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Classification: Non Sensitive Information Releasable to the Public
Page updated: 02-Jul-2012 9:42
Frequently Asked Questions
CSD Contacts - Support Information
Still have questions? Send an e-mail to Content Manager
About the NATO Programming Centre:
- What is NPC?
- What does NPC do?
- Which products does NPC provide support and maintenance for?
- Does NPC provide training?
- I need basic information on NPC for a presentation/report. Where do I search for it?
- I am searching for a specific document but cannot find it. How can I track it down?
Working for NPC:
About the NPC Website:
- Why is the NPC web site sometimes unserviceable for a long time?
- What are the specifications used for NPC web site development?
- How often is the NPC web site updated?
- What shall I include when reporting a technical problem?
- Why are the pull-down menus not available on my browser?
- Why don't some links, i.e. NATO HQ or NCI Agency, work?
- Why doesn't anything happen when I click on the Customer Service Desk link?
- Can you provide a link to my organisation’s/company’s website from the NPC website?
A: The NPC is based at Glons, Belgium and is is part of the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency).
The NPC consists of around 200 personnel organized into 3 directorates and is commanded by a German Air Force Colonel. Around 25% of the personnel are civilian, the rest being military representing 16 different nations (including France) of NATO.
A: The NPC’s mission is to provide efficient and effective system and advisory support to ensure maximum operational capability of the Air Command and Control (C2) assets entrusted to the NPC.
Whilst in the past the NPC mission was limited to software maintenance of in-service NATO Air C2 systems, it was expanded in 2006 to permit provision of all activities required for system support for these systems. This includes the following areas: system engineering, obsolescence management, Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) software management and technical training.
The mission entrusted to the NPC places considerable emphasis on efficient and effective performance and, furthermore, demands the implementation of a recognized quality, safety and security management system.
For more information, please see: NPC Mission
Q: For which products NPC provides support and maintenance?
A: The NPC provides maintenance for a variety of Air C2 systems, including systems for planning, tasking and task execution. For some of the systems NPC executes full system maintenance, for others NPC contributes to a shared effort with other organisations such as NATO Communications and Information Services Agency (NCI Agency), NATO Supply Agency (NSPA), or even national authorities.
For more information, please see the Products section.
A: The NPC Training directorate regularly conducts courses for the currently fielded systems like ICC, NIRIS and ISP as tasked by the ACCS Software Committee. The courses are mainly oriented towards the technical specialists - courses for operational personnel are only provided on exceptional basis.
More information about the courses and Training plan please see here.
Q: I am searching for a specific document but cannot find it. How can I track it down?
A: Documentation and presentations for most of the meetings held at the NPC are published on the ASC/Support website. In order to obtain the documents/presentations you are looking for you need to have a username and a password for the ASC/Support website. If you already have access to the ASC/Support webpage proceed to login from here. More information on how to obtain access to the ASC/Support webpage read here.
Q: How do I apply for a job at NPC? Who can apply?
A: Military and civilians work together in project teams to provide efficient support including software maintenance and training at the NPC. For further information on how to apply for a job at the NPC please see: Military posts at NPC and Civilian posts at NPC.
Q: Why is the NPC web site sometimes unserviceable for a long time?
A: Technical problems related to the availability of the web site arising outside office hours can currently only be dealt with on the following working day.
Q: What are the specifications used for NPC web site development?
A: The NPC web site adheres to transitional XHTML version 1.0 and CSS1/CSS2 specifications that are supported by most modern browsers. The web page is justified in the browser window. The webdesign is CSS template based to fit 1024x768 pixels screen resolution or higher. Please note that this web site is tested only on IE Version 6.0, Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.11 and with Netscape 7.0 and might provide significantly different output results on other browser types and versions.
Q: How often is the NPC web site updated?
A: The NPC public web site is being updated regularly but at least once a week. If not immediately, the update normally takes place on the last working day of each week between 11:00 and 12:00 hours. Using the web site during this timeframe might give unexpected results and should properly be avoided.
Q: What shall I include when reporting a technical problem?
A: Browser type and version should be provided like for example IE Version 5.0. In most cases the browser Help menu contains this information. It is also appreciated if the report includes monitor size and screen resolution settings used (e.g. 19 inches and 1024 by 768 pixels). In most cases this information could be obtained by selecting Settings after a right mouse click on the Desktop.
Q: Why are the pull-down menus not available on my browser?
A: Probably the local security settings for using scripts do not allow for it. The menu used on the web site requires that the client side can execute JavaScript. However, the Site Map provides an alternative navigation.
Q:Why don't some links, i.e. NATO HQ or NCI Agency, always work?
A: Due to the publicaiton of this website on multiple networks, public links are not always available.
Q: Why doesn't anything happen when I click on the Customer Service Desk link?
A: The local settings for the email application are not compatible with an automatic launch of the e-mail client. Please start the email application and insert the following address: servicedesk.glons@ncia.nato.int into the recipients field of the message.
Q: Can you provide a link to my organisation’s/company’s website from the NPC website?
A: As a general rule, the NPC website does not provide links to external commercial sites.
