NATO Integrated Air Defense System

NATO Integrated Air Defense System (short: NATINADS) is according to the German army regulation German: Heeresdienstvorschrift (HDv) 100/900 defined as – «A command and control compound (structure or system) of the alliance´s air defence forces, subordinated to the NATO command authorities, already in peace time as well as in crisis and war».

Development

Development was approved by the NATO Military Committee in December 1955. The system was to be based on four air defense regions (ADRs) coordinated by SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe). Starting from 1956 early warning coverage was extended across Western Europe using 18 radar stations. This part of the system was completed by 1962. Linked to existing national radar sites the coordinated system was called the NATO Air Defence Ground Environment (NADGE).

From 1960 NATO countries agreed to place all their air defence forces under the command of SACEUR in the event of war. These forces included command & control (C2) systems, radar installations, and Surface-to-Air (SAM) missile units as well as interceptor aircraft.