8.0165917°E / 47.8730806; 8.0165917 1458 m ü. NN

AFSOUTH-Italy

IDGZ - Dosso dei Galli 45°51′13.66″N 10°22′32.28″E / 45.8537944°N 10.3756333°E / 45.8537944; 10.3756333 2174 m AMSL
IVTZ - Verona Tail ( im West Star Bunker ) 45°33′17.89″N 10°45′46.83″E / 45.5549694°N 10.7630083°E / 45.5549694; 10.7630083 334 m AMSL
(IA - Livorno - Monte Giogo) IMXZ - Livorno 44°19′17.38″N 10°07′30.94″E / 44.3214944°N 10.1252611°E / 44.3214944; 10.1252611 1496 m AMSL
(IAZ - Cavriana - Monte Bosco Scuro) IMBZ - Cavriana 45°21′00.79″N 10°37′01.46″E / 45.3502194°N 10.6170722°E / 45.3502194; 10.6170722 189 m AMSL
(iaa - Verona Torre 4) 45°27′11.35″N 11°00′30.55″E / 45.4531528°N 11.0084861°E / 45.4531528; 11.0084861 164 m AMSL
(IAY - Lame - Cavanella) ICEZ - Lame Concordia 45°44′55.99″N 12°52′08.75″E / 45.7488861°N 12.8690972°E / 45.7488861; 12.8690972 7 m AMSL
(iax - Aviano) IAVZ - Aviano 46°01′23.02″N 12°35′34.19″E / 46.0230611°N 12.5928306°E / 46.0230611; 12.5928306 99 m AMSL
(IB - Rome - Tolfa) ITLZ - Rome 42°09′01.76″N 11°54′32.73″E / 42.1504889°N 11.9090917°E / 42.1504889; 11.9090917 621 m AMSL
(iba - Rome Tail - Monte Cavo) IMCZ - Monte Cavo 41°45′04.86″N 12°42′31.03″E / 41.7513500°N 12.7086194°E / 41.7513500; 12.7086194 930 m AMSL
(IC - Naples - Ischia - Punta Fetto) IICZ - Naples 40°35′50.88″N 13°54′08.54″E / 40.5974667°N 13.9023722°E / 40.5974667; 13.9023722 639 m AMSL
(ica - Naples Tail - Monte Pecorara) IPEZ - Monte Petrino 41°13′24.29″N 13°57′57.75″E / 41.2234139°N 13.9660417°E / 41.2234139; 13.9660417 335 m AMSL
(icy - Monte Vergine) IMNZ - Monte Nardello 40°56′33.27″N 14°43′07.28″E / 40.9425750°N 14.7186889°E / 40.9425750; 14.7186889 1516 m AMSL
(icz - Monte Vulture) IVUZ - Monte Vulture 40°57′03.12″N 15°38′10.75″E / 40.9508667°N 15.6363194°E / 40.9508667; 15.6363194 1301 m AMSL
(icv - Monte Iacontenente) IIAZ - Monte Iacontenente 41°47′20.2956″N 16°2′58.0236″E / 41.788971000°N 16.049451000°E / 41.788971000; 16.049451000
(icf - Pietra Ficcata) IPFZ - Pietra Ficcata 40°34′04.90″N 16°19′21.31″E / 40.5680278°N 16.3225861°E / 40.5680278; 16.3225861 586 m AMSL
(icw - Martina Franca) IAMZ - Martina Franca 40°39′22.968″N 17°17′21.048″E / 40.65638000°N 17.28918000°E / 40.65638000; 17.28918000
(ID - Catanzaro - Monte Mancuso) IMMZ - Catanzaro 39°01′09.13″N 16°13′32.02″E / 39.0192028°N 16.2255611°E / 39.0192028; 16.2255611 1319 m AMSL
(IDA - Monte Lauro - Cozzo tre Grotte) ICCZ - Monte Lauro 37°06′52.13″N 14°51′18.96″E / 37.1144806°N 14.8552667°E / 37.1144806; 14.8552667 944 m AMSL

AFSOUTH-Malta

(idb - Malta - Gharghur) IDBZ - Malta - Gharghur

AFSOUTH-Greece

(GA - Kefallina) > GKFZ - Kefallonia 38°10′11.18″N 20°37′08.53″E / 38.1697722°N 20.6190361°E / 38.1697722; 20.6190361 1001 m AMSL
(GB - Athens - Pendelikon) > GPKZ - Athens 38°04′50.46″N 23°52′58.14″E / 38.0806833°N 23.8828167°E / 38.0806833; 23.8828167 1038 m AMSL
(GBZ - Crete - Ziros) > GZIZ - Ziros 35°03′53.52″N 26°09′14.24″E / 35.0648667°N 26.1539556°E / 35.0648667; 26.1539556 786 m AMSL
(GBY - Larissa - Phillon) > GPIZ - Phillon 39°25′22.75″N 23°03′11.54″E / 39.4229861°N 23.0532056°E / 39.4229861; 23.0532056 1513 m AMSL
(GBW - Vitsi) > GVIZ - Vitzi 40°38′43.34″N 21°23′11.07″E / 40.6453722°N 21.3864083°E / 40.6453722; 21.3864083 2009 m AMSL
(GBV - Ismaros) > GISZ - Ismaros 40°53′34.67″N 25°32′56.06″E / 40.8929639°N 25.5489056°E / 40.8929639; 25.5489056 612 m AMSL

AFSOUTH-Turkey

(TA - Izmir - Bespinar Tepes) > TBPZ - Izmir - Bespinar Tepes 38°18′48.72″N 27°01′29.89″E / 38.3135333°N 27.0249694°E / 38.3135333; 27.0249694 964 m AMSL
(taa - Izmir Tail) > TKYZ - Izmir Tail
(TB - Eskisehir) > TKUZ - Eskishir - Kutahya Dagi 39°25′03.25″N 29°51′19.07″E / 39.4175694°N 29.8552972°E / 39.4175694; 29.8552972 1820 m AMSL
(tba - Eskirsehir Tail) > TESZ - Eskirsehir Tail
(TC - Ankara) > TEDZ - Ankara - Elan Dagi 39°48′20.59″N 32°59′32.27″E / 39.8057194°N 32.9922972°E / 39.8057194; 32.9922972 1856 m AMSL
(TCK - Merzifon) > TKJZ - Merzifon
(TCW - Persembe) > TPEZ - Persembe
(TCV - Pazar) > TPAZ - Pazar
(TD - Siwas - Pinarbasi) > TPIZ - Pinarbasi 38°40′38.09″N 36°24′10.59″E / 38.6772472°N 36.4029417°E / 38.6772472; 36.4029417 2285 m AMSL
(TG - Adana) > TDDZ - Davudi Dağı 36°49′39.37″N 35°38′18.66″E / 36.8276028°N 35.6385167°E / 36.8276028; 35.6385167 515 m AMSL
(tga - Adana Tail) > TDAZ - Adana Tail
(TE - Dyarbakir - Karaka Dagi) > TDIZ > Dyarbakir - Karaka Dagi
(tea - Dyarbakir Tail) > TDEZ - Dyarbakir Tail
Bloatli, Turkey

AFSOUTH-Cyprus

(TCZ - Cap Greco) > JCGZ -Cavo Greko 34°58′00.85″N 34°04′11.41″E / 34.9669028°N 34.0698361°E / 34.9669028; 34.0698361 62 m AMSL

Equipment used^[4]^[5]

Initially 60, 30 or 15 ft dish or billboard type antennas have been used in combination with General Electric or RCA AN/MRC80 TRC24; AN/FRC-75 or 39 radio sets. Later being replaced by newer Siemens & Halske EM 120/400 and 12/800 types. The type and beaming angle of the antennas depended of the local site position and its distance to the next relays.

References edit

^ http://archives.nato.int/uploads/r/nato-archives-online/0/7/8/0780e4a143f64cb3103978c2bcabc8cddcc409cce87a25584765d522d816a1c2/MCWM-077-66_ENG_PDP.pdf NATO UNCLAS Memorandum MCWM -77-66
^ ACE HIGH. SCALE OF THE SYSTEM, Andy Emmerson, 2003 Subterranea Britannica:
^ "Troposcatter Communication Networks". rammstein.dfmk.hu.
^ Communications-electronics Reference Data, Volume 24,#19
^ Operator's, Organizational, Direct Support, General Support, and Depot Maintenance TM's 11-5820-203-15 and 11-5840-401-12