In the past NATO had a whole range of SATCOM installations, but the technological evolution makes most of them obsolete. The SATCOM installation in Gooik-Kester will be one of the two remaining (the other is in Verona, Italy). The installation is manned by a small amount of US military.
This installation controlled as well a communication line with microwave stations, which is also becoming obsolete (posts in Westrozebeke, Ben Ahin, Spa-Malchamp).