Combined Communications-Electronics Board facts for kids

The Combined Communications-Electronics Board (CCEB) is a special group made up of five countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its main job is to help these countries work together better when it comes to military communications. Think of it like a team that makes sure all their radios, computers, and other communication tools can "talk" to each other.

The CCEB helps improve how these countries' militaries communicate. They do this by sharing information and creating common rules. They also create important documents called Allied Communications Publications (ACPs). These ACPs are like instruction manuals for how to communicate during military operations.

History of the CCEB

The idea for the CCEB started way back in 1941, during World War II. It was first called the Combined Communications Board (CCB). At first, only the UK and USA were members. They needed a way to plan and manage their military communications together.

The CCB grew a lot during the war. It had many smaller groups working on different communication topics. They even created millions of communication guides in many languages for their allies.

After the war, the CCB became smaller in 1949. This happened when the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed. However, the UK and US still met regularly to discuss communications.

New Members Join

Over time, more countries joined the group:

• In 1951, Canada became a full member.
• Later, Australia joined in 1969.
• Finally, New Zealand became a full member in 1972.

When New Zealand joined in 1972, the group changed its name to the Combined Communications-Electronics Board (CCEB).

In 1986, the CCEB started to focus on more than just basic communications. They began to include computer systems and information sharing that help commanders make decisions. This is often called "C4" (Command, Control, Communications, and Computers).

The CCEB always works closely with NATO. They also work with other groups to make sure military forces from different countries can communicate smoothly. This is very important for teamwork during international operations.

Allied Communications Publications (ACPs)

The CCEB creates and publishes special documents called Allied Communications Publications, or ACPs. These documents explain how military forces from the five member countries should communicate.

ACPs cover many ways of communicating, such as:

• Sending messages on computers.
• Using radios to talk (like walkie-talkies).
• Sending messages using Morse code (radiotelegraph).
• Using radioteletype (RATT), which is like sending text messages over radio.
• Even old-fashioned ways like signalling from the air to the ground.

Not all ACPs are managed by the CCEB. Some are handled by the NATO Standardization Office.

Allied Communication Procedures

Some of the CCEB's ACP documents are very important because they set the basic rules for communication. These rules are used by the CCEB member nations, who all speak English. They also form the basis for communication rules used by all NATO members, who then translate them into their own languages.

One of the most famous of these documents is ACP 125: Communications Instructions—Radiotelephony Procedures. This document teaches military personnel how to use radios to talk clearly and effectively.

See also

• ABCA Armies
• Air and Space Interoperability Council (air forces)
• AUSCANNZUKUS (navies)
• CANZUK
• Five Eyes
• The Technical Cooperation Program (communication-electronics)
• UKUSA Agreement (signal intelligence)
• US Military Communications-Electronics Board