NCI Agency Receives Keys to Mons Site

NATO’s Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) has taken delivery of a new technical facility for test and research on satellite communications.

The test site is located at Camp Casteau in Mons, Belgium, and will see NATO, and its industrial partners, test new satcom capabilities before they are deployed to support alliance operations, as well as conducting R&D and experimentation on future capabilities. The site’s construction was funded by Belgium as part of its commitment to the alliance.

“This new NCI Agency satcom technical facility will add capability across several frequency bands,” said NCIA’s General Manager, Ludwig Decamps, during a handover ceremony. “All of these capabilities, which were previously dispersed, will now be merged under one roof in this new building. This will significantly improve the Agency’s ability to support NATO operations and exercises, as well as scientific engineering work needed during projects and future capability development. With space as a new domain of operations, this facility is an important jewel in NATO’s technological crown.”