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  • Categorieën

  • The Radome Archipelago (1999)

    During the Cold War there were hundreds of secret remote listening posts spread around the globe. From large stations in the moors of Scotland and mountains of Turkey that were complete with golf balllike structures called “radomes” to singly operated stations in the barren wilderness of Saint Lawrence Island between Alaska and Siberia that had only a few antennae, these stations constituted the ground-based portion of the United States Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) System or “USSS.”

    Operated by the supersecret National Security Agency (NSA), these stations were designed to intercept Morse Code, telephone, telex, radar, telemetry, and other signals emanating from behind the Iron Curtain. At one time, the NSA contemplated a worldwide, continuously operated array of 4120 intercept stations. While the agency never achieved that goal, it could still boast of several hundred intercept stations. These included its ground-based “outstations,” which were supplemented by other intercept units located on ships, submarines, aircraft (from U-2s to helicopters), unmanned drones, mobile vans, aerostats (balloons and dirigibles), and even large and cumbersome backpacks.

    With the collapse of the Communist “bloc” and the advent of microwaves, fiber optics, and cellular phones, NSA’s need for numerous ground-based intercept stations waned. It began to rely on a constellation of sophisticated SIGINT satellites with code names like Vortex, Magnum, Jumpseat, and Trumpet to sweep up the world’s satellite, microwave, cellular, and high-frequency communications and signals. Numerous outstations met with one of three fates: they were shut down completely, remoted to larger facilities called Regional SIGINT Operations Centers or “RSOCs,” or were turned over to host nation SIGINT agencies to be operated jointly with NSA.

    However, NSA’s jump to relying primarily on satellites proved premature. In 1993, Somali clan leader Mohammed Farah Aideed taught the agency an important lesson. Aideed’s reliance on older and lower-powered walkie-talkies and radio transmitters made his communications virtually silent to the orbiting SIGINT “birds” of the NSA. Therefore, NSA technicians came to realize there was still a need to get in close in some situations to pick up signals of interest. In NSA’s jargon this is called improving “hearability.”

    As NSA outstations were closed or remoted, new and relatively smaller intercept facilities such as the “gateway” facility in Bahrain, reportedly used for retransmit signals intercepted in Baghdad last year to the U.S. sprang up around the world. In addition to providing NSA operators with fresh and exotic duty stations, the new stations reflected an enhanced mission for NSA economic intelligence gathering. Scrapping its old Cold War A and B Group SIGINT organization, NSA expanded the functions of its W Group to include SIGINT operations against a multitude of targets. Another unit, M Group, would handle intercepts from new technologies like the Internet.

    Many people who follow the exploits of SIGINT and NSA are eager to peruse lists of secret listening posts operated by the agency and its partners around the world. While a master list probably exists somewhere in the impenetrable lair that is the NSA’s Fort Meade, Maryland, headquarters, it is assuredly stamped with one of the highest security classifications in the U.S. intelligence community.  W.M. & J.V.

    The United States SIGINT System (USSS)

    The following list is the best unclassified shot at describing the locations of the ground-based “ears” of the Puzzle Palace. It is culled from press accounts, informed experts, and books written about the NSA and its intelligence partners. It does not include the numerous listening units on naval vessels and aircraft nor those operating from U.S. and foreign embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions.

    United States

    NSA Headquarters, Fort Meade, Maryland
    Buckley Air National Guard Ground Base, Colorado
    Fort Gordon, Georgia (RSOC)
    Imperial Beach, California
    Kunia, Hawaii (RSOC)
    Northwest, Virginia
    Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico
    San Antonio, Texas (RSOC)
    Shemya, Alaska -3
    Sugar Grove, West Virginia
    Winter Harbor, Maine
    Yakima, Washington

    Albania

    Durres -6
    Shkoder -6
    Tirana -6

    Ascension Island

    Two Boats -1

    Australia

    Bamaga -6 -7
    Cabarlah -7
    Canberra (Defense Signals Directorate Headquarters) -5
    Harman -7
    Kojarena, Geraldton -1
    Nurunggar -1
    Pearce -1
    Pine Gap, Alice Springs -1
    Riverina -7
    Shoal Bay, Darwin -1
    Watsonia -1

    Austria

    Konigswarte -7
    Neulengbach -7

    Bahrain

    Al-Muharraq Airport -3
    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Tuzla

    Botswana

    Mapharangwane Air Base

    British Indian Ocean Territory

    Diego Garcia -1

    Brunei

    Bandar Seri Begawan -7

    Canada

    Alert -7
    Gander -7
    Leitrim -1
    Masset -6 -7
    Ottawa [Communications Security Establishment (CSE) Headquarters] -5

    China

    Korla -1 -6
    Qitai -1 -6

    Croatia

    Brac� Island, Croatia -6
    Zagreb-Lucko Airport -7

    Cuba

    Guantanamo Bay

    Cyprus

    Ayios Nikolaos -1

    Denmark

    Aflandshage -7
    Almindingen, Bornholm -7
    Dueodde, Bornholm -7
    Gedser -7
    Hj�rring -7
    L�gumkl�ster -7

    Eritrea

    Dahlak Island -1 (NSA/Israel “8200” site)

    Estonia

    Tallinn -7

    Ethiopia

    Addis Ababa -1

    Finland

    Santahamina -7

    French Guiana

    Kourou -7 (German Federal Intelligence Service station)

    Germany

    Achern -7
    Ahrweiler -7
    Bad Aibling -2
    Bad M�nstereifel -7
    Braunschweig -7
    Darmstadt -7
    Frankfurt -7
    Hof -7
    Husum -7
    Mainz -7
    Monschau -7
    Pullach (German Federal Intelligence Service Headquarters) -5
    Rheinhausen -7
    Stockdorf -7
    Strassburg -7
    Vogelweh, Germany

    Gibraltar

    Gibraltar -7

    Greece

    Ir�klion, Crete

    Guam

    Finegayan

    Hong Kong

    British Consulate, Victoria (“The Alamo”) -7

    Iceland

    Keflavik -3

    India

    Charbatia -7

    Israel

    Herzliyya (Unit 8200 Headquarters) -5
    Mitzpah Ramon -7
    Mount Hermon, Golan Heights -7
    Mount Meiron, Golan Heights -7

    Italy

    San Vito -6
    Sorico

    Japan

    Futenma, Okinawa
    Hanza, Okinawa
    Higashi Chitose -7
    Higashi Nemuro -7
    Kofunato -7
    Miho -7
    Misawa
    Nemuro -7
    Ohi -7
    Rebunto -7
    Shiraho -7
    Tachiarai -7
    Wakkanai

    Korea (South)

    Kanghwa-do Island -7
    Osan -1
    Pyong-dong Island -7
    P’yongt’aek -1
    Taegu -1 -2 -6
    Tongduchon -1
    Uijo�ngbu -1
    Yongsan -1

    Kuwait

    Kuwait

    Latvia

    Ventspils -7

    Lithuania

    Vilnius -7

    Netherlands

    Amsterdam (Technical Intelligence Analysis Center (TIVC) Headquarters)-5
    Emnes -7
    Terschelling -7

    New Zealand

    Tangimoana -7
    Waihopai -1
    Wellington (Government Communications Security Bureau Headquarters -5

    Norway

    Borhaug -7
    Fauske/Vetan -7
    Jessheim -7
    Kirkenes -1
    Randaberg -7
    Skage/Namdalen -7
    Vads� -7
    Vard� -7
    Viksjofellet -7

    Oman

    Abut -1
    Goat Island, Musandam Peninsula -3
    Khasab, Musandam Peninsula -3
    Masirah Island -3

    Pakistan

    Parachinar

    Panama

    Galeta Island -3

    Papua New Guinea

    Port Moresby -7

    Portugal

    Terceira Island, Azores

    Rwanda

    Kigali

    S�o Tom� and Pr�ncipe

    Pinheiro

    Saudi Arabia

    Araz -7
    Khafji -7

    Singapore

    Kranji -7

    Spain

    Pico de las Nieves, Grand Canary Island -7
    Manzanares -7
    Playa de Pals -3
    Rota

    Solomon Islands

    Honiara -7

    Sri Lanka

    Iranawilla

    Sweden

    Karlskrona -7
    Lov�n (Swedish FRA Headquarters) -7
    Musk� -7

    Switzerland

    Merishausen -7
    R�thi -7

    Taiwan:

    Quemoy -7
    Matsu -7
    Shu Lin Kuo -5 (German Federal Intelligence Service/NSA/Taiwan J-3 SIGINT service site)

    Turkey

    Adana
    Agri -7
    Antalya -7
    Diyarbakir
    Edirne -7
    Istanbul -7
    Izmir -7
    Kars
    Sinop -7

    Thailand

    Aranyaprathet -7
    Khon Kaen -1 -3
    Surin -7
    Trat -7

    Uganda

    Kabale
    Galangala Island, Ssese Islands (Lake Victoria)

    United Arab Emirates

    Az-Zarqa� -3
    Dalma� -3
    Ras al-Khaimah -3
    Sir Abu Nuayr Island -3

    United Kingdom:

    Belfast (Victoria Square) -7
    Brora, Scotland -7
    Cheltenham (Government Communications Headquarters) -5
    Chicksands -7
    Culm Head -7
    Digby -7
    Hawklaw, Scotland -7
    Irton Moor -7
    Menwith Hill, Harrogate -1 (RSOC)
    Molesworth -1
    Morwenstow -1
    Westminster, London -7
    (Palmer Street)
    Yemen
    Socotra Island (planned)

    KEY:

    -1 Joint facility operated with a SIGINT partner.

    -2 Joint facility partially operated with a SIGINT partner.

    -3 Contractor-operated facility.

    -4 Remoted facility.

    -5 NSA liaison is present.

    -6 Joint NSA-CIA site.

    -7 Foreign-operated “accommodation site” that provides occasional SIGINT product to the USSS.

    February 24 – March 2, 1999
    by
    jason vest and wayne madsen A Most Unusual Collection Agency

    Find this story at February March 1999

    Copyright 1999 The Village Voice – all rights reserved.