# " AEROSPACE COMMUNICATIONS THE REINS OF COMMAND " 1961 JAMES STEWART DEW LINE COLD WAR FILM 34102

Famed actor and USAF officer James Stewart presents “Aerospace Communications”; a Cold War era film detailing the chilling scenario of nuclear war between the USA and an enemy nation capable of launching a nuclear strike. The film describes the transfer of information using the Ballistic Early Missile System or BMEWS, the Mid-Canada Line, the Pinetree line, the Distant Early Warning (DEW) and SAGE. SAGE is a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from radar sites to produce a single image of the airspace over a wide area. SAGE directed and controlled NORAD’s response to Soviet air assault during the 1950's to the 1980's. It’s massive computers and displays have remained an iconic part of the Cold War lore. SAGE was used as a prop in popular culture films such as Dr. Strangelove and Colossus. It is presented by the USAF (:11) and opens with an animation (:59) detailing the transfer of intelligence through these systems. The Midas station (1:27) alerts BMEWS (1:32), NORAD and other aerospace defenses. BMEWS locates launch and impact areas (1:50). The path of intelligence traces to NORAD, SAC and the Pentagon (2:12). The system alerts a launching of supersonic bombers (2:32), missiles and anti-missile missiles. James Stewart (3:19) details a recent tour of duty in the Pentagon during which he reviewed communication capabilities. He notes the DEW line, the Mid-Canada Line (4:34) and Pinetree line (4:37). BMEWS is looked to (4:44) in…

- Kind: Film
- Genres: War, Industrial and advertising
- Archive: [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/34102AerospaceCommunications)
- Licence or status: none stated by the archive
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/ia/34102AerospaceCommunications?play=1)