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Oct 10 2025

NCIA highlights SATCOM technology and operations during Space Week

As Space Week concludes, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) highlights one of NATO’s most critical space capabilities: Satellite Communications (SATCOM). In today’s increasingly contested world, SATCOM plays a vital role in enabling secure, reliable, and far-reaching communication for defence forces. NCIA provides NATO with SATCOM services, allowing seamless coordination across land, air, sea, and space domains, as well as real-time video, voice, and data sharing.

Satellites operate in different orbits around the Earth: Geostationary Orbit (GEO) offers wide coverage; Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) balances coverage and latency; and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) enables low-latency, high-speed communication. Multi-orbit SATCOM technology integrates satellites across all these orbits into a single communication network, improving reliability, expanding coverage, speeding response times, and enhancing security. The NCIA Chief Technology Office works with industry partners to test and prove this emerging technology, helping NATO stay ahead in the face of evolving challenges.

While satellites orbit high above the Earth, the crucial coordination that keeps them functional happens on the ground at the NATO SATCOM Operations Centre at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in Belgium, which acts as the control tower for satellite services. Here, NCIA’s SATCOM Operations team receives all users’ requests for missions, exercises and training and plans service delivery, assigning frequencies, bandwidth, and power levels in coordination with the satellite operators to ensure optimal use of existing satellite resources.

NCIA experts then monitor the links 24/7, quickly resolving interference, equipment faults or unauthorized signals to minimize disruptions and safeguard the integrity of communications.

Since NATO does not own satellites, military satellite capacity comes from six NATO Nations under the NATO SATCOM Services 6^th Generation Memorandum of Understanding. NATO-owned anchor stations in Kester, Verona, Atalanti, Izmir, Eggemoen, and Costa da Caparica play a critical role in maintaining seamless and reliable connections.

As warfare evolves with new technologies and emerging threats, SATCOM remains a fundamental element of military communications and defence. By combining operational expertise and advanced satellite management, while adopting multi-orbit SATCOM technology, NATO is building a more reliable, agile, and secure communications network. SATCOM keeps the Alliance connected quietly and effectively, day and night.