COLD WAR OPERATIONS CENTRES

With the ending of WW2 in 1945 and the resultant threat from the Soviet Union and nuclear attack, the role of the Operations Centres changed. The main purpose of the ROC operations room for Aircraft Reporting remained similar to the role during WW2. This role being;

1. To accept items of "air information" (over land and the seabelt adjoining the coastline) from ROC posts and any other sources which may be available.
2. To display such information by means of plotting counters so that the resulting tracks contain details of the "air situation" within the areas covered by the
   sources of information.
3. To pass onto the RAF operations room concerned information relating to the tracks of those aircraft which are required.
4. To maintain the display of the whole "air situation" as accurately as possible, so that all or any particular tracks may be available to the Fighter Command Control and Reporting System. Priority was to be given to aircraft flying at 5,000 feet or less, but tracks of aircraft flying at greater heights are to be maintained to supplement any radar picture overland if required.
5. To execute requirements with the utmost speed and precision.

A further role was added with the threat of nuclear fall-out generated from a nuclear attack. This role included;

1. To accept information relating to nuclear bursts and radioactive fall-out from ROC posts and any other sources which may be available.
2. To display such information by means of plotting counteres and symbols do that the "fall-out picture" is continuously available.
3. To pass on the required information to the appropriate operations room of the National Warning and Monitoring Organisation (UKWMO).
4. To execute these requirements as accurately and as speedily as possible.