Role and responsibilities
The SITCEN is set up to support the North Atlantic Council, the Military Committee, and their supporting committees, in consultative and crisis management activities. It is not an operations centre as it has neither an assessment function nor a role in the NATO Command structure.
Working mechanism
The SITCEN is uniquely positioned between the civilian International Staff and the International Military Staff of NATO Headquarters. Its staff consists of both civilian and military personnel.
The Secretary General, through the Assistant Secretary General for Operations, is responsible for the policy, organisation, development and control of the Situation Centre. The Director of the International Military Staff is responsible, through coordination with the Chief SITCEN, for its day-to-day operations and for manning the military positions.
The SITCEN has an Admin Support/Registry office and two branches: the Communication Branch and the Watch Staff Support Branch. The Admin Support/Registry office is the SITCEN’s central point for information management and control, training co-ordination, and financial management.
The Communication Branch provides NATO Headquarters with continuous secure and clear voice, data, message and video links to NATO member capitals, strategic commands and, as required, international organizations.
The Watch Staff Support Branch is responsible for the receipt, initial processing and exchange of political, economic, terrorist and military intelligence and information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also provides geographical information services to NATO Headquarters and acts as a focal point for all geospatial matters in support of senior decision-makers, task forces and exercises.