National Emergency Command Post Afloat
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The National Emergency Command Post Afloat (NECPA) was part of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
government's Continuity of Operations plans during the 1960s. It was one-third of a triad composed of airborne, ground, and sea-based assets.USAF Historical Division: "The Air Force and the Worldwide Military Command and Control System 1961-1965
/ref>


History

In October 1961, the
Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
approved the NECPA plan, directing initial operating capability (IOC) by 1 March 1962.
United States Atlantic Command United States Atlantic Command (acronym from 1947-1993 USLANTCOM, after 1993 USACOM) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United State ...
converted the
cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...
in March 1962, and the light carrier in 1963 for NECPA duties. The
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
began alternating the ships in mid-1964, to keep one at sea and the other in port at any time. The ''Northampton'' was marginally upgraded for NECPA duties, since it was due for replacement; however, the ''Wright'' was modified to the utmost efficiency to hold the National Command Authorities for indefinite periods. The software was developed by the
Naval Electronics Laboratory The U.S. Navy Electronics Laboratory (''NEL'') was created in 1945, with consolidation of the naval radio station, radar operators training school, and radio security activity of the Navy Radio and Sound Lab (NRSL) and its wartime partner, the U ...
, San Diego. The product was turned over for acceptance and administration to the Naval Command and Systems Support Activity (NAVCOSSACT),
Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy. The Yard currently serves as a ceremonial and administrativ ...
,
Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
. The nuclear submarine USS ''Triton'' (SSRN-586) was considered for the NECPA role in the early 1960s after its original
radar picket A radar picket is a radar-equipped station, ship, submarine, aircraft, or vehicle used to increase the radar detection range around a nation or military (including naval) force to protect it from surprise attack, typically air attack, or from cr ...
mission became obsolete, but no such conversion has been documented.


Communications

A permanent UHF ground station (located in
Waldorf, Maryland Waldorf is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Charles County, Maryland, United States. Located south-southeast of Washington, D.C., Waldorf is part of the Southern Maryland region. It is an urban area, with a populat ...
), served as the primary communications link between the separate command posts: National Military Command Center,
Alternate National Military Command Center The Raven Rock Mountain Complex (RRMC), also known as Site R, is a U.S. military installation with an underground nuclear bunker near Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, at Raven Rock Mountain that has been called an "underground Pentagon". The ...
,
National Emergency Airborne Command Post The Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post (AACP), the current "Nightwatch" aircraft, is a strategic command and control military aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). The E-4 series are specially modified from the Boeing ...
, and NECPA. Three ground communications vans were located at
Otis AFB Otis Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard installation located within Joint Base Cape Cod, a military training facility located on the western portion of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It was known a ...
, MA,
Greenville, SC Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...
, and
Homestead AFB Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...
, FL to cover commonly used routes of Presidential aircraft. After President
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
’s assassination, vans were moved to
Jackson, MS Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, along with Raymond. The city had a population of 153,701 at the ...
and
Austin, TX Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, to cover President
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
’s travel routes.


See also

*
Ground-Mobile Command Center The Ground-Mobile Command Center was, or is, a U.S. Army program to develop and deploy hardened and secure, mobile command posts for use by the President of the United States to command retaliation and counterattack by the U.S. armed forces in resp ...
*
Post Attack Command and Control System The Post Attack Command and Control System (PACCS) was a network of communication sites (both ground and airborne) for use before, during and after a nuclear attack on the United States. PACCS was designed to ensure that National Command Authorit ...
(PACCS) *
Worldwide Military Command and Control System The Worldwide Military Command and Control System, or WWMCCS , was a military command and control system implemented for the command and control of the United States military. It was created in the days following the Cuban Missile Crisis. WWMCCS ...
(WWMCCS)


References


External links


"Ghosts of the East Coast: Doomsday Ships"
by Karl C. Priest -
Cold War Museum The Cold War Museum is a history museum in Warrenton, Virginia, focused on Cold War history. The museum was founded in 1996 by Francis Gary Powers Jr. (son of pilot Francis Gary Powers), and John C. Welch to preserve Cold War history and honor C ...
{{US Posts for Continuity of Operations Nuclear warfare Cold War military equipment of the United States United States nuclear command and control Disaster preparedness in the United States 1961 establishments in the United States Continuity of government in the United States