US Naval Communications Station  Italy (Naples)

Info from NCTS Naples

The history of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Naples can be traced to February 1963 when the Naval Communication Unit, Naples, was established on the Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH) Post in Bagnoli. Most of the unit's resources came from the communications department of the Naval Support Activity, Naples. The unit was tasked to provide communication support to shore based activities in the Naples area. In May 1968, the mission expanded to include fleet support for units in the Mediterranean and the name was changed to Naval Communications Station, Italy (NAVCOMMSTA).

The mission of NAVCOMMSTA continued to expand and sophisticated satellite and computerized communication systems were added. In July of 1974 the Naval Communication Processing and Routing System (NAVCOMPARS) was activated.

On April 1, 1976, the station was redesignated as U. S. Naval Communication Area Master Station, Mediterranean (NAVCAMS MED) and became one of four NAVCAMS in the world. Our mission was again expanded to include management of all naval tactical communication assets, systems and circuitry within the Mediterranean communication area.

With the additional tasking of providing automatic data processing (ADP) systems advice and support to other local commands, we became the U. S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Mediterranean (NCTAMS MED) as October 1991. NCTAMS also began providing operational direction to NAVCOMSTA Sicily and NAVCOMMU London. NCTAMS is the largest U. S. military command in the Naples area. In October 1993, NCTAMS MED Detachment, Rota Spain, formerly NAVCOMSTA Spain, was established taking operational and administrative guidance from NCTAMS MED.

In September 1996, NCTAMS began a consolidation effort in the Naples area by moving out of the antiquated facilities in Bagnoli and Agnano, and moving into a state-of-the-art communications facility at Capodichino, more commonly referred to as the C4I facility. Over a period of 10 months, NCTAMS successfully relocated. Following completion of this move in June 1997, NCTAMS began focusing on the assumption of Indian Ocean communications services. Effective Oct.1, 1997, NCTAMS MED became NCTAMS EURCENT to reflect the operational responsibility for both the European and Central (Indian Ocean and Southwest Asia) area of operation.

On Oct. 6, 2005, NCTAMS EURCENT was transformed to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Naples.