1 Transmitting and receiving equipment
2 Teletype documentation
3 Computer room
4 Documentation apparatus
5 Main memory
6 Central system control panel
7 Display apparatus
8 Projectors control panel
9 Combat control projectors
10 Projectors of the reconnaissance center
11 Air situation display of battle command
12 Large-screen display panel
13 Reconnaissance center workstations
14 Internal ALMAS intelligence apparatus.

The workplace of the engineer on duty of the automated command system "ALMAS" in the room of the control equipment with the main and reserve systems,which switched automatically in the event of a malfunction.

Thanks to sophisticated Soviet technology and a sophisticated self-testing system, it was possible to maintain a coefficient of technical readiness of better than 98% a year.

All the walls here are also lined with welded 6mm steel plates for EMP protection.

Not to be seen is the also always ready for use GDR coffee machine behind the control desk.

The "ALMAS" system linked all Warsaw Treaty member states in a unified air situation data network.

The officers of the 1st regular crew received their special training in 1977 at the Soviet Military Academy in Kalinin.

On the left, one of the two computers of the Soviet automated command and control system,equipped with a microprogram controller and power-failure-proof ferrite core memories.
The codes of the flight reporting network were periodically still threaded by hand with wires.
The second computer always ran along as a hot backup and received the current data from the main computer every 10s.

The sound of the computers:

In the documentation room there were two tape recorders for uninterrupted recording of all incoming and outgoing teletype information telegrams of the system "ALMAS".
As in the other areas of the "Fuchsbau", female professional soldiers were also integrated here.


The printer workstation for documenting the message data processed by the computer and the terminal entries from the 26 workstations of the operational personnel.

The typical printer noise:

In original condition, 2 beautiful brass chronometers with wooden case and thermostat served as system clock.
Every 48 hours, these were wound by hand by the operator.
The chronometers were soon replaced by a quartz clock from GDR production.
A general had noticed that these Soviet clocks were always 10 seconds slow in the day...

One of the 26 workstations of the "ALMAS" system in the 1990 command room.
On the sloping headboard, the 5 lines for the digital display of target data can be seen.
On the left half of the console, the intercom system is recessed.
The right half accommodates the keypad for calling up target data and entering operational control commands.
The video monitors set up are not components of the "ALMAS" system

The 1.main memory of the guidance system with its 8192 words each 26 bits on ferrite core basis in its temperature-controlled sealed block.
The plug-in cards of the system were built extremely service-friendly and from diode-transistor logic modules to functional and universal units

The author of these pages in the ALMAS computer room next to the mini guidance system MIDA-32 developed in ZGS-14 on the basis of GDR office computers. MIDA-32 mini-guidance system, which was developed at the ZGS-14 on the basis of GDR office computers. weekends, and was compatible with the Soviet system.ALMAS required 350 sq. ft. of space, 120 kW of electrical power and 15,000 m³ of air per hour for cooling.

The screen of the battle command room with the daily alignment test of the projectors.
Next to it on the left half of the large tableau, for example, the combat-ready aircraft and missiles were displayed for the chief and his deputies.
In the case of combat operations, the launches and firings carried out appeared here, as well as the number of nuclear weapon strikes on the battlefield.
On the right side of the tableau came the current number of targets received or sent by the divisions and neighboring states, states of the intelligence channels, and other statistical system data specifically for the officers of the Intelligence and Information Center (AIZ) to Display.

The room with the automatic remote data transmission equipment for the information telegrams of the command system.
These were transmitted in teletype coding and still encrypted in the adjacent special message room.

Simulations and recorded situations could also be played in from the operator's console from magnetic tape.
In the neighboring room were installed the teletypewriters,which were used during the 2 daily function checks in the entire "East block" area and with alarms for documentation were switched on.
For camouflage reasons, ZGS-14 transmitted only from remote locations.
Data transmission was therefore mainly via covered wire channels..

In the pulpit of the mezzanine also worked the directional group ,the combat section IV.
When guided by radio, the overflight of reconnaissance satellites was automatically signaled.

In the foreground, the control panel for the projectors used to display static and dynamic air situation information on the two large screens of the command and control room.
The target characters were automatically burned in the projector onto a 10x10 cm aluminum-coated film and enlarged to a format of 4x4 m in two colors.
The display mode was controlled by the operational crew itself as needed.

In the upper part of the picture, the main and reserve ejectors of the left half of the guide room can be seen in their separate floors.

In the foreground the workplace of Generaloberst Reinhold,the chief of the air force/air defense of the GDR until 1989.
On the left edge of the picture, the room of the "FBZ on duty" can be seen, separated by windows.

After 1995:

In these rooms on the mezzanine floor once stood the control equipment for the projectors and display panels of the "ALMAS" guidance system.

Here were also the workstations of the group Direction / Own (Combat Section IV).

Remaining are the ducts running under the floor of the technical ventilation and brackets on the walls.